Press Release: East Ayrshire households suffering from Brexit

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‘NO EVIDENCE' OF BREXIT DIVIDEND SAYS BUSINESS LEADER

 INDEPENDENCE THE ONLY WAY TO UNLEASH SCOTLAND’S POTENTIAL

Households and businesses in Kilmarnock and Loudoun are being made to suffer from the worst of the Tories’ botched Brexit Alan Brown MP has warned, after a top business leader slammed Brexit and said there is ‘no evidence’ of the promised dividend to businesses across the country.

 Households in East Ayrshire face a shortfall of £1,011 a year as a result of the Tories’ Brexit, prompting renewed calls from Alan Brown MP for Scottish independence as a means to escape Tory Brexit chaos and rejoin the EU.

Shevaun Haviland, director-general of the British Chambers of Commerce, told Bloomberg that Rishi Sunak should pursue a veterinary agreement to remove checks on food products, something that has hammered Scotland’s world-class food and drink sector.

Ms Haviland also called for changes to the visa system for skilled workers from Europe to work in the UK to fill the gaps in the labour market caused by Brexit.

Commenting, the MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun said:

“Again, we have even more confirmation that Brexit doesn’t work, at the expense of households and businesses here in Kilmarnock and Loudoun.

“Businesses in my constituency have taken a hammer blow because of Brexit and continue to suffer as a result, the only way they and the rest of Scotland can flourish is by escaping Brexit and becoming an independent country back in the European Union.

“Scotland’s economy has suffered the double whammy of leaving the EU and the Tory-made cost of living crisis. Last week we learned that Scottish exports had nose-dived by 13% since Brexit.

“However, there is no way back to the EU under Westminster control with Labour signed up as a fully-fledged Brexit party. No matter the economic consequences, Labour will keep Scotland out of the European Union, a market seven times the size of the UK.

“Meanwhile countries of a similar size to us continue to outperform the UK. That is why it is only with independence that Scotland can unleash its full potential by re-joining the European Union.”

Press Release: Dementia Diagnosis Drop-In

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Alan Brown MP calls for improvements in dementia diagnosis in Kilmarnock and Loudoun

Alan Brown MP has called for action to increase the number of people with dementia who receive an accurate and timely diagnosis.

Attending a parliamentary event in the House of Commons on 25th October 2022, Mr Brown highlighted the importance of prompt diagnosis to enable people with dementia and their carers to receive the support they need.

Organised for the Front of Mind campaign, a joint initiative between Roche UK and tide (together in dementia everyday), the event saw MPs discuss findings of a new report, ‘Levelling up dementia diagnosis’, which found that 43% of people with dementia remain undiagnosed.

In Kilmarnock and Loudoun, it is estimated that 1,395 people are living with dementia, 1.44% of the population, and there around 1,046 unpaid carers.

The report by Future Health, which was commissioned and funded by Roche in partnership with York Health Economics Consortium, also found that diagnosis rates vary markedly across the country from 83% to 47%, while people in rural areas and those from ethnic minorities face particular barriers to accessing services they need.

Commenting, Mr Brown MP said:

“Without a confirmed, accurate diagnosis of dementia, people will struggle to access medical and social interventions that could ease their symptoms and support their unpaid carers. We need to set out the steps to tackle the unfair variations that exist across the country in the diagnosis pathway.”

During the event, Mr Brown explored the impact of dementia in his constituency through an interactive data mapping dashboard. He also spoke to representatives from tide, before photos were taken with a pledge to keep diagnosis for dementia front of mind.

Sam Bolam, Chief Executive of tide added:

“It’s really encouraging to see MPs come together to discuss the impact of underdiagnosis on people with dementia. Too often, receiving dementia support is a postcode lottery, and we want to ensure everybody affected by dementia can access vital services – regardless of where they live.”

Press Release: Kody Blois MP

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Alan Brown meets Canadian MP with connection to Kilmarnock

Last week (Wednesday 26th October), Alan Brown MP met a Canadian MP with a special connection to Kilmarnock.

Despite being 2,645 miles across the water, MP Kody Blois has an extraordinary association with Kilmarnock - that being his wife, Kim, who hails from the town.

Mr Blois is a 31-year-old Canadian MP for the Liberal Party and was elected in the 2019 Canadian Federal Election at the age of just 28 – he married Kim in July 2022.

