No free passes when safeguarding children

My remarks at the Alba Conference on the age of consent can be verified by anyone who visits the website of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA).

It was a fantastic conference with more than 400 women participating, which resulted in the Alba Party adopting a Women and Equalities Policy Statement, which acknowledges that no single protected characteristic is more virtuous or worthy of recognition and safeguarding than another.

All the reports of my threeminute speech to the conference were based on a thirdparty account. This has been maliciously and cynically twisted for political ends.

Like many others, I was concerned that the ILGA had adopted the “Feminist Declaration”, which calls for the elimination of laws that limit the legal capacity of adolescents to consent to sex. There is no expansion or cross-reference on the definition of “adolescent”, which the UN and WHO determine as being between ten and 19

Words matter – and lobbying organisations know they do. This lobbying organisation should be much more careful given its own chequered history – three times refused UN Economic and Social Council status as an NGO because of its association with pro-paedophile organisations.

The ILGA has significant influence with the Scottish government. Last week I knew of two Scottish organisations who were their members – Stonewall Scotland and LGBT Youth Scotland – both of whom are in receipt of significant public funds.

I now know that there are many Scottish organisations who are members, including the Equality Network and the Scottish Trans Alliance. Over the last three years these organisations have been in receipt of £2.8 million of Scottish public funds.

As ILGA stipulates that members sign up to all their aims, it is not unreasonable to question whether they were aware the ILGA had signed up to this document.

I have been called transphobic and homophobic and been on the receiving end of threats of violence for raising legitimate concerns about placing the safeguarding of children at the heart of public policy making. When it comes to safeguarding children, there are no free passes. MARGARET LYNCH Alba Party candidate