Christine Grahame
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the United Kingdom Government regarding whether any of the support announced in response to the increased cost of heating oil will help the agriculture sector and other rural industries in Scotland that are dependent on that fuel. (S6O- 05695)”
“At a recent First Minister’s question time, I raised the matter of the successful prosecution against the Hamiltons, who are part of the cruel puppy- farm trade. That case was concluded after a five- year investigation by the SSPCA that started when 33 puppies were found in dreadful conditions.”
“Of course, some can go online or use an app, but there will be many who cannot, and for them, it is essential that they speak to a real person at the bank, not a chatbot. Therefore, I would impress upon the Bank of Scotland the need for it to take up my suggestion of reintroducing mobile services, which I understand it abandoned in 2024.”
“My first prize at school was for an essay on animal welfare, but being a vet was out of reach for a girl from a council house scheme. However, I got to the right place at last, chairing the cross- party group on animal welfare for more than a decade, with two acts of Parliament—the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 and the Welfare of Do…”
“I made my first speech in June 1999, and one Mary Scanlon, a Conservative, broke my peroration—I thought that I was doing rather well—with a point of order that challenged the relevance of my contribution to the motion. I was devastated, but I ploughed on.”
“The Scottish Sentencing Council is developing guidelines for environmental and wildlife crime, but companion and farm animal welfare cases, which make up the vast majority of investigations, are not included.”
The complete record
Every one of 727 lines we hold for Christine Grahame, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 6 of 15.
“The Scottish Government likes to brag about its equally safe strategy, which is more than welcome, but the picture on the ground is different, as more needs to be done. That is where my Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill comes into play. The bill would introduce a domestic abuse register that will operate in a similar way to the sex offenders register by helping authorities to better monitor those who are convicted of crimes of domestic abuse. At the same time, the bill would put in place a mandatory assessment of whether someone is capable of rehabilitation, while also mandating domestic abuse education at schools.”
“Deaf women and girls who have been domestically abused must overcome extra hurdles that are not necessarily experienced by women and girls who can hear. We heard first hand that Police Scotland and women’s aid organisations, with the latter already being short on resources, do not always have British Sign Language interpreters or staff who have the knowledge of BSL. At the same time, many interpreters do not feel comfortable taking up domestic abuse cases. It was also shocking to hear that many deaf women were not aware of words such as “consent” and “coercion”. As the police do not gather data on disability in domestic abuse cases, it is difficult to identify the extent of the problem. Those women are already being let down by the current systems and they are let down further when they are at the most vulnerable stage.”
“Pam Gosal: At the same time, the SNP refuses to call for a grooming gangs inquiry, all in the name of political correctness, and chooses to bury its head in the sand as if grooming gangs are not a problem. The problem is not going away, but the SNP keeps kicking the can down the road. That is why I am proud that the Scottish Conservatives will keep bringing up the issue until justice is served. Given that the debate is on uniting local and national efforts across sectors to end violence against women and girls, I would like to take some time to speak about an event that I attended in East Dunbartonshire. Last Monday, East Dunbartonshire Women’s Aid hosted an event entitled “Empowering Deaf Women to Report Domestic Abuse”.”
“Will the member take an intervention? Pam Gosal: The SNP Government has this debate at this time every year and claims to be a champion of women’s rights. However, shockingly, it cannot even define the word “woman”, and its policies put women at risk, including by putting dangerous men in women’s prisons. Christine Grahame: On a point of order, Deputy Presiding Officer. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Please resume your seat, Ms Gosal. I call Christine Grahame. Christine Grahame: I seek your guidance, Deputy Presiding Officer. Pam Gosal said that not one member of the SNP attended the vigil. I gave my apologies to her, and she accepted them and conveyed her thanks. I just thought that I should correct what was said. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Grahame. That is not a point of order. Please continue, Ms Gosal.”
“It is bad legislation, and I suspect that there is a significant legal challenge to come. 18:08”
“I said to your colleague in my contribution at stage 2— The Deputy Presiding Officer: Through the chair. Christine Grahame: —that the certificate of legislative competency was not a guarantee. I also said that, frankly, any legislation can be challenged in the courts. Craig Hoy: I accept that point. I also took on board Stephen Kerr’s point that, in effect, there would be an additional guarantee had we passed Mr Kerr’s amendment 14. There is a huge amount of uncertainty around this legislation. It is uncertainty not just for the Government, but for those who are paying rates and for councils. It is uncertainty that could do further damage to the commercial property market. For all those reasons, the Scottish Conservatives cannot support the SNP’s emergency legislation.”
