George Adam
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“The spirit of hope, optimism and belief has always been part of Scotland’s heart and Scotland’s story, which is why the motion feels so out of place in our chamber. Where Scotland sees hope, Reform sees grievance. Where Scotland sees opportunity, Reform sees division.”
“The tartan army have travelled in numbers, as they always do, and they have shown the world exactly what Scotland is all about. Scotland is good humoured, looks for friendship and shows respect to others and their culture—and is a wee bit gallus.”
“By the end, it reads like the ramblings of a very angry man sitting on his own in the corner of the pub, complaining about immigrants, about net zero, about equality, about young people and about Scotland—and eventually falling out with absolutely everyone else in the pub.”
“It is Nigel Farage—the same Nigel Farage who promised prosperity and delivered labour shortages, higher costs, barriers to trade and years of economic uncertainty— Malcolm Offord: Will the member take an intervention? George Adam:—and now he is back, demanding that Scotland trusts him again.”
“What Scotland needs is confidence in ourselves—confidence to build our communities and confidence in our ability to build a fair economy that works for everyone. We need confidence that our future is not bound up in the bitterness and division offered by Reform UK.”
“George Adam: His lordship’s argument is that it is slightly better than it is for somebody else next door. That is complete and utter nonsense. Presiding Officer, I used to be in the motor industry—if someone sold you a second-hand car that immediately burst into flames, you would not turn up and ask for a second one, would you?”
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“Will the member take an intervention? Amanda Lindsay: No. I am sorry, but I am going to make progress. George Adam: Martin Luther King would have taken an intervention.”
“What Scotland needs is confidence in ourselves—confidence to build our communities and confidence in our ability to build a fair economy that works for everyone. We need confidence that our future is not bound up in the bitterness and division offered by Reform UK. When I look at Reform UK, I do not see a vision for Scotland’s future; I see a party that is permanently angry at the modern world, which mistakes outrage for policy and volume for wisdom, and which seems determined to fight yesterday’s arguments while Scotland is building for tomorrow. I will continue to believe that Scotland’s future lies not in fear, division and blame but in fairness, opportunity, love and hope. That is the Scotland that I know and it will certainly long outlast Reform UK. 16:02”
“In Paisley, as in every part of Scotland, we know that: our NHS knows it, our care sector knows it and our businesses know it. The only people who seem to be confused about all of that are those in Reform UK. While Reform talks Scotland down, I prefer to look at what Scotland has achieved: free prescriptions, the Scottish child payment, investment in childcare, action on child poverty and a health service protected from the privatisation agenda that those in Reform all want. Things are not perfect—of course they are not. No Government would ever claim that things were perfect. However, the answer to every challenge is not to point the finger at the nearest migrant, environmental policy or minority group. That is not leadership; it is political laziness.”
“George Adam: His lordship’s argument is that it is slightly better than it is for somebody else next door. That is complete and utter nonsense. Presiding Officer, I used to be in the motor industry—if someone sold you a second-hand car that immediately burst into flames, you would not turn up and ask for a second one, would you? You would not trust them, and yet Reform expects Scotland to do exactly that. The reality is that Scotland’s future has never been built on division; it has been built on community and solidarity and, yes, it has been built by people who came here from elsewhere and made Scotland their home. The SNP amendment, rightly, recognises the enormous contribution that migrants make to our economy, our public services and our communities.”
“It is Nigel Farage—the same Nigel Farage who promised prosperity and delivered labour shortages, higher costs, barriers to trade and years of economic uncertainty— Malcolm Offord: Will the member take an intervention? George Adam:—and now he is back, demanding that Scotland trusts him again. Talking of trust, I ask Mr Offord: is he going to say anything that the people of Scotland can trust? Malcolm Offord: Does the member recognise the inconvenient truth of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development numbers that say that, in the 10 years since the UK left the European Union, growth in the UK was 13 per cent? That is not very good—in the USA, it was 26 per cent. However in France, it was 12 per cent; in Italy, 10 per cent; and in Germany, 6.4 per cent. What has been said is a fiction.”
