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As we celebrate LGBT Pride season and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots, now is a good time to reflect on how far we’ve come and how far we still have to go.

Until recently, Scotland was known for being a conservative-with-a-small-c country when it came to social attitudes – and our past treatment of LGBT people was nothing short of shameful.

It was only in the 80s that Westminster decriminalised homosexuality and even then, the law continued to discriminate against LGBT people.

The birth of the Scottish Parliament in 1999 gave us the chance to choose a radically different path – and we did.

Scotland now leads the UK on LGBT rights. I’m very proud of the role the SNP Government has played in securing that change.

We have introduced equal marriage and LGBT hate-crime laws, passed a Turing Law to pardon historical discriminatory convictions and opened adoption and IVF up to same-sex couples.

Under the SNP, Scotland became one of the first countries to commit to LGBT-inclusive education in schools.

We have also ended the lifetime ban on male gay and bisexual blood donors, we approved the provision of PrEP on the NHS to help prevent HIV and we have given record funding to LGBT equality organisations.

In June, we announced the next step with a pledge to introduce a Gender Recognition (Scotland) Bill to secure greater equality for transgender people.

The law will make it simpler and less intrusive for trans people to access their human right to legal gender recognition – bringing us into line with international best practice.

Trans people face more prejudice than perhaps any other group in Scotland.

Research by the Equality Network found 91 per cent of trans people had experienced discrimination in the past year – including transphobic attitudes, verbal, physical and sexual abuse and discrimination in employment and services.

We have a serious problem with transphobia and it is one that we need to face up to. Respecting the identity of trans people is a core part of that.

The gender recognition reforms are as fundamental to trans equality as equal marriage was to lesbian and gay rights.

Simply put, until we accept trans people for who they are, there is no equality.

Later this year, the draft bill consultation will take place and I hope politicians of all parties will come together to get this legislation right.

That would send a clear message that Scotland respects trans people every bit as much as the many other countries who have passed similar laws.

If any of my children were ever to come out as trans, I would want them to know that it wouldn’t make a bit of difference – that they would be loved and respected for who they are.

Scotland is right to move ahead on trans equality.

Together we can build a society where all trans people can be confident, proud and comfortable in themselves – knowing that they live in a country where their rights are recognised and they are valued for who they are.

Scandal of the lost funds daylight robbery

(Image: Andrew Neil)

The SNP this week held a much-needed roundtable on pensions and savings.

While the Tories have downgraded pensions and failed to provide dignity in retirement for pensioners, the SNP is focused on developing solutions to the saving crisis.

Research carried out by the Association of British Insurers and the Pensions Policy Institute estimates that there are 1.6million lost pension pots in the UK.

This amounts to nearly £20billion of unclaimed pension funds – the equivalent of nearly £13,000 per pot. This is an absolute scandal that needs rectifying immediately.

Citizens cannot be robbed of their savings. That’s why my colleague Mhairi Black MP has written to both Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt to demand that this daylight robbery ends – regardless of who becomes prime minister.

We have consistently argued for a fairer pension system that delivers dignity in retirement.

That’s why we are calling on the Tories to immediately deliver the long-awaited pensions dashboard and establish an independent savings and pensions commission.

From the burning injustices facing the WASPI women, who have been denied their right to their state pension, to the stripping away of pension credit for the over 75s, the Tories are failing pensioners across the country.

Urgent action is needed and the SNP will continue to lead the way to deliver fairness for all of our citizens in later life.

Cash boost a lifeline to 999 staff

The Scottish Government announced on Wednesday it has committed £138,000 to extend a programme to help emergency service workers cope with mental health issues.

The Lifelines Scotland Initiative provides support to frontline workers in Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and the Scottish Ambulance Service.

They will continue to offer tailored mental health resources that will include online information and resources for responders – and their friends and family.

The welfare of our emergency service workers, like our NHS staff, is vital. They work incredibly hard every day to keep people safe and can often face challenging and dangerous situations.

The Lifelines Scotland programmes will be, as the name suggests, a lifeline for many.

I am delighted that the initiative will receive further funding from the Scottish Government to allow it to do more and go further.

It is important that our frontline responder staff in blue light services across Scotland feel supported, informed and valued, and are able to access the help whenever and wherever they may need it.

Stop cruel and unlawful evictions

While the news that Glasgow Sheriff Court has granted court orders preventing Serco from carrying out lock-change evictions until the next hearing is welcome, the fact a Tory government allowed the threat in the first place is disgraceful.

The situation causes a great deal of distress to refugees and asylum seekers and is a direct result of punitive Tory policy.

The Tories must intervene to stop these cruel and unlawful evictions that will leave hundreds destitute.

Next PM must end our Saudi Shame

This week, I wrote to both Tory leadership candidates calling on whoever becomes the next PM to launch an inquiry into the UK Government’s shameful record of arms sales to Saudi Arabia.

Westminster leaders from Labour, Lib Dems, Plaid Cymru and Greens joined me in urging whoever becomes the next prime minister not to be complicit in conflicts and put profits before peace so the UK can become a player for harmony.