23rd May 2022: A Week in Parliament

Council

I was delighted to see Jim Todd re-elected as Provost and Claire Leitch as Depute Provost. They are both great representatives. From a political perspective, I was also delighted to see the SNP retain the leadership of the council. Congratulations too, to Douglas Reid, serving continuously as a councillor since 1992.

I note too, that unlike in other areas, Labour at least didn’t try to override the wishes of the electorate and run the council in cahoots with the Tories. Anas Sarwar made a promise of “no grubby backroom deals” but that has proven to be yet another Labour lie. Take Fife, for example, Labour with 20 seats have formed a minority administration, excluding the SNP who have 34 seats. It took the Tories and Lib Dems to work with Labour to achieve this, given there are 55 opposition councillors compared to the 20 forming the administration. It is good for parties to work together on local levels, but grubby deals keeping out by far the largest party is undemocratic.

Queens Speech

No new money. No emergency budget. Nothing to tackle the cost of living and cost of energy crisis. This is a Government devoid of empathy and understanding. They have promised tax cuts, which miss the point and of course, favours the richest. Some things never change.

Ian Campbell

A horse-drawn hearse with a police escort. A huge funeral cortege following. People out in the streets to pay their respects. Standing room only in Darvel Town Hall for the service. This wasn’t the funeral of a dignitary, but rather that of Ian Campbell, of Newmilns. It takes a special person to have touched so many people and have them pay their respects. In my job, I am lucky to meet many special people, particularly those in the charity sector, and voluntary sector. Yet, there are many others who I have been lucky enough to have been a friend. Ian was a well-known businessman, from his painting and decorating business, owning the Riverside Inn, his horse riding and especially his sense of fun and ability to be sociable. In terms of community involvement, he was the only volunteer to have been involved in every single Newmilns Gala, going back to the 1970s, quite a feat of endurance if nothing else! He was also the only man that could pull events such as piano smashing in these risk-averse health and safety days. He wasn’t a man for meetings but a man for getting things done, often using his many contacts. Who else could have arranged for electricity to be supplied via an extension cable from someone’s flat to the Gala venue at Greenside? He will be sorely missed and an additional tragedy was that he seemed to be fitter and healthier than at any time in his life and loving life with Louise, who both lit up each others’ lives. Condolences to Louise, his son Jackie and stepsons Andrew, Stephen and Mark. He will also be missed in Newmilns, Millport his second home, and many other places he left his mark.