“All that I am trying to do—I hesitate to say this, because I know what the response of some members in the chamber will be—is to be helpful by saying, “Here is the legislation that we are considering, and here is the baking in of us doing post-legislative scrutiny in the way that we say that we should do it in this place.””
“I cannot see what there is to object to. I do not really understand the points that Christine Grahame made. I am not challenging whether the minister or indeed the Presiding Officer considers that the bill is compatible with the Scotland Act 1998. I am sure that they do consider that. I am not asking them to justify that at this point, but I am bringing to their attention something that I feel that the minister is only too well aware of, which is that there will be people outside the Parliament who will, at this very moment, be challenging the legitimacy and competency of the Parliament passing this particular piece of retrospective legislation.”
“However, on a slightly different point, does the minister agree that there is an obligation on the Scottish Government in that, if it becomes apparent after legislation has been passed that something in it is in dispute with that act, ministers would have to act on that? They could not stay silent on it. Ivan McKee: I think that that would be the case. It is ironic that an amendment that talks about compliance with the 1998 act cuts across the provisions in that act with regard to the process that I have just outlined. Accordingly, I urge members to resist amendment 14. Stephen Kerr: I think that my point has been made in the exchange between Martin Whitfield and Ivan McKee. All that amendment 14 says is that we are baking into the bill scrutiny of the compatibility of the legislation post its royal assent.”
“The 1998 act also provides for the UK or Scottish law officers, within four weeks of the passing of a bill, to refer that bill to the Supreme Court if they have any concerns or questions about its legislative competence. Accordingly, there has already been and will be extensive and careful consideration of the legislative competence of the bill and its compatibility with the 1998 act, including consideration of its ECHR compatibility. Martin Whitfield: The minister and Christine Grahame have articulated very accurately why the Parliament places its trust in the Presiding Officer in respect of the 1998 act.”
“An additional requirement for a statement after royal assent would add nothing to the processes that are already set out in that act and standing orders. When introduced, all bills must be accompanied by a written statement signed by the Presiding Officer that indicates whether, in their view, the bill’s provisions are within the legislative competence of the Parliament. All bills are also accompanied by a written statement signed by the member introducing the bill that states that, in their view, the bill’s provisions are within the legislative competence of the Parliament. That statement is cleared by Scottish law officers.”
“In this process, it is the Presiding Officers who decide whether amendments are competent, so I am arguing with amendment 14 as lodged. I cannot see any advantage in supplanting the role of the Presiding Officer with a Government of whatever political hue. Ivan McKee: There is not much more that I need to say, following Christine Grahame’s comments. Amendment 14 would require Scottish ministers, within two months of royal assent, to publish and lay before the Scottish Parliament a statement setting out whether, in their opinion, the act is compatible with the Scotland Act 1998. The amendment is, of course, unnecessary. In introducing the bill, the Scottish Government made it clear that it considers the bill to be compatible with the 1998 act.”
“Christine Grahame: As I have already said, this is not the first piece of retrospective legislation that we have had in the Parliament, and that previous legislation was not challenged. The point that I am making is that Mr Kerr is challenging the Presiding Officer’s role. It is for the Presiding Officer to decide whether a bill as introduced is within the legislative competence of section 31 of the 1998 act. I would rather that the Presiding Officer made those judgments than a Government, because the Presiding Officer is objective and does it on behalf of the Parliament and its reputation. I would not want to find a Government of whatever hue making those decisions on my behalf. I am taken aback that the amendment is even competent. However, I did not choose the amendments, as we know.”
“That is not a guarantee—as we know, it is not always guaranteed that even the best legislation in the world will not be open to challenge at some point—but it means that, when it is introduced, the bill already has a certificate from the Presiding Officer. Stephen Kerr: The point of amendment 14 is that, as I hope Ms Grahame accepts, there is some question whether the bill is compatible with the 1998 act. That question is not necessarily in the minds of parliamentary authorities—I am not disputing their judgment on the matter—but outside the Parliament, and perhaps among some of the legal minds in it, there are concerns that this piece of retrospective legislation is contrary to the 1998 act.”
“I am concerned about the wording of Stephen Kerr’s amendment, which says: “The Scottish Ministers must, within 2 months of Royal Assent, publish and lay before the Scottish Parliament a statement setting out whether, in their opinion”— that is, the Government’s opinion— “this Act is compatible with the Scotland Act 1998.” It is my understanding, convener—you are in that role just now rather than that of Presiding Officer—that it is for the Presiding Officer to determine whether a bill is within the legislative competence of the Parliament by issuing a certificate as to its competence or otherwise under section 31 of the 1998 act.”