“Reform members would have us believe that they are the outsiders, the anti-establishment rebels and the voice of ordinary people, but let us consider who has produced the motion. It is millionaires lecturing working-class communities about hardship. The architects of Brexit are now turning up to explain why the economy is not working—you couldn’t make it up. That takes a level of brass neck that would make some people in Westminster blush. Let us be honest: the biggest act of economic self-harm in modern British history was not net zero, low-emission zones or devolution; it was Brexit. Who is standing front and centre, waving the flags and making the promises?”
“By the end, it reads like the ramblings of a very angry man sitting on his own in the corner of the pub, complaining about immigrants, about net zero, about equality, about young people and about Scotland—and eventually falling out with absolutely everyone else in the pub. It is less an economic strategy or a political vision; it is more “Last orders, please.” That is the problem with Reform. For all the noise, shouting and social media outrage, what is being offered here? Division, grievance and a constant search for somebody else to blame. The motion refers to growth, but it spends most of its time talking about migrants, gender issues and culture wars. It is as if somebody started writing an economic plan and, halfway through, they decided to go on to Twitter and saw what the latest ramblings were there.”
“The spirit of hope, optimism and belief has always been part of Scotland’s heart and Scotland’s story, which is why the motion feels so out of place in our chamber. Where Scotland sees hope, Reform sees grievance. Where Scotland sees opportunity, Reform sees division. Where Scotland sees people coming together, Reform sees somebody else to blame. I have to confess that, when I first read the motion, I wondered whether it had been written in various stages during a very long night in the pub. We know the type of motion. At first, it sounds reasonable enough: there is a discussion about economic growth, which is fair enough—we can all agree that we want a stronger economy that is good for jobs and opportunities for our young people. Then, however, paragraph by paragraph—or pint by pint—it becomes something else entirely.”
“He said: “If my mind can conceive it and my heart can believe it, then I can achieve it.” That is what hope does. Hope is not a weakness; hope drives people forward. It is what makes Scotland fans believe that Scotland can beat Brazil, it is what makes communities believe that they can build better futures, and it is what makes nations believe that they can achieve more than others tell them is possible. It is hope that makes us want to win. It is hope that makes us want to overcome obstacles in front of us. It is hope that makes communities pull together, families support one another and nations strive for something better. Most of all, it is hope that makes us want to build a better future and become better people.”
“The tartan army have travelled in numbers, as they always do, and they have shown the world exactly what Scotland is all about. Scotland is good humoured, looks for friendship and shows respect to others and their culture—and is a wee bit gallus. With a determination to enjoy themselves while making friends wherever they go, the tartan army have been fantastic ambassadors for our country. They remind people that Scotland is a confident, generous and welcoming nation—a nation that is comfortable in its own skin and happy to open its arms to others. In a world where too many seek to divide people, the tartan army have once again shown the very best of who we are. Tonight, Scotland face five-time world champions Brazil. People often say, “It’s the hope that kills you.” The sporting legend Muhammad Ali put it differently.”
“It is my intention to stay as positive as I possibly can during the debate. I have seen people I have worked with on a cross-party basis—people I have respected for years—get extremely angry about some of the language that has been used in here. I feel their pain. It is easy for us to get to that stage. The people sitting on the other side of the chamber do not seem to see that. They do not seem to understand that their words actually mean something in the real world. Before I turn to the motion, which Malcolm Offord did not actually do, I want to say something about Scotland today—the Scotland that I know. Today, in the United States, thousands of our citizens have once again shown what Scotland is all about, and they are doing our country proud.”
“If Ofcom will not stand up for Scottish broadcasting, this Parliament must do so and make its voice heard. 19:03”
“The people of Scotland are not asking for special treatment; they are asking for fair treatment. They ask for their communities to be seen and heard, because those stories matter. That is why this decision matters. I say to STV, remember where your strength came from. It came from serving communities throughout Scotland, not from reducing them to an afterthought. I say to Ofcom, start doing your job. Stop congratulating yourself on managing decline and start doing the job that the UK Parliament created you to do. A regulator that watches regional broadcasting shrink, local journalism weaken and media ownership become concentrated is not protecting public service broadcasting; it is presiding over disaster. Scotland and our communities deserve better than that.”
