Angus Robertson
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“As Ukraine works to consolidate recent gains and secure further political and financial backing, the Scottish Government continues to respond to urgent Ukrainian requests for support by working closely with the International Committee of the Red Cross.”
“Those are acts of terrorism by the Russians, and they need to be described as such. He said that there should be no slackening of our commitments and that we should encourage the United Kingdom and other countries to provide everything that Ukraine requires to defend itself and to liberate the occupied territories.”
“He has served as a member of the Scottish Parliament representing the city of Aberdeen and as a Government minister in a number of portfolios, during which time he discharged his duties with tremendous engagement and professionalism—and we must not forget his local government background in Aberdeen.”
“Never forget what was agreed with Nazi Germany in relation to the Sudetenland in 1938 and what followed from that. Murdo Fraser paid tribute to Scottish volunteers and charities, and he was absolutely right to say that we need to do more.”
“I thank colleagues for their thoughtful contributions to this debate. The Scottish Parliament speaks with one voice in solidarity with Ukraine. If one was watching proceedings, one would not be able to guess which party any of us represented. We are speaking with one voice.”
“Stephen Kerr: Does the cabinet secretary agree that the seized assets that belong to Russian oligarchs and other friends of Putin should be put immediately at the disposal of Ukraine’s defence? Angus Robertson: The simple answer is yes, and we should be getting on with it.”
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“However, the evidence so far suggests that either the new UK Government does not grasp the damage that the internal market act has done and is doing, or it simply is not interested. Rachael Hamilton rose— Angus Robertson: To unilaterally rule out repeal of the act, given the position of the Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament, the position of the Scottish Labour Party, the position of the Welsh Government, the position of the Welsh Parliament and the position of the Welsh Labour Party, is totally unacceptable. The new UK Government must think again. It must commit to working with other Governments of the UK to deliver a better, workable and agreed alternative to the discredited and the unworkable internal market act. I will briefly address the points raised by members, including Stephen Kerr and Rachael Hamilton.”
“The internal market act introduced an arbitrary, opaque and unaccountable regime in which laws passed by a democratically elected legislature can be nullified on a whim and in which decisions on matters of profound importance to the people of Scotland can be set aside at the discretion of an unaccountable minister in London. Stephen Kerr: Will the cabinet secretary give way on that point? Angus Robertson: I have said that I am not giving way at this stage. I have a lot to get through. Yes, the election of a new UK Government last July on a manifesto commitment to reset relations after the deep damage done to devolution by the previous Government offered grounds for hope.”
“The internal market act was always driven by political calculation—it was not a policy necessity. Despite the people of Scotland rejecting Brexit, the previous UK Government used it as a pretext to attack devolution and this Parliament’s powers. It tried to pretend that the act simply replaced European Union rules. That is untrue. The European single market provides a well- functioning, balanced, proportionate and rules- based system of market oversight. Stephen Kerr: Will the cabinet secretary give way? Angus Robertson: Not at the moment.”
“Before today’s debate, I wondered to myself whether we might finally hear any plausible justification for the internal market act. More than four years after it was imposed by the previous UK Government, without the consent of any devolved legislature, I wondered whether someone might be able to set out the reasons why it was necessary. Of course, we have heard no such arguments, because there are no good reasons for the internal market act. It remains utterly indefensible. No one seriously believes that the act is necessary to protect intra-UK trade and Scottish jobs—that is a total nonsense. It is entirely possible to ensure that there are no unnecessary barriers to trade and to have a system of workable, proportionate regulatory co-operation while, at the same time, respecting devolution and the powers of this Parliament.”
“Proportionality is important; we want there to be difference, without it being so great that it deters trade across the United Kingdom. Federalism is the answer to that problem. I have been banging on about that for a long time. If we adopt that more pragmatic and sensible solution, we might be able to get through the problem of the current arrangement. 16:00”
“UK in a Changing Europe has been quite sensible in coming forward with pragmatic solutions to that issue and has set out two important principles in particular: subsidiarity and proportionality. Those elements allow there to be a degree of common decision making across the United Kingdom, which is what the frameworks are supposed to be about. However, it should be enshrined in law that different parts of the United Kingdom are required to agree with one another. In other words: it should not just be the Westminster Government that has the final say on all occasions. There needs to be a way for the different Parliaments and Assemblies of the United Kingdom, together with the Westminster Parliament, to reach decisions. The current arrangement is therefore not acceptable.”
