Swinney: Govt should remove barrier to passing Gender Reform bill

Pride is a really important occasion for us to recognise and celebrate the diversity of our country and to support the LGBTI community within Scotland. Pride Edinburgh is a great celebration of that community. It demonstrates the filling of the streets with love and that's so important that we have that love and that diversity right at the heart of our capital city. The Scottish Parliament has legislated for the changes on gender recognition and I think it's important. The democratic wishes of the Scottish Parliament are respected, but clearly there is a legal issue that's got to be addressed and that can only be addressed by the United Kingdom Government. But I want the legislation that's been passed by the Scottish Parliament to be put into effect. Do you want the section 25? That's I, I want the UK Government to remove the obstacles that prevent the Scottish Parliament being able to implement the legislation that Parliament has passed. There's a fundamental democratic point at stake here, that the people of Scotland have elected a Parliament that is committed to the holding of an independence referendum and to delivering independence. That is the the position of the Scottish Parliament and it's the position of the that came out of the 2021 Scottish Parliament elections. I want to see that democratic mandate respected and by voting for the SNP in this election we can make sure that's the case. But we cannot allow the democratic wishes of the people of Scotland to be ignored. So that's why it's so important. That is a huge vote for the Scottish National Party in this election to make sure that the incoming government understands the strength of feeling within Scotland that we want to have the mandate given to our Parliament in 2021 put into effect. I certainly want to make sure that we have the highest standards in all that we do in our in our in our political parties. And I think the Tories have got huge questions to answer about the betting scandal that's taken place and what would you have done if it was, if it was your MPs or well, you have, you have to act to address these issues if it happens to you.