“I am not quite sure of the argument that Stephen Kerr is making. I am not quite sure whether it is an argument about the bill being emergency legislation, which is a question of process. I objected previously to certain legislation being treated as emergency legislation when I was convener of the Justice Committee. I am also not sure whether his argument is about the bill’s retrospectivity, which is rare but has happened in the Parliament before. Again, it is for committees and the Parliament to object to that.”
“16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence 5.”
“It would be churlish not to welcome the about-turn on the two- child benefit cap—it is better late than never. That, of course, benefits children and their families, but it also puts money into the local economy, because that money helps people to pay inflationary food and energy bills. It is a good thing all round. The First Minister: Yes, and it also complements the work that the Scottish Government is doing on the Scottish child payment, for example. We are putting money directly into household finances, which enables families to spend locally, to have more control over their resources and to be better able to support their families. That is exactly the type of impact that will be felt in Christine Grahame’s constituency, as it will be felt in constituencies the length and breadth of Scotland.”
“Let us celebrate St Andrew’s day and demonstrate that—despite all those centuries during which there have been so many attempts to diminish, if not erase, our Scottishness—here we are, as Scottish as ever. I say that proudly as one born in England to an English mother. 17:52”
“That is embedded in the declaration of Arbroath, and it is why any UK monarch is king or queen of Scots, not Scotland. In the past, attempts were made to kill our culture—bagpipes were banned after the 1745 rebellion, the Dress Act 1746 banned the wearing of the kilt and Scots were demeaned for speaking in our native tongue, not the Queen’s English. “I went and seen” is not slang but Scots dialect. However, here we are, as a nation, wearing the kilt, with the skirl of the pipes all in fashion, from weddings and funerals to football and rugby—I was tempted to say “to infinity and beyond”, because the saltire is recognised worldwide as Scotland’s flag. I ken, cos I seen it.”
“Before them lay the wilds of Caledonia, and by 79 AD they were pushing northwards into southern Scotland. Here, at the place of the three hills—or Trimontium, in Latin—near Melrose, in my constituency, they began to construct a fort that was to be used as a complex in Scotland. Some 17,000 people were occupied there at one time, and the same site was used several times over the next 100 years or more. However, Scotland was to remain defiantly intact to this day—perhaps that is what the Romans did for us. It took the execution of Mary, Queen of Scots, then her son, with the union of the crowns, acceding to the English throne, and later the treaty of union, for Scotland to be united with England, but it was, and remains, an uneasy union. Unlike the English, for whom Parliament is sovereign, we, the Scottish people, are sovereign.”
“St Andrew’s day celebrates this most ancient of nations, said to have been founded in 843 AD by Kenneth MacAlpin when he united the Gaelic kingdom of Dál Riata with the Picts and established the kingdom of Alba, which is often considered to be the birth of modern Scotland. Our boundary with our near neighbour has remained relatively fixed, apart from the to-ing and fro-ing of Berwick—a Scottish town, if ever I saw one—some 13 times, with it eventually landing on the English side in 1482, where it has remained ever since. To coin a phrase, what did the Romans ever do for us? Well, they failed to conquer Scotland in their successful invasion of Britain in 43 AD. In less than 40 years, they had reached and subdued what we now know as northern England and Wales.”
“I searched for St Andrew’s celebrations in my constituency, but although I have no doubt that there will be some, they are not large-scale events. I wondered why, but perhaps it is because Burns night on 25 January has captured the idea of a celebration of Scotland. After all, Burns was the man who wrote in Scots, internationally, and whose lyrics ring out as one year turns to another. However, I think that there is room for them both. For me, one celebrates the essence of our culture—of “We’re aw Jock Tamson’s bairns”, expressed by Burns as “A Man’s a Man for a’ That”—while the other celebrates our affection for, and protection of, Scotland as a nation. It need not be either/or.”
“I congratulate the member on bringing the debate to the chamber, just days before St Andrew’s day itself. I, too recognise the role of my former colleague Dennis Canavan, who, with tenacity, drove through the bill that became the St Andrew’s Day Bank Holiday (Scotland) Act 2007. It was passed unanimously on 29 November 2006—I ken, cos I was there. As Dennis Canavan said in speaking to the bill, “At one time, St Andrew’s day was a popular day of festivities throughout Scotland, but unfortunately domestic celebrations have dwindled over the years.”—[Official Report, 29 November 2006; c 29861.] That was 16 years ago and, despite the day being a bank holiday in Scotland, I think that that remains the case.”