“I am sceptical about some of the arguments that the Deputy First Minister used, particularly on the privatisation of the NHS. That undermines the argument that many of us would agree with, which is about ensuring that we have the right balance between local innovation, local difference and local regulation, and the need to have the ability to trade across the United Kingdom in a way that does not unnecessarily hinder business. The UK Government’s consultation is an opportunity. I would prefer to repeal the internal market act but, whether we repeal it or change it substantially, I do not really mind about the process. However, what must change is the way in which it works and, in particular, the crude application of mutual recognition.”
“Will Willie Rennie give way? Willie Rennie: Not just now. The real deep flaws in the internal market act— there are deep flaws—relate to the mutual recognition arrangements. There is a requirement that businesses should be able to sell goods in any part of the United Kingdom and not have to comply with the laws of any particular part of the United Kingdom if the requirements are different. I would not encourage that approach, because it dismisses local requirements and standards. It dismisses innovation in different parts of the United Kingdom, and I want to encourage such innovation. However, I would not want a situation in which companies choose not to trade with certain parts of the United Kingdom because the standards are so different. There is a balance to strike in all this.”
“The scale of awards, in both their number and their financial value, represents one of the most significant and positive developments in the sector for many, many years. Alongside a range of other interventions, they provide a basis for Scotland’s culture sector as a whole to look to the future with optimism and excitement about the opportunities that it will create. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The cabinet secretary will now take questions on the issues raised in the statement. I intend to allow around 20 minutes for that, after which we will move on to the next item of business.”
“Together, those pieces of work will ensure that the increased resources that we are committing to the sector will achieve the greatest possible impact. I was pleased to note earlier this week that, following constructive engagement and discussion, Scottish Green Party and Scottish Liberal Democrat members will support the Government’s budget for 2025-26. By passing the proposed budget, we will lay the foundations for Scotland’s artists and cultural organisations to create, innovate, develop and engage locally and internationally. It will uphold the vital role of the sector in our society, communities and the economy. I hope that this statement has provided members with assurance that Creative Scotland’s multiyear funding awards will begin a foundational shift in how Scotland’s culture sector is supported.”
“Taken together, those measures create a comprehensive package of support that is focused on the diverse impacts that the culture sector has. Multiyear funding will allow us to look beyond the immediate and focus on new, innovative and transformational interventions. It is important that, as part of that foundational shift, the infrastructure that supports the sector is considered. I am delighted that Dame Sue Bruce will lead an independent review of Creative Scotland’s remit and functions, which will aim to publish recommendations by the end of the summer this year. That will be part of a wider review of how the culture sector is supported as a whole. The scope of the work will be informed by responses to a public survey that closes tomorrow.”
“Through the funding that is proposed in the budget, we will increase support across a range of other programmes. A £4 million culture and heritage capacity fund will build resilience in museums and galleries. The festivals expo fund will be more than doubled in value and will expand its reach beyond Edinburgh and Glasgow. Screen Scotland’s production growth fund will receive an additional £2 million to attract investment in Scotland’s screen sector. The Culture Collective programme will restart with an increased budget of £4 million, providing opportunities for communities across Scotland. We will also undertake groundwork on the establishment of a cultural export and exchange service to enhance the role that international activity can play in the sector’s development.”
“The approach represents a significant increase in both the number of funded organisations and the level of grants. It has the potential to be truly transformational, securing the future of cultural organisations of all sizes across the whole country. For those organisations whose applications have not been successful, transition support will be available. That will be in the form of funding for organisations that previously received a significant level of funding from Creative Scotland. All organisations that have been unsuccessful at this stage of the process, whether they were previously funded or not, will be able to access transition advice. Those measures will support adaptation and business planning. The foundations that the delivery of multiyear funding puts in place provide an opportunity to look to the wider needs of the sector.”
“Not only will the numbers of organisations that are supported increase, but so will the levels of grant. When we compare multiyear awards with grants to current regularly funded organisations, we see that average grant levels will increase by 33 per cent in year 1 of multiyear funding and by 54 per cent in year 2. The delivery of funding in that way will ensure that as many organisations as possible are supported in the coming year and that all funded organisations can see a path ahead of them to build their work and unleash their potential. Organisations across the whole of Scotland will be supported, across diverse art forms and with diverse impacts. I hope that that addresses the concern, which I have heard, that resource would be spread too thinly.”
