Michelle Campbell
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Will the member take an intervention? Kate Nevens: Yes. Michelle Campbell: I apologise for the timing, because Kate Nevens was right in her groove. I want to ask about employment. Does she agree that short sentences can interrupt employment and make a more destabilised environment for that individual?”
“It is important to recognise that there is specific mental health legislation for Scotland—the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, as amended by the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2015—to ensure that those who are deemed to be mentally unwell at the time of their criminality will receive specialist care and treatment in…”
“In my opinion, that is why the work that the Scottish Government is carrying out through the Promise is so important—because it directly supports children and families. We know that the Promise exists to transform how Scotland cares for its children, care-experienced adults and families.”
“I draw attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests: I am a nurse in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. As is outlined in the motion, we recognise the scale and complexity of the current prison population, and we recognise that the design and operational capacity of the estate have caused significant challenges.”
“As we have heard, prisons are expensive, costing more than £52,000 per person per year. If we reduced the prison population by 40 per cent, which the Netherlands has shown us is entirely possible, that would free up £180 million that could be transformative for victims and community safety.”
“However, for offenders where the risk can be reasonably assessed—on a case-by-case basis—as being low or reduced, allowing them to remain connected to support services within an appropriate community setting while remaining accountable for their actions can mitigate against reoffending and could be more beneficial for all in society.”
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“We must invest more not in prisons but in homes, schools, youth work, addiction services, hospitals and community health services as part of a transformative justice approach. Where we stand on the issue depends on what we think the justice system exists to do. As the University of Strathclyde’s Professor Mike Nellis has said, “there is a price to be paid for confusing pragmatic and justifiable responses in the here and now, because they are available, with the longer-term pursuit of a safer society.” If we want a safer society, we need to start collectively reimagining what our justice system looks like and building new systems that centre victims and the prevention of harm. 16:11”
“As we have heard, prisons are expensive, costing more than £52,000 per person per year. If we reduced the prison population by 40 per cent, which the Netherlands has shown us is entirely possible, that would free up £180 million that could be transformative for victims and community safety. We should properly invest in victim support programmes, rape crisis services and shelters that are providing vital support at a time of massive funding cuts. We should also invest in more prevention programmes that support marginalised communities for whom prison sentences are far more likely, such as care-experienced young people, communities that experience high levels of poverty and racialised groups. We must also start to tackle the underlying social and economic inequalities that cause people to end up in prison.”
“We should create a presumption against the imprisonment of pregnant women and women with young children, and expand those alternative, restorative and community options for non-violent crimes. In short, we should be using prisons as a last resort rather than a first response. In the final report of the independent sentencing and penal policy commission, which the Scottish Government set up in 2025, the commission argued that short prison sentences “are not effective at reducing reoffending and often destabilise lives by disrupting housing, employment, treatment and family ties”, and that “Community sentences offer a more effective route to rehabilitation”. We have heard several members talk about the importance of community justice approaches in the debate.”
“Will the member take an intervention? Kate Nevens: Yes. Michelle Campbell: I apologise for the timing, because Kate Nevens was right in her groove. I want to ask about employment. Does she agree that short sentences can interrupt employment and make a more destabilised environment for that individual? That is not good for society at large, either. Kate Nevens: I absolutely agree. We need to do all that we can to help people to rebuild their lives through, for example, employability services, and make it much less likely that they will find themselves in the same position again. We also need to send far fewer people to prison in the first place—we have heard a lot about that in the debate. We should expand presumptions against short sentencing and reduce the use of remand in custody, as Yi-pei Chou Turvey’s amendment makes clear.”
