Yesterday afternoon in the House of Commons, I led for the SNP in the Opposition Day debate on access to free school meals and called on the UK Government to commit to tackling widespread poverty, exacerbated by the pandemic.
It is a disgrace that in the 21st century, in one of the richest countries in the world, we even had to have this debate; asking the government to fund free schools meals over the school holiday period in order to prevent almost two million of the poorest and most vulnerable children in England from going hungry.
It is only because of the excellent campaign by footballer Marcus Rashford that the Tory Government agreed to cover the cost of free school meals for children in England during the summer holidays when the pandemic was at its height.
However, we are still in the grip of Covid-19 with many people losing their jobs and later this month also the furlough, and it is only right that the government extends free school meal provision for the forthcoming winter holidays and on to Easter. Just yesterday, the Scottish Government committed £10 million of additional funding to this, on top of many other methods of support it gives to families in need.
As I said in my speech, “poverty doesn’t happen by accident, it is a political choice” and this Tory Government is willing to line the pockets of their pals in high places, awarding them lucrative Covid-related contracts, yet cannot commit to ensuring thousands of children get access to at least one nutritious meal a day.
No Scottish Tory MPs were in the Chamber to take part in the debate. This is despite their leader Douglas Ross recently stating his party’s flagship policy for next May’s Scottish Parliament elections would be to provide every child in Scotland with free breakfast and lunch.
He has said: “I have seen myself the difference that providing free meals can make and I just want to make sure no-one falls through the cracks, and by giving this to ALL primary school pupils, we can make sure the offer is there for everyone”.
So why did neither he nor any of his Scottish MP counterparts not stand up to their London-based counterparts last night and demand this opportunity for all children? ... See MoreSee Less
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While it is right that our focus is on the battle to reduce the spread of Covid-19 and protect our communities and NHS, it is also clear that we are also going through a turbulent time politically with the UK Government at Westminster set to take us off a cliff edge with a ‘no deal’ Brexit at the end of this year.
I am pleased to be able to host a discussion between Dublin TD Neale Richmond, the former Chair of the Irish Senate Brexit Committee and Fine Gael spokesperson on Europe, and the SNP’s former Europe spokesperson at Westminster, Stephen Gethins, now Professor of Practice in International Relations at the University of St Andrews, next Tuesday evening (October 27 at 7pm).
This will no doubt be a lively discussion with much to learn from Ireland and its place as an independent country and an equal member state of the EU.
Please get in touch with me for details of how to join in online. ... See MoreSee Less
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Ahead of the Immigration Bill returning to the House of Commons this afternoon, the SNP’s Shadow Immigration Minister has urged the Tory government to accept amendments designed to protect families and the most vulnerable – including refugees and asylum seekers with links to the UK.
My colleague Stuart McDonald MP has called for MPs from across the House to consider three things when voting on the Lords amendments to the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill:
- How does it treat families in the migration and asylum system?
- Will it protect the most vulnerable?
- Does it take into account legitimate concerns?
The SNP is calling on MPs to stand by amendments made in the House of Lords, which aim to protect families and keep them together, ensure the care sector is not crippled, support some of the most vulnerable groups in society including children, people in the asylum system and victims of modern slavery, and enable EU citizens already here to easily prove their status – to avoid another Windrush generation.
At every stage the SNP has opposed the bill, which ends free movement of people, drowns businesses in red tape and will see tens and probably hundreds of thousands of EU nationals stripped of their rights overnight when the settlement scheme closes in June next year. Without these amendments, the bill will split even more families apart and fail to protect vulnerable citizens including victims of modern slavery. ... See MoreSee Less
I am delighted to support this project. The pier in Inveraray has been privately owned for over 20 years and in the past 5 years, it has been closed to the public. The Inveraray community now has the opportunity to bring it back into community ownership.
To do this they need to purchase the pier from the current owner and carry out remedial works to allow the public to enjoy this famous landmark once again.
uk.gofundme.com/f/inveraray-pier-fund ... See MoreSee Less
The SNP has challenged Douglas Ross and the Scottish Tory MPs to grasp the last opportunity to protect Scotland’s food standards, food producers and consumers from the threat of watered-down standards post-Brexit, ahead of the Agriculture Bill returning to Parliament today (Monday).
With amendments being brought forward from the Lords, the party's Shadow DEFRA Secretary has called on the six Scottish Tory MPs to stand up to Boris Johnson and back proposals to the Bill which aim to secure the high standards currently in place, and prevent a race to the bottom as the UK chases trade deals.
It comes after a coalition of health and food experts, farmers, and food charities, wrote to MPs backing calls to enshrine protections into legislation. NFU Scotland President Andrew McCornick added that “It is vital that future trade deals do not curtail our ability to grow our reputation as a nation of quality food and drink by undercutting domestic production with imports produced to standards illegal or unacceptable here.”
