Nicola Sturgeon has admitted she “didn’t anticipate” how much criticism her gender reform legislation would garner.
In an upcoming interview with ITV, the former first minister of Scotland opened up about her upcoming memoir, titled Frankly, which is due to be released on August 14.
Ms Sturgeon said that in retrospect she should have paused the legislation for a time due to the strong backlash she received.
The former SNP leader said: “I didn’t anticipate as much as I should, or engage as much as I should, on some of the concerns that might then be triggered.
“At the point I knew it was becoming, or felt it becoming, as polarised I should have said, ‘Right, OK, let’s pause, let’s take a step back’.
“I fervently believe that the rights of women and the interests of trans people are not irreconcilable at all.
“I should have taken a step back and said, ‘How do we achieve this?’”
In what marks the first television interview ahead of the publication of her memoir, Ms Sturgeon also discussed with ITV presenter Julie Etchingham her experience of being raided by police, rumours surrounding her sexuality, her relationship with Alex Salmond, and a miscarriage she previously suffered.
Reliving her experience of being raided by police, she said: “I don’t really have a clear memory of that because I think I’d gone upstairs to get myself ready.
“I genuinely don’t know whether the fact that I don’t have a clear image of that in my head is because I didn’t witness it or that I have kind of somehow blocked it out.
“It wasn’t until I got to mum and dad’s that I saw the pictures of my house looking like a murder scene effectively.
“It was just, sorry, I’m not really, I’m just working out… it’s really hard to articulate how I felt that day.
“I had this sense of horror and upset and the kind of shame of it all.”
Ms Sturgeon said it was “horrific” walking into a police station, and that part of her “closed down”.
In her book, the former first minister says she has never considered sexuality, including her own, to be binary.
She told ITV: “I mean what it says, it’s just my view of the world and life and the way people are.
“If you’re about to ask me, am I making some big revelation? No. Am I putting labels on myself? No. That’s how I see the world.”
Etchingham asked: “Might we see you in a relationship with a woman?”
Ms Sturgeon replied: “I’m just out of a marriage, so I’m not rushing into a relationship with anyone, anytime soon.
“I’m enjoying being my own person for a while.”
Etchingham asked: “But not ruling it out?”
Ms Sturgeon said: “I’m not contemplating sort of anything of that nature. I’m just enjoying life.”
Commenting on extracts from Ms Sturgeon’s memoirs, Scottish Labour’s deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: “If Nicola Sturgeon’s memoir was simply a chronicle of her achievements as first minister it would be a short read.
“Unsurprisingly this book does not implore readers to judge Nicola Sturgeon on her record on education.
“Frankly, no-one has squandered as much political opportunity as badly as Nicola Sturgeon.
“Remarkably her memory of events seems to be returning, as she appeared to suffer from amnesia when she was before the parliamentary inquiry into the handling of sexual harassment complaints against the former first minister, Alex Salmond.
“As a result of her dismal lack of delivery in office, Nicola Sturgeon’s legacy will be defined instead by political division and personal drama.”
Nicola Sturgeon: The Interview will be broadcast on Monday, August 11 at 7pm on ITV1, ITVX & STV.
An extended version of the interview will be available on ITVX in the following days.