“That level of funding will allow Creative Scotland to make awards to all applicants that have met the criteria for the fund. It will mean that more organisations than ever before are supported with core funding. I confirm that 251 organisations will receive funding from 2025-26. A number of applicants that narrowly missed out will join a development stream in which they will receive advice and financial support to adapt plans with the aim that they will receive multiyear funding from 2026-27. Creative Scotland currently supports 119 organisations with regular funding, so that represents a dramatic increase. It means that 95 per cent of organisations that reached stage 2 of the multiyear funding process will either receive grants or have the opportunity to do so from 2026- 27.”
“I take this opportunity to formally thank Robert Wilson, Iain Munro and everyone at Creative Scotland who has been involved in the multiyear funding process. I also thank all the culture sector supporters who have played a role in delivering that transformational change. In her statement on 4 December, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government outlined an increase of £34 million in the culture budget for 2025-26. The largest element of that increase is £20 million for multiyear funding. Subject to budgetary processes, we will increase the culture budget by a further £20 million in 2026- 27. That additional funding will go in whole towards multiyear funding, taking the budget for the programme to £74 million and more than doubling it from current levels.”
“The increase in the number of organisations in receipt of core funding will free up Creative Scotland’s wider resources by reducing the number of organisations competing for those. Today’s announcement is the beginning of a new period in which the sector can look to the future. Scotland’s culture sector is one of our most important assets. Our artists and cultural organisations are innovative and internationally respected, while being grounded in our local communities, and they have an authenticity that gives them their unique character. This funding package will provide stability and allow the sector to get back to what it does best—creating interesting, innovative and challenging output that enriches our lives.”
“It will allow the organisations that have secured support to pursue their core work and to move on from a difficult period, while also supporting Scotland’s wider cultural ecosystem. Artists and venues will benefit from the work commissioned by funded organisations and through the use of their spaces by touring artists who will bring performances and exhibitions to communities across the country. The funding will also provide opportunities for people across Scotland to engage in culture, providing experiences that, for many, may be the first step towards a life-long and life-enriching interest or even towards the beginning of a career in the arts. The way in which multiyear funding is being delivered will have a practical impact on the levels of support available to the sector.”
“During that period, our role and that of our public bodies has been, as far as possible, to protect the sector against the worst of the challenges. Today’s announcement has been keenly anticipated and definitively moves us beyond simply sustaining the sector, returning our focus to where it should be, on long-term development. The Scottish Government’s commitment to increase culture budgets by £100 million annually by 2028-29 sits firmly in that space and demonstrates our commitment to the sector’s future. Multiyear funding is important because, by providing long-term certainty, it lays the foundations on which a diverse range of Scotland’s key cultural organisations can build.”
“Thank you for the opportunity to address Parliament regarding Creative Scotland’s multiyear funding programme and today’s announcement of the successful applicants. We spoke here on 14 January about the importance of the culture sector and why it is such a vital asset to Scotland, our society and our economy. I am always heartened by the strong consensus here about the centrality of culture to our prosperity as a nation. Recent years have been turbulent for the sector. The effects of the pandemic, leaving the European Union and the cost of living crisis and the impact of United Kingdom Government financial austerity need not be rehearsed again now, but have put many cultural organisations in a perilous position.”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes portfolio questions on constitution, external affairs and culture and on parliamentary business. Justice and Home Affairs Emma Caldwell (Public Inquiry) 1.”
“Angus Robertson: I take the opportunity—it is the first opportunity that I have had—to welcome the ceasefire and to recognise both the loss of life in Israel from the horrific terrorist act, which also claimed the life of a Scot, and the tens of thousands, most of whom were civilians, who have died in Gaza. We keep the relationship with UNRWA under review, as the United Kingdom Government has done. Any notion of providing funds was paused at the same time that the UK Government did so. The member is absolutely right that there will perhaps be circumstances in the future in which funding needs to be considered. I am happy to write to him to provide information about safeguards in supporting UNRWA and other United Nations agencies. However, we remain a supporter of the United Nations involvement in Gaza and the west bank through UNRWA.”
“At the time, the then First Minister, Humza Yousaf, confirmed that, despite the allegations, the Scottish Government was not pausing or withdrawing aid to UNRWA. Can the cabinet secretary advise what scrutiny and assessment the Scottish Government has undertaken of how those funds were spent, and say whether he is confident that all funding was used exclusively for relief work? Given the current ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, can he advise whether there have been any discussions within the Scottish Government over providing further funding for use in Gaza?”
