The world's most-read Scottish politics website

Wings Over Scotland


One simple question

Posted on February 20, 2025 by

We actually agree with John Swinney here.

The law – more specifically the Workplace (Health, Safety, and Welfare) Regulations 1992 –  is indeed “crystal clear”. It states, wholly unambiguously, that men and women must be provided with separate single-sex changing facilities, which could under NO lawful conditions include Dr “Beth” Upton and nurse Sandie Peggie at the same time.

The difficulty is that any minute now, someone is going to ask the beleaguered First Minister the staggeringly obvious question that arises from the fact, namely:

Why didn’t NHS Fife know that?

Because while the responsibility for NHS boards knowing the law is essentially theirs, they’re also entitled to expect reliable guidance from the Scottish Government on how the law should be interpreted, and any public body that had been following the actions of the Scottish Government for the last decade or so would be forgiven for drawing the conclusion that the stance they were expected to take was “do whatever transgender people say and give them whatever they want under all circumstances”.

But that isn’t the law, and – in so far as anyone in Scotland is actually held accountable for anything any more – someone will have to carry the can for the political car crash and significant waste of public money that has ensued from NHS Fife so manifestly not knowing it. If someone doesn’t find themselves thrown under a bus for it pretty soon, Swinney himself risks being the third SNP First Minister brought down by the madness of the gender cult and having to wave Bute House goodbye.

We look forward to someone asking the question in the coming days.

0 to “One simple question”

  1. sarah says:

    But, Rev, if Swinney et al say that a transvestite is a woman, then the law, as they see it, is being applied.

    But we can hope that this issue will bring Swinney down.

    Reply
    • Rev. Stuart Campbell says:

      Lady Dorrian’s ruling in the FWS case was very clear on this point – as far as the law is concerned, a man without a GRC is a man no matter how many ladyfeels he has.

      Reply
  2. Ian Brotherhood says:

    Poll:

    ‘Inability to provide straight answers to questions about ‘Isla Bryson’/Adam Graham effectively ended Nicola Sturgeon’s tenure as First Minister.

    Do you feel that John Swinney’s handling of the Sandy Peggie/NHS Fife affair will produce a similar outcome?’

    Yes 87.8%

    No 12.2%

    82 votes

    2 days left

    3:10 PM · Feb 20, 2025

    x.com/ianbhood/status/1892592572775665920

    Reply
  3. Ian McCubbin says:

    Could have told him and Fife council this as a former union official.
    Also employment law backs the nurse as she was harassed by presence and interaction of the other individual.
    Gray and Fife nurse manager totally in the wrong.
    I wish the nurse well at tribunal or in getting an out if tribunal settlement.
    Councils are good at this when backed to the wall.
    I know worked for me against a bullying couple of managers in Petth and Kinross Council.

    Reply
    • John Whyte says:

      Of course, in this case, it is not Fife Council in the dock, but NHS Fife. Same rules apply.

      Reply
    • sam says:

      Ian

      I too am former TU person.

      I think NHS Fife offered to settle but Sandie Peggie wanted her day which I think was courageous and very useful in getting this stuff more public.

      Another reason perhaps was the failure of the nursing TU, RCN, to provide her with representation.

      Instead, Ms Peggie had the representation of barrister Naomi Cunningham, who has done many tribunals of this kind and blogs under Legal Feminist.

      It is likely/probable that Fife NHS will be paying Ms Peggie’s costs. these costs would have gone up considerably had NHS Fife continued with a disciplinary hearing against Ms Peggie scheduled for today.

      MBM Policy has a piece up about how RCN has behaved in the past. Here is the end of the piece.

      “Conclusion
      A consistent theme emerges from the advice that the RCN gives to its members regarding the way in which they should deal with trans-identified colleagues and patients. Like many other institutions, the RCN promotes gender self-identification principles, with little to no apparent consideration of their impact on female members, patients, or their colleagues at work.

      Declaration of interest
      MBM co-founder Lisa Mackenzie was an employee of the RCN from 2017-19. She was investigated by her managers in the summer of 2019 for her co-authorship of an article in peer-reviewed journal Scottish Affairs regarding the uncritical adoption of gender self-identification principles by two Scottish public bodies, to the detriment of women’s sex-based rights. Lisa eventually resigned from the RCN in September 2019.”

      link to murrayblackburnmackenzie.org

      Reply
      • twathater says:

        Sam apart from the stress and severe anxiety that Sandie Peggie has been subjected to by the ongoing actions of Fife SNHS management and their legal representatives who appear NOT to have properly investigated the legal regulations surrounding these contentious issues, her broader friends and family must also have experienced similar trauma observing the impact of a possibly ruinous financial and career ending outcome from something that SHOULD NOT have happened

