5th December 2022: A Week in Parliament

Small Business Saturday

As part of this annual campaign, this time, I opted to highlight businesses in and around John Finnie Street. At times, too many of us pass through John Finnie Street in our cars on the one-way system rather than shopping on foot. There is a raft of businesses on what was built as a prestigious Victorian Street. I got a whole range of butcher meat at Faulds' The Butcher, including their award-winning black pudding. I pooped into George Tannahill’s to look for furniture and then Sinforiani Bros in West George Street. The latter shop always has a fine array of whisky, gin and wine. There are also books to browse and a range of Italian produce - I always come out with more purchases than intended!

The Proclaimers

On Saturday I was lucky enough to take in The Proclaimers gig at the Grand Hall. They were top class and the atmosphere was great. The atmosphere spread to the town centre with many people making a good night of it. There is no doubt the town centre as a whole gets a boost when headline acts play. In keeping with the Small Business Saturday theme, I opted to eat out at “Exotic Kitchen”, Kilmarnock’s newest (Indian) restaurant - a fantastic evening all in.

Puppy Smuggling

I have signed a cross-party letter in association with the Dogs Trust regarding the illegal Puppy Smuggling trade and the Animal Welfare (Kept Animals) Bill. This is legislation that had stalled and needs to be reintroduced to parliament. The Dogs Trust have identified that pregnant dogs are now being smuggled in which is clearly traumatic for these dogs. If you are purchasing a dog, always check the reputation of the breeder and ensure that you get to see the conditions they are being raised in and, of course, proof of mother. The timing of the letter is of course also aimed to tie in with the annual campaign to remind people “a dog is for life, not just Christmas”.

Ian Blackford

The SNP Group Leader at Westminster has decided he was stepping aside from that position. I pay tribute to the work Ian has undertaken in that time. He has faced four Tory Prime Ministers in that time and two Labour Leaders. He regularly challenged the UK Government and remained firm on the problems with Brexit, while the Labour Party has moved to mimic the Tories on Brexit for fear of upsetting voters. All polling evidence points to people thinking that Brexit was a mistake and that there is support for re-joining the single market. So, wholesale changes that will improve the economy will actually be supported by the wider electorate. The issue is that Labour and the Tories obsessively focus on appealing to the swing voters in the former “red wall” seats. It is an incoherent way to form a strategy and I am so grateful the SNP has had strong leadership over this period. I know our new Westminster Group Leader will continue from where Ian left off.

28th November 2022: A Week in Parliament

Supreme Court Decision

The UK Supreme Court has ruled that even an advisory referendum on whether Scotland should be an independent country is outside the competency of the Scottish Parliament when considering the 1998 Scotland Act. Some argue that the Union itself and other matters predate the 1998 Act which set up the new Scottish Parliament. However, the 1998 Act is the most recent law, so this has to be the dominant consideration. One good aspect of the judgement was that it was clear. The UK Government had argued it was too early to make a decision and that the court would require to wait until there was a bill for them to consider. A binding decision makes matters clear for all parties.

At the last Holyrood election, the SNP and Greens stood on a platform for holding another referendum. They won – the SNP got 62 out of 73 constituency seats, the equivalent of the Tories or Labour getting 552 seats out of 650 at Westminster! Pro-independence votes also had a majority in the list ballot as well. It is clear that the people voted for parties that offered a referendum and Westminster should work with the Scottish Government accordingly. It is absurd not to. The new stated position for people to have a vote on the principle of independence will be an election, likely the next general election. Democracy cannot be denied forever.

