Amanda Lindsay
Reform UK · Scotland
“In universities such as those in Edinburgh and Glasgow, staff are pressured to submit diversity statements and to decolonise curricula. Employees across the Scottish public sector are sent on anti-racism training that promotes discrimination against white people, while students are told that they suffer from white privilege.”
“We have heard much in the chamber about the harm that gender ideology is doing to women and children, but the damage runs deeper. It is dividing our society in ways that we have not seen for generations.”
“Yet that is only part of a much larger problem: the ideology of DEI—diversity, equity and inclusion. Alex Cole-Hamilton: Does Amanda Lindsay recognise that the biggest threat to women and children in our society is not trans people, but predatory men?”
“This despite the previous Health Secretary Neil Gray saying the Scottish Huntington’s Association service keeps families ‘well in the community, prevents crisis admissions to hospital and lessens the risk of suicide.’” I therefore ask the cabinet secretary to meet urgently with the Scottish Huntington’s Association to resolve that situati…”
“As others have mentioned, the third sector in Scotland is not just a “nice to have” but is often the backbone of care, compassion and community support.”
“As Kate Nevens pointed out, even more stark is the situation that is faced by the Scottish Huntington’s Association, which wrote to me recently to say: “While the Scottish Government rightly talks about the crucial importance of the third sector in delivering public services, the reality on the front line can be somewhat different.”
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Every one of 23 lines we hold for Amanda Lindsay, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account.
“When did we abandon that principle and decide that it was acceptable to discriminate once again?”
“In universities such as those in Edinburgh and Glasgow, staff are pressured to submit diversity statements and to decolonise curricula. Employees across the Scottish public sector are sent on anti-racism training that promotes discrimination against white people, while students are told that they suffer from white privilege. Dissenters face silencing or cancellation. The result is groupthink, not genuine diversity. Nowhere is that more damaging than in its effect on young men, particularly white working-class men. Positive action schemes and diversity targets in public bodies and higher education have, in too many cases, tipped into outright discrimination. That is not equality. It is racism. Martin Luther King dreamed of a society where people would be judged not by the colour of their skin, but by the content of their character.”
“Yet that is only part of a much larger problem: the ideology of DEI—diversity, equity and inclusion. Alex Cole-Hamilton: Does Amanda Lindsay recognise that the biggest threat to women and children in our society is not trans people, but predatory men? Amanda Lindsay: I fear that the member is more interested in defending ideology than addressing the real-world consequences for our young people. What began with noble intentions—to foster greater understanding and respect—has morphed into a rigid creed that celebrates every diversity except diversity of thought. Equity now means engineering equal outcomes and, too often, inclusion means excluding anyone who questions the orthodoxy. Our institutions have been captured.”
“We have heard much in the chamber about the harm that gender ideology is doing to women and children, but the damage runs deeper. It is dividing our society in ways that we have not seen for generations. From nursery through to secondary school, children are being indoctrinated, often using materials from activist organisations such as LGBT Youth Scotland that is funded or endorsed by the Government. In classrooms across Scotland, resources such as the relationships, sexual health and parenthood curriculum introduce contested gender ideology to young pupils, while genuine safeguarding concerns that are raised by parents and teachers are, too often, dismissed as bigotry. That is not compassion—it is harming the very children that it claims to help, including those who are experiencing gender distress.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support farmers in mitigating the negative impacts of certain plant and animal species on their businesses. (S7O-00111)”
“I thank Murdo Fraser, Stephen Kerr and Duncan Dunlop for sharing their concerns about political activism among some so-called charities. All third- party organisations must be politically neutral. They must not support a particular party. That is a legal position, and it is the very definition of what the third sector is. Duncan Dunlop: Will the member take an intervention?”
“This despite the previous Health Secretary Neil Gray saying the Scottish Huntington’s Association service keeps families ‘well in the community, prevents crisis admissions to hospital and lessens the risk of suicide.’” I therefore ask the cabinet secretary to meet urgently with the Scottish Huntington’s Association to resolve that situation and others like it. Treating trusted specialist third sector partners in that way does not suggest that they are equal partners that deliver essential preventative services; it treats them as second-class citizens, useful in good times and expendable when budgets tighten. The situation is unsustainable. We must prioritise efficiency, clearer accountability and value for money in public services, ensuring that resources are directed to front-line services rather than bureaucracy.”
“As Kate Nevens pointed out, even more stark is the situation that is faced by the Scottish Huntington’s Association, which wrote to me recently to say: “While the Scottish Government rightly talks about the crucial importance of the third sector in delivering public services, the reality on the front line can be somewhat different. While there may be talk of the third sector being equal partners, when funding challenges come all too often IJBs look to essential third sector services to bear the brunt, as if they can be removed without consequence. Glasgow City IJB, for example, recently withdrew funding for Scottish Huntington’s Association to provide a specialist Huntington’s service unilaterally and without consultation, in so doing being chastened by its own Audit department.”
