Alex Cole-Hamilton
Scottish Liberal Democrats · Scotland
“I am sure that all members will join me in expressing solidarity with Scotland’s Muslim community after the brutal and unprovoked attacks on the streets of Edinburgh last weekend. That community’s response to those attacks has not been one of violence or revenge; it has been to make a plea for tolerance and understanding.”
“All told, more than 1,400 inmates have been let out of prison since the early release scheme began, and that is because our prisons are bursting at the seams. However, that is not a strategy and it will not protect the public.”
“Let that sink in, because the language of displacement and othering is the antithesis of the cohesion that Lord Offord speaks about so regularly. Liberals believe in reform—of course we do. The Whig Government in 1832— Amanda Bland: Will the member take an intervention? Alex Cole-Hamilton: I will give way to Amanda Bland.”
“This was an opportunity for Reform to prove everybody wrong and to pepper the chamber this afternoon with speeches that were measured in tone and full of bright ideas to fix the things that are wrong in Scotland. We have heard none of that today.”
“I welcome the minister’s remarks about the Edinburgh attacks. Does he recognise, as do members on these benches, that as well as expressing solidarity with the Muslim community of Scotland, we owe them a debt of gratitude that there was no call for activism and action on the streets of Scotland by the Muslim community?”
“That is why the Government is prioritising an economy with a strength that is felt by people, businesses and communities across Scotland. Scotland is a great place and, collectively, we are making it even greater.”
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“At the same time, the quality of the services that people rely on most is under real pressure, because those services are tied directly to how our economy performs. They include fast access to a general practitioner, a good education for our children, high-quality care for our loved ones, safe streets, reliable transport and well-maintained roads. Without economic growth, local services decline, investment stalls and opportunities dry up. For the Scottish Liberal Democrats, building a stronger economy boils down to the key levers that I referenced in my question—boosting our skills base, reforming planning, tackling the housing crisis and rural development.”
“The First Minister: Does Mr Cole-Hamilton think that the challenge for the SNP Government was made easier or harder by his party’s support, from 2010 to 2015, for the Conservative Government’s austerity policies? Alex Cole-Hamilton: I am grateful for the First Minister’s intervention, but he is talking about what happened 15 years ago. He cannot blame events of 15 years ago for what we are seeing today, which is the mismanagement of and failure to grow the economy. Growing the economy is how we face the issue. The world is changing. Everything that we took for granted now feels uncertain. The free global economy is being replaced by punishing tariffs. Prices are soaring for everyday essentials and the energy and raw materials to build our homes and fuel our economy.”
“I am pleased to speak for the Liberal Democrats on today’s programme for government. I reflect on Willie Rennie’s remarks that the chamber is almost empty. This pre-election giveaway announcement should be currying a lot more favour than it seems to be doing. I have said many times that, before politics, I was a youth worker, and that is why I am here. I worked closely with children who lived in absolute poverty. I saw at first hand the huge impact that deprivation can have on young lives and how it too often defines their futures. The fact that so many children are being born into poverty in 2025 is a national embarrassment. The SNP has had 18 years to get this right, but we are still nowhere. The fundamental way that we get kids out of poverty is by growing Scotland’s economy.”
“The fact that we prioritised housing in order to achieve that record is an indication of our commitment. I am delighted that Mr Cole-Hamilton and his colleagues were able to support us in the £768 million investment in affordable housing that we made in our budget.”
“Ivan McKee, who is the minister with the relevant responsibility, has overseen a programme of planning reform to ensure that we are able to support developments where it is appropriate to do so. I counsel Mr Cole-Hamilton on asking us to make faster progress because, in the same breath, he will press us to ensure that we apply stringent environmental standards to protect the natural environment. On many of the aspects that he has raised, we cannot have it both ways. On Mr Cole-Hamilton’s final point, on housing, as I indicated to Mr Sarwar, the Scottish Government has a record of building more affordable houses per head of population than the Administrations in any other part of the United Kingdom, while also dealing with the consequences of the 14 years of austerity that started under the Conservative and Liberal Government in 2010.”