“If the United Kingdom Government at Westminster made an error that cost hundreds of millions of pounds, what would the members on the middle benches be saying about that? They would be up in arms and demanding answers. They would be calling on the minister to give those answers. John Mason [Made a request to intervene.] Douglas Ross: They would not be sitting there meekly telling us on the Opposition benches to stop raising those issues—I will give way to John Mason in a moment—and they certainly would not accept a minister’s doing what Graeme Dey did, which was to refuse to engage on any points that were made during the debate that he called for to allow the bill to be subject to the process for emergency legislation.”
“Given that we are looking at the timetabling of stages 1, 2 and 3, I am making the point, in opposing the timetabling motion, that we should have more time, because, if the minister cannot answer basic questions today, will he be able to answer them tomorrow, at stage 1? Will we get answers when we are voting at stage 2 or stage 3? That is why it is important to oppose the timetabling motion. I go back to the point that I was making before Christine Grahame tried her point of order: what did the Government know in that period between August and November? Let us be very clear, because Scottish National Party members have been trying to shut us down when we make those points from these benches. The minister would not even respond to the debate. Members should imagine the shoe being on the other foot. They should just picture that.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I thought that the member was speaking against the business motion. I am not quite clear what he is addressing. I ask for clarification, please. The Presiding Officer: I believe that the member intends speaking against the motion. Douglas Ross: I do, and I have five minutes. I say to Christine Grahame that all will become very clear at the end of my five minutes. However, it will take longer to get there if we have such spurious points of order. [Interruption.] The point is that there are serious questions about this—now-emergency—legislation that the Parliament has agreed to consider. I voted against that, but I respect the Parliament, which wants to rush it through. We need answers to those serious questions ahead of stages 2 and 3, and ahead of stage 1 tomorrow.”
“The Presiding Officer: I invite the Deputy First Minister to respond on matters for which she has responsibility. Kate Forbes: Our procurement processes in Scotland were robust. They were overseen by my colleague Ivan McKee. Audit Scotland’s report on support for business and the economy during the pandemic highlighted the particularly robust approach that we took to fraud to ensure that as much funding as possible was spent on businesses that desperately needed it.”
“On holding to account and lessons learned, others will rightly focus on the human impact of the measures that were taken, but I want to focus on the £4.1 billion that was awarded in 28 failed contracts to those with connections to the Conservative Party. I do not know whether that is mentioned in the report— if it is not, it should be. The case of Michelle Mone is the most publicised—contracts that were worth £200 million went to Medpro, which made £60 million in profits on the back of that, for defective products. I understand that, before the election, Labour undertook to introduce legislation to recover some of those moneys, which were fraudulently obtained. Can the Deputy First Minister advise whether Labour is pursuing that legal remedy?”
“The refreshed strategy includes a number of actions on how perpetrators will be brought to justice, how rural communities can safeguard against such crimes and how individuals can be diverted from being involved with them. Part of SPARC’s work also involves working with other forces in the UK to disrupt the activity of criminals who travel across our border. Children (Scotland) Act 2020 (Implementation) 3.”
“As Rachael Hamilton knows, my constituency is adjacent to hers. As a former lawyer, I have to say that I am not too hot on legislation—it is not always the answer. I refer the minister to the recently published three-year policy by Police Scotland, in collaboration with SPARC, which focuses on such things as the prevention of agricultural machinery theft using technology. There are now 100 specially trained officers, so I hope that the minister will agree that action might be more effective than legislation. Siobhian Brown: There is some great work being done in that respect. The three-year strategy for SPARC was published in June, and for the first time, it has adopted the four Ps model of prevent, pursue, protect and prepare.”
“All those measures are tackling the delivery of healthcare across that extensive rural area, and I commend them—and commend NHS Borders—to members. I hope that those measures can be replicated, for example in my old hunting ground of Dumfries and Galloway. 18:12”
“With the hospital at home service, some patients could go straight home, which would, again, free up beds and staff, this time in Hay Lodge. For completeness, I highlight the issue of accessing GP practices, which is, as members know, more complex. Most are private practices— businesses—that are contracted by the NHS to provide certain services, so GPs are not NHS employees. That is why there is such a divergence in how, for example, people can make an appointment. Nonetheless, I conclude where I began: by broadly congratulating NHS Borders on modernising delivery. That includes its work in liaising with housing associations and reserving key workers’ houses; those key workers include staff in the health service, so that has encouraged recruitment to the Scottish Borders.”