“That investment can support victims while seriously addressing the need to be ambitious about preventing reoffending and supporting offenders with traumatic backgrounds or adverse past experiences, so that they can access consistent and appropriate support. 15:45”
“Restorative justice, which my fellow Campbell, Kate Campbell, already made a point about today, can be an opportunity for increased accountability of the offender while empowering victims and giving them the opportunity to have some closure or, at least, to move forward. Justice must be firm, fair and focused on prevention as well as on punishing those who deserve that. The challenge of the rising prison population cannot be solved by incarceration alone. Continued investment in rehabilitation, the prison estate and community-based justice has a role to play in supporting society and in addressing the root causes of offending.”
“Michelle Campbell: The member is moving ahead. I will be addressing the issue of victims in my speech and will get to that point if he will allow me to go on. To show that we are serious about creating safer communities and reducing reoffending, we must continue to invest in trauma-informed services both inside and outside our prisons. By providing adequate support—including mental health support, work to tackle addiction and help to rebuild lives—to those who are affected by childhood trauma, we can break cycles of both offending and reoffending that can often span generations. Supporting victims must also be a priority, where appropriate, in serving the ends of justice.”
“However, for offenders where the risk can be reasonably assessed—on a case-by-case basis—as being low or reduced, allowing them to remain connected to support services within an appropriate community setting while remaining accountable for their actions can mitigate against reoffending and could be more beneficial for all in society. Stephen Kerr: Given what Michelle Campbell has said in the good speech that she is making, I hope she will agree that the concerns of victims must be at the heart of any of the programmes that she is describing. There is nothing more terrifying for someone who has been a victim of crime than to see the perpetrator back in the community as if nothing has changed, as far as the victim can see. Does she agree that victims must be at the heart and centre of our justice system?”
“In my opinion, that is why the work that the Scottish Government is carrying out through the Promise is so important—because it directly supports children and families. We know that the Promise exists to transform how Scotland cares for its children, care-experienced adults and families. Although we cannot change the past for individuals who are already in the justice system, we must recognise that the appropriate trauma- based support, family interventions and nurturing relationships that the Promise seeks to provide were not available to many who have already offended. We must also recognise that there are bad people who do bad things. For those who commit serious crimes and who pose the highest risk, prison sentences and remaining in prison in the most severe of circumstances can be the most appropriate action and outcome.”
“It is important to recognise that there is specific mental health legislation for Scotland—the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, as amended by the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 2015—to ensure that those who are deemed to be mentally unwell at the time of their criminality will receive specialist care and treatment in our forensic services. That is also not the end of the matter, because we know that many offenders within our prison population have experienced adverse childhood experiences such as neglect, abuse or addiction within the home or are care experienced. The lives that they have lived can have a cumulative impact, and repeat offending and a reliance on institutions can become the norm for some. Vulnerability, if not addressed, can have adverse outcomes for individuals and for all of us in society.”
“Although that support is welcome in dealing with the overpopulation of our prisons, we understand that we must invest further in rehabilitation and in safer communities to ensure that the prison population remains stable. This SNP Scottish Government is also investing around £169 million in community justice services in this financial year. Evidence has shown that community-based sentencing is often more effective than short prison sentences in reducing reoffending and has a wider community benefit while also allowing a proportionate way of addressing the consequences of criminality. During my years as a mental health nurse, I have cared for many individuals who have also been offenders.”
“I draw attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests: I am a nurse in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. As is outlined in the motion, we recognise the scale and complexity of the current prison population, and we recognise that the design and operational capacity of the estate have caused significant challenges. I welcome the contributions that we have heard so far, and I am sure that some of the themes that I speak about will be similar. That is good, because it demonstrates that, across parties, we are having similar thoughts about where the issue needs to go, which is always a good thing. However, I welcome the comments by my colleague David Linden about being bold in order to have the radical changes that we need. The SNP Government is investing £1 billion in Scotland’s prisons in this financial year.”
