Alister Jack says the gender reform bill was blocked to protect women's spaces

The Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said he was blocking the Scottish government's gender reform bill to protect safe spaces for women and children across Great Britain.

He said the Scottish reforms would have "adverse effects on GB-wide legislation".

Mr Jack said the UK government had received legal advice to stop the legislation and talk to the Scottish government about how the plans could be ammended to fit with laws in the rest of country.

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said the row over Scotland's gender reforms will "inevitably" end up in court.