“However, the threat is even bigger than that— anybody in broadcasting will tell you that. Tastes are changing and broadcasting is changing, and there is a centralisation of international groups of broadcasting companies. Recently, we have had Sky taken over by Comcast, which is a multibillion- pound American organisation. Sky in turn is going to do a £1.6 billion takeover of ITV. The bizarre situation that we could be in is that that is small potatoes compared with everything that could happen. We could be talking about the fact that, all of a sudden, £100 million for STV would not seem difficult for a company of that size. We would not be talking about the STV news at 6pm being a problem—we would be talking about whether STV would provide news for us at all. I will finish on a simple point.”
“The real issue, which everybody has brought up, is the fact that Ofcom is the bad guy in this scenario. If STV had used the system to its advantage in relation to Ofcom, it would know that Ofcom is a toothless tiger. Ofcom exists to regulate, to protect public service broadcasting and to protect plurality—if I can even say it. Yet, every time Scottish broadcasting is weakened, Ofcom appears to wave it through, and that is the problem. Every time this issue comes up, Ofcom waves it through and says that there is another reason for it. Its job is not to talk about the sustainability of a company, although that is extremely important. STV has a proud role and history. It is proud of its regional roots and of knowing where it came from and what is important, but it will lose that because of this situation.”
“There are more radio stations than ever before, but there seems to be more of the same content and less opportunity for young Scots to make their way in their careers as presenters, engineers and all those other vital jobs. George Adam: Stephen Kerr is correct. The first independent radio station outwith London in the 1970s was Radio Clyde. That was the first time that people could go and ply their trade as a Scottish person in an independent radio station, and other stations ended up coming from that. We have more radio stations than ever, but our problem is that they are owned by centralised networks, in effect. It is brave and challenging at best for STV to start a radio station in a market that we are constantly told is overcrowded for advertising and everything else.”
“That is why the issue is important. It is not just about STV North and the STV North news programme. There will be an effect on me and my constituents, because a centralised news programme will have less time for Paisley and greater Paisley. Sport and news from the whole of Scotland will end up being crammed into half an hour. That will not work, and it will cause problems as people will not hear their voices and their stories. Why does that matter? Stephen Kerr: George Adam makes good points about the importance of these media outlets in relation to career opportunity, talent development and all the rest of it. The reality is—I am sure he will talk a bit more about this, because I know that he is a passionate believer, as I am, in the medium of radio—that we see that in radio as well, where there is a consolidation of ownership.”
“I thank my friend and colleague Jack Middleton for bringing this important debate to the chamber. I will carry on with the love-a-thon that seems to be going on among members from across the parties. Liam Kerr and Jack Middleton are correct that this is not a party-political issue. In the previous session, on the Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee, Stephen Kerr and I regularly disagreed on the time of the day and what day of the week it was, but we agreed on this issue when we had a discussion on it. We have lost our voices in Scottish broadcasting. Who will be the voices of the future in Scotland? Where will people go to learn their trade as broadcasters if organisations cut back on independent radio and TV? There is nowhere for those who want a career in broadcasting to go, other than the old trip down south.”
“For too long, there has been a certain arrogance. Our previous convener was a bit highly strung, but he called out some of the arrogance of many of the principals of those institutions. We need to get beyond that and we must work with them because the universities are an important part of our economic life in Scotland, and they are important to the education of our younger people and people going back into education. They can change lives in many ways, but they need to work with us. We must get to a stage where we make sure that such a situation cannot happen again. One person had too much power and that led to another couple of people coming with him. Such situations cannot be allowed to continue to happen. 16:59”
“George Adam: I could talk about the University of the West of Scotland, which I do regularly, but I am running out of time quickly. That university has managed to balance the books and make sure that it can deliver what it wants to deliver for people, particularly in my constituency of Paisley. As previous speakers have said, universities are not only about academic achievement but are a key part of our communities. UWS is a major contributor to the community in Paisley and is extremely important to us, and not only from a jobs point of view. It is also going down the route of trying to spin out small businesses from the university in order to move forward. That is the future. The situation at Dundee university has shown us that we perhaps need to look at governance, so that such a situation cannot happen in a university again.”
