11th October 2021: A Week in Parliament

BBC Debate Night

For the first time in my career I took part in a TV panel programme, BBC Scotland’s debate night. It was down in Stranraer and also on the panel were list MSPs, Brian Whittle and Colin Smyth. It was fair to say the locals were very angry about what they see as the condition of the A75 between Stranraer and the M74. I pointed out that the SNP had actually built a by-pass originally promised by a Tory Government in 1989. The Maybole by-pass on the A77, currently being constructed was also promised by the Tories at Westminster in 1989. This is history the Tories like to ignore, and that same day, Boris Johnson announced that they will fund the upgrades. I bet he doesn’t even know the route and will have no idea what is required; what it will cost or how it can be delivered. No doubt this will be as realistic a promise as his bridge!

I enjoyed being on the show overall, but perhaps didn’t always enjoy being on the spot! And in the journey back up the road, I started to remember all the things that I wanted to say which is always frustrating. It also struck me that Brian Whittle claimed he knows “loads” of people on universal credit. I wonder what they say to him about the £20 per week cut, and wonder if they buy his lines about “need to balance the books”. That line is so bogus. It is the same with Johnson claiming the UK will become a place for highly skilled and highly paid wages. If he wants to see higher wages, then the first thing the UK Government should do is increase the minimum wage to the level of the real living wage. This would automatically raise the wages of many on universal credit. And of course, if they are making more money, then their universal credit payments will be reduced. Surely this is the correct way to reduce the cost of universal credit, rather than make cuts to people who are stuck on low wages?

Ban of Sale of Real Fur

I signed a cross-party letter calling for a ban on the sale of real fur in the UK. It seems to me that given the quality of fake fur, there is no need anymore to be killing animals for their hides. I appreciate some people will have expensive fur that they may have bought some time ago, and I wouldn’t expect people to stop wearing them, but just feel the time has come that the sale of real fur is not required.

James Brokenshire

I would like to pay tribute to James Brokenshire MP, who died at the age of just 53, from lung cancer. I cannot pretend to have known him well, but he was always courteous and seemed assiduous and thoughtful as a Minister. He mastered his brief and was hard working. There can be no doubt his talent will be missed.