A TORY MSP has broken ranks with his party by backing the SNP Government’s gender recognition plans – criticising opponents for using “word for word” the same arguments used to deny gay rights decades ago.

Jamie Greene along with his Tory colleague Sandesh Gulhane, voted in favour of the Scottish Government’s gender recognition proposals at stage one.

Conservative MSPs Miles Briggs and Jackson Carlaw abstained on the vote.

In a powerful speech, Mr Greene pointed to the “toxic” debate, highlighting those “vocalising valid concerns which have been largely ignored”.

But he added: “But there are also those who are, I think, barely thinly hiding transphobia amongst some of those concerns, if we were honest.

“I actually think most people want to do the right thing for everyone and Scottish society.

"But equally I cannot feel a help but feel an air of sadness - some of the arguments been used against reform to gender recognition, which are often word for word the same arguments that were used against the age of consent against gay rights, against same sex marriage and against same sex adoption.”

He added that opponents are using “words which decades later, I know being used to justify academic arguments about why this bill is wrong and wish to support it are also wrong”.

The MSP said that we was “really proud of the progress we’ve made” over equality, stressing “we have come such a long way”.

He added: “This does feel to me a little bit like the last great hurdle.”

Mr Greene told MSPs that “outcomes for trans people in Scotland are shockingly poor”, highlighting “shocking, poor access to medical health, poor access to physical and mental health, high rates of suicide, and self harm and a failure to tackle growing transphobia”.

He added: “This bill fixes none of that - perhaps it should.”

Mr Greene told MSPs that he has had “many young trans people write to me, begging me, pleading me, please support this”.

He paid thanks to the Tory party “leadership and colleagues for allowing me to express my own personal views even though they may differ from theirs”.

Mr Greene added: “So I say directly to the trans people in the chamber today and those outside, I hear you. I want to make things better for you. That is my commitment to you today.

“I will support the passage of this bill at stage one today because I owe it to a community which has given so much to me over the years.”