Gillian Keegan defends Rishi Sunak’s backing of JK Rowling over Scottish hate crime law

Gillian Keegan has defended Rishi Sunak’s backing of JK Rowling in her criticism of new Scottish hate crime laws.

The prime minister said people should not be criminalised “for stating simple facts on biology” after the Harry Potter author, who has become a fierce critic of the Scottish Government’s stance on transgender rights, criticised the legislation that consolidates existing hate crime laws and creates a new offence of stirring up hatred against protected characteristics.

Women have not been given protection under the law; the Scottish Government says separate laws will tackle misogyny.