The front page of today’s @heraldscotland wrongly states that I “am taking a defamation action against a Scots actor”. This is incorrect. There is no such action in court and I note the online version has been corrected to reflect this.
Article 10 of the ECHR (which is part of Scots law) protects the right to freedom of expression. It specifically states that the exercise of this right carries with it duties & responsibilities and may be subject to such restrictions or penalties as are
prescribed by law & are necessary in a democratic society. This is what permits us to legislate to criminalise hate speech & it is why individuals including MPs are entitled to take steps to protect their rights & reputations when people tell lies about them
Defamatory claims about my position on trans rights by the likes of the actor in question and others have effectively put a target on my back and led to online abuse and threats of sexual violence which are now the subject of criminal charges
In the circumstances I am wholly within my rights to take steps to protect my reputation and my personal safety. My partner & I have been through hell with all of this & we would appreciate being left in peace for a while
If you want to hear the full story of the consequences of the untrue & hateful things which have been said about me please listen to this interview I did with @holyroodmandy podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/pol… 
I hope that @ScottishPEN will take note of my position & respect my right to defend myself & my family from untrue allegations which may cause me or them harm. Thank you. I will not be commenting further
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