SCOTTISH Green activists who use “transphobic and trans-exclusionary” language could be kicked out of the party after members overwhelmingly backed a change to the rules that will mean anyone not respecting “all genders and their selfdetermination” will face disciplinary action.

The motion was passed yesterday at the Green’s annual conference in Glasgow .

There was little opposition to the proposal, put forward by James Thornbury, with only two members speaking against.

Graham King was one of those who objected. He disputed that transphobia was “some big problem in our party needing urgent and extreme attention”.

He warned that even just having the debate would allow the media to suggest that it was and “run with that idea as their latest shocking news item,” resulting in a “a smear campaign, [and] needless harm brought on ourselves.”

But Thornbury said he had “personally witnessed transphobia” in his own local Green Party branch.

“So if there’s any question of is it within the party, then let me go on record, yes it is, it absolutely is.”

Proposing the motion, Thornbury said the UK Government’s consultation on reform of the Gender Recognition Act, which ends at noon today, had led to an escalation of transphobic rhetoric.

READ: Gender Recognition Act debate is being used to roll back trans rights

He told delegates: “There are a bunch of people who aren’t comfortable with the progress that’s been made, and they want to seek to roll it back.

“But they’re also ashamed because they won’t talk directly about what they actually believe.

They won’t commit and come out and say ‘I don’t actually think that transwomen are women and transmen are men.”

Thornbury said he wasn’t “seeking to go for” people who may have held transphobic views in the past, but have changed their mind recently.

“I don’t really care how people get on board, they can take the time they need, but ultimately I’m not going to put up with transphobic behaviour.“

Hamish Allan from Edinburgh who spoke against the motion said it was too far wide ranging, saying the proposal would have the “effect of shutting down dissenting voices, voices that deserve to be heard. “

“There are some trans people who take a gender critical analysis, some have detransitioned and want to explain why, some intersex people feel that ‘assigned at birth’ has been appropriated, some people who are not trans object to being called ‘cis’ on the basis that they don’t identify with the gender society projects on to them on the basis of their sex.

“These are real people with real concerns. They’re not transphobes.”

Speaking in favour of the motion, Cass McGregor said it was simply about the Greens being “inclusive and decent human beings to our fellow members and activists”.

Meanwhile there was support for the party’s call to devolve immigration to Scotland from Green mayor of Sheffield Magid Magid.

Magid said it would stop a Tory Government “hell-bent on inflicting self-harm”.

“We must fight for the radical transformation we are in vital need of,” he told delegates.