Michele Mone

The Guardian led a story based on internal HSBC documents that show she made an astonishing £29m profit from a company that she referred to Government for a PPE contract. The whole “VIP Lane” where Tory MPs and Lords were able to refer companies for contracts remains a bit of a mystery. Michele Mone has always denied having any links to PPE Medpro, and it is only the leaked documents that prove she was making money out of a company that she referred to the Government. It is absolutely stinking. Her husband actually made £65m profit before transferring £29m to Mone and her children. And as if it could not get any worse, the company failed to deliver the goods. The aprons they sourced did not meet the required specification. In short, a Tory peer has referred a brand new company with no track record in the procurement of PPE to Government. They have awarded a juicy contract and paid up front so absolutely no financial risk to the company. They have failed to deliver the goods – potentially putting NHS staff at risk due to the shortages of PPE – but Mone and her family have trousered £65m in personal profit. It makes me angry and should make many others angry too.

Small Business Saturday

This Saturday, December 3rd is “Small Business Saturday” so I would encourage as many people as possible to get out there for some early Christmas shopping and give our local retailers a boost. I appreciate the cost of living crisis will dictate spending power, but ultimately supporting local traders is what keeps our high streets going.

21st November 2022: A Week in Parliament

Book Nook

Last week it was a great honour to officially open the new, bigger premises for the Book Nook in Stewarton. Research shows that bookshops add value to the high street they are located in due to the footfall created. It is also impressive that our one local independent bookshop is located in Stewarton rather than Kilmarnock. Sarah Frame, who operates it, won “Family Business of the Year” earlier in 2022 and that is a fantastic accolade. At the opening, it became very clear to me that “customers” were not just customers but friends as well - this is always the sign of a good, local business. I always think this is one great aspect of the area we live in - we still have many small independent shops and businesses, they are something to cherish and support.

 Immigration

The Tories continue to bang the drum about immigrants and, in particular, “illegal people”, which concerning the latter, is factually incorrect. It is awful and creates the “them and us” argument. Again, I find Labour wanting in this debate, where they argue they will be tough on immigration. Keir Starmer, not only, has confirmed that the “free movement of people has gone” and also that “we have hired too many people from overseas” for our NHS. It is bonkers. Due to the lack of immigration, in particular the ending of the free movement of people from the EU, we have had crops left rotting in fields for the past few years. It is ruining business for farmers. It lessens our food security even more.

We have shortages in the NHS, adding to waiting times, meaning hard-pressed budgets stretched, even more, paying for agency staff. It also means a shortage in the care sector, causing issues and adding further pressure to the NHS due to bed blocking. It means that hospitality businesses have not been able to open as many as they wanted, particularly hotels in the Highlands. It means they are struggling for staff. Overall, businesses cannot operate as they want to or expand. This then leads to businesses paying fewer taxes. A shortage of workers means less income tax and national insurance being paid, which ultimately means less income to the Government. Immigration also means growing our population, helping with cultural diversity, and contributing to supporting our pensioners. 

Brexit

Ending the free movement of people is the real effect of Brexit. This is also why there are so many budget cuts and tax rises in the recent budget. This is why the UK is predicted to be the worst-performing economy in the whole of Europe in 2023. Yet another self-inflicted wound by Westminster. One denied completely by the Tories and seldom spoken about by Labour. I spoke in a Labour debate about the future of British industry and of two front bench speeches, they never spoke about Brexit once, which is certainly missing the elephant in the room.

14th November 2022: A Week in Parliament

Triple Lock

Last week I made a speech on the Triple Lock and the effect that the cost of living crisis will have on pensioners. It is a disgrace the Tories will not commit to the Triple Lock and we are having to wait until this week (Thursday 17th November) to find out.

The UK is one of the most unequal countries in the world and this continues into retirement age. The Gini coefficient shows that the UK is 14th out of 14 north-west European countries. It is the same for the S80:S20 quintile share ratio; when we compare the ratio of the poorest to the richest, the UK has by far the worst ratio and is again 14th out of 14. Scandinavian countries— funnily enough, all small, independent countries—lead the way on these measures.

Last year’s breaking of the triple lock cost each pensioner £520 on average during the cost of living crisis, and the Red Book shows that it will take £30 billion in total from pensioners by 2026-27. At least uprating the state pension this year in line with September’s 10% inflation rate will give some certainty of income. If the Tories do reinstate the triple lock it is welcome, however, it is a sorry state of affairs we are essentially celebrating not cutting pensions further. This personifies the level of compassion of this Tory Government.

