A Week in Parliament

Remembrance Day 

Yet another Covid affected event is Remembrance Day. The main one in Kilmarnock is effectively cancelled with the “ceremony” limited to the Provost and Lord Lieutenant laying wreaths to tie in with the two minutes silence. It is such a shame for the veterans that the usual larger scale event cannot be held. However, safety has to come first in these difficult times. I will lay a wreath at the Cenotaph later, in accordance with social distance and other health guidance practices as a mark of respect.  

Fireworks 

This is also the time of year when constituents contact me about the nuisance of fireworks being let off every night in and around Bonfire Night. Many want the usage restricted only to organised events or sales strictly limited in timescales or prohibited to the general public. This is a matter for Westminster (although the Scottish Government are trying to find their own workarounds). It is a serious matter raised annually and a Westminster petition has seen 700 constituents sign it looking for a ban on general public sale. This ranks Kilmarnock and Loudoun as 76th out of 650 constituencies so in relative terms it clearly is a nuisance for many. However, given Jacob Rees Mogg’s response in parliament was that some MPs are calling for fireworks to be banned because “socialists always want to ban everything and have no fun”. So, if your pet is scared and you want a sales ban to the public, the Tory Government think you are a mad, fun-hating socialist. Yet, they expect everyone to respect Westminster as an institution? 

Opinion Polls 

The 11th opinion poll in a row has now shown a lead for Scottish Independence. These don’t mean that this confirms what a future referendum result will be. However, it does show many people are now minded to think about it. Interestingly, social attitude polls always show that a huge majority of Scots think that decisions for the people of Scotland are best placed to be taken in Edinburgh rather than London. Yet, many of those who think that way, have favoured the Union, which is slightly contradictory. Maybe now, especially with covid-19, people realise that the only way we really can make the best decisions and take the most proactive actions at the right time is for Scotland to be a normal independent country. Just like all those other countries in the world.  

Eat Out to Help Out 

It turns out that the scheme promoted by the Chancellor is estimated to have contributed nearly 20% of the new cases of the second spike. Hindsight is wonderful - it is easy to say what he did was a mistake. At the time I welcomed the initiative, as I know how much the hospitality industry had suffered. It is clear though it should have been better targeted and done in such a way that it didn’t have people scrambling to make the most of a time limited offer. I know I called for better long-term support at the time that applies more than ever now.  

A Week in Parliament

Case Success

One of the best results my office has had was getting a constituent £11,500 in pension credit that was owed. It is such a great feeling when we get a “win” on such a scale. Of course, the issue here is the DWP wrongly stopped paying it. The UK Government obsesses about benefit fraud, but the reality is that unpaid or unclaimed benefits is a greater amount than that lost on fraud. Always remember to check and see what you may be entitled to, especially pension credit.

Petitions

Another way I use to bring matters up in the House of Commons is to lodge a petition. There are rules on the wording of MP petitions but other than that I can pretty much lodge on a variety of topics. In recent months I have lodged petitions about Dominic Cummings; support for the travel industry; support for the wedding sector (which covers hospitality, caterers, outfitters, photographers, car and coach hire companies and DJs/entertainment); making permanent the £20 Universal Credit uplift; Black Lives Matter and one on food standards. Each petition presented in parliament has to be answered by a Minister. If there is a subject someone that someone thinks worthy of a petition and ministerial response, then please get in touch.

School Meals

After calling for an extension of the school meal programme in Scotland, the Scottish Tory MPs promptly voted against a Labour motion for an extension of school meals at Westminster! Although technically an England only matter, the SNP MPs all supported the Labour motion as ultimately more money would also come to Scotland.