“In 2024-25, the total allocated budget for the constitution, external affairs and culture portfolio was £332.6 million. We expect to spend £16.8 million of that on programmes and activity outside the United Kingdom, which represents 5 per cent of the total budget for the portfolio. The actual spend for 2024-25 will be available only after the end of the financial year and will be published in the final accounts after March 2025. Jamie Halcro Johnston: In 2023, the Scottish Government gave a total of £750,000 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East—UNRWA—to support its operations in Gaza. Concerns were then raised about the links between some UNRWA staff and the 7 October attacks, with a number of countries pausing aid to the agency.”
“The Scottish Government values library provision but greatly respects the decision-making responsibilities of local government. Nonetheless, we hope that providing additional resources for local government and for culture in the budget will provide an opportunity to protect and enhance library provision. I remain open-minded about issues around statutory obligation, and if Mark Ruskell wishes to make that case to me, I will look closely at it.”
“I hope that that will give the flexibility that Perth and Kinross Council needs to take the closures off the table when it meets next Wednesday. However, it is clear that some councils are continually making the case for rural library closures on the basis that the statutory provision can be met from mobile libraries. Does the cabinet secretary agree that that view fundamentally misunderstands the importance of rural libraries as free and accessible cultural and community spaces? Does he agree that it is time to look again at what should constitute a statutory library service, in particular in the rural context? Angus Robertson: I confirm that I met with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities only yesterday to discuss national and local Government co-operation on culture in general and libraries in particular.”
“My colleagues and I are aware of and concerned by proposed library closures in Mid Scotland and Fife. If the Parliament supports the Scottish Government budget, local authorities will receive record funding of £15 billion in 2025-26, which is a real-terms increase of 4.7 per cent, increasing funding for local priorities. Although it is for locally elected councillors to manage their day- to-day business and decision-making processes, any decision on public libraries must be considered extremely carefully, and local authorities should continue to work in partnership with communities to ensure that services are based on local needs. Mark Ruskell: I welcome the real-terms increase in council funding that is coming through the budget.”
“Angus Robertson: I very much welcome the work that has been undertaken. I would be delighted to hear from the development trust about whether there is anything that the Scottish Government or our agencies can do to help to speed up and deliver the project that Liam McArthur has outlined. I would welcome getting as much insight as possible into the project. Through his good offices, I ask Mr McArthur to pass on my best wishes to everybody who is involved in it. It would be useful for MSPs right across the chamber to learn from good examples in other parts of the country. Library Services (Mid Scotland and Fife) 7.”
“Liam McArthur: The South Ronaldsay and Burray Development Trust is taking forward plans to purchase the world-famous tomb of the eagles site in South Ronaldsay, in my Orkney constituency. The trust is working closely and constructively with the owners, Orkney Islands Council and a range of national funding bodies, including HES. There is strong support in the community and across Orkney, and the trust aims to see the site reopened to the public in the near future. Given that we know that community ownership of local heritage assets can catalyse local access and unlock enormous benefits locally and nationally, will the cabinet secretary welcome that initiative and offer what support he can to the development trust so that the iconic tomb of the eagles site can be opened to both locals and visitors in the very near future?”
“The Scottish Government delivers support for the historic environment through our sponsorship of Historic Environment Scotland, which is the lead public body responsible for the historic environment. HES works alongside key intermediary organisations such as the Development Trusts Association Scotland, regional economic development agencies and local authorities to support community ownership or development of heritage assets. HES also works directly with community groups to advise on opportunities and risks in asset transfer; skills and material provision in conservation projects; business development; and heritage planning. HES also publishes on its website online resources for communities to provide help and advice.”
“Angus Robertson: That is a very interesting question from Alex Cole-Hamilton about energy efficiency. It is not just about what we can learn here, in this country. While I was in Germany last summer, supporting Scotland in other circumstances, when the national team was on the sporting field, I met the galleries in Stuttgart, which are world leading when it comes to energy efficiency. I agree with Alex Cole-Hamilton that we should be looking at what we can learn—whether from here or anywhere else—about how we can reduce the costs and overheads of our national galleries and other cultural institutions so that they can maintain a healthier financial balance sheet. My officials and I would be happy to discuss that with the National Galleries of”
“One of the reasons why this topic has attracted so much attention in the chamber this afternoon is that National Galleries of Scotland plays host to some 130,000 individual works of art—which are priceless and irreplaceable—and, in large part, is custodian to our national heritage. In the past, it has been forced to shut from time to time, depending on the weather or due to spiralling energy costs. Now, it says that its doors could be forced to close permanently without investment in maintenance work to make it more energy efficient and in energy efficiency itself. What is the cabinet secretary doing to work with other departments to ensure that institutions such as National Galleries of Scotland have what they need in terms of energy efficiency to weather the storms to come?”
