Just what is it about ‘kinder, gentler politics’ that brings out the worst in our politicians? This afternoon’s ministerial state on the Westminster government’s decision to block the Gender Recognition Reform Bill has appeared, at times, to be little more than a race to the bottom. First, there was the jeering and sneering which greeted Rosie Duffield from the SNP and Labour benches when she rose to voice her approval of the decision.
And now, at the end of that statement and the beginning of a debate on the Bill, the leader of the SNP’s Westminster group has given us another demonstration of ‘civic nationalism’ in all its tolerant glory. Midway through a lengthy Point of Order, Stephen Flynn gave way to a contribution from a fellow nationalist to muttered disapproval from the government benches.
Flynn’s response was to virtually snarl at his Conservative opponents and thank his colleague for her contribution before sneering that ‘I didn’t hear all of it in its entirety because of some of the rabid gammon to my right hand side.’ Somehow Lindsay Hoyle didn’t hear the barb – or either pretended not to hear it.
One can only imagine what the SNP would be saying if an English Tory had described their gang of nationalists in such terms…
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