Nicola Sturgeon told to 'stop wasting money' after LOSING three cases already as Tories refuse to back down from court battle

Secretary of State for Scotland, Alister Jack told GB News that taking the UK Government to the Supreme Court would be a “waste of taxpayers' money”.

The Scottish Gender Recognition Bill, which would speed up and simplify the process for trans people to obtain a gender recognition certificate (GRC) was passed by 86 votes to 39 in December last year.

But Scottish Secretary Jack confirmed he would make a Section 35 order to prevent the Bill from going forward for royal assent.

The Scottish Government is likely to challenge the decision at the Supreme Court.

Previously, the Supreme Court has ruled that the Scottish parliament had exceeded its power in three cases surrounding a law relating to Brexit, the incorporation of the UN’s children’s rights treaty and a Scottish independence referendum.

Jack told Ester and Phillip: “She [Nicola Sturgeon] has said that this is going to end up in court, if that’s the case fine. I’ve got the legal advice and I’m very confident in the legal advice.

"I think it’s a waste of taxpayer’s money but if she wants to go to court then again, we will go to court."

The Gender Recognition Reform Bill allows trans people to obtain a gender recognition certificate without the need for a medical diagnosis.

It also drops the minimum age for applicants to 16, and lowers the time required for an applicant to live as their gender from three years to two months. For 16 and 17-year-olds, this will be six months.

Some women’s groups have said the Bill is a threat to women’s safety and women-only spaces.

Jack continued: “We’ve been to the Supreme Court three times so far with the Scottish Government with one very successfully and it’s the same legal team who are advising me this time and I have every faith that their advice is correct."