        I get extremely outraged at the current administration’s eagerness to constantly engage the hugely expensive legal services of lawyers and KC’S in attempts to silence or force policies and regulations which are reviled on to the general population
        It is outrageous insanity that we the taxpayers are having to pay to defend these unwanted and hated policies being forced on us and at the same time we are having to crowd fund any legal opposition to the stupidity being introduced
        If these so called progressive woke proponents were forced to pay their own legal costs to introduce this lunacy there would be far less legal challenges

      • John McGregor says:

        Why is everybody in power scared to say IF you have male genitals you do the toilet in a MENS toilet n if you need to change at work the same rules apply change in MENS changing rooms

  4. Robert says:

    If only. After having stitched up the succession to prevent any possibility of being unseated, I’d be astonished if Swinney resigns over anything.

    Reply
  5. Willie says:

    Joke parliament, joke government, and Swinney just reinforces it.

    But it’s not a joke. Allowing chick’s with kicks to share female toilets is a breach of women’s basic rights and as the First Minister says the Health Board should know the law.

    But Swinney’s government have aided, abetted and the breaking of the law. They have also stood idly by whilst the Health Board spend tens and tens of thousands on a tribunal case.

    Why then is Swinney’s government not taking action against the law breakers in our public service. Or is the reality that Swinney and his team are complicit.

    Swinney must go and so must individuals in the health Board.

    You cannot be a law maker and a law breaker.

    Reply
  6. Mark Beggan says:

    Full on John is full on trapped.

    Reply
  7. Mark Beggan says:

    Career finished by a cock in a frock. What a fitting end to a pathetic little man

    Reply
  8. duncanio says:

    Swinney is trying to keep his options open on the definition of a woman (For Woman Scotland @ UK Supreme Court Appeal) and the rights to single sex spaces (Sandie Peggie @ NHS Fife Tribunal).

    Not so much Full On John as Fool On John.

    Reply
  9. Cath says:

    “do whatever transgender people say and give them whatever they want under all circumstances”.

    It’s actually worse than that, as there’s no definition of “trans” or “transgender”. So it’s “do whatever anyone who uses a magic word” says. It’s getting towards the time we should just all identify as “trans” and all go into massive tantrum mode if we don’t get our own way.

    Reply
    • Lorn says:

      Cath: this is precisely the point I have been making for some time. There is no definition of ‘trans’, and this is why we have reached the point where transvestites and autogynephiles feel free to ‘peacock’ in the ladies. Yesterday, everyone knew that these men were driven by sexual feelz. Internationally, ‘gender dysphoria’, a wholly new concept, and, hitherto, a species of body dysMorphia, was allowed to enter the fray and it is this concept that has bought the about the opening of all doors to men who are both exhibitionists and voyeurs par excellence.

      People talk of those who went before and made efforts to blend in, but did that make them any less travesties or autogynephiles using female facilities with impunity. No one asked female people if they were happy with men using the facilities, because sexologists and psychologists told them to just go ahead and live ‘like women’. That is the root of what has brought this down upon our society. These early female impersonators were the vanguard for the main army that we see now.

      The adult men must be differentiated and distinguished from the women and children who are not a physical threat to anyone, albeit they have been the human shield that has allowed this to spread and diffuse throughout society. Many women have been to blame, too, for supporting these men who are, not to put too fine a point on it, using them and abusing them in equal measure, cynically and with a total lack of empathy.

      You can’t have anyone born in the wrong body if you don’t have children born in the wrong body, and the chances that only men would be ‘trans’ is highly unlikely, so females had to be roped in, too, in order to cover the transvestites and autogynephiles. We need to out exactly what this is and stop pretending that it is anything to do with anything other than sexual feelings of a performative nature imposed on others.

      Reply
  10. jock mctavish says:

    Hello John,

    Need a new Voter..?

    Reply
  11. Peter McAvoy says:

    I hope the nurse wins her case and the outcome will help get rid of this nonsense.
    When attending the tribunal was this man told to use the men’s toilets if needed or were other women out at risk?

    Reply
  12. Peter McAvoy says:

    I hope the nurse wins her case and the outcome will help get rid of this nonsense.
    When attending the tribunal was this man told to use the men’s toilets if needed or were other women out at risk?