UK Government Financial Support

It is welcome that right at the death, the Chancellor has listened to our calls to extend the furlough scheme – well almost. It is not quite a full extension, but the replacement scheme is welcome. However, much greater targeted support is required for the hospitality industry. The industry is calling for it; I am backing Unite the Union’s hospitality recovery plan and also the FSB is calling for greater support for the hospitality industry. Yet, some unionists tell me that “Scotland gets enough money from Westminster” and “get on with it”. I find such an attitude baffling. Apart from the fact Westminster doesn’t just “gift” Scotland money, surely part of my remit is to fight for maximum funding for my constituency? When I have companies telling me they will go bust and more jobs could be lost I am going to continue to lobby the UK Exchequer for more money. The Scottish Government has already spent more money in support than they have been “given” by Westminster. With a fixed budget, they cannot do more - therefore the UK Treasury need to step up to the plate.  

Interestingly, this is the argument put forward by the Mayor of Greater Manchester, Labour’s Andy Burnham. When giving evidence to the BEIS Select Committee, Andy Burnham also called for fiscal autonomy. I look forward to Labour now arguing that as a minimum Scotland should have full fiscal autonomy i.e. control over all tax and spending.

A Week in Parliament

Covid and Westminster and Working

With covid cases and deaths increasing across the UK, and the call for people to work from home where possible, then it makes sense for Westminster to return to a full virtual parliament. They already have shown the system works, and that remote electronic voting works too. I have signed a cross party letter calling for the reinstatement of this. I will be minimising my travel wherever possible.

Surgeries

All my physical advice surgeries are obviously still cancelled. I continue doing “virtual” surgeries with appointments available via telephone, Zoom or Microsoft Teams. I am pleased at how many people have engaged this way, and have only had a few minor IT glitches! Hopefully constituents appreciate I still try to be as accessible as I can.

Constituent Casework

I repeatedly say one of the joys of being an MP is representing constituents and assisting them to resolve problems. It can involve contacting agencies multiple times; writing to Ministers or raising the case in the main chamber. Often it is all of these actions. I did this for one constituent who contacted me to say I raised the case with such empathy they felt like crying - they had all but given up hope on a solution. That appreciation was so humbling although it is frustrating that it sometimes takes pushing it all the way and effectively shaming the UK Government into action. A happy outcome is worth dogged determination.

Covid Politics

Ideally during the crisis politicians can work on a cross party basis. It’s good when the different governments can work together. However, rank hypocrisy can get in the way....when Nicola Sturgeon announced the additional restrictions for parts of Scotland, Labour and the Lib Dem’s were furious. Douglas Ross of the Tories complained businesses needed a minimum of one week’s notice then the UK Government gave less notice and he backed their strategy.  At Westminster, Labour demanded the SNP support their call for a full two week shutdown! A week after the Lib Dems at Westminster demanded the curfew on pubs is lifted, they want more restrictions. The Welsh Labour Government are looking at travel restrictions and preventing people from the higher infected areas of England (and Scotland) from travelling there. When this was suggested in Scotland of course Scottish Labour was furious. Devolution within the parties is fine. But arguing the opposite at Westminster and the Welsh Assembly while attacking the Scottish Government is just bad politics.

Child Poverty

Child poverty is a scourge of society and of course the children themselves are helpless to remedy their situation. Hungry children clearly find it harder to concentrate on schoolwork and so they are at a disadvantage regards qualifications and future jobs. Too many in our area are in poverty. In a briefing I received from End Child Poverty coalition, one chink of light is that Scotland has the lowest child poverty percentage of any nation or region in the UK. This is because of the Scottish Government’s efforts to mitigate Tory austerity. We could do even better with more powers.

A Week in Parliament

Covi-19 Restrictions 

There is no doubt that action was needed in Scotland regards the ongoing rise of covid-19 cases. I suspect most of us now know someone who has either contracted covid-19 or someone that has had to self-isolate because they have had contact with someone who has contracted covid-19. That to me shows the scale of the problem now.  

Also, the number of daily cases has been over 1200. That’s 100x the rate recorded each day in July, and also a doubling of the infection rate in less than two weeks. The World Health Organisation states that with a robust testing schedule, if less than 5% of the people tested are positive then the virus is under control. In Scotland, the daily rate is roughly 15% so that is a major indicator of the scale of the problem. Not to mention that sadly several people are dying once more on a near daily basis.  

