Ash Regan claims Scottish Greens 'blocked prostitution reform'

During her tenure, she announced plans to change the law on the sex trade, with the 2021 Programme for Government pledging to challenge the male “demand for prostitution”.

However, the Scottish Greens, who joined Government as part of the Bute House Agreement in 2021, equally pledged to “fight for the decriminalisation of sex work”, arguing doing so would ensure workers were protected from exploitation, trafficking and violence.

In an interview with Holyrood Magazine, Ms Regan said she saw her proposals on restricting the sales of firework progress to law while the prostitution changes remain the same – despite being introduced at the same time.

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Ms Regan told the magazine she found “resistance” to reforming the purchase of sex laws despite the Scottish Government’s stance that it was a form of violence against women.

She said: “I began to think that especially after 2021, which was when the Bute House Agreement was signed.

“I managed to get the prostitution reform onto the slate, I had it at one point as early as year three, but then it kept slipping and I would look again, and it would be on year four or year five.

“I began to think that it was not going to be able to progress because this was not something that the Green Party would sign up to.”

Ms Regan said she found “resistance” to reforming the purchase of sex laws despite the Scottish Government’s stance (Image: PA)

Ms Regan is now set to bring the plans back to Holyrood as part of a members’ bill.

Her Unbuyable campaign aims to criminalise those who purchase sex in Scotland.

It comes as she told the magazine not seeing the proposals become law was a source of “professional regret”.

“If you look in detail at what the SNP-Green coalition government has pursued, it’s the areas where there is more policy alignment,” she said.

“The fireworks bill became law, and the prostitution law didn’t get to that point, which is a source of professional regret.”

The Scottish Government said its recent strategy will help to inform “future legislative considerations”, including whether to criminalise the purchase of sex.

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The strategy will challenge the male demand for prostitution by helping women “safely exit commercial exploitation”.

A pilot scheme has been announced to facilitate this and allows sex workers to link up with more mainstream services such as housing, health and social security.

Work will start in the summer, with the scheme to be first rolled out in the Edinburgh and Borders areas, before being expanded into the Highlands, Perth and Kinross, Aberdeen and Dundee, and then Glasgow and Ayrshire.

A spokesperson said: “Lessons learned from the strategy will help inform any future legislative considerations, including whether to criminalise the purchase of sex.”

Scottish Green Party MSP Maggie Chapman said:  "The approach supported by Ash Regan is opposed by sex worker rights groups, human rights organisations and the World Health Organisation.

"And for good reason. Human Rights Watch points out that its implementation in other countries has led to spikes in murder, police abuse, exclusion from social services and sexual violence towards sex workers.

“Our approach must be aimed at minimising the harm, marginalisation and exploitation that sex workers face every day. The evidence is clear that Ash’s approach not only fails to do that, but does the opposite.”