“Let us honour the legacy of electrical engineering in the country and integrate a modern nuclear baseload with our renewable wealth, which would unleash the industrial might of our shipbuilding capacity. We could secure an industrial future and provide clean, reliable power for generations to come. 18:25”
“Just this month, Rolls-Royce SMR secured a landmark multibillion contract to build three nuclear reactors in Sweden, following its selection by GB Energy as the preferred technology partner. Let us consider the huge scale of that untapped potential on our doorstep; we also have the capacity to build the heavy-pressure vessel fabrication and advanced modular assemblies that are needed for those reactors at the Rosyth and Govan shipyards. If the Government dropped the ideological ban, there could be opportunities for export across the entire continent. Instead of merely exporting electricity, we could be supporting the engineering. The ambition is written into our history. We can see it across Scotland. It is time to abandon the sunk-cost fallacy, which keeps the Government tethered to outdated dogma.”
“I believe in the United Kingdom’s own Rolls-Royce small modular reactor technology, which is available today. Those reactors are roughly one third of the size of the current fleet and offer a revolutionary path forward to have more flexible load-following baseload capacity. We can repower the existing advanced gas-cooled reactor sites at Hunterston and Torness by capitalising on their established grid connections and vital cooling water infrastructure. Those SMRs are built in factories, modularly assembled and transported to sites, which drastically reduces the crippling construction delays that have plagued megaprojects such as Hinkley Point C. That is not a hypothetical future. A European nuclear race is already under way, and Scotland is currently watching from the sidelines.”
“The refusal to consider a small modular reactor at Grangemouth to power the complex, for example, left our petrochemical industry vulnerable to soaring energy costs. The fallout of that extends far beyond energy- intensive industrial sectors such as Grangemouth; it hits communities in Ayrshire and East Lothian, where the high-quality, well-paid jobs provided by Hunterston and Torness are under threat. When we turn our backs on the nuclear sector, we tell our brightest science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates, engineers, physicists and technicians that their future lies not here but overseas or south of the border; we bleed the very talent that we desperately need to build the clean industries of tomorrow. The solution does not lie in overengineered and, frankly, obsolete designs of the past.”
“Will the member take an intervention? Paul Sweeney: Yes. Michelle Campbell: I point to my entry in the register of members’ interests as a serving councillor on Renfrewshire Council. The Scottish councils committee on radioactive substances engaged fully with the cross-party group on the civil nuclear industry, which, funnily enough, the Conservatives chaired. It mentioned the importance of investing in highly skilled jobs in decommissioning of the sector, which remains to be a focus. Does the member agree that that is important? Paul Sweeney: Absolutely. Inevitably, existing nuclear reactors will have to be decommissioned. That is an important part of the sector. However, we need to look at how to succeed in generating capacity in Scotland.”
“The full fiscal levers of Scottish independence are required for long-term planning and actions that would allow Scotland to flourish. If Reform truly wanted to support growth, it would support Scottish independence. 16:18”
“Progressive taxation is the fairest approach to supporting growth and investment for the future of public services. It allows for our national performance framework to have focus in sustainable development and in the reforms that are required to achieve that. Delivering on the agenda of a wellbeing economy is a shift change in our values as a society and, fiscally, promotes growth through resilience and stability. When it comes to economic growth, macroeconomic levers—such as interest rates, trade and immigration—are reserved matters. It is a falsehood for Reform to paint a picture of “SNP bad”. The SNP is mitigating the issues and best protecting our nation despite the constrictions of the current governance arrangements. Ultimately, the Westminster system holds Scotland back.”
“Our power, strength and growth are empowered by humanity, not just traditional economic drivers. In the past few days, we have been reminded that,10 years ago, Scotland was dragged out of the EU against our will. Sixty-two per cent of our population who voted wanted to remain. Our vote was ignored and our requests for mitigations have been continually undermined and dismissed. When it comes to gross domestic product, there was a cut to public revenue of 2.5 per cent—£2.3 billion. That is not the action of a union of equals, and it is a restriction on our growth as a nation. Despite that, the SNP Government is promoting Scotland as the destination of choice for international investment, and it often outperforms all other areas outwith London.”