“The crisis is manufactured, however, as the current public funding model is actively pushing Scotland’s front- line defences to the absolute brink. Running down emergency reserves to fund day-to-day services is completely unsustainable and represents financial negligence by public funders. Macmillan Cancer Support has been forced to make significant redundancies and cut services in recent years due to funding pressures, leaving cancer patients with reduced access to the specialist support that they desperately need.”
“These charities bring community trust and a person-centred approach that statutory services frequently struggle to match. They prevent crises, reduce the number of hospital admissions and often deliver better outcomes for less money. Despite warm words about partnership, however, too often, the reality on the ground is chronic underfunding and instability, as we have heard. The sector is in crisis. Some 64 per cent of third sector organisations are financially insecure, and that figure increased sharply from 49 per cent in the previous year. More than 60 per cent have faced direct cuts to core grants and many are being forced to run down their reserves just to survive in their daily operations.”
“The Scottish Huntington’s Association offers expert help to those who are living with a devastating neurological condition, and Alzheimer’s Scotland provides essential day care and respite services. Alzheimer’s Scotland was a lifeline to my family when my father had dementia. The practical support and respite that it offered helped us to cope and allowed my father to live with dignity. These organisations do far more than deliver services—they fill critical gaps in statutory provision. Councils and integration joint boards turn to the third sector because it is often more cost effective, agile and responsive than large public bureaucracies. It stretches public funds further through charitable fundraising, volunteers and specialist expertise.”
“As others have mentioned, the third sector in Scotland is not just a “nice to have” but is often the backbone of care, compassion and community support. With more than 46,000 organisations employing more than 133,000 people and holding assets worth tens of billions of pounds, the third sector proves that civic society and not central Government is often best placed to meet local needs. It must be treated by Holyrood with the economic respect that it deserves, not as an afterthought. These organisations step in every day where the state falls short, supporting cancer patients, veterans, those with neurological conditions and many others. Macmillan Cancer Support provides specialist nurses and holistic support. Erskine Veterans Charity delivers vital care to those who served our country.”
“I support this debate and back calls for a full parliamentary inquiry into the shocking embezzlement of party funds by Peter Murrell. The Scottish people deserve the truth. For years, the SNP has presented itself as a slick, professional political machine. In reality, it has operated more like a closed, unaccountable political syndicate where members’ money disappeared, senior figures allegedly broke the law and the party put its own survival above basic democratic standards. The SNP has exerted more energy in protecting its reputation than in helping the public to understand what happened to the hundreds of thousands of pounds that vanished from its coffers. Jamie Hepburn: Will the member give way? Amanda Lindsay: Forgive me, but I wish to make progress. Jamie Hepburn: Ah, come on!”
“Amendment disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: The final question is, that motion S7M-00228, in the name of Angela Constance, on investing, protecting and renewing Scotland’s NHS, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division. The vote is closed.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. Apologies—I could not connect. I would have voted no. The Presiding Officer: Thank you. Your vote is recorded. For Ahmed, Irshad (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab) Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Baxter, Andrew (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (LD) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Bruce, Holly (Glasgow Southside) (Green) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh North Western) (LD) Dijkstra-Downie, Sanne (Edinburgh Northern) (LD) Duane, Iris (Glasgow) (Green) Dunlop, Duncan (South Scotland) (LD) Fagan, Joe (South Scotland) (Lab) Green, David (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (LD) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Griffin, Mark (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Lab) Harley, Adam (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (LD) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Kinross-O’Neill, Kayleigh (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Green) Leask, Kristopher (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Long, Joe (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) MacCallum, Morven-May (Highlands and Islands) (LD) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Green) MacKinnon, Donald (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (Lab) Manivannan, Q (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Green) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McKee, Cara (West Scotland) (Green) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Moodie, Laura (South Scotland) (Green) Nevens, Kate (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Green) Rennie, Willie (Fife North East) (LD) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Sangster, Katherine (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Slater, Lorna (Edinburgh Central) (Green) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Young, Jenny (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Lab) Against Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Anderson, Heather (Dundee City West) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire West and Levern Valley) (SNP) Barratt, David (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North) (SNP) Beresford, Senga (South Scotland) (Reform) Black, Dawn (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Bland, Amanda (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Reform) Bonnar, Steven (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Bouse, Gary (Falkirk West) (SNP) Briggs, Miles (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Con) Brown, Alan (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Campbell, Kate (Edinburgh Eastern, Musselburgh and Tranent) (SNP) Campbell, Michelle (Renfrewshire North and Cardonald) (SNP) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Currie, Victor (Highlands and Islands) (Reform) Day, Martyn (Falkirk East and Linlithgow) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Kelvin and Maryhill) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Flynn, Stephen (Aberdeen Deeside and North Kincardine) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Con) Gethins, Stephen (Dundee City East) (SNP) Ghani, Zen (Glasgow Cathcart and Pollok) (SNP) Gibson, Patricia (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Goodlad, Hannah Mary (Shetland Islands) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie) (SNP) Hagmann, Katie (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen and Cambuslang) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hoy, Craig (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Kerr, Alex (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP) Kerr, Calum (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Kerr, Thomas (Glasgow) (Reform) Kirkwood, David (South Scotland) (Reform) Kumar, Simita (Edinburgh South Western) (SNP) Langan, Jamie (South Scotland) (Reform) Linden, David (Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston) (SNP) Lindsay, Amanda (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Reform) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) MacDougall, Julie (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Reform) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh North Eastern and Leith) (SNP) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Massey, Duncan (North East Scotland) (Reform) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McDade, Helen (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Reform) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Easterhouse and Springburn) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian Coast and Lammermuirs) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) Melville, Lloyd (Angus South) (SNP) Merrick, Colm (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Middleton, Jack (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mitchell, Laura (Moray) (SNP) Offord, Malcolm (West Scotland) (Reform) Oswald, Kirsten (Eastwood) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP) Ross, Angela (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Reform) Simpson, Graham (Central Scot and Lothians West) (Reform) Simpson, Mark (North East Scotland) (Reform) Smith, Alyn (Stirling) (SNP) Smith, David (West Scotland) (Reform) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stafford, Pauline (Bathgate) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Thewliss, Alison (Glasgow Central) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Abstentions Chou Turvey, Yi-pei (North East Scotland) (LD) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on amendment S7M-00228.2, in the name of Maggie Chapman, is: For 41, Against 82, Abstentions 1.”