“A new report from Healthcare Improvement Scotland estimates that £14.9 million was saved in “traditional hospital admission costs”, with an estimated further £36.3 million saved in post-hospital care as a result of a reduction in re-admissions. That is more than £50 million in total. In the Borders, the hospital at home service is currently limited to the central Borders. I have proposed to the cabinet secretary that it could be extended using community hospitals such as Hay Lodge hospital in Peebles. At present, some patients are already discharged to that hospital if it is suitable for them, often as an interim measure, following their discharge from the Borders general hospital, before they return home.”
“We know that people prefer to be at home, if that is suitable, and that recovery is accelerated and their sense of wellbeing increases substantially if they are. It is no wonder—who would not prefer to be treated and supported at home by professionals, with family and friends in familiar surroundings, reunited with the cat and “Bargain Hunt” while lounging on the sofa? As a result of its success, the region’s health board has been allocated £600,000 from a £3.6 million Government pot. Not only is recovery better, but hospital beds are freed up, as is staff time. The service tackles the spectre of delayed discharge. The virtual-ward model monitors patients in their house, with regular clinical follow- up and access to specialist advice. In 2023-24, more than 14,000 older patients across Scotland used the service.”
“If we add together the declining birth rate, young people leaving for towns and cities and older people retiring to the scenic Borders, we see that the ageing demographic can only increase, and there will therefore be more demand on health and social services. That is the background, but NHS Borders is using innovative processes to tackle those demands. I do not congratulate NHS Borders willy- nilly—in this instance, the board deserves it. There is the hospital at home service, a Scottish Government initiative that has been piloted in the Borders that allows patients to be cared for—as it says on the tin—in their home. It is targeted mostly at older patients with suitable health conditions— with the patient’s consent, of course—and it has an overall 90 per cent-plus satisfaction rating.”
“I thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer, for allowing me to resolve my technical issue—so far, so good, but it is early days yet. I congratulate the member on securing the debate, and I agree with him on the following points. There are huge pressures on the NHS at all levels across Scotland, with specific challenges in delivery in rural areas. In addition, the Covid-19 pandemic still has a residual impact on health and social care, and then there are the demographics, with an increasing number of elderly people—I am one myself, being 81—requiring healthcare. The Borders has an ageing population, with the fifth-highest proportion of people aged 65 and over in Scotland, and a declining birth rate.”
“Deputy Presiding Officer, can I go after the next speaker? I am having technical difficulties with my Surface laptop. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I think that we can do that. Christine Grahame: Thank you. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I call Douglas Ross, assuming that he is ready to go. 17:51”
“There is not a CHAP in my constituency, but we have the citizens advice bureaux, which deliver much of what CHAP delivers. Having recently visited our CABs—in particular the CAB in Penicuik—I can testify to that. Today, we congratulate CHAP on 25 remarkable years. It is there when it is needed, and one cannot say more than that. I commend CHAP, and also—if I may, Deputy Presiding Officer—the citizens advice bureaux in my constituency. 18:10”
“We need more organisations, not fewer, to adopt that outward-looking, barrier-reducing approach. Principle 3 is independence. People who are facing crisis, whether it is financial, house related or personal, need advice that they can trust. CHAP’s insistence on being independent and free from conflict is a core reason why individuals feel safe seeking its help. That principle is vital across Scotland, especially in rural and semi-rural areas, where anonymity can be harder to maintain and trust is everything. CHAP treats people as citizens with rights, not as problems to be managed, and that sensitive, personal ethos is essential if we are to build resilient communities. While CHAP’s work is rooted in Ayrshire, the lessons that it offers are national.”
“CHAP intervenes before crisis hits, before someone loses their home, before debt becomes unmanageable and before a young person slips into homelessness. Prevention must be the cornerstone of our national approach to housing and poverty, especially as councils prepare for new ask and act homelessness prevention duties. Rural communities in Midlothian and the Borders know all too well that prevention is not just good policy—it is essential when services are stretched and distances are long. Principle 2 is accessibility. CHAP takes its services into communities, through outreach and partnership, and it goes to where people actually are. For my constituents, those are places such as Innerleithen, Lauder, Stow and West Linton. Access to advice often depends on such a model.”