“It takes time and requires focus and strong leadership—which we have under our First Minister, John Swinney. Global conflicts impact not just our safety and security but our economy. However, sadly, the greatest cost of conflict is to the lives of those who are closest to the wars. In some dire circumstances, death is seen as peace, due to the inhumane torture that is inflicted. Gender-based violence is wielded as a weapon. Regardless of how much we have learned from past conflicts, the motivation of man and those with the deepest pockets and selfish endeavours cost us all the highest price—in human lives. Scotland will never sit quietly on the sidelines of injustice. Our international relationships and investments are for the betterment of our society and Scotland on an international platform.”
“That is what shapes debate and progresses the direction of decision making and the public duty that we have all been elected to serve. The SNP has been in Government for 19 years in Scotland. The electorate chose to return the SNP as the biggest party in the Parliament. That was acknowledged and recognised only a few weeks ago in the SNP being returned to Government, without objection, in our democratic processes and with mutual respect and cross- party agreement in the chamber. The political landscape has been volatile. The impacts of living through and recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic have been significant. We must recognise the cost in lives and wellbeing and to our society and economy. We could not have predicted the extent of that impact. As much as we all want to move on, that is not how recovery works.”
“Its own lack of understanding of good governance and parliamentary due processes sells the public an illusion that it cares for people in our communities who are finding it tough, when in fact all that it cares about is its multimillionaire funders and tax cuts for the highest earners, none of which best serves the people of Scotland. Reform would have our NHS decimated and in the hands of the highest private sector bidders without any hesitation. Rather than pontificating and using inflammatory words, as has been pointed out by several members, Reform should consider what it stands for. It is weak on policy. It seems to think that it has everything wrapped in a bow in five policy areas and a couple of paragraphs. I may not agree with some of the policies and directions of the other parties, but at least they have them.”
“That is a simple concept that needs to be digested right now. At this time, it is also important that we recognise that our care industry relies on people having caring competencies. Not just anyone can do care work, and we should not be so disregarding of people who are doing such essential jobs. If we have people—highly skilled individuals—who we can entrust with the care of our vulnerable people, we should invest our time in that. We need to recognise the impact that Brexit has had in that regard. It has been devastating, because we had many people from across Europe who would do that job. We cannot recognise some parts of the issue and not recognise others. Reform demonstrates nothing but contempt, disregard and ignorance towards this Parliament.”
“I draw members’ attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which states that I am a nurse in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and am an elected member of Renfrewshire Council. I have agreed with many of the points that have been made by members, particularly those on this side of the chamber, which will come as no surprise. In particular, I associate myself strongly with the point that Willie Rennie made when he talked about his visit to a care home. It is important that we recognise that the issue that he identified is not just a fundamental issue now. Back in the 1960s, it was bus drivers that were needed. My papa came to the country and became a bus driver, because that is where we had a deficit at that time. Naebody wanted to do the job, we needed people to do the job, and we had people who were willing to do the work.”
“Does the Scottish Government consider joint campuses to be a viable option for local authorities to maximise that investment? Màiri McAllan: Local authorities will make estate decisions in consultation with communities to ensure that solutions for campuses reflect local priorities and deliver the best outcomes for learners. However, it is worth noting that our learning estate investment programme already includes examples of integration and inclusion across age groups, denominational and non- denominational schools, learners with additional support needs and community users. Examples include the Dunfermline learning campus, the Faifley community campus, the Neilston primary school campus, the Tain three-to-18 campus and the Wallyford learning campus. Care Leaver Payment (Kinship Care) 7.”
“We are also developing a business case for a successor to our £2 billion learning estate investment programme, advice on which will come to ministers for consideration later this year. That work builds on real progress. Our latest school estate statistics show that 92 per cent of school buildings are now in a “good” or “satisfactory” condition. As well as being a record high, that represents a significant improvement on the figure of 62.7 per cent in 2007, which was the position that we inherited when we took office in 2007. Michelle Campbell: In my constituency of Renfrewshire North and Cardonald, the positive investment of the learning estate investment programme is essential in supporting local authorities in delivering modern and sustainable school buildings.”
