An SNP MP has been accused of "egging on" Alister Jack after she wrote to the Tory minister asking him to help find a “resolution” to concerns about Holyrood’s controversial gender recognition Bill.
In a letter to the Secretary of State for Scotland, Dr Lisa Cameron wrote: "I have been asked to write to you by a number of my constituents who are concerned regarding the impact of gender-self ID on equality rights for women in Scotland and across the UK.
"They wish the UK Government to intervene to prevent this.
“This is an extremely sensitive matter, and I would be hopeful that a resolution can be found that addresses my constituents’ concerns whilst not undermining the devolution settlement.”
READ MORE: SNP's Keith Brown refuses to intervene in trans rapist row
The letter was dated January 17, the day after Mr Jack made an order under section 35 of the Scotland Act to block the legislation.
The Bill - passed by MSPs just before Christmas - simplifies the process for obtaining a gender recognition certificate by removing the need for a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria.
It also reduces the length of time someone would need to live in their acquired gender from two years to less than 12 months. It also lowers the minimum age for applications from 18 to 16.
The decision to block the law was described by Dr Cameron's colleagues as "outrageous."
Shona Robison said it was "a dark day for trans rights and a dark day for democracy in the UK."
READ MORE: Gender recognition reform polls: What do people say?
Labour’s Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said Dr Cameron’s letter was “humiliating” for the SNP.
He told the Daily Record: “Leadership challenges, chief whip resignations and scandal after scandal - every day that goes by, it seems the SNP are more interested in standing up against each other than standing up for Scotland.
“The UK and Scottish governments should be getting around a table to resolve this issue.”
An SNP source told the paper: "SNP MPs should be focused on defending the Scottish Parliament from the latest attack by the UK Government, not egging on Alister Jack as he oversteps the mark."
Last week, following an emergency Commons debate on the Section 35 called by the SNP, Dr Cameron voted with her colleagues.
It is understood she does not support the decision taken by the UK Government.
Details of her letter emerged a day after another SNP MP criticised the First Minister for claiming the Tories were 'stoking a culture war' by blocking the law.
READ MORE: SNP MP rejects claim Tories 'stoking culture war' over gender reform
Joanna Cherry said the language was being used to “silence the legitimate concerns of feminists.”
The Edinburgh South West MP has long been critical of the Scottish Government’s gender recognition reforms.
On Sunday, speaking to the BBC, the First Minister claimed the UK Government's intervention was politically motivated.
“Shamefully, disgracefully, [the UK Government] are trying to stoke a culture war on the back of one of the most vulnerable groups in our society because they somehow think that plays well with their base ahead of the next general election.”
Asked if she agreed with the First Minster, Ms Cherry told the BBC: “I'm not sure that I would use the language of ‘culture war’.
"I think that language is sometimes used to silence the legitimate concerns of feminists like myself and lesbians like myself about the unintended consequences of self-identification.
“I'm completely in favour of equal rights for trans people, but the First Minister herself has said that this bill creates no new rights for trans people and it doesn't, what it does is it creates a right for anyone, any man to self identify as a woman with minimal safeguards.”
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