“A perfect example is the programme whereby the university created an artificial intelligence drug company that was spun out into the real world to make some money. We all keep talking about how universities need to continue to do such things. The university got £40 million in the pay-off from the sale of its shares, but that was not ring fenced to improve the university in any way. That £40 million is an example of money that could have been used for the university to prosper and move forward. Meghan Gallacher: We are talking about the University of Dundee, but I also referenced Forth Valley College, where alarm bells are ringing. We need to look at the funding model, otherwise the college will be in a precarious situation, not in a couple of years’ time but in as soon as a couple of months’ time, by the looks of it.”
“He referred to people no longer having the opportunity to come into the country and go to university. The university kept recruiting people all the time, which became part of its financial downfall. Willie Rennie: I largely accept what Mr Adam says, but does he accept my point that although the situation at Dundee university is unique, these issues affect many other institutions, which is why we need reform of the funding system as a whole? George Adam: There are many challenges and problems with universities trying to balance the books while delivering what they have to do. That has been an ongoing issue, but never to this extent. Mr Rennie and I heard about Dundee university’s Exscientia windfall.”
“It is ironic that one of the key issues for the university is that what it had just collapsed. On top of that, there was a lack of leadership and trust. Those who had been involved in that process appeared at the education committee in the previous parliamentary session. We had a rather highly strung convener at the time, who constantly took around half an hour to ask questions, but Mr Rennie and I managed to get some questions in, and we were shocked by the level of incompetence from those people. Nobody seemed to know what went wrong or when and how it went wrong. Dundee university is not an inevitable sector squeeze story—it was a Dundee university problem that meant that Dundee university ended up in a situation where there was absolutely nowhere for it to go. David Barratt made a valid point in his intervention earlier.”
“I will try not to use all 30 minutes, Presiding Officer. I thank Maggie Chapman for bringing this important debate to the chamber. I have been on the education committee in its various guises for most of the time that I have been a member. It is a bit like Al Pacino in “The Godfather Part III”—I keep trying to get out, but they keep dragging me back in again. I have seen everything. We all seem to agree that the biggest problem at Dundee university was the lack of leadership and governance. Presiding Officer, I think that you were on the Education and Skills Committee with me when Parliament passed the Higher Education Governance (Scotland) Act 2016. We pushed for transparency and scrutiny but were told by the university that bodies such as the unions could not be involved in the university court.”
“Will the member take an intervention? Craig Hoy: I will not. I want to make progress. It was not only the council that stepped in. Small providers such as Houstons and other operators stepped in—[Interruption.]”
“Liam Kerr: Would the member confirm that, while he was a member of, and got his start in politics with, the Conservative party, he unequivocally backed Conservative party policy? Duncan Massey: I did not, and that is, of course, one of the main reasons that I left. Let us move on to another area: let us talk about Europe. In this place, it seems to be a matter of faith that a failing, declining European Union is somehow a great place to be. I highlight that, over the period since Brexit, Britain has had higher gross domestic product—”
“Renewables are a welcome part of the mix, but the more accurate Office for National Statistics figures show that we are simply not getting the jobs to replace the industries that are being shut down. We have talked about North Sea oil and gas, which is one of our great industries that has driven so much engineering excellence. It is being crushed by deliberate policy choices, whether it be the Scottish National Party’s presumption against oil and gas; the Scottish Government’s continuing refusal to unambiguously back new projects or new drilling; or the energy price levy, which was introduced by the Tories, increased by Labour and supported by virtually every party in the chamber, apart from Reform.”
“Despite some of the rhetoric that we have heard about our energy system, we currently have a struggling system that delivers through an ever-more fragile grid and is dependent on huge subsidies from the UK Government. It is driving some of the highest energy costs in the world, especially industrial energy prices, which are hurting consumers and businesses across the board. Most obviously, we are deindustrialising at a rapid rate. I was encouraged by the fact that we have heard Grangemouth refinery and Mossmorran mentioned. The Alexander Dennis bus factory in Falkirk has also closed down, because we have made most energy-intensive businesses simply unviable in Scotland. Those problems are caused not by gas price spikes but by net zero policies, in particular very expensive subsidised intermittent renewables.”
