This week, I have spoken twice in the Scottish Parliament – once on the subject of non-fatal strangulation, and again on the UK Government’s Spring Statement.
After a roundtable discussion on non-fatal strangulation, I have continued to explore possible pathways to legislate for criminal prosecution on this pervasive issue. Alongside awareness raising and social policy changes, the possibility of criminal legislation must be brought forward, and I look forward to submitting an amendment at Stage 2 of the Bill and working with the Cabinet Secretary going forward. You can view my contribution in this debate in my Facebook posts.
I also spoke in the ‘Impact of the UK Government’s Spring Statement on Scotland’ debate. Labour’s pre-election promises and tinkering of the budget to help people have been replaced with strict fiscal rules which attack the most vulnerable in our society, all so the Chancellor can reach and restore the headroom target of £9.9billion. A clip of my speech is available in my previous post, but you can watch the full debate here: https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/scottish-government-debate-the-impact-of-the-uk-governments-spring-statement-on-scotland-april-2-2025
On Wednesday, the First Minister brought a Motion of Condolence forward to the Scottish Parliament following the passing of Christina McKelvie MSP. The contributions made by members across the political divide showed what a loss Christina is to this Scottish Parliament, and my sympathies go out to all who knew her.
This weekend and most of next week, I will be attending Tartan Week in both Canada and New York alongside some of my fellow Parliamentary colleagues. Promoting ‘Brand Scotland’ on the global stage is integral to bolster our cultural and trade links, and I look forward to meeting with many delegations throughout the week.
