Tribunal nurse Sandie Peggie ‘has been through hell’, Kemi Badenoch says

The nurse at the centre of a high-profile tribunal over gender rights is suffering “bureaucratic oppression”, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said, as she called on the UK Government to publish updated guidance.

Mrs Badenoch demanded Bridget Phillipson, the UK minister for women and equalities, publish revised guidance in the wake of a landmark Supreme Court ruling.

She made the plea after meeting nurse Sandie Peggie, who secured a partial victory in a tribunal against her employer NHS Fife.

She took action against the health board after being forced to share a changing room at Kirkcaldy’s Victoria Hospital with transgender doctor Beth Upton, with claims of harassment against her employer being upheld by the industrial tribunal.

The Tory leader said she had a “fantastic conversation” with Ms Peggie, describing her as being an “admirable person who has been through hell”.

Speaking after meeting the nurse during a visit to Edinburgh, Mrs Badenoch added: “I think that what has happened to her and the way people have tried to malign her reputation has been terrible.”

The Tory leader told journalists: “We discussed her case and the way forward and what the SNP government needed to do in order to stop the harassment of people like Sandie Peggie. What she is suffering is bureaucratic oppression.”

She also said she had a “very, very good conversation” with Ms Peggie and campaigners from For Women Scotland – who are bringing a second legal action against the Scottish Government after their win at the Supreme Court in April 2025.

In that case judges at the UK’s highest court ruled that the terms “woman” and “sex” refer to a biological woman and biological sex – with the Equality and Human Rights Commission since having submitted updated guidance on such matters to UK ministers.

Mrs Badenoch demanded: “Bridget Phillipson needs to publish that guidance now. It is a disgrace that she has not done so. It is causing all sorts of problems.”

With For Women Scotland currently taking action against Scottish ministers over the housing of transgender offenders in women’s prisons, Mrs Badenoch also declared it was “time that the SNP government actually start following the Supreme Court ruling and make sure that the institutions which they run do so as well”.

After the tribunal verdict was published in December Ms Peggie said how the “last two years have been agonising for me and my family” as a result of her fight against NHS Fife.

While her harassment claim was upheld, allegations of discrimination, indirect discrimination and victimisation were dismissed.

Speaking during First Minister’s Questions, John Swinney said the Scottish Government accepted the Supreme Court verdict.

“Every key area of Government that is or might be affected by the Supreme Court judgment is carrying out assessments across legislation, guidance and policies, and changes have already been made in some areas,” he said.

Mr Swinney added: “The Scottish Government has to make difficult decisions that balance the interests and rights of individuals, often in complex situations, and this is one such situation.”

The UK Government has been contacted for comment.