13th February 2023: A Week in Parliament

Darvel F.C.

By the time you are reading this, we will know the fate of Darvel’s tie with Falkirk and whether they will make it to the Quarter Finals of the senior Scottish Cup. Whatever happens, they have defied the odds to get to this stage and that win over Aberdeen in the last round is arguably the biggest giant-killing in the history of the Scottish game. On paper, the Falkirk tie is more winnable, but we know, all too well, that’s not how football works! It’s an occasion I can’t wait for, you can already feel the buzz in and around the Valley. The pride this has given the village cannot be underestimated and massive credit has to go to John (Gall) and Michael Kennedy the manager. You have people with absolutely no interest in football getting right behind the club and that is what makes occasions like these so special. If they are to progress, it would be fantastic if they were to draw Kilmarnock or even a nice easy tie against Ayr United…

Drop-in Events

Last week I attended a few drop-in events at Westminster. These are great ways to raise awareness of important causes and campaigns. I dropped into both Cancer Research as well as FND’s events to gauge a better understanding of these issues and try to do my bit in raising awareness. The Cancer Research drop-in was to mark World Cancer Day (4th Feb) where I met with researchers about the life-saving work taking place in labs across the UK. I also heard about the charity’s volunteer ambassadors who share their experiences of cancer to help inspire and inform the decision-makers who can make a real difference in how the disease is tackled. 

In regards to Functional Neurologic Disorder (FND), I was staggered to hear it affects up to 100,000 adults and 20,000 young adults in the UK. Those affected can experience life-changing symptoms similar to Parkinson’s Disease and long-term disability comparable to that of MS. When I shared this on Facebook, a constituent got in touch to say that she has been diagnosed with FND and it meant a lot to her that this drop in was taking place. It just goes to show how much this really means to so many people - we must do everything we can to play our part and raise awareness.

IFS Report

A recent report from the Institute of Fiscal Studies concludes Scotland’s tax and benefits system is more progressive than the rest of the UK. The report has found that Scottish Government policies since 2017, like changes to the benefits system, have increased the incomes of poorer families with children. Amongst the poorest 30%, they have suggested that Scottish reforms are set to raise the incomes of households with children by around £2,000 per year on average. It is once again a tale of two Governments. At Westminster, they have nothing but contempt for the poorest in our society and reward their cronies with billions of pounds worth of government contracts. Meanwhile at Holyrood, time after time they have demonstrated their commitment to tackling child poverty and delivering progressive policies to benefit our poorest families.