SNP politicians and women’s rights groups are opposed to a reform to make it easier to change gender

Controversial reform of gender law in Scotland is unlikely to take effect for at least two years, The Sunday Times has learnt.

Several SNP figures, including a minister, are understood to be deeply worried that plans to make it easier for individuals to switch gender could damage the party’s performance at the Holyrood elections in May 2021.

Their preference is for a draft bill to be published towards the end of this year or early 2020, which would almost certainly delay the new law until after the next election. The disclosure will dismay equality campaigners who expect the draft bill to be drawn up swiftly when MSPs return to parliament after the summer.

First minister Nicola Sturgeon has pledged to make Scotland “fairer for transgender