“Even any thoughts of controlling the benefits bill are totally forbidden— Craig Hoy: Will the member take an intervention on that specific point? Duncan Massey: Sure. Craig Hoy: Independent analysts have shown that the Scottish child payment is resulting in people choosing not to take on extra shifts, giving up work entirely or turning down pay rises. Would the member, therefore, join me in imposing a two- child benefit on the Scottish child payment? Duncan Massey: I will not be drawn on specific policies, but the whole benefit system obviously needs reviewed, and that is going to be a key point for the Government. Another reason for the lack of growth is the high cost of our energy.”
“Will the member take an intervention on that point? Duncan Massey: Yes, I will. George Adam: Surely, to use the member’s metaphor that the biggest purchase that an individual will make will be their Government, we could say that, every five years, we get a chance to make that choice in an election. The SNP has just won an overwhelming victory in the election, so the member is talking complete and utter nonsense, is he not? Duncan Massey: I am not sure that it was overwhelming, and I am not sure that it was a vote on the tax system of Scotland. Anyway, we heard last week, thanks to the Mandelson files, that the Labour Government mainly sits around asking, “Who can we tax in order to pay benefits to others?” If anything, this place seems to embrace that approach, but on steroids.”
“Therefore, let us have confidence in ourselves again, let us believe in what Scotland can become, and let us build a future that is worthy of our children and grandchildren—a future in which communities such as mine in Paisley are not left behind and are not a statistic in some report, but are right at the heart of a fairer, wealthier and independent Scotland. Just imagine what that future could be like. 15:49”
“Through the highs and hardships, our people have always looked after one another. That spirit and the belief in fairness, dignity and opportunity are the very best of Scotland. I believe that independence gives us the chance to build a country that reflects those values fully. It would not be a perfect country overnight—nobody is pretending that it would be—but it would be a country with the powers to choose its own direction, fix its own problems and unlock its own enormous potential. Ultimately, it comes down to democracy. The people of Scotland have repeatedly elected pro- independence majorities to this Parliament. The principle should be simple—Scotland’s future should be decided by the people who live in Scotland. No democracy should stop at the border.”
“Do we want them to inherit the chaos of Westminster politics, the endless cycle of austerity and division, with Governments that they do not elect making decisions against Scotland’s interests? Alternatively, do we want them to inherit a country that is confident enough to stand on its own feet, a country that believes in itself and one where decisions are made here by the people who live and work here? Independence is not about turning our backs on anyone; it is about taking responsibility for ourselves. It is about building a Scotland where prosperity is shared, where public services are protected and where opportunity is not determined by people’s postcode or background. In communities such as mine in Paisley, that matters deeply. Paisley has always been a town built on resilience, hard work and community spirit.”
“Countries across Europe that are the same size as Scotland or smaller are already doing it. Nations such as Denmark, Norway, Ireland and Finland are wealthier, fairer and more equal because they have the power to shape their own future. I refuse to believe that the people of Scotland are somehow less capable than the people in those countries. We have everything that we need to succeed. When I speak about independence, I speak about hope, because politics without hope means absolutely nothing. I think about my own family. I think about children growing up in Paisley today, running through parks, going to our schools and dreaming about their future, about the world that they could be part of and how they can change the world. I ask myself what kind of country we want to hand to them.”
“We have introduced free prescriptions, expanded childcare, protected university tuition, introduced a Scottish child payment and helped to drive down child poverty. Those are not accidents; they are Scottish choices and Scottish priorities with Scottish values. Just imagine what we could do with the full powers of independence. Imagine an energy-rich country where no pensioner fears putting the heating on. Imagine an economy that is designed around Scotland’s needs, not Westminster’s political games. Imagine migration policies that are built to support our NHS and care services instead of damaging them. Imagine being back in Europe, looking outward again and giving opportunities back to our young people. As John Lennon said, “You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” All of that is not fantasy.”