“Does he accept that, thanks to his Government’s erosion of further education, we are in no position to generate the skills base that we will need if we are to compete in the industries of the future, such as defence, renewables and artificial intelligence? The First Minister: On the first of those questions, on economic performance, I point out that gross domestic product per capita in Scotland has grown by 10.3 per cent since 2007, when this Government came to office, compared with an increase of 6.1 per cent in the United Kingdom. That demonstrates that the Government’s policies have supported and encouraged growth in the economy. We want to do more on planning.”
“The First Minister had barely drawn breath before referencing his ambition to create a vibrant economy. In this world of war and tariffs, heightened urgency and challenges surround that ambition. The First Minister rightly referenced the key levers that are critical to fostering growth, which are: planning reform, skills development, housing, and rural development. He is not wrong, but his record on those issues should give us all pause. Does he accept that, for nearly 20 years, his Government has presided over a planning system that takes years to approve projects that, in other parts of Europe, would receive the green light within weeks? Does he accept, too, that we are not building enough affordable houses, which in turn makes it harder for us to recruit key workers, particularly in remote and rural areas?”
“It seems that the only answers that are available to the bereaved families at the heart of the issue are in the journalism of the Sunday Post. They are getting precious little from Scottish ministers and nothing from inside this chamber. The minister will recall that, on two occasions last year, following a spike in neonatal deaths and adverse neonatal ward events in 2021 and 2022, I asked her to make Government time available to debate those findings. First, she said that she would look at that; secondly, she told me that there were no plans. Will she now, at the third time of asking, make parliamentary time available for consideration of those very concerning events? Jenni Minto: I remember my previous conversations with Alex Cole-Hamilton. I am content to take that away.”
“However, I understand the frustration that communities feel, especially when they are affected by measures without having any say on them. We need to win hearts and minds. I am a massive fan of the idea of low-traffic neighbourhoods. I am really interested in what has happened in the London Borough of Waltham Forest, but I am also interested in the five layers of consultation that were behind that. The City of Edinburgh Council tried to impose a low-traffic neighbourhood on my community of East Craigs during the pandemic without consulting people in the 7,000 homes that would have been affected, which really set back hearts and minds.”
“Too often in Scotland, travelling by car is cheaper and easier than public transport, which is completely the wrong way round. We will not make any progress while that remains the case. We need local bus and rail networks to be fit for purpose and affordable, but the Government has presided over fewer and fewer public transport journeys each consecutive year, particularly in left- behind rural and semi-rural areas where people often have no option other than a car. It is right that we encourage active travel by creating safe, direct walking and cycling routes, which mean that more people feel able to leave their cars at home, whether that is for the school run, daily commute or trip to the shops. It is a win-win for cutting pollution, promoting tourism and improving people’s health.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to speak for the Liberal Democrats in this debate. Liberal Democrats are certainly committed to tackling the climate crisis while building healthier and more connected communities. Those are not mutually exclusive—two things can be true at the same time—and some of our communities, as I alluded to in my intervention on Sue Webber, are not connected in the way that we would like them to be, which is a Government failure. There is no question but that reducing the number of cars on the road cuts carbon emissions, improves air quality and reduces congestion, while making our towns and rural communities safer and more pleasant places to live. At the same time, it is important that public transport and active travel are realistic, accessible alternatives.”
