Nicola Sturgeon’s trans self-identification law is failing women – Rishi Sunak has to fight back

WE weren’t told what was on the menu at this week’s “informal dinner” between Rishi Sunak and Nicola Sturgeon in Inverness.

But if the Prime Minister wants to show he’s the leader Britain needs, I hope he has left the Scottish First Minister in no doubt that her new self-identification bill would be among her scraps in the bin.

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So far, Sunak has only expressed “concern” about her plan to eliminate the need for a medical diagnosis for a gender recognition certificate.

Under the bill, passed by Holyrood in December, applicants would only have to live in their new gender for three months.

It would also lower the minimum age to 16, although the procedure would take longer for under-18s.

But it still needs royal assent to become law and Mr Sunak’s government has until next week to decide whether to allow it.

If the Whitehall lawyers currently examining the bill decide that it undermines existing UK law protecting women’s rights, then surely the only option is to veto it.

The problem is that the bill is so ambiguous that trying to solve one problem – the very important problem of making trans women feel comfortable – simultaneously creates another that makes other women feel potentially vulnerable.

women are concerned. Concerned about the use of public locker rooms, public toilets, locker rooms and gym locker rooms, fearing that some bad men might try to use this bill as an opportunity to exploit women.

I have no doubt that all most trans women want is to embrace their chosen gender and be left alone to go about their lives.

But this law raises real concerns in spaces like prisons, where female prisoners have been assaulted in female-only spaces.

Against this background, JK Rowling felt there was a need to set up and fund a new women’s service for victims of sexual violence in Edinburgh.

Sometimes it feels like women and their rights are being blown out of life with a spray gun.

We don’t get any insight

You only have to watch the Brit Awards to see how it’s going.

Last year, as she picked up her gender-neutral Artist of the Year gong, Adele said: “I understand why the name of this award has changed, but I really love being a woman and an artist.”

There were a few raised eyebrows, but you know what? In a positive twist on events you couldn’t have imagined, only male stars made the nominations for Artist of the Year this year.

Now we see exactly what is meant by “gender independent”. It’s an old school boys club.

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If there isn’t a category for women, we won’t get any insight.

The dangers are clear.

Legal expert Lord Keen, former Advocate General for Scotland, said there were “real and widespread” concerns about the impact of this new law on Britain’s Equality Act and that it would be constitutionally unfair to allow it.

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to change the law to allow trans people across the UK to self-identify their gender. But fortunately he is not yet in power.

Rishi Sunak should block this law in Scotland.

And when he does, I suspect he’ll have the people in his corner who have the most to lose – the women who failed Ms. Sturgeon.

Another groaning Harry

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In my household, when you moan in a “woe is me” tone about something insignificant, we call it “doing a Harold” after the world’s No. 1 whiner – Prince Harry.

And this week’s Doing a Harold award winner goes to a different Harry – Harry Spartacus May.

The 21-year-old admitted to throwing an egg at the king in December while on a tour to meet the public in Luton.

This poor Harry complained that he was “very stressed and traumatized” at having to spend time at a police station after being nicked.

It’s a police station, Harry. Not a five star hotel.

He pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined £100 and paid £85 in costs.

The moral of the story? Don’t throw eggs if you don’t want them to land on your face.

Sparkling Jennifer shines above everyone else

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I AM such a huge fan of Jennifer Coolidge in White Lotus – and I loved her at the Golden Globes on Tuesday night.

At 61, Jennifer, who won Best Supporting Actress for her performance as billionaire heiress Tanya in the gloriously dark comedy, looked like a million bucks in glitter, feathers and crystal-embellished heels.

I love the fact that she has a clear embrace of life and all it has to offer.

And she obviously has a sense of humor too.

When asked about her dream role after winning her Globe, she said she would like to play a dolphin.

White Lotus is one of the best things on TV and she was the best at it. Bravo.

Shoot a waste, Dave

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CONGRATULATIONS to “Dustbin” Dave Clark who received an award – for collecting photographs of dustbins.

The Norfolk do-it-yourselfer has amassed more than 10,000 bin snaps over the past four years, many submitted by fellow enthusiasts from around the world.

He recalls: “I was fascinated as I walked down the heap and watched the garbage collectors collecting.

“Then one day I saw a container designed like a fab lolly. That blew me away.”

He claims his wife accepts his “freaky” hobby. He’s clearly a happy man and I doubt many others would be just as tolerant.

Most women would throw him out with the trash.

Ryan is really blue

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VILE Lee Ryan must have had a hangover from hell waking up the day after drinking a bottle of port and making appalling racist taunts to a black flight attendant.

A court heard this week that the blues singer “slurred his words and stumbled” after drinking an entire bottle before a British Airways flight from Glasgow to London City Airport.

After being denied more alcohol on the plane and told to return to his seat, Ryan made comments about a flight attendant’s looks, calling her a “chocolate chip cookie” before grabbing her wrists and saying he had to kiss her.

On Thursday he was found guilty in Ealing Magistrates’ Court of being drunk on an aeroplane, assaulting a police officer by biting him and committing a racially aggravated collective assault by shouting at the flight attendant behaved abusively.

Ryan denied the charges and said his behavior was “playful” – which, frankly, is disgusting.

A police interview read to the court quoted Ryan as saying, “I wish I could call her, apologize and offer her some blue tickets to the next tour.”

Judging by his demeanor, he’ll be lucky if anyone ever wants to see him on stage again.