Scottish Labour has pledged to implement the Equality Act 'straight away' as the party launched its Women's Manifesto. Leader Anas Sarwar met with candidate Carol Mochan and women in the Cumnock constituency to outline the new commitment.
The pledge follows a UK Supreme Court ruling in April 2025 that defined a woman in equalities law as a biological female, with 'sex' meaning biological sex and being binary. Mr Sarwar said the party would stop using taxpayers' money to challenge women and would protect single-sex spaces based on biological sex, including services, spaces, and schools.
The manifesto also commits to delivering single-sex spaces on the basis of biological sex, 'recommitting' the NHS to single-sex wards, and removing all biologically male prisoners from women's prisons within days of an election. Mr Sarwar confirmed that abortion rights would be 'absolutely protected' with no changes in the next Parliament.
Additional pledges include tackling long waits for women's procedures, providing menopause clinics in every health board, protecting women's reproductive rights, and increasing the number of health visitors.
