John Swinney and Kate Forbes declined an invitation to meet the NHS Fife nurse at the centre of the explosive trans employment tribunal, The Courier can reveal.
Sandie Peggie visited Holyrood on Wednesday just under a month before her highly controversial employment hearing in Dundee resumes.
The Kirkcaldy nurse is suing NHS Fife after she was suspended following a changing room row with trans doctor Beth Upton on Christmas Eve in 2023.
Ms Peggie told Dr Upton she felt uncomfortable at the two of them sharing a women’s locker room.
The A&E nurse met a group of senior Tories including party leader Russell Findlay and Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Alexander Stewart.
She spoke with Labour politicians, is meeting SNP MSP Michelle Thomson and was also seen talking to Alba’s Ash Regan in Holyrood.
The first minister and his deputy were among those invited for a chat with Ms Peggie.
But a Scottish Government spokesperson confirmed no meeting was taking place and said it would be “inappropriate” to comment further given the tribunal is ongoing.
Their colleague Neil Gray, the health secretary, has previously backed NHS Fife’s leadership during the tribunal.
He also defended the health board’s decision not to disclose the full cost of the hearing.
By contrast, UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting met a group of eight nurses in Darlington last year taking action in a similar single-sex changing room row.
‘Sex Matters’ campaigners at Holyrood
Ms Peggie was joined in Holyrood by campaigners fighting for single-sex spaces including Maya Forstater, of gender critical charity Sex Matters.
The Courier asked Ms Forstater if she was disappointed by Mr Swinney and Ms Forbes snubbing an invitation to meet.
“The door’s open, and we hope they still will meet her”, she said.
Ms Forstater added that Ms Peggie’s chats with MSPs were “very productive”.
“It’s really important that politicians hear what Sandie has gone through,” she told The Courier.
First Minister Mr Swinney voted in favour of controversial SNP reforms which would have made it easier for trans people to self-identify.
The laws were later struck down by Westminster when the Tories were in power.
Deputy First Minister Ms Forbes was on maternity leave when the policy was passed at Holyrood and did not vote.
She later admitted being opposed to the reforms when running in the SNP leadership election and said she believes a trans woman is a “biological male”.
Ms Forbes was in Dundee on Wednesday for a finance summit in the city.
Scottish Tory chief Mr Findlay said: “The fact that John Swinney and Kate Forbes declined to meet Sandie is because so many SNP politicians are still in the grip of these dangerous and damaging beliefs.”
The NHS Fife tribunal resumes on July 16 – five months after the first two weeks of evidence were heard.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “There is no meeting taking place.
“It would be inappropriate to comment further while judicial proceedings in an employment tribunal are ongoing.”
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