My office has been dealing with several cases for pensioners lately and it is heartbreaking to hear of the struggles they are facing as a result of this Westminster Government. I ask once again for constituents to check if they are eligible for pension credit as this gets them additional support over and above the credit payment itself.

Remembrance Sunday

I was honoured to lay a wreath at two Remembrance Sunday services across the constituency. Firstly, I attended the East Ayrshire Council service at the Dick Institute before heading to Rugby Park for the club’s official service at the memorial garden. As always, they were both very moving experiences and allowed for some much-needed time for reflection. I also laid a wreath at Newmilns War Memorial, where my Great Uncle Hugh Wilson is listed as one of the war dead. It is important we take this time every year to pay tribute to those who gave their lives for our freedom and as MP, I feel honoured to lay a wreath in their memory.

Stewarton Book Nook

 The fantastic award-winning Booknook in Stewarton recently relocated a few doors up to much larger premises. They do a fantastic job with visiting authors, a book club, and all sorts of activities for children. Importantly, of course, a fantastic range of books is effectively handpicked. I have been given the honour of officially opening the new premises this Friday (18th November) at 7pm. It would be great to see a large turnout. Bookshops add to the high street hand the personal aspect is so much more enjoyable than the books the supermarkets try to entice us with. I know from my last visit I will not be going home empty-handed!

7th November 2022: A Week in Parliament

WASPI

Last week I raised the case of the Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI) Campaign. For those of you unaware, due to changes in the state pension age (from 60 to 65) for women born in the 1950s, have left millions (3.8million) short across the UK and unable to plan their retirement accordingly. For some, it has pushed their retirement age back six years and left so many in financial hardship. Since being elected in 2015 I have worked closely with the WASPI Campaign, as well as the local groups. It is estimated that more than 6,500 in Kilmarnock and Loudoun are directly affected by this, therefore, as MP, I have dedicated a lot of time to fight this injustice. It is now well over a year since the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) found the DWP guilty of maladministration regarding these state pension age increases. At the time, the PHSO also suggested that the DWP could consider being proactive in remedying this injustice suffered by 3.8 million women, rather than waiting for its final conclusions. Given the cost of living crisis, I called on the UK Government to eventually step up to the plate and deliver fair and swift compensation for those affected, however, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for the DWP, Laura Trott MP, refused to comment due to the ongoing investigation. This has dragged on for too long and my heart really does go out to those affected by this. I will continue to raise this as long as I am elected MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun.

Chagos Islands

One scandal the UK tried to hide for years was the Chagos Islands whereby the entire population was forcibly evicted to pave the way for the UK to give the US permission to build an air base at Diego Garcia. “Man Fridays” was how the UK ambassador dismissed them. Truly shameful and many were left destitute. The United Nations has condemned the action and recognises the islands as belonging to Mauritius as part of the post-colonisation era. I am a member of the Chagos APPG and have worked cross-party with the other members to try and pressure the UK Government into making the right steps to allow islanders to return to their homeland and allow Mauritius their rightful sovereignty. I, therefore, welcome that for the first time the UK Government have released a statement confirming they will enter into meaningful negotiations with Mauritius to come to a lasting agreement. It shows tenacity by many people over many years may well pay off.

The No Campaign

In 2014, we were told Voting No meant: the guarantee of Scotland’s membership of the EU; cheaper energy bills; Lower shopping bills; protection of pensions; lower borrowing costs; lower mortgages; CCS support for the North East of Scotland amongst other matters, including being told Boris Johnson could never become Prime Minister. That’s a lot of broken promises exposed during the cost of living crisis. Of course, some matters are linked to world events, but it is a fact that Brexit has been economic self-harm exaggerating other factors.

24th October 2022: A Week in Parliament

Where to start?