“I draw members’ attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests: I am a serving councillor on Renfrewshire Council. To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to future phases of the learning estate investment programme to support local authorities in delivering modern and sustainable school buildings. (S7O-00121) The Cabinet Secretary for Education, Culture and Gaelic (Màiri McAllan): Although local authorities have the statutory duty for managing and maintaining the school estate, the Scottish Government is working closely with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, local authorities and the Scottish Futures Trust to drive further improvements.”
“That causes problems not only for women and girls but for everybody, although I appreciate that women and girls have a different factor that they need to take on board every time that they make those journeys. I welcome the Scottish Government’s focus on affordable bus fares, and I look forward to seeing the benefits of the cap in the communities that I represent in Uddingston and Bellshill and, indeed, all across Scotland. 16:25”
“Will the member take an intervention? Steven Bonnar: Yes, of course. Michelle Campbell: I find the member’s whole- picture perspective very refreshing. When it comes to violence against women and girls, this is an opportunity for us to empower women. Many women—including many in the chamber, I am sure—walk holding a key in their pocket when they cannot get public transport. That is part of the reason why I sometimes choose to travel by car. Does the member see the opportunity that these measures present to empower women and girls? Steven Bonnar: I whole-heartedly agree with Ms Campbell. The constituency that I represent contains small towns and villages in which, after 6 o’clock in the evening, people find it difficult to get a service to take them home.”
“By showing compassion, gratitude and consideration in our delivery, we can create a culture that enables our society at large to have pride in our national Parliament. That is something that we should all strive for. 18:11”
“It is all very well to have resources like the participation and communities team, who will go out into our communities and actively engage with people, but the way that we conduct ourselves here is the foundation for that effort. I really want us to reflect on that today. It is not just about being mindful of what we say here; it is also about the overall impact that that will have. Where we have influence, there is also consequence. The issue is to do with how the words that we utter can be interpreted. I ask members to be mindful of that when they are making points in this chamber and outside it. It is important that we foster a culture of integrity, mutual respect and reflection on our own conduct and that we think about how our conduct will be seen by those around us.”
“At that time, people in my life who are not that political were, all of a sudden, really engaged in and enthused by politics and talked about their opinions in a really respectful way, and that respect was reciprocal. There was no thrashiness about those conversations, even though people felt very passionately on both sides or were very confused in the middle of it all. That says a lot about the way that discussions were held in the previous session. When people have disengaged from politics and do not turn out to vote, the question is, how can we bring people back together? This is how we do it— through the way that we conduct ourselves and open up those conversations.”
“Being part of a democratic system in which I am able to speak openly and am trusted to represent my communities is something that I will never take for granted. I am lucky in that I have been able to give back to society in a way that enables me to say thank you for those opportunities and for the safety that was granted to me and my family. However, there is an onus on us all with regard to how we conduct ourselves in this chamber and outside it. The freedom to express ourselves and the right to speak freely come with responsibilities. One of the most impressive moments in the previous parliamentary session was the way in which members conducted themselves in the debates around the right to die.”
“At the count at which I was elected, the first people who came bouncing up to me and gave me a hug were Labour councillors. I have known those people for a long time and have a lot of personal respect for them. People gift us this opportunity to represent them, and the political make-up of representatives is bound to change as society changes and things influence us. However, the opportunity that we have in that democratic society should never be underestimated. In that regard, I think of my family’s personal journey. I am the proud daughter and granddaughter of refugees who had to flee Idi Amin’s dictatorship. They came here with one suitcase and one family photograph. Those are the things that genuinely matter and that people take for granted.”