In England, the scale of the problem is much worse for most of the country. The key question should be not why are the Scottish Government introducing further restrictions but why has Westminster been so slow? These additional measures have been put in place in many countries in Europe, so Scotland is not exactly an outlier. Indeed, yet again, it is the Tory Government who is the outlier. I feel really sorry for the hospitality trade, who have worked so hard to put protocols in place to keep people safe. However, when so much of the population are infected with covid-19, then even with best practice in place, the risk of spread is still there. By the time this column is read, I am hoping that the Westminster Government has followed suit and is making more money available to support business requiring to close. This is the other problem in Scotland – the Scottish Government is not allowed to borrow money. So, it makes it much harder to put localised support in place. At Westminster I have highlighted this issue. I have challenged the Health Secretary and the Chancellor to both consider the provision of support for areas needing localised restrictions (including English regions) and to allow the Scottish Government to borrow money to support local public health measures.  

So again, I plead, stick with the guidance. It is the only way to defeat the disease.  

Horizon Post Office Scandal 

I was pleased to hear that the Scottish Criminal Case Review is looking into the Horizon Post Office scandal where postmasters were wrongly prosecuted for theft that never took place. It was all the fault of the Post Office IT system. I started to get a real understanding of this and how it has blighted people’s lives through an enquiry the BEIS Committee started undertaking. Unfortunately, because it landed back in the English court system, the enquiry has had to be suspended. However, people have been wrongly jailed; some went bankrupt and there were even suicides. Meanwhile the Post Office covered up their failings and those at the top have all moved on to other jobs. An unbelievable scandal.  

A Week in Parliament

Case Success 

Getting constituent success is a key part of my job. One case we had was about getting a VAT refund from a caravan park due to the reduction introduced by the Chancellor. The site in question stated I had misinterpreted the legislation and challenged me aggressively about my enquiries. I didn’t accept this and asked questions in the Commons to get the right information. The site has now agreed I am correct and with a bit of luck my constituent will get some hard-earned cash back as will many others across the country. Very satisfying.  

Internal Market Bill 

Just to re-iterate, this bill was passed in the House of Commons which commits the UK to breaking international law if they do not agree a deal with the EU. This is an international treaty signed by the UK and will now be lodged with the United Nations, but the UK argue it is credible to break it. No wonder lawyers from around the world are angry.  

When I spoke in the bill, I also highlighted other risks – Scotland could be forced to allow producers to grow genetically modified crops for example. The UK Government gets to decide what constitutes state aid. This means for example, if the Scottish Government wants to provide support for farmers or say a certain type of manufacturing industry that if the UK Government are not doing the same in England, they can rule the support of the Scottish Government illegal. Lower standard goods produced elsewhere in the UK will need to be accepted. This bill really does destroy the powers of the Scottish Government.  

That Accent Again 

I spoke a lot in the internal market bill – trying to correct Tories who were spouting nonsense. It got to the stage they would refuse to take interventions from myself, including two ministers who wouldn’t let me in. Usually a sign that you are being effective at least! 

My speech from report stage was posted on twitter. As this is an uncompromising platform, because of my accent, I was labelled an embarrassment, talking like a “Ned”, “thick” etc. I find it bizarre that fellow Scots think it is cringeworthy to have a strong accent. I know I have a decent enough vocabulary, so the assessment really is on my accent. At 50 years old though I won’t be changing it so that those who pass judgement think I am more clever!  

Margaret Ferrier MP 

It was easier to call for the resignation of Dominic Cummings, a political foe, and also Dr Catherine Calderwood when they broke the lockdown rules. When a hard-working colleague breaches the rules, it becomes much closer to home and more personal. However, it is unfathomable to me that Margaret travelled when she was waiting on a test result and should have been self-isolating. The feeling better line falls when she knowingly travelled back to Scotland on public transport after getting a positive covid-19 test result. The sad irony also being she travelled to speak in a debate about covid-19. When considering her actions, it is untenable to remain in position.  