Harold Wilson famously said “A week is a long time in politics” – you’re not kidding. Once again, the Tories have had a complete and utter catastrophe. We had the bizarre situation whereby Liz Truss did not turn up for the urgent business on the economy, and Penny Mordaunt stepped in to defend the Government’s position. Only for Liz Truss to turn up just in time for her new Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, to dismantle essentially every part of Kwasi Kwarteng’s mini-budget – oh except the cap on bankers’ bonuses!

This chaos then continued into Thursday when Liz Truss resigned as PM after a disastrous 44-days in post – the same amount of time Brian Clough lasted at Leeds United! The lettuce outlived her and it has been one disaster after another in her “premiership”. It comes as no surprise to myself, as well as the public, that she could not cut it in office. This was glaringly obvious from the outset. Every Tory MP and MSP who backed her should hang their head in shame and apologise for this shambles.

The madness does not end there with over 40 MPs publicly backing Johnson, who thankfully has decided not to run. A general election must be called to sort out this complete and utter mess. Scotland deserves better – the so-called stability of the UK has been shattered for all to see.

Energy Cost Crisis Support

However, the most frustrating U-turn is the £2,500 energy price cap guarantee being reviewed in April and not their initial two-year pledge. As Energy Spokesperson, I was able to table what is called a manuscript amendment to the Energy Prices Bill due to the Chancellor’s U-turn. It is very difficult to get such “on the day” motions accepted by the Chair of Ways and Means to be voted on. This was to force the Government to come back to Parliament and confirm future support, protect the most vulnerable as well as report on fuel poverty. However, incredibly, Labour abstained from this. With Labour being so far ahead in the polls, this gives them a chance to offer a more radical alternative Government. Not supporting an amendment to provide energy support for the most vulnerable is so timid and pathetic. Especially when the Government majority would carry it, it is the same on Brexit – instead of copying the Tories with “Make Brexit Work”, they could at least admit Brexit is a disaster and suggest re-joining the Single Market for example.

East Ayrshire Recovery Hub

On Friday I was delighted to visit the Recovery Hub on John Finnie Street. It was harrowing to hear of the excellent work that goes on at the premise which opened just over eight weeks ago. They have 16 students enrolled in their Recovery College where they will be given employability skills and the end game is for the students to gain employment. It was staggering to hear that 80% of people coming out of rehab relapse within the first month. Therefore, the Hub aims to bridge that gap between people coming out of rehab and continuing their recovery. A massive thanks to Steph McCutcheon and Geoff Brown for their time.

17th October 2022: A Week in Parliament

History in the making

In my short career as MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun, I have been lucky, or unlucky, enough to have seen and worked through significant political moments of history. When elected in 2015, that was the momentous election in Scotland terms when the SNP secured the largest number of seats by any party. I was fortunate to be the first Scottish MP elected, signalling what was to follow, when I briefly held the record for the largest swing ever in a UK General Election.

I have subsequently seen the Brexit referendum, and the disastrous Brexit deal agreed by the Tory Government. I have had to fight general elections in 2017 and 2019, despite being originally elected for a five-year term!

We are now on the fourth Chancellor in just as many months, and four Prime Ministers overall -three of them initially elected by the Tory membership rather than through a general election.

There has been the global covid pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and now the energy crisis. The pound has fallen from a high of $1.6 to on average now at $1.1. That’s a devaluation of over 30%. This in itself is why we are struggling with inflation and energy costs. The pound has also fallen against the Euro, from 1.4Euros to 1.1Euros at present. A mere 27% fall! This remember, as part of the 2014 referendum was that the UK is supposed to offer a stable alternative for Scotland compared to independence. Quite clearly this has not been the case.

The 2019 election was Labour’s worst general election since 1935, and only a year ago it was predicted the Tories would easily win the next election and likely the one after that. Now thanks to the antics of Johnson and now the madness of Truss, it looks certain Labour will win the next election and win a majority without needing to rely on votes in Scotland. And with the Tories polling so low, suddenly commentators are talking about an existential threat to what has been the most successful political party in the world. They can never be written off, but it seems more history is in the making. Including of course another potential vote for Independence.

