Data I obtained from ScotRail shows just a third of all rail stations in West Scotland are fully accessible for those with disabilities or mobility restraints. One in ten have no step-free access to any platform whatsoever. This is unacceptably poor and undermines attempts to make our public transport fit for the 21st century. I […]
STUC Rally
I was proud to join striking postal workers on the picket line and later join thousands of workers on the @ScottishTUC march and rally. Workers are clear that both the Scottish Government and the UK Government have responsibility to do all they can to protect households and fund real terms pay rises.
Amazon Contracts
Many workers report Dickensian conditions at Amazon warehouses, an issue I have raised with the Scottish Government repeatedly. Now, they’re being offered a pay rise of just 35p and refusing to negotiate with workers and their trade unions. Despite this, the Scottish Government pays the firm millions. I’ve written to the First Minister to demand […]
Council Workers Strike
Council workers are on the frontline serving communities amidst the worst cost of living crisis in generations. he pay offer on the table is an insult at a time of record inflation. The Scottish Government and COSLA must work to provide a fair inflation-proofed pay rise. I have written to Deputy First Minister John Swinney […]
Fireworks Bill
The Scottish Parliament has now passed the Fireworks and Pyrotechnic Articles (Scotland) Bill at Stage 3. Once implemented, the bill will set out new laws and guidance around the purchasing of fireworks in Scotland with the aim of curbing their misuse. These include the introduction of a new license, which you will be required to […]
Rail Workers Strike
I was proud to join the RMT union picket lines in their fight for pay, pensions, conditions and safety, and against compulsory redundancies. This is a strike against the levelling down of wages and conditions. These workers have continued to work through the pandemic, and have had a pay freeze for 2 or 3 years, […]
Stagecoach Cuts
I have received a number of letters from constituents concerned about Stagecoach’s proposed cuts to the vital X34 and X36 services. These are currently the only bus services that connect Garnock Valley, an area holding a population of around 20,000 people, and Glasgow, which is just over 20 miles away. These cuts will mean residents […]
Scotland’s Economic Priorities
I spoke in this parliamentary debate on what Scotland’s economic priorities should be. There is no doubt that the challenges of record inflation, the pandemic, Brexit and the Ukraine war affecting supply chains, have been exacerbated by the UK Government other economic policies which fail to put ordinary people first and tackle the cost of […]
Community Wealth Building
I was proud to contribute in a debate about community wealth building in parliament. The key principles of community wealth building are vital for regenerating our economy: progressive procurement; fair employment; shared ownership; the just use of land; and financial decisions that benefit the local community. However, we need a local-first approach to all procurement […]
Striking University Staff
I was proud to contribute in the debate on striking university staff. The Scottish Government cannot wash its hands of conditions in a sector it contributes over £1 billion a year to. Staff pay in the sector has fallen dramatically over the past decade and too many workers are on precarious fixed term contracts. I […]