“The people who pay the price for all of that are communities such as mine in Paisley. We were told that Brexit would strengthen the economy, but instead it damaged businesses, pushed up prices and made life harder for ordinary families. Scotland rejected Brexit but got Brexit anyway. We were told that austerity was necessary, but communities such as mine saw cuts to services, pressures on families and rising inequality. All the while, Scotland remains one of the wealthiest countries in Europe. It is rich in energy, talent and innovation, yet too many people are struggling to get by. That cannot be right. That is why I believe strongly that the people who live in Scotland are best placed to make decisions for Scotland. Where this Parliament has had the powers, we have used them to make different choices.”
“It is about communities such as mine in Paisley and about the future that we leave for our children and, for those of us of a certain vintage, our grandchildren. When I think about independence, I do not first talk about flags, slogans or headlines. I think about the people I grew up with in Paisley, the families that I represent now, the pensioners who are worried about heating bills, the parents who are trying to stretch every pound to the end of the week and the young people who are wondering whether they will ever get the opportunities that their parents had. That is what this debate is really about. For too long, decisions about Scotland have been made somewhere else, by Governments that Scotland did not vote for and that pursue priorities that Scotland did not choose.”
“That is one of the things that I have always tried to focus on in representing the people of Paisley. However, unfortunately, although the Opposition parties said last week that they would be a wee bit more positive, they have found themselves right back in the same place that they were in before we all left, as if they have not learned any lessons from the absolute kicking that they got at the election. The negativity oozes out of them during debates such as this one. They do not tell us their plans, their ideas or what the benefit is of staying in the union. It is just constant negativity and the same old tired arguments that we have heard time and again. For me, this is not some abstract debate or constitutional argument. It is about people and families.”
“Thank you, Presiding Officer. It is not often that I hear something like that when I rise to speak in the chamber. Listening to the first speeches from members across the parties as one of the—I was going to say, “older”—more experienced members of the Parliament, I hope that we can maintain their tone as we move forward and have important discussions such as this debate today. I am glad to be back as Paisley’s MSP. Someone has already won the Paisley bingo in their speech. However, I feel reinvigorated to do the good work that we have to do, because of the many conversations that I have had with people in Paisley. We spend so much time in the Parliament that we sometimes get sucked into its world and forget that there is a real world out there with real people, real problems and real issues.”
“I, George Adam, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me”
“If we are serious about improving health, strengthening our communities and building a fairer Scotland, investing in sport is not optional but essential, because sport does not only change lives; it can transform them. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I sincerely thank members for their co-operation in more or less sticking to their agreed speaking slots. We have been able to hear from everybody. I have made a list with the clerk—I think that 14 sports have been covered thus far—and we are still to hear from the minister. No pressure, minister. 10:51”
“I want to talk about Brian Whittle directly. As a wee boy, I did not know him as a politician; I knew him as an athlete. I watched him compete for Scotland with real pride—pride that I knew came from him. He was an outstanding Scottish Olympian, and he can still get from the chamber to the canteen more quickly than I can. I might not agree with him politically—he is a Tory, after all— but I recognise and respect his contribution to sport in this country. That is the point of the debate. Sport cuts across divides, breaks down barriers of class, colour, religion and background, and it brings people together in a shared passion. In a world that often feels divided, that really matters.”
“However, sport is where people find their pals and, as James Dornan said, where they find their confidence. For many people, it is where they find themselves. It builds resilience, because people lose more often than they win—let us be honest: as a St Mirren fan, I learned that lesson a long time ago. Sport also builds character and teaches discipline. It gives young people a sense of purpose and direction, and that matters now more than ever. Sometimes, sport can save people. It creates healthy lifestyles. It is not always about elite sport; it is also about friends playing five-a- side once a week, thinking that they are Maradona or Messi. In communities across Paisley, local clubs and volunteers are doing extraordinary work every day. They do not always get the headlines, but they deserve our support.”