“I move, That the Parliament calls on the Scottish Government to take greater action to support Scotland’s motorists and to cease implementing punitive measures against road users, which have been described as a war on Scotland’s motorists; recognises the importance of motorists to the Scottish economy and connectivity; acknowledges that the Scottish Government has abandoned its plans to reduce car use by 20% by 2030 and welcomes the recent Audit Scotland report that states that the Scottish Ministers had “no costed delivery plan or measurable milestones” to achieve this target; calls on the Scottish Ministers to focus on incentives, rather than penalties, to encourage motorists to change their behaviour as part of an affordable transition; notes that the implementation of low emission zones has hindered businesses and motorists in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee, and calls on ministers to review the effectiveness of low emission zones before any new zones are proposed, or the current ones are expanded, and to reconsider the punitive fines; recognises that road users in Aberdeen have been hindered by the introduction of bus gates, and that motorists across Scotland have been restricted by the expansion of parking charges; urges the Scottish Ministers not to introduce 50 mph speed limits on national speed limit single carriageway roads; recognises that resurfacing, rather than refilling, is the best solution to tackle Scotland’s pothole problem; urges ministers to work more effectively with the Scottish Road Works Commissioner, local authority road works coordinators and utility companies to encourage less inactivity on road work sites and to incentivise finishing works ahead of time; calls for greater action to futureproof Scotland’s EV charger network, and further calls on the Scottish Government to recognise the vital role that motorists play in Scotland.”
“I am an EV user, but charging issues were the biggest barrier when making the choice to get an EV. That is the case for many people, especially those who do not have home charging and who rely on the public charging network. Our charging network has different kilowatt chargers, all with differing fees and differing penalties for overstaying. Those factors are contingent on the decisions that are taken by local authorities. We have lodged a motion that calls on the SNP to finally end the war on motorists. Its anti-car policies are damaging our economy and punishing hard-pressed Scots.”
“When one utility company has finished, it is often only a few weeks, sometimes days, before the next company comes in and digs up exactly the same stretch of road. No wonder it is frustrating for residents and drivers. Ministers must seek ways to discourage inactivity on road works sites and to incentivise finishing road works ahead of time. Finally, we are calling for greater action to future proof Scotland’s electric vehicle charging network. “Just Transition: A Draft Just Transition Plan for Transport in Scotland” acknowledges that increasing EV car ownership alone is not enough. The charging infrastructure must be put in place if more people are to start using EVs. Motorists cannot be expected to shift to EVs without confidence that charging is accessible, affordable and convenient.”
“Scotland’s road network is in a state of steady decline, and motorists are paying the price. Almost 500,000 potholes have been reported to Scottish local authorities since 2021, and Edinburgh has been named as Scotland’s pothole capital, with more potholes that Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow put together. Resurfacing rather than refilling is the best solution to tackle Scotland’s pothole problem. That is obvious when we consider that almost half a billion pounds has been spent on fixing potholes since 2022, yet our roads are still in a terrible condition. That must be backed by a more co- ordinated effort among the Scottish Government, the Office of the Scottish Road Works Commissioner, local authorities and utility companies. Too often, road works sites sit idle, causing needless congestion and frustration.”
“The reality is that the low-emission zones have cost more than £13 million of taxpayers’ money to set up in Scotland but are making a minimal difference to air quality. It is important that ministers review their effectiveness before any new zones are proposed or the current ones are expanded, and we must reconsider the punitive fines. Unbelievably, the SNP has spent three years and £500,000 of taxpayers’ money on its plan to cut national speed limits on single-carriageway roads from 60mph to 50mph, yet there is no clear evidence that a blanket reduction would deliver significant safety benefits. Such a reduction would impact commuters and significantly impact the agriculture, haulage and logistics sectors across Scotland, placing further strain on productivity.”
“We should be encouraging positive change, through investment in electric vehicle infrastructure; incentives for greener choices, including public transport and park and rides; and proper road maintenance that makes driving safer and more efficient, not more difficult. SNP ministers need to show some common sense and focus on incentives rather than penalties to encourage motorists to be part of an affordable transition. The implementation of low-emission zones has hindered businesses, residents and motorists in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee. Fines in Glasgow and Edinburgh are extremely punitive, starting at £60 and doubling with each repeat offence, up to a cap of £480 per day. That places a disproportionate burden on low-income drivers who cannot afford to replace older vehicles.”