Blois was part of a Canadian delegation who were visiting Westminster but personally reached out to Mr Brown in advance in the hope to meet the elected member of his wife’s hometown.

Commenting, the MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun said:

“I was delighted to meet Kody and it was remarkable to hear that his wife, Kim, comes from Kilmarnock and his father-in-law still stays in the town - it really is a small world we live in.

“Kody told me he and Kim’s marriage took place in Cape Breton, an area with close links to Scotland and a strong traditional music scene – he even got married in a kilt!

“Unfortunately, we didn't have more time but it was good to make introductions. He told me, before becoming an MP, he was lucky enough to get a tour of Holyrood with Willie Coffey MSP. Presumably, he has always been interested in politics and that wasn't what inspired him to become an elected MP!

“We both attended a roundtable event with the Canadian delegation meeting with members of the APPG on Frozen Pensions – which I am part of as Pensions Spokesperson. Sadly, more than 125,000 UK (or dual nationals) living in Canada have had their UK pensions frozen at historical levels - even though Canada uprates the pensions of their citizens here.

He added:

“The Canadian Government have also offered the UK Government to enter into a "reciprocal arrangement' to end this unjust system. We also heard that UK nationals in the United States do receive full uprated pensions. This shows the unfairness of the current pensions policy- if you live on one side of Niagara Falls you get full assistance. On the other side, your pension is frozen relative to when you qualified for it.

“On a brighter note, I look forward to keeping in contact with Kody and hopefully will see him on future visits.”

Press Release: MP supports Royal Mail workers

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LOCAL MP SHOWS SUPPORT FOR ROYAL MAIL POSTAL WORKERS THREATENED WITH 10,000 JOB LOSSES

Alan Brown MP has called on the Royal Mail to 'stop the threats of job cuts to valued postal workers and 'engage meaningfully' with the Communications Worker Union to find an acceptable solution to prevent further postal strikes. 

In a joint letter to the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Mail, the MP for Kilmarnock and Loudoun told the Royal Mail Chief that it is "unacceptable to see the language employed by Royal Mail in threatening its workforce with job losses because they dare to ask for a fair work package."

Postal workers across Kilmarnock and Loudoun were on strike last week (Tuesday 25th October) and have several more strike days planned early next month, from the 2nd of November to the 4th of November.

Recently, the Royal Mail's announced its intention to slash 10,000 jobs, citing the strike action and low parcel delivery sales as the reason. Alan Brown MP has called this move a 'tactic in the ongoing pay dispute with postal workers' and has accused Royal Mail of 'acting in bad faith'.

Commenting, Mr Brown said:

"Postal workers across my constituency are struggling to make ends meet in the face of the cost-of-living crisis while Royal Mail shareholders benefited from bumper profits in the millions.

"It is understandable that postal workers find the argument that there isn't money for them to have a fair wage unpalatable when there are millions of pounds of profit for shareholders, who should share the burden – when hard working postal staff are struggling to put food on their table this winter.

"Royal Mail staff in Kilmarnock and Loudoun and their families need financial security. The decision to strike will not have been easy for any of them, but this is about more than pay; it is also about protecting the universal mail service we all expect and value.

"Royal Mail need to get back to the negotiating table – in a meaningful way – and put our communities at the heart of discussions."

APPG on Frozen Pensions: Canadian delegation

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I was delighted to meet Canadian MP, Kody Blois, whose wife comes from Kilmarnock and his father-in-law still stays in the town!

Unfortunately, we didn't have more time but it was good to make introductions. He told me, before becoming an MP, he was lucky enough to get a tour of Holyrood with Willie Coffey MSP. Presumably, he has always been interested in politics and that wasn't what inspired him to become an elected MP!

We both attended a roundtable event with the Canadian delegation meeting with members of the APPG on Frozen Pensions. Sadly, more than 125,000 UK (or dual nationals) living in Canada have had their UK pensions frozen at historical levels - even though Canada uprates the pensions of their citizens here.

The Canadian Government have also offered the UK Government to enter into a "reciprocal arrangement' to end this unjust system. We also heard that UK nationals in the United States do receive full uprated pensions. This shows the unfairness of the current pensions policy- if you live on one side of Niagara Falls you get full assistance. On the other side, your pension is frozen relative to when you qualified for it.

On a brighter note, I look forward to keeping in contact with Kody and hopefully will see him on future visits.