Business Questions

For those who are unaware of the Parliamentary protocols and proceedings, Business Questions take place on a Thursday morning - directly after the Leader of the House has announced the forthcoming business in the Commons. At this Questions session, MPs can raise essentially any issues they wish with the Leader of the House, presently Penny Mordaunt MP. It is common for Members to ask the Government to make time for a debate on a specific issue but I tend to use the bulk of my time raising constituent casework.

Over the years I have raised several constituent cases in the House via this platform and last week was no different as I raised yet another. A single-parent household earning more than £50k is liable to pay the high-income benefit charge yet a home with two earners of £50k each (combined income of £100k) is eligible for full child benefit payments. I asked the Government for a review of how the high-income benefit charge is triggered given how unfair the system can be.

10th October 2022: A Week in Parliament

The Tale of Two Studies

If you would like to see the difference in Westminster and Holyrood governance, look no further than two contrasting studies published last week. Firstly, the study by the Glasgow Centre for Population Health found that 335,000 excess deaths, including 20,000 in Scotland, are linked to austerity policy imposed by Westminster. It is heartbreaking to read that these Dickensian austerity measures introduced by the Tories have led to the deaths of more than 330,000 people. It personifies once again that the Tory Westminster government shows nothing but contempt for the most vulnerable in our society.

Whereas, the second report from the independent Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) details how the Scottish Government spends more on social security than it gets in funding from the UK Government – around £500million more in 2022-23 and forecast to rise to £1.3billion more in 2027-28. However, due to the way Scotland’s budget is funded, these increases are being put at immediate risk as the Tories prepare to unleash another devastating wave of austerity cuts to public services to pay for their chronic mishandling of the UK economy.

It is the tale of two studies and firmly makes the case for Scotland to go its own way before more suffer as a result of these cruelling Westminster cuts.

Brodie Engineering

A massive well done to everyone at Brodie Engineering who have won even more accolades at this year’s Global Light Rail Awards. Brodie has built on last year’s success where they won Supplier of the Year. The rail engineering firm won Project of the Year < £50m and also achieved Highly Commended awards in the following categories: Team of the Year, Supplier of the Year and Technical Innovation of the Year. It is fantastic to see a business in the constituency thriving, especially one that brings so much employment to the area. I visited the site back in 2018 and hope to visit in the future, well done again to the team and keep up the great work!

Kilmarnock F.C.

At the beginning of last week if you asked me if I would have taken four points from the two upcoming games I would have. However, the manner in which we blew a two-goal lead at home to Hearts on Sunday certainly makes it feel like a defeat. Having said that, there is a lot to be positive about, especially the Hearts game, as the team look to have settled a bit and we are creating a lot more chances. It definitely helps that Jones and, in particular, Danny Armstrong have found their stride and are giving us some much-needed width. The league is still extremely tight and let’s hope we can carry this form onto St Mirren away on Saturday, and also Dundee United in the quarter-finals of the league cup on Tuesday. It has been over 10 years since we played at Hampden and we are now 90-minutes away – in Derek we trust!

3rd October 2022: A Week in Parliament

Liz Truss

It didn’t take long for Liz Truss to prove my theory that each successive Prime Minister is worse than the previous one! At least some of them had some charisma and at times an air of authority – not Truss though. We are not even a month into her premiership and there are already murmurings of votes of no confidence being cast against her. Many of you will have seen the clips on social media of her being bodied by local radio news presenters on matters such as the economy and fracking. Substantial periods of dead air and stuttering certainly do not personify a strong leader or someone with the intellect to be a Prime Minister. This is the outcome when Tory party members get to decide who becomes Prime Minister.