“I thank Jenny Young for bringing this debate to the chamber. It is an immense privilege to have the opportunity to speak to the motion. I refer to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which notes my roles in the national health service and as a member of Renfrewshire Council. I have reflected a lot on the issue that we are discussing. I do not want to simply read out a written speech, as there have been many eloquent speakers who are far better at doing the written speeches thing than I am. However, I will say that, yesterday, while I was walking my dog, who does not walk far nowadays, I was thinking about the collaborative working that I have done over my 20 years in the NHS and nine years as a councillor in a minority administration. I had a lot of respect for fellow councillors across the parties.”
“The UK Labour Government must compensate the sector for its damaging national insurance hikes. I want these organisations to get the financial security of mainstream multiyear funding so that they can continue to evolve, support people and tackle inequalities. I fully support the Scottish Government’s plans to strengthen our third sector. 16:39”
“The rises in national insurance that Labour introduced, which a few other members have mentioned, are estimated to cost charities here £75 million a year. Like SNP MSPs, Labour MSPs should demand that the UK Labour Government fully compensate the third sector over that highly destructive policy. In addition to aiming for financial security for the third sector, the Scottish Government will develop an agreement with it. The third sector partnership, which is backed by SCVO, will strengthen the third sector’s voice, secure its future and, ultimately, improve people’s lives. Having worked in several charities before I was elected, I have seen the benefits that third sector organisations bring both to Scotland and to my home town of East Kilbride. I commend the essential role that the third sector plays in supporting people and communities.”
“I point to my entry in the register of members’ interests, in that I am an NHS nurse. The member said that the third sector is essential. Does she agree that it plays a dovetailing role and saves money in the long term, and so investment in it is crucial? Collette Stevenson: I whole-heartedly agree. It is all about prevention. One big ask from the committee’s engagement was for multiyear funding, and I am delighted with the SNP Government’s commitments on that. As has been mentioned, a fairer funding pilot is already under way. That has given multiyear funding certainty to a number of charities and is the first step in mainstreaming multiyear funding agreements more widely across the third sector. However, as happens in many cases, the positive steps that are being taken in Scotland are being stymied by Westminster.”
“Recently, I authored the justice section of the Conservative manifesto, which I am pleased to say is full of solutions. Kate Nevens: Will the member give way? Liam Kerr: I am not sure that I will be given the time.”
“There is no way that reducing visible local policing deters such behaviour. Policies such as releasing criminals after they have served a third of their sentences, bringing in a presumption against short-term sentences and against jailing under- 25s, all while cutting community action, amount to a criminals’ charter. Then we come to the issue of the under-22 bus passes. The Government gave them to people but failed to include a mechanism to take them away if someone is guilty of antisocial behaviour. I said that I would mention Kate Nevens’s speech, because the point that she made about the brutal cuts that have been inflicted on communities and community services by this Government was well made. They really have not helped. I am always keen to help.”
“The antisocial behaviour that we are talking about in Aberdeen is not confined to Union Street. Twice in the past three months, the Nigg Bay golf club has been torn apart by e-bikes, at a cost of about £4,000. Shoplifting, which Colin Beattie mentioned, has become the clearest symbol of everyday disorder. The Scottish Retail Consortium has said that it has been effectively decriminalised. Antisocial behaviour is a real problem, and I thought that Colin Beattie raised the issue well. It was also brave of him to raise the issue, given that we have had 20 years of a Scottish National Party Government that has failed to address it and has, rather, created conditions that are arguably conducive to antisocial behaviour. There is no analysis under which having 1,000 fewer police officers will reduce antisocial behaviour.”
“The member has brought up an important point, which I was going to mention later with regard to Kate Nevens’s speech. Yes, there is antisocial behaviour, and I will continue to talk about that issue and some of the solutions to the problem that we set out in our manifesto, but I think that there are also an awful lot of structural and systemic issues going on here. Certainly, when I held the justice portfolio for my party in the previous session, I was keen to work on a cross-party basis with Katy Clark and Angela Constance, the then Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, to make sure that we recognised all the systemic issues that contribute to criminality generally and to antisocial behaviour in particular. I welcome the member’s point, and I think that it was well made.”
