By George It’s great to reconnect with you all
Last week was February recess week and, as you all know, the parliamentary recess periods are some of my favourite times of the year as I get to spend quality time at home in Paisley.
Don’t get me wrong, I love working in our nation’s capital at the heart of Scottish politics – but when you’re in the thick of it in Holyrood, it can be easy to forget why you’re there in the first place.
For me, being an MSP has always been about you and the Buddies I represent across Paisley, so recess week is a great opportunity to re-centre and reconnect with what I love about my job – meeting and working with all the wonderful people and organisations that make our town what it is.
Last week, I discussed the 2020/21 Scottish Budget plans outlined by
SNP Minister Kate Forbes, and after spending the past few days talking to many of you and the financial issues many of us across Paisley face, I am proud to be a member of a party that really puts people first.
While Westminster continues to obsess with Brexit, fails to recognise the climate crisis and delivers regressive policies that hurt the most vulnerable in our society, the Scottish Government continues to choose a different path for Scotland – and to show Boris and his cronies what ‘getting on with the day job’ actually means.
I know reading through pages and pages of spending plans and proposals is a daunting task for many of us, so I think it’s important to focus on what exactly the financial decisions made in Holyrood mean for the everyday household.
For too long, Tory austerity has forced many families across Paisley to rely on foodbanks, community care grants and emergency provisions after being let down time and time again by the UK.
That’s why I am so pleased to see Scotland doing the opposite and focussing its spending on those who need it most and the future generations.
The SNP plans to invest over £645 million in childcare expansion and early learning provisions, and £180 million in raising attainment in schools and to support the building, refurbishment and extension of around 880 nurseries.
With massive figures like this it can sometimes be hard to grasp just how this will affect you and your family.
So to bring these investments into everyday terms - this funding will almost double the free provision of childcare to 1,140 hours from August 2020 for all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds, which will save families up to £4,500 per child per year.
This will massively improve outcomes for children and give parents and carers more choice over how they access their child’s funded hours.
And families will have much more money in their pockets at the end of the year.
This commitment from the SNP will help ensure children across our town are given the best possible start in life, and will have a massively positive impact on the way of life for many within our communities.
Investment in childcare and ensuring Scotland is the best place in the world to grow up is surely something that MSPs of all parties can get behind.
At the end of the day we all want the best for our children and grandchildren, so I can only hope my political opponents back the Scottish Government’s plans in parliament next month and give families across Scotland this much-needed help.