“Yes, there is a scunner factor out there, but let us get the positivity back. Let us have a great summer of sport and let us inspire communities and get everybody active.”
“Will the member take an intervention? Mark Ruskell: I need to move on a little bit. Nobody should be left behind. I share concerns with other members, including Jackie Baillie, about the long-term funding issue. We should not need the Commonwealth games to provide the impetus to teach swimming in schools. Alongside Bikeability Scotland training, it should be part of the experience and life development of every primary 6 and 7 child. Miles Briggs raised an important point. There is cross-party commitment to have swimming lessons in every school. We should get behind and deliver on that. Steven Bonnar talked about the talent, the endeavour and the success in our communities and how that is epitomised by sport. That is the summer of sport that I am looking forward to.”
“[Interruption.] Members laugh, but it is not—it is about protecting vulnerable children from irreversible decisions and about defending the rights of women to access single-sex spaces and have fair treatment. It is about refusing to lie to children about biological reality, even when that truth is uncomfortable for some. Scotland has a proud tradition of clear thinking and child-centred policy—let us return to it. Let us put evidence, safeguarding and reality first, especially for the youngest and most vulnerable among us. 16:49”
“Women are referred to as “chest feeders” and “womb havers” in the NHS, and female nurses face disciplinary action for refusing to undress in front of male colleagues who identify as women, even after the UK Supreme Court confirmed that references to women, as defined in the Equality Act 2010, relate to biological sex. The Scottish Government’s attachment to such ideology has come at a heavy cost to child safeguarding, women’s rights, free speech and biological reality. We must change course. We should immediately withdraw guidance that promotes social transition in nurseries and schools. We must prioritise evidence over activism and child protection over adult feelings. The Cass review must not be ignored; it must be implemented. This is not about prejudice.”
“We are setting children on pathways to puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, infertility and surgery—interventions that Cass described as being built on “weak evidence” and poor clinical practice. This ideology has harmed women, too. In December 2022, this place passed the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, which would have allowed any male aged 16 or over to self- identify as a woman without medical diagnosis. We saw the results of that in cases such as that of Isla Bryson, a double rapist who was housed in a women’s prison. Attempts to add basic safeguards were dismissed as bigotry. Only Westminster’s use of section 35 prevented that bill from becoming law. Thank God for that safeguard in the union. We still have male prisoners housed in female prisons.”
“In 2017, LGBT Youth Scotland, an organisation that is funded by this Government, produced guidance that promoted social transition for children and which was adopted across education. Millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money have since flowed to such organisations to embed that approach. It directly contradicts the findings of the independent Cass review, which was the most comprehensive examination of gender medicine conducted anywhere in the world. Dr Cass was clear that there is no robust evidence for a child being trans. Social transition is not a neutral act, and schools should not lead children down that path. The consequences are now visible. Referrals to the Sandyford gender clinic in Glasgow have exploded in recent years, with hundreds of children on waiting lists—some are as young as five.”
“I welcome you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and the cabinet secretary to your posts. I also thank the voters in Central Scotland and Lothians West who put me here. I agree that every child deserves the best possible start in life. The earliest years shape a child’s future, and high-quality, accessible childcare plays a vital role in tackling poverty and supporting working parents. On that, there is common ground, but agreement ends where ideology begins. We are teaching some of our youngest children—boys and girls as young as four—that they might have been born in the wrong body. That is not kindness but a profound and reckless experiment with developing minds. Children who still believe in Santa Claus and the tooth fairy are being asked in nurseries and primary schools to declare a gender identity and to socially transition.”
“I, Mandy Lindsay, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me”