Only SNP is holding UK to account over Gaza
TMONDAY HE Rwanda Bill o ered the prospect of a very late night.
The two amendments that the Lords proposed were both defeated in the House of Commons and so back to the Lords they went.
Lord Browne’s amendment seeks to exempt those who served for or with the British Armed Forces from being sent to Rwanda. Lord Browne had a lot of support from the SNP and others but unbelievably the Lords chose not to push it and didn’t send it back.
This means that Afghan citizens who worked for the British Army but are not currently in the UK have been hung out to dry.
The remaining amendment was sent back to the Lords. At around midnight the show was over, the government had won and we all shued out into the night.
TUESDAY
I WOKE to the news that five people, including a child, had died attempting to cross the Channel in a small inflatable dinghy.
If safe and legal routes such as family reunification and humanitarian visas were functioning and available to people, no-one would need to risk their life crossing the busiest stretch of water in the world in a leaky rubber dinghy.
WEDNESDAY
PMQs’ first question was from one of the most disruptive Tory MPs and he ranted on for ages with no sign of a question.
The Speaker laughed and joked with him. It’s not just a minor detail it’s symptomatic of the broken system at Westminster where selfserving elected members grandstand and the Speaker favours them when he should be chastising them.
In stark contrast Mhairi Black held the UK to account for continuing to sell arms to Israel now that mass graves, which constitute a war crime, have been found in Palestine. The deputy prime minister’s response was to say he trusts Israel to do the right thing.
I spoke in the Westminster Hall debate on the Football Index Collapse and lessons to be learned.
I fear if the Gambling Commission and the Financial Conduct Authority grant a licence to Kix for a very similar product then no lessons have been learned.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group on medical cannabis under prescription met and heard from Alice Salisbury, a trustee of Medcan Family Foundation, on their latest report exploring the anecdotal accounts of families turning to illegal cannabis to treat or manage their child’s epilepsy and how this is growing in the UK.
THURSDAY
I MET with Willie Wilson of the Branchton Community Centre to see the continual growth of the facility. It’s a great set up but most importantly it has tremendous support from the local community and the team that run it, led by Willie, do a fantastic job.
I held my first surgery of the day on the site too. In the aernoon, I held more surgeries in my oce and had a catch up with the First Minister.
In the evening I attended the preview of the Wyllieum. As part of the new Greenock Ocean Terminal building the gallery and the viewing space presents an exciting opportunity to bring art exhibitions to Inverclyde in a wonderful location.
FRIDAY
I ATTENDED the council-organised job fair in the Town Hall followed by the Worker’s Memorial Day Service in Clyde Square. In the aernoon, I met with the Chair and Chief Executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to discuss the GP out of hours contract.