A comedy club that threatened to pull an Edinburgh Fringe show featuring SNP MP Joanna Cherry has reversed its decision after admitting the decision constituted “unlawful discrimination”.
Ms Cherry had threatened to take legal action against The Stand in Edinburgh unless she receives an apology and the event is reinstated.
Staff at The Stand said they would refuse to work in relation to opposing Ms Cherry's views on transgender rights.
The Stand comedy club has publicly apologised to Ms Cherry after seeking further advice from its legal team.
Ms Cherry, the MP for Edinburgh South West, has accepted the apology, claiming that The Stand had "fully and frankly accepted that cancelling the event on account of my philosophical views as a lesbian and a feminist was unlawful".
Read more: Joanna Cherry starts legal action over cancelled Fringe show at Stand
The vocal critic of the Scottish Parliament's gender recognition reforms, said it was a “very welcome move by The Stand", adding that she would "accept their apology and I’m looking forward to taking part in the event”.
The event is due to go ahead as planned, despite staff initially refusing to work due to Ms Cherry’s views.
The Stand will donate its profits from the event to charity.
The venue stressed it will "oppose all forms of discrimination" but said it would "recognise the rights of individuals to air views with many we disagree".
After staff at the venue, which is owned by Ms Cherry’s SNP colleague at Westminster, Tommy Shepard, refused to work the event, The Stand sought further legal advice.
Mr Sheppard stepped back from the day-to-day running of the club after he became the MP for Edinburgh East in 2015, but is still a director and owns the majority of shares in parent company, Salt N Sauce Promotions.
Read more: Cherry says gender critical views have ruined SNP leadership hopes
In a statement, The Stand said: “Having considered the new advice, we now accept that the previous decision that the event could not go ahead was unfair and constituted unlawful discrimination against Ms Cherry.
“We now publicly and unreservedly apologise to Ms Cherry.
“We have sent a detailed response to Ms Cherry and her legal team and have spoken to the event’s promoters to confirm that we will be able to host the event as originally planned.”
The statement added: “The Stand will donate our share of the profit from the event to one of our partner charities, Edinburgh Food Project.
“The management of the event will be discussed with staff in the coming weeks.
“We have always been clear that we oppose all forms of discrimination and recognise the rights of individuals to air views with many we disagree.
“We hope this apology draws a line under this episode and allows The Stand to get back to doing what it does best.”
Ms Cherry said she welcomed the club’s apology.
The MP told BBC Radio Scotland: “It’s a very welcome move by The Stand and I accept their apology and I’m looking forward to taking part in the event.
Read more: Stephen Flynn backs Joanna Cherry in row with Stand
“I didn’t want to have to take legal action here, and this was never about money, but what my hope is that the fact that The Stand have fully and frankly accepted that cancelling the event on account of my philosophical views as a lesbian and a feminist was unlawful.
"I really hope that’s going to benefit other woman, and indeed men, by discouraging other people from discriminating against people like me who fully support equal rights for trans people but don’t believe that any man should be able to self identify as a woman.
“And I really hope that the detailed legal opinion I got on this issue, which remains published on my website, will be of benefit to other people in the future and will prevent other organisations from undertaking this kind of unlawful discrimination.”
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