Maggie Chapman doubles down on attack on judges

Maggie Chapman

Speaking in Aberdeen at the weekend she referred to the “bigotry, prejudice and hatred that we see coming from the Supreme Court” – remarks which have been met with disbelief.

Asked if she was considering her position, she told reporters: “No, I’m not considering my position. There are plenty of politicians in Scotland prepared to stand up and represent people with transphobic views, people who don’t think trans people should be out in public, should be allowed to use public facilities, like the rest of us do.

“I am committed to standing up for trans people in our country.”

Writing to the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, of which Ms Chapman is deputy convenor, Dean of Faculty, Roddy Dunlop KC, said her comments were “appalling”.

He wrote: “For Ms Chapman to claim that they [the justices] were swayed by “bigotry, prejudice and hatred” is outrageous. We are talking about the apex court of these islands, in this instance made up of a bench which included two of Scotland’s finest legal minds, as well as two women. No sensible person could read their dispassionate analysis and conclude that they were swayed by such matters.”

Scottish Tory shadow equalities minister Tess White said: “Her outrageous attack on the integrity of the highest court in the land and her refusal to accept its legal ruling demonstrate her blind prejudice on gender self-ID and make her position as Deputy Convenor of the Equalities Committee completely untenable.”

The Supreme Court said it does not comment on its judgments.