Humza Yousaf has defended his appointment of a Minister who previously apologised for offensive comments about transgender students.
The new First Minister said Gillian Martin had repeated the apology to him personally.
Martin had been nominated by Nicola Sturgeon for a Ministerial post, but the nomination was withdrawn after blog comments from 2007 came to light.
On transgender toilets, the former college lecturer wrote: “Will they install a third category of loo with a special transgender sign?
"Are they then going to pinpoint these transgender people and make sure that they get represented fairly on all undisclosed-because-Idon’t-want-to-get-fired-establishment literature in the same way our five endlessly tolerant Asian students do or that guy with the guide dog does?
“Are we going to see lovely photos in the foyer of hairy knuckled lipstickwearing transitional transgender Laydees being embraced by the principal of undisclosed college or visiting politicians for the press?”
She "unreservedly apologised" in 2018 and was unveiled by Yousaf yesterday as his pick for Energy Minister.
Asked after First Minister’s Questions about Martin’s comments, he said:
“Those comments may well come up again. I would say that Gillian Martin knows my position in relation to those remarks."
He added: "I've got a really strong track record of standing up against bigotry of any sort. She has apologised for those remarks. She apologised to me also for those remarks...we had a discussion about her appointment.
“But Gillian has been on a journey and I think if you look at, for example, her fulsome support of the GRR [gender recognition law] it shows the journey that she has been on.”
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “Across Scotland, members of the LGBT+ community, disabled people and other minorities will be feeling alienated and worried that a person that has made these abhorrent comments has been rewarded with a ministerial position.
“Martin’s comments are deeply offensive and hurtful to thousands of Scots – that Humza Yousaf has deemed her a fit person to serve in his government casts doubt on his judgement.
“Yesterday it seemed that Yousaf valued loyalty over talent when assembling his cabinet – today it is clear that he values loyalty over decency as well.”
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