“The first time that I spoke to Brian Whittle was when he first came into the Parliament. We were having one of those team photographs on the garden lobby stairs. I approached him and said, “You know, Mr Whittle, my father is currently turning in his grave because one of his sporting heroes is a Tory.” However, I felt duty bound to speak in this debate because Brian Whittle has spoken in many of our debates on sport, and I thank him for bringing this debate to the chamber. Sport can change lives in so many ways. When I was growing up in Paisley, sport was not always about elite pathways or podiums—it was about belonging. I have always known that I am not good enough to play centre-half for St Mirren, although I got a better call-up to represent our town here in the Parliament as Paisley’s MSP.”
“I love you, too. [Laughter.] Gordon MacDonald: George Adam deliberately put me off before I started. Sorry. Constituents in the semi-rural areas of my constituency of Edinburgh Pentlands have expressed concerns that the expansion of suburban developments in rural villages is placing increasing pressure on transport links, school and general practitioner capacity, and the preservation of remaining green-belt land and rural character. What assurances can the First Minister provide that planning policy fully recognises and addresses the distinct needs of semi-rural communities such as those in Edinburgh Pentlands?”
“Music really is the soundtrack of our lives—the songs that we hear before the memories we carry, the people we love, the lives we build and the moments that shape us. Stacey says, “Smile though your heart is aching.” That is how so many people live their lives: with courage, resilience and love for the people around them. Every life—no matter how rich its soundtrack is—eventually reaches its final chapter. When that moment comes, the question before us today is simple: should those final notes be written only by illness and suffering, or should compassion, dignity and choice have a voice as well? If music truly is the soundtrack of our lives, the final note should be written with compassion and by the person themselves. 19:10”
“The question is whether compassion has a place during the final bars of life’s soundtrack. We cannot control every note, but we can decide whether the final notes are shaped with humanity, dignity and choice. I agree with those who tell me that we need better palliative care. My mum, Elizabeth, spent the last few days of her life in the Accord hospice in Paisley. Two days before she died, Stacey and I spent a whole Saturday afternoon creating a playlist, which included songs by the Beatles, Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline and Willie Nelson. My mum liked two types of music: country and western. We had a great day, but a week later I was carrying her coffin down the aisle of Woodside crematorium to “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” and her personal anthem, “Stand By Your Man”. When I hear that music, I remember that sunny day.”
“However, Stacey also says that, if the worst should ever come to her—if she was ever facing unbearable suffering at the end of life—she would want a choice. There is another song that means the world to me: “No Matter What” by Boyzone. Please do not judge me. I played that to my daughter, Jessica, when she was wee. It was my way of telling her to be true to herself, to grow up into her own woman and to know that, no matter what, she would always be loved. That is what it all comes down to for me. My wife and my daughter are two of the most important people in my life. We all have these stories—every one of us—but all stories inevitably reach their final chapter. For many, the end comes with peace and comfort. For others, it comes with profound suffering, a loss of independence and a loss of dignity.”
“The melody was written by the brilliantly creative but flawed genius Charlie Chaplin, and the lyrics were added later and made famous by Nat King Cole. The lyrics say: “Smile though your heart is aching”. In many ways, that has become her anthem. Stacey lives with MS, high blood pressure, asthma and osteoporosis. MS itself will not kill her, but it makes her more vulnerable to other illnesses that could come later, and yet she smiles. She smiles because we have each other, because we have our children, James and Jessica, and because we have our four wonderful grandchildren, who are soon to be joined by a fifth. She gets through the hard times because she has so much to live for. When Stacey talks about that song, she is not talking about the end of life; she is talking about living it—every day that she possibly can.”
“Music takes us to the moments in our lives that shaped us. When I hear “All I Ask of You” from “The Phantom of the Opera”, I see Stacey walking down the aisle on the day we got married, looking gorgeous. When I hear “God Only Knows” by the Beach Boys, the opening bars melt my heart, and I am thankful that Stacey is part of my life. I have become the man I am because of her. As members know—I said this during the stage 1 debate—Stacey lives with multiple sclerosis. Like many people who live with long-term conditions, she carries it with remarkable strength, even if life is not always quite as rosy as she sometimes leads us all to believe it is. There is a song that means a lot to Stacey: “Smile”.”