BBC Scotland accused of pandering to trans activists in Cass Review coverage

Ellie Gomersall said the effects of puberty blockers were ‘perfectly reversible’ – Jane Barlow/PA

The BBC has been accused of allowing trans activists to peddle propaganda in its Scottish coverage of the landmark Cass Review into child gender services.

The campaign group For Women Scotland has made a formal complaint to the broadcaster, accusing it of a lack of balance and allowing partisan commentators to make unfounded claims unchallenged about puberty blockers.

While south of the border the BBC has covered the Cass Review in depth, the day after the report was published BBC Scotland chose instead to focus on an NHS England decision about migraine tablets, already available in Scotland, on its flagship morning radio phone-in.

Meanwhile, on the day the report was released, it convened a panel made up exclusively of critics of the Cass Review on its nightly news programme The Nine.

Ellie Gomersall, a transgender woman and activist, was invited to react to the Cass Review alongside Dr Aidan Kelly, who runs a private gender clinic and has also been publicly critical of the report.

Trans activists have criticised the review of child gender treatment by Dr Hilary Cass – Yui Mok/PA

Ms Gomersall also criticised the Cass Review on BBC Scotland’s Drivetime radio show that day and claimed, unchallenged by the host, that the effects of puberty blockers were “perfectly reversible”.

The Cass Review, however, found that there was no compelling evidence about long-term impacts and could not rule out fears they can damage cognitive and psychological development and fertility. Studies have shown they do harm bone development.

The Telegraph understands that the Scottish Tories, who are leading calls for ban on puberty blockers north of the border, have been invited onto BBC Scotland to discuss the report only once since its release.

The For Women Scotland complaint, to BBC Scotland’s Gary Smith, head of news and current affairs, accused the broadcaster of a “dearth of Scottish coverage” over the Cass Review.

It said where it had been featured, “appalling editorial decisions” had been made resulting in “frequently misleading” coverage which was “little short of propaganda”.

“Naturally, the Cass Review did not address the provision of services in the Scottish NHS, but even a cursory investigation should reveal that the situation in Scotland is, if anything, worse,” the complaint said.

“Despite the troubling findings of the report, affirmation-only care and dangerous experimental drugs continue to be the only show in town in Scotland.

“A public service broadcaster should, surely, have been asking the tough questions of ministers and the health service which continues to allow this discredited and damaging approach.”

It added: “While we should give credit to Drivetime for attempting to cover the issue at all, we were horrified that they gave air time over to the unqualified, non-medical activist Ellie Gomersall who outright lied about studies being ignored in the Cass Report, and was permitted to make wholly unevidenced claims about puberty blockers, regret rates and medical best practice.”

Dr Aidan Kelly, who runs a private gender clinic, has also criticised the review – Yoav Pichersky

While the Cass Review was commissioned by NHS England, the Scottish Government is facing calls to adopt its findings with concerns raised over practices at the Sandyford clinic in Glasgow, Scotland’s only gender identity clinic for children.

Humza Yousaf, the First Minister, was asked about the report in an interview with BBC Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Tuesday, leading to the BBC publishing only its second online news article on Scottish implications of the review.

The issue did not feature on The Sunday Show, which claims to cover “the stories that matter to Scotland”, including in its review of Scottish Sunday newspapers where there was widespread Cass coverage.

In his interview, Mr Yousaf reiterated the position that the Cass Report would be reviewed in Scotland but ruled out calls to close the Sandyford, claiming it offered “exceptional health care”.

Tried to force a ministerial statement

While Mr Yousaf said the review would not take an “inordinate” amount of time, the Scottish Tories have accused the SNP of burying their heads in the sand over Hilary Cass’s findings.

Meghan Gallacher, the Scottish Tory deputy leader, on Tuesday attempted to change Holyrood’s agenda to force a ministerial statement on the issue but was voted down by Green and SNP MSPs.

Ms Gallacher said: “The issues examined in the Cass report are extremely serious and vulnerable young Scots and their parents deserve to know what the SNP Government’s response to it is. This deafening silence is unacceptable.”

A BBC Scotland spokesman said: “We regularly receive feedback from a variety of audience members on this important issue.

“We are committed to covering the subject impartially, which means taking into account not just one day’s coverage but examining this issue over time. We will, of course, answer any official complaints in the usual way.”

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