1/7 Thread of my thoughts on today’s session with the CE of the Prison Service in Holyrood. First - the @scottishprisons is a civil service agency. Their boss is the Justice Secretary, their Policy driver, the SNPs rigid adherence to Trans ideology. 2/7 I worked with the CE Teresa Medhurst for 10 years. I liked & admired her & she was always supportive of me. I know she cares deeply about women in custody & understands well the trauma burden they carry

1/11In the mud-slinging around the new Indie party, I hope @nicolasturgeon will find time to reflect on why so many redoubtable women are turning to @albaparty when many know AS has not been a model of propriety around women (although all talk of criminality must stop) 2/11 Those who have left the SNP are women who have worked for tirelessly for the rights of women, children & LGB people. Many are politically to the left of NS & that should give her pause for thought. Here are 9 Reasons Why

1/6 A thread about putting men in women’s prisons. The Rules governing the way the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) operates are laid down in Primary legislation. They are law. So, what do they say about where men & women should be held? 2/6 Rule 126(1) of the Prison Rules Scotland (2011): Female prisoners must not share the same accommodation as male prisoners”. SPS policy says men who have male genitals but self-id as women can be held with women. No GRC is required.

1/8 The #HateCrimeBill has been approved by Holyrood. There is still a chance a Judicial Review may find it discriminatory, but for now its passage into law seems assured. So what light might ScotGov’s Equality Impact Assessment on the Bill shed on how it happened? 2/8 Existing ‘hate crime’ statutory aggravations already included: race; religion; disability; sexual orientation & transgender. The EIA says ScotGov accepted all of Lord Bracadale’s recommendations about a new bill, except he said ‘sex’ should be included. It’s not. They didn’t

1/9 A thread of testimony submitted by experts in psychiatry, paediatrics & cognitive neuroscience from around the world to the High Court in the Tavistock Puberty Blockers case. 2/9 One expert said it had been left to those coming to the end of their careers to speak out because the atmosphere of hostility & intimidation facing critical voices made it impossible for younger people to do so