    Reply
  13. Grouser says:

    I watched FMQs live and was screaming “Don’t you know the law?” at the FM. A lot of good that does, too. Have Headteachers, Managers, etc all been hypnotised so that when they hear “Trans” anything they all fall into a trance and mouth the lies they have been indoctrinated with?
    I do agree with the slogan End Conversion Practices. Stonewall and its offshoots should be made to stop confusing children by feeding them lies about perfectly normal feelings children have when growing up. They are the ones trying to ‘convert’ perfectly normal children to their questionable point of view.
    There are people who have problems with who and what they are. They are, however, in a very small minority. The amount of time, money and effort being spent on them is out of all proportion to their actual numbers.
    One more for Sturgeon.

    Reply
  14. Anthem says:

    All those involved in installing this fictitious mantra across public services should be held to account for, with full knowledge of, intensionally breaking the law. And that includes the likes of Jenny Gilruth.

    Reply
  15. George Ferguson says:

    So what was the SNP strategy regarding this policy? Could it have been something like this? The infamous GRR leglisation was blocked by the Conservative UK Government. Leave it hanging like Damocles sword until a more amenable UK Government are in place. Labour win, nah you are alright. No change from us. OK let’s muddy the waters and let the Local Authorities try to get the policy in by over zealous interpretation and lack of SG guidance. The public won’t notice. Sandy Peggie comes along and the public is supporting her case. GRR back on the public radar. What to do Mr Swinney? Immediately repeal the original GRR leglisation and take it from the statute books for evermore. Use SG legal resource to instruct the SNHS and public bodies to interpret the law correctly. It will be interesting to see forthcoming opinion polls to assess the damage to the SNP. Not such a safe pair of hands Mr Swinney.

    Reply
  16. Liz says:

    Personally I’d like to see the GRA demolished, not just the GRR bill, or at least substantially amended so that you get a GRC and legally become the opposite gender only on complete surgical ‘transformation’.

    Reply
    • sarah says:

      Have you signed the Westminster petition – “Fully Repeal the Gender Recognition Act”? It was started recently and Scotland is responding strongest.

      Reply
    • Lorn says:

      Even if they do get a GRC, Liz, the data on their birth sex, etc. should still be kept. Women and girls are brutalized with bottles, sticks and other objects every year. The possession of a penis is not essential. All studies to date show that male pattern criminality remains, despite hormones and other refinements – because DNA remains the same. Validity implies consent. Women and girls have never consented to any of this. Please don’t consent on anyone else’s behalf. That is what caused most of this infiltration in the first place.

      Reply
  17. Ma Broon says:

    What the feck are they putting in the water up there?

    Reply
  18. twathater says:

    This “BE KIND” mantra will always “BE ABUSED” by those who want everything their way, 10 years of this lunacy has cost Scots and Scotland dearly , I spoke out when the poison dwarf was seeking the opinion on the consultation from anyone from anywhere in the world , she was hoping that the people with self interest would overwhelm the consultation but was disappointed at the outcome YET she still persisted and we are in the shite state we are in because people want to “BE KIND”

    Reply
  19. George Ferguson says:

    So I am getting malware on the newest but not this thread. A sure sign this thread is clean. Give more money to Stu. His security is deficient. Same attack red signal warning download this on your PC. Men with small penises are too blame apparently. It’s a State attack. Too sophisticated.

    Reply
  20. V Hartley says:

    Thankyou for the coverage of this. Have been reading whilst listening to The Kinks ‘Lola’. What an utter mess.

    Reply
  21. The Flying Iron of Doom says:

    Testing, testing, one two three…is the server still being attacked?

    Reply


Comment - please read this page for comment rules. HTML tags like <i> and <b> are permitted. Use paragraph breaks in long comments. DO NOT SIGN YOUR COMMENTS, either with a name or a slogan. If your comment does not appear immediately, DO NOT REPOST IT. Ignore these rules and I WILL KILL YOU WITH HAMMERS.


  • About

    Wings Over Scotland is a thing that exists.