“I commend Alex Cole-Hamilton for his question, notwithstanding the fact that other colleagues have asked about that subject, too. The Scottish Government is in regular dialogue with the National Galleries of Scotland as it is one of Scotland’s non-departmental public bodies. My officials are currently working with National Galleries of Scotland to understand the challenges that it is facing, despite it being set to receive £27.4 million in 2025-26, which is a 9 per cent increase since its 2024-25 allocation. I welcome the decision by the Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Green Party to support the budget. With its record increase in spending outside Covid, it is a solid foundation for further support for national and local cultural institutions, including our galleries. Alex Cole-Hamilton: I am grateful for that reply.”
“I give a commitment that galleries are an important part of the financial and wider considerations as we review culture provision for the years ahead.”
“What is the cabinet secretary doing to ensure that more galleries and cultural institutions do not face further hardship? Angus Robertson: As I have already outlined, the Scottish Government is doing a lot to deliver support for galleries and the wider culture sector, and I hope that Brian Whittle will vote for that in the budget. I acknowledge there are still challenges that the sector is not yet able to fully manage and also opportunities that it cannot yet make the most of. The Scottish Government is about to be halfway to fulfilling our commitment to increase the annual culture spend by an additional £100 million. I hope that Brian Whittle welcomes that, as it will make a significant difference.”
“I commend Brian Whittle for his timely question. The Scottish Government is working hard to support galleries, both nationally and locally, which is why we are continuing to provide support to the sector with £2.7 million in funding in 2024-25, increasing to more than £4.2 million in the 2025-26, awarded to Museums Galleries Scotland, which is Scotland’s national museums and galleries development body. The Scottish Government is also set to provide £27.4 million in 2025-26 to the National Galleries of Scotland, which is a 9 per cent increase on its 2024-25 budget allocation. Brian Whittle: A few weeks ago, the National Galleries of Scotland reported that it needed substantially more funding. Now, Aberdeen Performing Arts and Dundee Contemporary Arts have both posted losses.”
“Where there are particular issues and distresses associated with finances or, as in this case, RAAC at local organisations, venues and cultural outfits, my officials and I are very keen to speak with them. We have worked very hard in recent years to ensure that the cultural infrastructure of Scotland is protected. If the member passes on my invitation to the theatre, I will be content to meet its representatives and discuss any plans or requests for support that they may have.”
“Sue Webber: The Brunton Theatre Trust recently announced its new programme of events, but the closure and proposed demolition of the actual theatre building, which is due to the presence of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, means that patrons inside and outside Musselburgh will not have the same experience. Given that the Scottish Government awarded significant money to help to redevelop the King’s theatre, as the cabinet secretary said, how will he work to ensure that smaller theatres, such as the Brunton theatre in Musselburgh, can be similarly redeveloped? Angus Robertson: I commend Sue Webber for raising the theatre, as other colleagues have done, including my colleague who is the constituency MSP. I agree that we should be supporting cultural venues right across Scotland.”
“The Scottish Government wants to ensure that everyone in Scotland has access to culture. Through its regularly funded organisations network, Creative Scotland provides, with Scottish Government funding, nearly £14 million per year to organisations across the Lothian region, which includes £4.1 million that is specifically for cultural venues and theatres. The Scottish Government has also provided £10.3 million towards the redevelopment of the King’s theatre in Edinburgh, and it will provide the national collections with just over £78 million in the 2025-26 draft budget. I urge Sue Webber to look out for Creative Scotland’s announcement tomorrow on multiyear funding for cultural organisations and venues, and I hope that she votes for the budget provisions.”
“That will be transformational for the sector, and it is possible because of the record financial commitment to culture and the arts in the forthcoming Scottish budget. I urge all MSPs and all parties to look out for that announcement and to vote for the forthcoming budget.”
