Scottish parliament apologises after suffragette scarf row

The Scottish Parliament’s presiding officer has apologised after a woman was ejected from a committee meeting for refusing to remove a scarf in suffragette colours.

The woman was asked to leave a session of the equalities committee, which was discussing proposed reforms to Scotland’s gender recognition laws.

Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone later said her removal was an error.

She said suffrage colours were not banned from Holyrood.

The woman, who had been sitting in the public seats, tweeted a picture of her green, purple and white scarf shortly after being removed from the meeting of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee on Tuesday morning.

Under the Twitter handle Obsolesence, she said: “I have just been asked to remove my new scarf. I refused because its lovely & inoffensive.

“Apparently (the Scottish Parliament) believes these colours are unacceptable while several MSPs wear rainbow lanyards.”

The colours have been associated with the suffragette movement, which campaigned for women to be given the right to vote in the early 20th century. More recently, they have also become associated with those opposed to changes to gender recognition laws.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon wore a suffragette scarf to mark the centenary of women winning the right to vote in 2018, and the Scottish Conservatives said items bearing the colours are on sale in the Scottish Parliament gift shop.

Ms Johnstone later told the Holyrood chamber that staff had removed the woman due to visitor rules on “the display of banners, flags or political slogans, including on clothing and accessories”.

MSPs regularly wear symbols associated with political causes during meetings of the parliament.

Ms Johnstone told MSPs: “Let me make one thing crystal clear – suffrage colours are not, and never have been, banned at the Scottish Parliament.

“We actively support and promote universal suffrage in a number of ways at Holyrood and will continue to do so.”

The presiding officer said the woman was not ejected as a result of a request from any member of the committee.

She added: “The action taken was an error, and I would like to apologise on behalf of the Parliament. The wearing of a scarf in those colours does not, in itself, breach the visitor code of conduct.

“The parliament wishes people to engage with the democratic process, including observing elected representatives debate and make the law of the country.”

The woman’s removal had prompted criticism from Conservative MSPs.

Rachael Hamilton, who was wearing suffragette colours in the chamber, thanked the presiding officer for making the clarification.

She said: “I think it’s important that you have confirmed that MSPs are treated exactly the same way as members of the public and the suffragette colours were not in breach of the guidelines set by this parliament.”

SNP MP Joanna Chery – a vocal critic of the gender reforms – tweeted that the removal of the woman was a “disgraceful episode for Scottish democracy”, adding: “This is not the Scotland I entered politics to promote.

“It’s completely out of step with what the suffragettes fought for, the spirit of the enlightenment and indeed the founding principles of the Scottish Parliament”.

The equalities committee is currently examining the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. which aims to make it easier for people to change their legally-recognised gender.

The bill passed the first stage of the parliamentary process at the end of October, although seven SNP MSPs defied the whip to vote against it and minister Ash Regan quit the government in protest.

Opponents of the bill have raised concerns about the potential impact of the proposals on the rights of women and girls, while supporters say it will have little impact outside the trans community.