A Week in Parliament

Covid-19 Latest 

I sense people’s frustrations about the latest restrictions regarding not visiting households. It is tough. However, we have been seeing record numbers of new covid cases. Higher than the spike in March [although many more people are being tested which accounts for some of the extra]. This means tough action is needed. We are seeing more deaths.  

We are always asked, ‘why can I not visit my family at their home, but I can meet them in the pub?’ Well, you don’t have to go to pubs or restaurants if you consider them a risk. However, social distancing measures are in place there as well as track and trace. Remember how fastidious people were initially about wiping all surfaces even if a guest just accessed the house for the toilet? There is no doubt that many of us have relaxed since then increasing risks.  

Incidentally, Nicola Sturgeon has made it clear that she is taking a “UK wide” approach in relation to a pub curfew. She has also asked Boris Johnson that Scotland should at least be given borrowing powers so the Scottish Government can place more restrictions on pubs and restaurants - but have the money to support the businesses. Another example that we cannot implement the decisions we want in the midst of a pandemic.  

Support Package 

I welcome the continued VAT cut for tourism and hospitality and indeed called for it. I welcome additional job support, but it doesn’t go far enough. Self-employed are only getting 20% support. The ones excluded previously are still excluded and full furlough is needed for the likes of the aerospace sector.  

Internal Market Bill 

Further proof that the Tories don’t understand or care about the details of the bill was when a Minster explained that the bill allows them to spend money in Scotland such as the furlough scheme. Given this already happens because employment law is reserved it is no surprise she didn’t let me in to correct the record!  

Architects have now confirmed it will mean the end of Scotland having different building standards – we have had better standards on fire safety and energy efficiency, so this is a concern. The General Teaching Council in Scotland has also confirmed teachers without the qualifications needed in Scotland, will be able to move from England and teach straight away. Real examples that show it is not just an SNP “grievance” as the Tories like to say.  

Westminster Chamber 

The chamber is still heavily restricted in terms of members allowed in due to social distancing. I have always been against the sums of money they propose to allocate to refurbish Westminster. The current proposals are a £4-£5bn refurbishment which involves building a temporary chamber for six years to allow MPs to move out while the refurbishments take place. However, the reality is that these billions of pounds are being spent to recreate a 19th century chamber that cannot cope with future repeats of a pandemic. I intend to raise this matter as it is plain crazy but typical of those who think tradition trumps all else.  

A Week in Parliament

Climate Assembly

A citizens’ assembly was formed to allow the views of normal people to be discussed and collated about climate change and how it should be tackled. People were selected completely at random from all over the UK and included people who were cynical or didn’t know much about it. Their findings are fascinating. In my role as SNP Spokesperson for Energy and Climate Change I was delighted to chair a stakeholder briefing session.

One finding from the assembly was that they are against nuclear energy because of the high costs; safety concerns the long-term storage of nuclear waste. I will be chasing the UK Government on this matter – their nuclear strategy is in tatters, yet they continue to try and foist this on us.

Power Grab?

From an SNP perspective the new UK Internal Market Bill represents a clear power grab. The Tories in the chamber says it gives new powers to the Scottish Parliament. Who is right? What is telling is that the Tory MP who is chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Committee wrote to the Cabinet Secretary as and pointed out that the Internal Market Bill “creates new powers of reservations”. In layman’s terms, this confirms Westminster is taking more powers. It gives Westminster powers to spend money in Scotland without the consent of Scottish Ministers on matters they have responsibility. This means Westminster could choose to cut the budget to the Scottish Parliament. They can then decide to spend money on projects they want to and in locations that suits them for political gain.  This takes power away from the Scottish Parliament as an institution, not just the current SNP Government. It gives more power to a Tory Government we did not vote for and one that dances to the tune of an unelected bureaucrat, Dominic Cummings.