“Like many rural arts organisations, it is still facing a challenging environment, despite the additional investment in culture in the budget. It is warning that rural audiences have been slow to return following the Covid pandemic, which is affecting box office returns. It could put up its prices, but it insists that it wants to make events accessible to as wide a range of audiences as possible. Given the importance that culture plays in the sustainability of rural communities as a whole, what additional support can be provided to such organisations? Angus Robertson: The timing of Finlay Carson’s question is excellent. I confirm that Creative Scotland will, tomorrow morning, announce details of its multiyear funding for cultural organisations and venues right across Scotland, rural and urban.”
“We are committed to creating, protecting and nurturing cultural opportunities for everybody in Scotland, regardless of where they live. That is why we support and fund organisations that work in rural and island communities. For example, via our regular funding to Creative Scotland, we support many organisations across rural areas, including Shetland Arts, Timespan in Helmsdale, Alchemy Film & Arts, which is based in Hawick in the Scottish Borders, the Wigtown Festival Company, and the Stove Network in Dumfries and Galloway. Finlay Carson: The cabinet secretary mentioned the Wigtown Festival Company, which provides support to a range of performing arts activities and stages its famous and fabulous book festival, which is now in its 20th year.”
“I am sure that she and HES colleagues will look closely at the suggestions that have been made about the website. Cultural Organisations (Rural Areas) 2.”
“I know that skills are not part of the cabinet secretary's remit, but he appears to agree with me that they are important, so I wonder whether he could raise it with colleagues in Government. I will also just be cheeky and ask that a list of sites that will be open for the spring be published on HES’s website, and that indicative dates be given for the others. Angus Robertson: It is worth putting on record that the Scottish Government recently made changes to allow Historic Environment Scotland more financial freedoms in relation to its commercial income. I am keen to support Historic Environment Scotland in a number of ways, which I discussed with the chief executive only a few weeks ago. That included skills such as stonemasonry.”
“Questions regarding the day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including queries relating to the timeline of site reopenings, are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland. I have asked its chief executive to respond directly to the member with a full reply to his question in writing. I know that the member shares my interest in traditional skills, including stonemasonry, and no doubt we will both want to support HES in that regard. Graham Simpson: The cabinet secretary is absolutely right to mention traditional skills, because a lack of traditional skills such as stonemasonry has been part of the problem that we face in getting some of those sites open. I discussed the issue with HES when I visited its excellent skills centre in Stirling last week.”
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“I will continue to make sure that the UK Government understands why a closer relationship with the EU remains such an important priority for Scotland until such time as we rejoin, as an independent member state of the European Union. Meeting closed at 18:00. This is the final edition of the Official Report for this meeting. It is part of the Scottish Parliament Official Report archive and has been sent for legal deposit.”
“Until such time as we rejoin the European Union as an independent country, we must encourage the UK Government to be ambitious in its efforts to improve relations with the EU. Last week, Maroš Šefčovič, the EU trade commissioner, indicated that the UK might be able to join the pan-Euro- Mediterranean convention, which allows for a measure of tariff-free trade of goods between a range of European and other countries. My message to the UK Government on that and, indeed, on other areas including youth mobility, is to take the time to consider their merits and potential economic and other benefits, not to rush to rule things out for political purposes and certainly not to pander to the likes of Nigel Farage. Both those issues, and many more, are of interest to people right across Scotland.”
“He is absolutely right that the 27 other European nations are not wrong. Mystifyingly, Foysol Choudhury said that we should not reopen the Brexit debate. Why should we not talk about that self-harm? Why should we not end the self-harm? I have to say to him—as somebody who represents this part of the world, as I do—that this part of the country, where 74.4 per cent voted to remain in the European Union, is the most pro-European part of Scotland, but he thinks that we should not reopen the Brexit debate. I am sorry to say it, but on that count, he is very wrong. Finally, I come to Christine Grahame. What a strong voice talking about Scotland’s strong position of being able to rejoin the European Union. The choice is ours. We live in a democracy and we should be able to have that say.”
“The loss of access to the Erasmus+ programme is particularly damaging. A generation of Scots will be denied the life-enhancing opportunities of living or working in the European nations that are on our doorstep. The loss of access to creative Europe is similarly damaging to the culture sector. It does not have to be that way. I turn to some points that have been raised during the debate. Clare Adamson highlighted the harm to the culture sector and to so many others. It does not need to be that way. Tim Eagle mentioned the “untold benefits” of Brexit. He did not, however, tell us any benefits of Brexit, so he was right—they are untold. Perhaps in the next debate, he might choose to tell us what they are. George Adam talked about Scotland’s proper place being back in the European Union as an independent member state.”