Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Fulton MacGregor Mixed fortunes on poll nights
It’s been a busy few months since I last wrote my Advertiser column, which was suspended for both the council elections and the snap general election.
In the local elections the SNP won in North Lanarkshire, only for Labour to cling on to control of the council by doing a deal with the Tories.
And in their first month in partnership the Labour/Tory administration has all but abolished classroom assistants, made dozens of additional support needs assistants redundant and just last week Labour broke a key manifesto pledge by introducing threeweekly bin collections.
It is clear that this alliance is going to have grave consequences for the people of North Lanarkshire and I and my SNP colleagues will be challenging them every step of the way.
We had mixed fortunes in the general election in Monklands.
I was pleased that Neil Gray was returned as MP for Airdrie but deeply disappointed that Phil Boswell narrowly lost his seat.
I want to thank Phil for representing the constituency over the last two years and wish him well for the future.
I also take this opportunity to wish Hugh Gaffney well as he takes on the role.
We must remember that many thousands of people voted SNP at the election – more than we have ever had before 2015 – and we will seek to build on that going forward.
For me personally it’s been extra-busy, with our second wee boy born at the end of May.
I thank the Advertiser for running a nice story in last week’s paper but I should point out that, after getting quite a lot of comments from people who read it, he was 8lb 12oz, not 12lb 8oz as I had mistakenly informed the paper.
Although we were too early for the new baby box, which is being rolled out across Lanarkshire from August 15, I would encourage anyone expecting a baby to register for one at their next midwife appointment.
Summer recess starts next week and the break from the parliamentary schedule offers me the opportunity to spend more time in the constituency, meeting local people, listening to their views and taking on their concerns.
My diary is already filling up with meetings and visits to local and national agencies and organisations to learn more of their work and to discuss how I can best support them.
I will continue to meet with SEPA about the ongoing situation with the fly infestation in Shawhead and Carnbroe; I will be arranging a meeting with SPT about the situation with local buses in the town and I hope to arrange an initial meeting of the new steering group to take forward ideas to improve and regenerate our town centre.
My office remains open throughout the summer and, although I won’t be holding surgeries in July, I will be available at the office, on the phone or by email.