    Stats: 6,931 Posts, 1,244,781 Comments

  • Recent Posts

  • Archives

  • Categories

  • Tags

  • Recent Comments

    • Spartan 117 on Response Level Upgrade: “Hmm, yes, the St George-waving beer gut-swinging oafs are equally cringe and a thoroughly bad representation of England. My English…Jun 15, 11:11
    • Aidan on Response Level Upgrade: “What you mean is the American men are pissed at how much American girls love the English accent ?Jun 15, 11:04
    • Northcode on Response Level Upgrade: “What a brilliant sound that is, auld highlander… fantastic. Thanks for the link. As usual Scotland’s football fans are doing…Jun 15, 10:57
    • Northcode on Response Level Upgrade: “Sadly, unlike the Scottish fans who have gone viral for bagpipes, kilts, national costume, humour, and friendly chaos… English fans…Jun 15, 10:53
    • Spartan 117 on Response Level Upgrade: “If we are talking about Scottish culture I’d happily point to (and promote) our extensive contributions in the arts -…Jun 15, 10:50
    • Southernbystander on Response Level Upgrade: “Christian? No, as it as an Islamic republic, but white Muslim of several generations living in Pakistan? Not that likely…Jun 15, 10:46
    • auld highlander on Response Level Upgrade: “If you want to hear Loch Lomond at full blast plus Flower of Scotland at 125 decibles which is the…Jun 15, 10:36
    • Northcode on Response Level Upgrade: “A’m no a fan o the fitba, yit a kin see the vailue in hivin thoosands o Scots promuivin Scotland…Jun 15, 10:17
    • Hatey McHateface on Response Level Upgrade: “The late, great poet, Alasdair Maclean, wrote that a living culture breathes the pure, fresh air of the landscape that…Jun 15, 08:53
    • Hatey McHateface on Response Level Upgrade: “I find consideration of reciprocity interesting. For example, what are the chances of a white Christian becoming president of Pakistan?…Jun 15, 08:37
    • Spartan 117 on Response Level Upgrade: “I’m afraid “culture” extends far beyond football shirts, bagpipes, kilts, getting pished En Masse and making an almighty arse of…Jun 15, 08:20
    • Hatey McHateface on Response Level Upgrade: “A trifle harsh, Spartan 117. After all, they are in the USA. That bigly, beautiful plastic shrine to keech created…Jun 15, 08:11
    • Hatey McHateface on Response Level Upgrade: “That’s an excellent question, Ex President Xiden. Just yesterday, I was reading an online article about the proposed social media…Jun 15, 08:01
    • Hatey McHateface on Response Level Upgrade: ““Never sure why you communicate in just the very occasional Scots word” Because to communicate in all Scots would be…Jun 15, 07:30
    • Confused on Response Level Upgrade: “Ban football? lets ban poetry.Jun 14, 23:53
    • WhoRattledYourCage on Response Level Upgrade: “Never sure why you communicate in just the very occasional Scots word, Alf. I connect that to middle class dolts.…Jun 14, 23:46
    • Ex President Xiden on Response Level Upgrade: “I agree with everything you have said. I would also ask the respondents if they think killing children by the…Jun 14, 23:44
    • WhoRattledYourCage on Response Level Upgrade: “Anytime the trayslapping cunts want to stop colonising themselves with alcohol and stupidity, I might start taking them seriously. Pack…Jun 14, 23:40
    • Alf Baird on Response Level Upgrade: “The World Cup demonstrates that the Scots are indeed ‘a people’ with the right to self-determination and decolonisation, i.e. to…Jun 14, 23:37
    • Spartan 117 on Response Level Upgrade: “Indeed. One concurs. I’m not sure what I cringe more at, the plastic kilted Bravehearts with the bagpipes advertising to…Jun 14, 23:10
    • WhoRattledYourCage on Response Level Upgrade: “Fuck the World Cup. Abject idiocy by morons, for morons. https://whorattledyourcage.blogspot.com/2026/06/state-of-pity-party.htmlJun 14, 22:37
    • Southernbystander on Response Level Upgrade: “It is an interesting question with no easy answers as all simple solutions start to fall apart once you ask…Jun 14, 20:46
    • Dan on Response Level Upgrade: “Robert Hughes comment btl on the Grousebeater article articulates well my thoughts. One could easily piece together a narrative and…Jun 14, 20:34
    • Fearghas MacFhionnlaigh on Response Level Upgrade: “The grave issue raised here is way beyond any mundane account of high-profile independence proponents not getting on with each…Jun 14, 20:10
    • sam on Response Level Upgrade: “Well said, Dan. Let’s look at how little Ireland fares against the might of the UK as an example of…Jun 14, 20:03
    • Dan on Response Level Upgrade: “Well of course folk would think that if you listened to and gave any credence to Unionist and Devolutionist Scot’s…Jun 14, 19:21
    • Hatey McHateface on Response Level Upgrade: “It’s a straw man right enough. By remaining dogmatically determined that Scotland’s place is as an unimportant Brussels-administered colony on…Jun 14, 19:19
    • BigJay on Response Level Upgrade: “Usually, I can’t stand Euan McColm’s writings in the Scotsman. However, today he has written a decent article about how…Jun 14, 19:07
    • twathater on Response Level Upgrade: ““an independent, free, prosperous and peaceful Scotland remains out of reach.” Because accepting and embracing the denigration and derision handed…Jun 14, 18:00
    • Hatey McHateface on Response Level Upgrade: “It’s all so simplistic it reduces the topic to a joke. Far better to ask the respondents if they think…Jun 14, 17:52
  • A tall tale



↑ Top