Amazon workers from 20 countries are marking Black Friday by staging protests and strikes. They are demanding Amazon pay the living wage, recognise trade unions, commit to meaningful environmental action and pay their taxes. The Make Amazon Pay campaign is all about redressing the balance after years of exploitation. This is a company which made […]
Attainment Challenging Funding Cut
The Scottish Government has announced its intention to cut Attainment Challenge Funding. For years, the Scottish Government has distributed an annual fund of £43 million to to nine “challenge authorities”, four of which are in West Scotland, reflecting the poverty and deprivation in the region. Now, the plan is to distribute the same £43million across […]
Rent Controls
New Scottish Government statistics show that average rents in Scotland have skyrocketed in real terms since 2010 across every council area. Worryingly, areas in West Scotland have seen some of the highest increases over the last year, at a time when people have really struggled due to the pandemic. Private rents for two bedrooms properties […]
Ambulance Crisis
I am extremely concerned by statistics that show median hospital turnaround time for emergency incidents at hospitals in West Scotland have increased dramatically over the past decade. I have written to Health Secretary Humza Yousaf about this.
Drug Consumption Rooms
Last week, the Lord Advocate confirmed to me in committee that there is a legal route to drug consumption rooms in Scotland. The devastating drug death statistics show initiatives like this will be vital going forward. Here is my letter to the Scottish Government:
Welcoming American Trade Unionists
On Thursday, my Scottish Labour colleagues and I were very proud to welcome the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Ship Builders, Blacksmiths, Forgers and Helpers (IBB) to the Scottish Parliament. One of the oldest trade unions in North America, the IBB represent over 50,000 skilled craftspeople across Canada and the US. Scottish Labour leader Anas […]
Legal Aid Cuts
Cuts have been devastating for those who rely on legal aid across Scotland. There are 25% fewer firms registered for criminal legal aid than there were ten years ago. Solicitors from 17 courts Scotland have withdrawn from the court duty scheme for the duration of COP26 and are urgently calling for intervention. This boycott signals what […]
A Vision for Scotland’s Railways
We cannot continue down the same path if we want Scotland to have an affordable and sustainable rail system fit for the 21st century. Worryingly, we seem to be going in the wrong direction, plans to cut 100,000 annual services from May next year. This is disastrous at a time when we want to increase […]
Carer’s Allowance Supplement
Earlier this month, the Scottish Parliament unanimously voted to double the Winter payment of the Carer’s Allowance Supplement, which is paid this December. It is shameful such a supplement is even needed: the UK Government’s rate of £67.60 a week was nowhere near enough to live on even before the pandemic. The removal of the […]
Civil Service Jobs
Yesterday, I wrote to the UK Government’s Minister for Levelling Up Michael Gove regarding the relocation of civil service jobs across Scotland. Ayrshire has faced its set of challenges over decades due to deindustrialisation. I believe that real levelling up means rooting policy making within these communities and securing much needed jobs