“The SNP must stop viewing car drivers as bogeymen and end its war on Scotland’s motorists by moving away from those damaging policies. After all, the SNP scrapped its target to reduce car use by 20 per cent by 2030 after Audit Scotland said that there was no costed delivery plan or clear milestones. That is a stark admission of failure, but one that was entirely foreseeable. The Audit Scotland report confirmed what many of us suspected: that there was no costed delivery plan, no measurable milestones and no realistic understanding of how such a dramatic reduction could be achieved without crippling those who rely on cars daily. What we need is a pragmatic shift in approach—no more fines, zones or restrictions.”
“Alex Cole-Hamilton: Liberal Democrats believe that we should incentivise people to get out of cars and into public transport, but we agree that we need to improve Scotland’s road network, not least to Inverness and the far north, including the A9, the A96 and the A82. I was surprised to see no mention of those main infrastructure projects in the Conservative motion. Is that an omission? Sue Webber: It is not an omission, Mr Cole- Hamilton. The point is about roads across the country generally. We did not want to specify and single out individual roads because we wanted to make the debate relevant to all of Scotland and not just those who rely on some of our rural connectivity. The insidious drip-drip effect of anti-car policies is hampering our economy and connectivity, and punishing Scots who are already hard pressed.”
“Will Sue Webber take an intervention? Sue Webber: If Mr Cole-Hamilton does not mind, I will come to him in a second, once I have got a bit more traction. Despite what the SNP says in its amendment, it is not an exaggeration to describe the situation as a war against motorists. Cars remain the most popular form of transport in Scotland, but hard- working Scots feel that they are increasingly treated as an afterthought. That is what people tell me—this is how they feel—about relentless policies that make their lives harder and more expensive without a feasible alternative being available.”
“After four years of asking, I have finally got the message—I am pretty sure that I know when the Cabinet is next going to meet. Thanks to Jamie Greene’s principled defection to the Liberal Democrats, I need never trouble the First Minister with that question ever again. There is a crisis in teacher training. Over the past three years, the Scottish Government has aimed to recruit and train 750 maths teachers. In reality, it has missed that target by a country mile and has trained only a third of the maths teachers that Scotland needs. What is going wrong?”
“Although Ukrainians are worried about the withdrawal of American support, there is some hope in the fact that they are desperately ramping up their own military capability. The drone factory that Paul and I saw was making 10,000 drones a month. The armed forces will take delivery of 4 million kamikaze drones this year alone.”
“We were advised that, in two months’ time, a centre for survivors of captivity and torture will be opened. Such is the demand for that kind of support for the soldiers who return from Russia as a result of prisoner exchanges. We were grateful to be received by the mayor of Lviv, Andriy Sadovyi, who told us about what wartime city life is like. It is just like life in any other city, only with added complications. They still have to manage the bins and fill the potholes. I ask the 32 local authorities of Scotland, which have struggled with balancing the books for this year’s spend, to imagine having to hypothecate 20 per cent of their budget to weaponry for the eastern front every single year—such is the situation in Lviv. We also visited a drone factory.”
“Still, we are talking about a country and a city that are clinging to normality, and the people there make a really good job of it—until you are given your air raid briefing and realise that it is not a normal city, or until you attend your first 9 am silence and realise that it is not a normal country. At 9 am every morning, across the country, a minute’s silence is observed for those who have died, and who are still dying, on the eastern front. Paul and I observed our 9 am silence in the National Rehabilitation Centre, where we met the heroes of Ukraine. They were veterans of the eastern front who, despite having lost limbs, eyes and a lot of their mental capacity, were still defiant. That beautiful facility is constantly being expanded.”
“They are everywhere, and their beautiful domes of gold punctuate the amazing Ukrainian landscape. However, as you admire the splendour of those houses of God, you are also struck by the freshly dug graves all around them. New graves are everywhere. They are almost always marked by a Ukrainian flag, of course, but also a flag of red and black, which we understand stands for the blood of the Ukrainian defenders seeping into the soil of Ukraine. Although there are new graves around every churchyard, they are as nothing compared with something called the Field of Mars. Before 2022, the Field of Mars was like Princes Street Gardens—it was a picturesque city park in the centre of downtown Lviv. It is now a massive cemetery for the fallen glorious defenders of Ukraine. We were both incredibly struck by that.”
