RISHI Sunak has been vindicated over his decision to block Scotland’s trans reforms in a major blow to the SNP.
The highest civil court there ruled that the UK Government acted lawfully.
It took the unprecedented step of stopping Holyrood's gender self-identification bill.
The legislation, which seeks to make it easier for people to change their legally-recognised sex, was voted through by the Scottish Parliament last year.
But the UK Government stopped it from obtaining royal assent, insisting it would cut across existing UK-wide equalities legislation.
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Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf then launched the legal challenge after he became First Minister in March, describing the move as an “undemocratic veto”.
Writing on social media after the ruling, Mr Yousaf dubbed it a “dark day for devolution”.
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack reiterated the “adverse effects” it would have had on UK laws. He said the SNP government “need to stop wasting taxpayers’ money pursuing needless legal action”.
Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary Ian Murray MP said: “It is disappointing this legalisation ended in the courts but this ruling should be respected.”
The Scottish government has 21 days to decide whether it wants to appeal, meaning the case could ultimately end up in the Supreme Court in London.