A survey recently published by Which? found that the overwhelming majority of Scottish people are opposed to the lowering of standards that will allow chlorinated chicken and hormone-injected beef to flood Scottish shops and supermarkets.
Commenting, SNP Shadow DEFRA Secretary Deidre Brock MP said:
"Scotland's thriving food and agriculture sectors face a clear threat from the Tory government and their pursuit of post-Brexit trade deals - which risks selling out our key industries and consumers if necessary protections are not in place.
“SNP MPs will back the amendment which seeks to enshrine current high standards into legislation and to make sure they are only ever strengthened - not undermined. We will resist UK government attempts to remove these provisions - and call on Scottish Tories to do the same.
“With industry bodies, food charities and experts sounding the alarm over the impact of lowering standards, MPs must back measures to ensure that our food producers, farmers, and consumers are protected.
“It’s no secret the Tory government would sacrifice the high standards currently in place in exchange for a post-Brexit trade deal – harming our industries and farmers, allowing low-quality produce to flood our shelves, and inflicting lasting damage upon our businesses.
“Shoppers have some idea of the quality of what they buy in the shops because of the regulations in place which ensure the quality of their food from farm to shelf. Those safeguards will all be dumped if the UK government has its way.
"Douglas Ross may continue to run the line, but he is running out of excuses over his failure to stand up for Scotland's interests. The question for the Scottish Tory MPs now is – will they grow a backbone and stand up to Boris Johnson and stand up for Scotland’s industries and consumers, and support the amendment? Or sell them out by refusing to support the measures?
"Failing to secure those protections will once again make clear that the only way to properly protect our interests is by becoming an independent country. Agriculture is devolved to the Scottish Parliament and any grubby attempt to impose lower standards on Scotland would be nothing short of an undemocratic power grab." ... See MoreSee Less
Earlier today, I asked the UK Minister of State for International Trade, Greg Hands MP, why, after a whole year has gone by, the UK Government has still failed to get their 'special friends' in the White House to remove hugely punitive tariffs imposed on imports of single malt Scotch Whisky.
These 25 per cent tariffs, imposed by the Trump administration as a sanction against the UK in its ongoing Airbus/Boeing dispute, have cost the Scotch Whisky industry £360 million and now stand to threaten jobs at distilleries across Scotland, including many in Argyll & Bute.
It the UK Government truly has a 'special relationship' with the US, it should be doing all it can to help safeguard thousands of jobs in the Scotch Whisky industry and its important supply chain. ... See MoreSee Less
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Tiree residents are being advised not to drink their tap water unless it has been boiled following an issue in the local water network.
Scottish Water has issued a boil water notice to all properties on the island as a precautionary measure with immediate effect. This means all customers must avoid drinking the tap water unless it has been boiled.
The water should also not be used for cooking, food preparation, brushing teeth, preparing babies’ feeds and disinfecting feeding equipment, pet food and drink, or washing open wounds unless it has been boiled.
The water can be used, without being boiled, for other purposes such as bathing and washing clothes and dishes.
The boil water notice, which has been issued after discussions with NHS Highland, will remain in place until further notice. It was implemented after routine sampling from a service reservoir on the island identified that the water in the local network did not meet microbiological standards.
Scottish Water is taking samples of the water for testing and analysis and will lift this notice as soon as it is confirmed the water meets the microbiological standards again. ... See MoreSee Less
Ian Blackford MP has challenged Boris Johnson to commit to making the £20 uplift to Universal Credit payments permanent - warning that millions of families could see their incomes cut unless the Tories perform an urgent U-turn on plans to scrap the uplift.
Speaking at Prime Ministers Questions earlier today, the SNP Westminster Leader pointed to research from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, warning 700,000 more people - including 300,000 children, could move into poverty if the £20 uplift is scrapped by the Tory government. Responding to Ian Blackford, the Prime Minister refused to give a commitment.
Anti-poverty charities welcomed the call from the SNP Westminster Leader. The Poverty Alliance tweeted "It was great to hear @Ianblackford_MP reference #ChallengePoverty Week and make the case at #PMQs for the need to make the £20 uplift to Universal Credit permanent. It's clear that if we want to stem the rising tide of poverty across our communities, we must #KeepTheLifeline
Challenge Poverty Week tweeted "Great to hear @Ianblackford_MP lead on #ChallengePoverty week during #PMQs today, asking the Gov. to commit to making the £20 increase to Universal Credit permanent to avoid pulling more children & families into poverty. #KeepTheLifeLine." ... See MoreSee Less