UK Rogue State

An indicator of the law-breaking aspect of the Internal Market Bill is shown by the resignation of the Tory Lord who was their advocate general for Scotland. He confirmed what they are doing is not compatible with the law and they are breaking the Ministerial Code. This is why we are arguing the UK Government is behaving like a rogue state. A Tory MP said it was a mistake to sign the Withdrawal Agreement, so it is only right to break conditions they don’t like. I observed that in principle this means that for any international treaty a country can argue they made a mistake on some terms and so rightly should break it, i.e. the rule of law becomes arbitrary. It is a disgraceful position.

Ed Milliband

How can Boris Johnson negotiate a deal, tell all it’s a great deal - particularly for Northern Ireland - and then argue that the provisions are rubbish? That the EU are terrible for wanting to uphold the conditions of the treaty? The best speech on the debate for this was delivered by Ed Miliband of Labour. He destroyed Boris Johnson. Strange how leadership just doesn’t work for some even although there are many other aspects they seem to excel at.

A Week in Parliament

Loudoun Hill

Given I have lived in the constituency my entire life, I like to think I appreciate the beauty of the countryside. It is great for walking and I love long walks with the dog. Yet sometimes you realise you overlook things. For example, I had a couple of friends visiting and so suggested we climb Loudoun Hill. It was an activity I haven’t done for years. I was pleasantly surprised to get there and find the car park full and loads of families doing the walk/climb. The Spirit of Scotland monument there is also stunning although the classic backdrop for it is winter scenes and snow. I thoroughly recommend a trip and a walk – the good thing is, it can be a stroll to the monument, an easy walk along the paths or you can do the full-on scramble to the top of the hill.

Ellis Haining

When I do a question and answer session, there is always a “what’s the best part of your job?” question. Without any shadow of doubt, it is when my staff or I get an outcome that helps people. One case I raised in parliament was that of Ellis Haining and the fact his family needed a car big enough to house his medical equipment and allow him out the hospital to have home visits. Qualification for a mobility car has a random minimum age of three-years. However, by bringing this case up in the chamber, a solution was found. It was so uplifting to be able to support a fantastic family and help give a bit more stability. Recently there was a concern that the way the system works, the car would need to be returned and then a fresh application made for a new car under the standard qualification rules. It was so pleasing that Caroline form my office helped the family to ensure that there was no interval where they did not have a car. It seems so simple and logical, but yet the reality is that we have to make sure the system helps people rather than let them down.

GERS

Once again, the Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) figures were released that shows in theory that Scotland has a big deficit. These spending figures are used by people who believe in the union to say it shows that Scotland cannot possibly be independent. However, the truth of the matter is, that 40% of the spending is spent by Westminster, it is then “assigned” to Scotland. Also, if the union is so good for Scotland, why apparently is it so economically hamstrung? The reality is that is suits Westminster to say that Scotland is so dependent it cannot be an independent country. Of course, things don’t help when we are left with Labour’s PFI legacy. £5 billion has been spent in the last five-years alone. Projects that cost £4bn are projected to have cost us £22.5bn, it is shameful. Locally, East Ayrshire pay approximately £10m per annum for just four schools.

A Week in Parliament

Office Re-Opening

Like the majority of offices, my constituency office staff have been working from home during covid-19. As restrictions ease, we have targeted a re-opening date of Monday 14th September. Appointments will be possible, but initially, we will not be open for spur of the moment drop-ins. I will provide further updates in due course, but also check social media for updates.

Constituency Visits

This is an aspect of the job I have missed – being out and about within the constituency and meeting the people who are the heartbeat of local communities. I suspect community organised events will still be some time in the future, but if anyone wants me to pop into their workplace/business or have community activities then please feel free to invite me and I will do my best to support.