Recalling of Parliament

We are now in a position whereby parliament must be recalled in order to try and halt the damage this Tory government are going to do to the economy. The Prime Minister has refused to reverse the measures of her disastrous budget and has failed to give the public any reassurance on their pensions, mortgages and household costs. The record-low value of the pound against the dollar will only exacerbate this awful economic challenge that millions are facing across Scotland and the rest of the UK. With the pound hitting an all-time low against the dollar, then this means the cost of our energy gets more expensive as oil is traded in dollars. It should also be remembered that the pound has been slumping since Brexit. Indeed the current Tory attitude to the market crash is the same as Brexit impacts – just bluster and denial and hope things improve. This is why there must be an urgent recall of Parliament so that the Prime Minister can be held to account for her government's reckless actions.

Energy Advice Surgery

My office has seen a surge in cases due to the current cost of living crisis. It is truly heartbreaking to hear of so many constituent problems, with many fearing how they are going to afford these astronomical rises in household bills. Therefore, I have decided to host a surgery specifically related to energy. I am pleased to advise that I will be joined by members from East Ayrshire Citizens Advice Bureau, East Ayrshire Money, Home Energy Scotland and Citrus Energy. This will give constituents a wide range of advice and information from several different organisations to try and soften the blow of the grave situation that awaits us. The surgery will take place at Celebrate Kilmarnock in the town centre on the 28th of October. More information will be shared in the coming weeks ahead of the event, but in the meantime, I am encouraging elderly constituents to check if they are eligible for pension credit as this gets them additional support over and above the credit payment itself.

Utopia Computers

Finally, congratulations to Craig Hume and the team at Utopia computers, picking up another national award as they won the PCR Magazine System Builder of the year. It’s good to finish on positive news!

26th September 2022: A Week in Parliament

Budget

On Friday the new Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, announced his mini-budget. It came as no surprise that he did exactly the same as what every one of his Tory predecessors did before him, benefit the rich. I mean, where do you begin with them? Scrapping the cap on bankers’ bonuses, massive tax cuts for big business, scrapping the higher rate of tax and attacking the most vulnerable in our society…it is utterly depressing. The reality is that this budget goes nowhere near far enough to help low and middle-income families. It is a disgrace that the Tories are increasing energy prices again to an average of £2,500 instead of introducing a real freeze on bills. We are now in a position whereby many households will be paying double what they paid last year – that is unsustainable. This Tory government are taking from the poor to pay the rich. Normal people are footing the bill for the energy company bailout and the billions of tax cuts they are giving to high earners and big businesses. However, what should we expect from a Chancellor and Prime Minister that co-authored a book slating the work ethic of the British public? (Britannia Unchained).

 Energy “Cap”

It is important to note that the so-called cap is a maximum unit rate of energy. So the more energy you use, the more you pay. Liz Truss wrongly stated she has provided a “guarantee” that no one will pay more than £2,500. She is wrong and doesn’t even understand her own flagship policy - I worry that some people really will believe her about not paying more than £2,500, and then they get an even nastier shock when bills come in. So, remember these figures are based on average household usage, which of course means average use in England, whereas in Scotland we generally have to use more energy.

 Mark Fullbrook

If you would like further personification of what this Tory government stands for then look no further than the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s case into alleged bribery in Puerto Rico. The FBI has interviewed No.10’s Chief of Staff, Mark Fullbrook, over work he did for a banker accused of bribery. They are looking into claims that Julio Herrera Velutini, a Tory donor, made a deal with the former governor of Puerto Rico, Wanda Vázquez Garced, to get re-elected if she dismissed an investigation into a bank he owns in the US territory. It is alleged that Velutini paid more than £250,000 to political consultants to help Garced’s campaign. At the time, Fullbrook was working as a political consultant and he did research for Julio Herrera Velutini. Liz Truss says she is 100% behind Fullbrook - new Prime Minister more Tory sleaze.

 Scotland

In more positive news, it was great Scotland put together back-to-back wins in our Nations League group. A point will do against Ukraine in Krakow on Tuesday to win Group A – let’s hope Sir Steve Clarke can muster up more magic as he continues to progress the national team.