“Arriving in Ukraine, you immediately get a sense of the country that it is and the country that it is striving to be—a country that desperately wants to make its freedom mean something, and to grasp on to some sense of normality. We saw that in a stand of three billboards, which are very close to the Ukrainian border. The first advertises the armed forces of Ukraine’s drone unit training programme, the next advertises watchfulness against Russian disinformation and the third brightly invites you to eat at the local burrito shack. This is a country where there is no rationing or scarcity and where people just want to live a normal life. The other thing that strikes you, as you cross from Poland into western Ukraine, is the abundance of beautiful Orthodox churches.”
“His name is Father Taras, and he is a padre—an army chaplain—on the eastern front. He is a veteran of some 10 years in the armed forces of Ukraine. He never carries a gun. In his eyes and face, you can see a tension between his godly world view and love of Christ and the violence that he sees and has to condone every day. As we approached holy week, I asked him whether he expected wide attendance at his Easter mass. He said, “No, I don’t get a lot of people coming to my services. The men really just want me to hear their confession, because they think that they’re going to die.” Paul and I were there with Mighty Convoy. We had driven 35 hours non-stop overland to deliver five NHS ambulances for immediate use on the front lines by the armed forces of Ukraine.”
“Unlike Stephen Kerr, I welcome the debate. It is right that, from time to time, members reflect on the international context in which we find ourselves. We are not governing in a void or passing policy in a vacuum, so I welcome the First Minister’s remarks and, in particular, the fact that he started with a reflection on the late pontiff. That was right. There is much in the work of Pope Francis that we could fill debates such as today’s with, whether on the plight of migrants or the brutality and ethnic cleansing in our world, in Gaza, parts of China and Sudan. I want to reflect on a recent experience that I shared with Paul Sweeney over the Easter break. In doing so, I will start with the reflections of another holy man—a Greek Orthodox priest, whom Paul and I met in an army base in western Ukraine.”
“I give Alex Cole-Hamilton my assurance that, as we move forward with the implementation of the Supreme Court judgment, we will give very careful consideration to ensuring not just that we are obeying the rule of law in implementing that judgment, but that we are doing so in a sensitive manner and that we are speaking to everyone, regardless of people’s opinions and what community they are part of. It is important that we speak to everyone; but then, once we have spoken to people, our policy, practices and guidance will always be based on the rule of law.”
“He is quite right to talk about the real fear in the trans and non-binary community. People in that community are afraid, and it is important that we all recognise that. In recognising those fears, we also have to follow our work through on the basis of what the judgment means in practice for the trans and non-binary community. How welcome those people feel is not just about what it means in practice but is about how we carry on our debate and discussions on these issues. It is important that we talk about the practicalities and also the perceptions that people will have and will pick up in the way that we carry the debate forward.”
“My party accepts the judgment of the Supreme Court and the legal clarity that it provides, but we also recognise that the trans and non-binary people whom we all represent will be afraid today. They are concerned about what the judgment will mean for them in practice and about what rights and protections the law now provides them with. Given the tone of some of the attendant coverage around the judgment, they will even have questions about how welcome they are in our society. Does the cabinet secretary agree that there is now a job of work for both of our Governments to do with some urgency to provide them with the reassurance and the legal guidance that they need in order to live their lives with acceptance and in dignity? Shirley-Anne Somerville: Alex Cole-Hamilton raises a very important point.”
“Motion agreed to, That the Parliament expresses its deep sadness at the death of Pope Francis; conveys its condolences to all those in the Roman Catholic community in Scotland and beyond; affirms the affection in which His Holiness was held by people across the world, and expresses gratitude for his lifetime of devotion and dedicated public service. The Presiding Officer: I will now allow a short period of suspension until 2.30 pm. 14:22 Meeting suspended. 14:30 On resuming— Topical Question Time Ardrossan Harbour 1.”