“I appreciate the member’s points, and all of us can associate ourselves with some of the experiences that he has been good enough to raise. However, does he agree that, if we take away the issue of the age demographics, there are some systemic issues that also need to be addressed and that there are more cultural aspects to the issue? Scotland’s relationship with violence in general has shifted over the decades, but there are still other aspects to consider, including gender-based violence, and the impact of the culture on young men in particular. We have to have legislation to support women and girls, but the fact that gender-based violence still exists remains an issue culturally. Does the member agree that we need to do more for young men and boys to ensure that the issue is brought under control? Liam Kerr: Yes, I agree with that.”
“I would simply emphasise that she raises important points that are relevant both to the two colleges that she mentioned, which are either in her constituency or serve her constituents, and to SRUC, which was raised in the previous question. Our college sector is crucial to our future, communities, economy and the success of our country. On Tuesday, I was at a conference with stakeholders, including college principals and Colleges Scotland. There is a real determination in the sector to look forward and to think about how we build the sector to meet our skills need and to help people achieve in their lives. I hope that the whole chamber will work constructively with me to help deliver that. The Presiding Officer: I will take a supplementary question from”
“First and foremost, I thank the minister for his dedication to this area. I am glad to see him return as the minister. The sustainability of Scotland’s college sector is vital in strengthening our skilled workforce and supporting our young people into positive destinations. I have Glasgow Clyde College in my constituency, and West College Scotland in the neighbouring constituency of Paisley also serves my constituents. Will the minister advise how the Scottish Government is engaging with key stakeholders to ensure that colleges across Scotland remain an accessible pathway? The Presiding Officer: That is a little bit off the main question. Minister, do you wish to respond? Ben Macpherson: I thank Michelle Campbell for her kind words, and I welcome her to the chamber.”
“Work is well under way in preparation for Glasgow’s first walk-in clinic opening. Can the Scottish Government offer an update on when that wonderful resource for the good people of Cardonald will be open? Angela Constance: I expect the Glasgow site to open later this month. I very much appreciate the health board’s hard work to get the services up and running. I am sure that Michelle Campbell will join me in welcoming the opening of the sites and thanking our hard-working national health service staff for delivering them.”
“This Parliament is at its best when it works together for a confident, fair and ambitious Scotland. That is the Scotland that I believe in, that is the Scotland that I will fight for and that is the Scotland that we can build with independence. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I call Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill, who is making their first speech. 15:37”
“We see it in the way that Scotland’s mandate is treated as optional, our resources as theirs to spend and our consent as irrelevant. Let me be clear: it is not the SNP or the wider yes movement that fuels division and hate. Scotland sees the reality of the union that is on offer and, more than ever, Scotland is saying, “No more”: no more suffering from decisions made by a Government that we did not choose, no more having our Parliament’s hands tied behind its back, and no more being made to feel lesser in our own nation. Scotland deserves better. Scotland is better. There is only one answer that makes sense, and that is the full autonomous decision making of Scottish independence. The people of Scotland have returned the largest pro-independence majority that this Parliament has ever seen. That mandate is clear.”
“Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the European Union, yet we were taken out of it anyway. Our voice was not just ignored; it was dismissed. When Scotland’s Parliament, which is elected by the people of Scotland, sought the democratic right to hold a second independence referendum, that request was blocked. It was not debated or negotiated; it was blocked. If a union is truly voluntary, the people within it must have the right to choose. If that right is withheld, it is not a voluntary union at all. We see that contempt in the refusal to work constructively with a Scottish Government that has been elected time and again by the people of Scotland. We see it in the sneers and the inflammatory language such as “separatists”—a term that is used to belittle legitimate democratic aspirations.”