“The organisation’s commitment to providing all its services free of charge, despite operating in a funding landscape that is dominated by short-term and non-recurring grants, is testament to its integrity and determination. Few third sector organisations manage to survive, let alone thrive, for 25 years without stable core funding. CHAP has done so because the need for its work is profound and because its impact is undeniable and it succeeds. However, today’s debate is about not just celebrating one organisation but recognising the principles that sit at the heart of CHAP’s success. Those principles apply far beyond Ayrshire, including in my constituency of Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale. The number 1 principle is prevention.”
“It has retained a high level of accreditation under the Scottish national standards for information and advice providers for more than a decade—that is no small achievement. Between August 2021 and July 2025, it delivered more than £10 million in financial gains for its clients. I repeat that: £10 million in financial gains for its clients. That is money going directly into the pockets of the people who need it most—it is poverty alleviated, homelessness prevented and lives stabilised. Importantly, in addition, it is public money saved through early and effective intervention. I warmly congratulate everyone who is involved with CHAP—its staff, volunteers, trustees and partners.”
“I congratulate my colleague Kenny Gibson on securing the debate. I am very pleased to speak in support of the motion congratulating the Community Housing Advocacy Project on an extraordinary 25 years of service to the people of Ayrshire. The charity’s origins lie in the simplest but most powerful of ideas: that everyone deserves access to independent, free and compassionate housing advice. What began with volunteers offering advocacy support has evolved into delivering professional welfare rights assistance, money and debt advice and vital outreach services across the region. CHAP has shown what it means to put dignity, prevention and empowerment at the heart of community support.”
“I am more than happy to continue my discussions with COSLA colleagues, to ensure that they are taking those responsibilities seriously.”
“I have no doubt that that would prevent at least some falls, which have a cost not just for the individuals’ health but for the public purse. Why not pilot that approach and see whether I am right? Neil Gray: I absolutely agree with the premise of Christine Grahame’s question. She is absolutely right that slips, trips and falls are a significant reason why we have increased admissions to hospital over winter. I can assure her that part of the reason why the plan is jointly published with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities is that we recognise that many of the drivers of poor health and admissions to our health system involve issues beyond the health service, including, as she points out, gritting pavements and ensuring that walkways are cleared.”
“Approximately one in three people over the age of 65 in Scotland fall each year, while about half of those who are over 80 fall at least once a year. Falls are the most common reason for an ambulance being called for an older person, and they are a leading cause of hospital admissions for unintentional injuries. In winter, slips on untreated pavements increase the number of falls, but the cost to the NHS, the Ambulance Service and accident and emergency departments of hospitalisations and perhaps social care after hospitalisation can be reduced. Gritting pavements is the responsibility of local authorities, but will the cabinet secretary consider authorising NHS boards to provide funding to local authorities specifically to help them to grit pavements?”
“In 2002, at the age of 30, he appeared in “The Boy Can’t Help It”; and, in 2009, when he was 37, he was in “Tourette’s: I Swear I Can’t Help It”. Latterly, as has been said, the new film “I Swear”, which is based on his life, is a powerful piece of storytelling that reflects not only the challenges that he has faced but his determination and humour. John has made Scotland, and, indeed, the United Kingdom, a more understanding place—I hope—for people living with”
“People think that it is a sign of terrible rudeness and express their distaste one way or another, but John has worked his whole life to change that. I think that he became a reluctant poster boy for Tourette syndrome when he was just 16. The little- known condition, which had previously been described as “a wild madness”, caused him to spasm, jerk, swear uncontrollably and shout explicit sexual phrases. To this day, John still works at Langlee centre. He has also been the subject of not a few documentaries, including the 1989 BBC programme “John’s Not Mad”, which enabled him to bring Tourette syndrome into the living room in a way that had never been done before. That approach has continued, turning into a lifetime of advocacy to further publicise and increase understanding of the condition.”
“Most important of all, I believe, is for the public to be educated to understand the condition so that we can remove the stigma. John Davidson, who lives in Galashiels, is a constituent of mine who has Tourette’s. I first met John—although he will not remember it; I do not expect to be remembered all the time—many years ago while visiting Langlee community centre in Galashiels. I was there for a meeting and, in the near distance, I could hear shouting and swearing. Like many, I was taken aback, but then I was told, “It is only John,” and that he had Tourette’s. I had heard of it, but I had not encountered it, so that was a first. Not much is widely known about the condition even now, so it is much misunderstood.”