Boris’ Holiday

As opinion polls continue to show a majority in Scotland favour independence, you can sense the unionist panic. Why else would Boris Johnson holiday in Scotland? The Daily Mail exposed where he was, yet he blamed the SNP with the official line it was no longer safe to stay there. What palpable nonsense. Given there were photographs of him on holiday, he wanted the public to know he was in Scotland, to give the impression he cares. It would be of no interest to Johnson to come and go incognito, as this would mean no coverage. No-one should be fooled by his clumsy attempts for publicity and blaming the SNP. In reality, he is suggesting that SNP voters are a threat to him which is insulting to half the voters in Scotland!

In Scotland we have fantastic access rights, which I have used myself over the years, doing camping or holidaying in a motorhome. The rules are simple – leave no trace of your visit. What an embarrassment that the Prime Minister of the UK pitched a tent in a farmer’s field without seeking permission, to then set up and leave the remnants of a campfire. Such inconsideration and leaving the mess to his security team signifies the arrogance and quality of the man right enough. Sadly, we see enough litter and irresponsible behaviour from some dirty campers without the Prime Minister setting a bad example. I still recommend camping or motorhoming to enjoy the great outdoors, but don’t be like Boris!

Parliament Returns

Westminster returns on September 1st. Usually, in September it only sits for a couple of weeks and then breaks for a three-week conference recess. As parties cannot stage their conferences other than some kind of virtual setting, then there is no conference recess this year. I hope the non-conference recess becomes a consideration going forward, as I have always found it a nuisance and frankly embarrassing for Parliament to site for two weeks after the summer recess and then have another three-week recess. While I always remain working, it looks to the public that the MPs are on holiday although I daresay some MPs do look at it that way.

A Week in Parliament

Holidays and Travel

I have just returned from a holiday within Scotland. We are lucky to own a (15-year-old) motorhome and so did what we like to do – holiday within Scotland. For the most part, the weather was great. The scenery, beaches and coastlines saw off both the east coast and west coast were picture book stunning. It was great to have some downtime, although of course emails always accessible! It is good to be reminded what is on our doorstep. It is also a stark realisation that the tourism industry which creates so many jobs will take a while to recover. An expansion of the internal market is vital to make up for the shortfall in foreign tourists coming here.

On a separate holiday note, I feel sorry for those who travelled in good faith to countries such as France only to be “caught out” by the change in quarantine guidance. This is why Nicola Sturgeon in particular has stressed that booking foreign travel carries risks as restrictions may be applied at any time in reaction to covid-19 spikes in other countries. It also shows how the ravel industry and airline will struggle for a while yet as more uncertainty is created. Be sure to check all terms and conditions when making any travel plans.

Douglas Ross

After being made Scottish leader of the Tories, Douglas Ross missed a VJ commemoration ceremony in his constituency so he could be linesman at the Killie St Johnstone match. A poor error of judgement and I am sure all Killie fans would agree that with my sentiment that I wished he stayed away! An elected politician is rightly expected to turn up at community events. I don’t have a problem with him having a paid linesman “hobby” over and above his MP role as it will keep him fit and healthy, physically as well as mentally. However, it should not come to the detriment of his MP role. I make no secret of my support for Killie and attend as many matches as I can, but a few years ago, I forewent the trip to Easter Road, when Kris Boyd scored to ensure we were not relegated. This was because I had an engagement as a local councillor in Galston. That match will seem trivial to many, but it was huge for Killie fans. I will always try my best to honour commitments. Interesting that Douglas Ross wants to be MP, leader of the Scottish Tories and an MSP all while combining linesman duties. He may be issuing many more apologies!

UK Internal Market

Both Food Standards Scotland and the National Farmers Union of Scotland have issued warnings of the risks to food standards. They reference the quality aspects of Scotland’s foods due to the UK Government having the ability to set the rules on an “internal UK market’. This is the reality of what SNP politicians have called a power grab by Westminster and why we will fight for Scotland’s markets to be protected and not undermined in a race to the bottom.