“Today, we acknowledge the profound loss that a great many people across Scotland and around the world feel. On the mace before us that rests in our well are inscribed the words that are so familiar to all of us in the chamber: wisdom, integrity, justice and compassion. Each of those words defined the papacy of Pope Francis. As we reflect today, therefore, let us commit to standing up for what is right, caring for others and holding on to the values that Pope Francis sought to embody. May the Lord bless him, may the Lord keep him. The Presiding Officer: The question is, that motion S6M-17250, in the name of John Swinney, on a motion of condolence, be agreed to.”
“He worked to heal the rift that had existed with the Eastern Orthodox Church for more than a thousand years. He worked with Lutherans, Methodists and Anglicans, and persuaded the Israeli and Palestinian presidents to join him to pray for peace. After attacks by Muslim militants, he said that it was not right to identify Islam with violence. At the time, he said: “If I speak of Islamic violence, I have to speak of Catholic violence”, too. He was clearly guided by the prayer of St Francis of Assisi: “where there is hatred, let me sow love”. A great internationalism and concern for the natural environment featured throughout his papacy. He appointed more than 140 cardinals from non-European countries, and he passes on a church that has a more global outlook than it did when he was first elected.”
“He urged his church, instead, to “come out of herself and go to the peripheries”. His vision was a “church of the poor for the poor”. Over the next decade, he put front and centre traditional Franciscan themes, which above all valued humility, compassion and solidarity with the poor. He was determined to favour that humility over grandeur. After greeting the crowds on the day that he was elected, the new Pope shunned the papal limousine and decided instead to share the coach that was taking his brother cardinals home. Throughout his time as Pope, he stayed true to those values of simplicity and became known for it, becoming the first Pope who lived not in the Vatican’s apostolic palace but in the modern block next door, which had been built as a guest house. Pope Francis always sought to foster peace where there had been conflict.”
“I am very grateful to have the opportunity to express on behalf of the Scottish Liberal Democrats our profound sympathy and our sorrow at the passing of the Holy Father. In his words from the balcony of St Peter’s basilica in 2013, on his election, Pope Francis told the packed square below: “You all know that the duty of the conclave was to give a bishop to Rome. It seems that my brother cardinals have come almost to the ends of the earth to get him.” Born, as we have heard, in Buenos Aires, Pope Francis was the first non-European Pope in modern times—there had not been one since the year 741—and he was a radical pontiff. He railed against what he termed the “pathology of power” and those in the church who, he said, “feel themselves ‘lords of the manor’—superior to everyone and everything”.”
“The cabinet secretary acknowledged that only yesterday. Many incidents are also going unreported—”
“Miles Briggs will have heard me asking the First Minister about the issue at First Minister’s question time the week before last, when I mentioned that Scottish Liberal Democrats had revealed research that showed that, incident for incident, we are matching the trajectory of last year’s terrible record-breaking figures on reports of violence in our schools. Liberal Democrats will support Miles Briggs’s amendment. Does he recognise that the situation is not getting any better? Miles Briggs: I absolutely agree with Alex Cole- Hamilton on that. The recent NASUWT survey points to the evidence that he has put on record. The levels of violence in our classrooms and schools are totally unacceptable. There has been a surge in the number of assaults involving dangerous weapons on school campuses. We need to see action from ministers.”
“We know that fixing the broken care system, freeing up hospital capacity and getting people seen faster are essential to Scotland’s economic recovery. That is why we have secured millions of pounds more to tackle long Covid and to get care pathways in place for the tens of thousands of Scots who are suffering from an illness that has limited their ability to work. Liberal Democrats believe in building the foundations of an economy that can thrive for generations to come. That means supporting businesses, investing in people and ensuring that no community is left behind. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to the open debate. 16:57”
“The Scottish Government also has a major role to play in growing Scotland’s economy, but it is failing to grasp the opportunities that lie before us. That includes unlocking the full potential of our renewables sector and ensuring that people get the healthcare that they need to return to work. I remind members of the tens of thousands of Scots who are desperate to go back to work but cannot do so because they do not have a care pathway for the long Covid that they still endure. Right now, people are trapped on waiting lists and are unable to get on with their lives and contribute to the economy. That is why my party fought so hard to secure more funding for key skills programmes in this year’s budget.”
