Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has called on health bosses to cease the 'bureaucratic oppression' of a Scottish nurse who raised concerns about sharing female-only facilities with a transgender colleague. The intervention follows a landmark meeting in Edinburgh between Mrs Badenoch and NHS Fife nurse Sandie Peggie, who has been embroiled in a lengthy legal battle.
A Landmark Meeting and a Show of Support
Mrs Badenoch became the most senior politician to meet with Mrs Peggie in the wake of a complex employment tribunal case. The case centred on Mrs Peggie's objections to sharing a women's changing room at Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy with a trans-identifying male doctor, Dr Beth Upton. Describing the nurse as 'remarkable', the Conservative leader praised her bravery, stating many would have 'crumbled under that kind of pressure'.
Mrs Badenoch strongly criticised the tribunal's handling of the case, referencing a controversial element where the judge was forced to issue corrections after reportedly using artificial intelligence to help draft the ruling. 'The ridiculous court judgement that was based on hallucinating AI just shows that a lot of people are not taking this issue seriously,' she said.
The Ongoing Legal Battle and Political Fallout
The tribunal previously found that NHS Fife had harassed Mrs Peggie, but employment judge Sandy Kemp dismissed her other claims against the health board and all allegations against Dr Upton. Mrs Peggie is now set to lodge an imminent appeal, arguing the ruling 'falls short in many respects' and vowing to continue her fight.
Mrs Badenoch used the meeting to accuse the SNP Government of being 'in denial' about a Supreme Court definition of a woman, as it continues its own court battle over the placement of biological men in women's prisons. 'They are in denial, they have been captured by activists,' she stated. 'We all know what a man and a woman is, if the SNP don't know then they should not be running the country.'
Calls for Action and Institutional Change
Expressing concern that Mrs Peggie was being 'left in limbo', Mrs Badenoch condemned the drawn-out process as a form of oppression. She urged both the UK and Scottish Governments to remove what she termed 'propaganda from trans activists' from public institutions, claiming many are 'misinformed' about the law.
The Tory leader also labelled it a 'disgrace' that guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission on the matter remains unpublished. Following their talks, she affirmed that 'a lot of women out there have her back,' signalling ongoing support for Mrs Peggie's campaign concerning women's rights and single-sex spaces.
