Joanna Cherry claims SNP colleagues 'afraid to speak out' on gender reform and prefer a 'quiet life'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Joanna Cherry has claimed some of her SNP colleagues are "afraid" to criticise controversial gender reforms and prefer a "quiet life" instead.The Edinburgh MP spoke out today after a leading Fringe festival venue faces a mounting backlash after cancelling her planned talkshow in August amid a row about trans rights.Management at The Stand pulled the plug last weekend after staff said they did not want to work at an event featuring Cherry.The Nationalist is a leading critic of the Scottish Government's Gender Recognition Reform (GRR) legislation, which hinges on allowing people to legally self-identify their gender more easily.Cherry, who has repeatedly said she is in favour of equal rights for trans people, told BBC Radio Scotland: "Public opinion is with me on that."Many of my SNP colleague agree with me, they are just afraid to speak out."I've had a lot of private discussions with MP and MSPs and many party members.

But they have seen what has happened to me ever since I spoke out in favour of women's and lesbian rights."She added: "There is a lot of controversy in the Scottish National Party at the moment, and I don't want to add to it. "But one day I hope to be in a position to be able to tell the full story of what has gone on behind the scenes in my political party since I stood up for the rights of lesbians and for women's right to safety, dignity and privacy."Pressed on whether SNP politicians agreed with her in private but were scared to say so publicly, Cherry continued: "We did a very substantial rebellion on the issue before Christmas when a number of my colleagues did speak out on the issue."But I know for a fact there are many others who are just going along with self-ID for a quiet life."The Stand was