Alba has urged Sir Keir Starmer to rule out lifting the veto on Scotland's gender reform legislation.

Ash Regan, a former SNP MSP who defected to Alex Salmond's party in October, said the Labour leader needed to clarify “beyond doubt” that he will not seek to unblock the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Her demand comes after the Scottish Government said they would not withdraw the legislation, passed by parliament last year, but would seek to work on the law with a future UK Government to allow it to progress.

READ MORE: Shirley Anne-Somerville confirms government will not appeal Section 35

The legislation was passed in December last year by 86 votes to 39 on a cross-party basis, but before it could be given Royal Assent, Mr Jack blocked it by using powers granted to him under Section 35 of the 1998 Scotland Act.

It was the first time in the history of devolution that the power had been used. 

He argued that although the subject matter was within Holyrood’s powers, the Bill would harm the operation of UK-wide equality law.

The Scottish Government challenged the decision in the courts, but lost.

Yesterday, Social Justice minister Shirley-Anne Somerville confirmed that minister would not appeal the decision. 

She told MSPs that while the Bill would not be withdrawn, it was "impossible to see how progress can be made" as Mr Jack would not allow two systems to operate within the UK. 

“If the current UK Government is willing to work together on this, we will happily sit down with them,” Ms Somerville said.

“If a future UK Government are willing, we will do so with them, so that the Section 35 could be lifted and the Bill progress.

“It seems clear that the current Government will not do this and it remains to be seen what a future government will do.”

The Herald:

Ms Regan, Alba’s Holyrood leader, told Sir Keir: “I urge you to clarify, beyond doubt, your position on this important issue.

“If you are the next UK prime minister, would your government agree with the Scottish Government that it will unblock the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from receiving royal assent – and in doing so, become law?

“I would strongly urge you to make it clear that Labour will reject any such bid by the Scottish Government, and so to put a stop now to the Scottish Government’s failure to learn from its mistakes here, to the detriment of all involved.

“The women of Scotland, and all that value the privacy, dignity and safety of women and girls, await your response.”

READ MORE: Labour rules out self-id in U-turn on gender recognition reform

Earlier this month, Labour's shadow Scotland minister, Michael Shanks, indicated that his party would not repeal the Section 35.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland, he said: “I think it is important as part of the devolution process that we recognise that there were specific things that were reserved to the UK Government and that legally it’s important if devolved legislation infringes on that in any way that there is a challenge to that.

“The way I would see a future Scottish Labour government working with a UK Labour government is working together on these things to prevent it ever getting to the point where we need to take it to any court because people should be able to make mature decisions and say this is how this legislation will work in practice, let’s deliver it.

“They shouldn’t be needed these legal challenges, which is why it is the first time it has ever been used.”