“A straightforward way to strengthen our economy is to repair ties with Europe through a youth mobility scheme that allows Scots to live, work and study across Europe, while welcoming young people here in return. That is a win-win, and I am frustrated that the Labour Government has so far refused to properly act on that. Strengthening our security and economic ties with Europe is more important than ever. The SNP Government has always been very shaky about acknowledging Scotland’s important role in defence, but Liberal Democrats are clear that Scotland makes a vital contribution to the security of the UK and Europe. We should be proud of that contribution, whether it is in our dockyards or in our personnel.”
“The Liberal Democrats have consistently urged the Government to commit to spending 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence, with a clear plan to reach 3 per cent as soon as possible. We are optimistic that that investment will support jobs in Scotland, and it is imperative to our national security and the security of Ukraine. There is still much more to do to rebuild our economic and defence ties with our European allies. We need a new security alliance with Europe. That becomes even more urgent in the light of the unpredictability of the Trump Administration, which we are seeing again today, as the world awaits news of his tariffs—an event in the White House rose garden at 9 pm tonight that businesses are dreading.”
“The Government could have raised the money by listening to the Liberal Democrats and asking the big banks to pay their fair share, reversing the tax cuts that were handed down by the Tories, and asking social media giants to pay more. I am concerned that, in the face of the expected announcement on tariffs, we might see a decreasing amount of digital service tax being retrieved from those big social media giants. Online gambling companies should also be asked to pay their fair share. Instead, ordinary people and small businesses are being squeezed still further. By refusing to scrap the cruel family farm tax, the Government has also made it clear that it does not understand rural communities. I do welcome the Government’s announcement on defence spending, however.”
“It just was not replicated by the SNP Government. Alex Cole-Hamilton: I recognise that certain efforts were made to mitigate the impact, but they are not universal. There will be businesses that go to the wall and GP surgeries that have to shed staff or close their lists as a result. The Liberal Democrats have repeatedly warned of the damage that will be caused by the rise in employer national insurance contributions. We have fought to exempt health and care providers, which are exactly the kind of businesses that I am talking about, from that unfair tax, but the Labour Government is just not listening. It did not have to be that way.”
“In that case, she should have supported businesses by scrapping the planned hike on employer national insurance contributions, which is, in effect, a tax on jobs and employment. Instead, the Government is inflicting yet more pain on small businesses just when they need help the most: rising costs, business closures and economic stagnation—Labour’s choices will only make things worse. That means more boarded-up shops on our high streets, fewer jobs and struggling local economies. The spring statement was also a hammer blow to our general practitioner surgeries, pharmacies and care homes, all of which will see their tax burdens rise. Michael Marra: Does the member recognise that the UK Labour Government put in place a series of reliefs for small businesses on high streets across the UK as a quid pro quo for the national insurance increases?”
“I echo the remarks of the Conservative members at the start of the debate. Leading with a Government statement without intervention or questions and then going straight into a debate is a very odd way of going about the business of the Parliament. I hope that ministers, as well as business managers, will reflect on that. The spring statement was a missed opportunity to deliver the change that communities across Scotland are crying out for. At last year’s general election, the people made their wishes very clear. Their overwhelming rejection of both the Conservative Party and the Scottish National Party was a demand for something better. The chancellor claims to be focused on economic growth.”
“That is so uncommon in the world of politics but, in the final analysis, what else really matters? On behalf of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, I express our sincere condolences to all those who loved Christina and who grieve her loss today. [Applause.] 14:25”
“I was so impressed at the warmth with which she was greeted on a committee trip to Strasbourg by parliamentarians, diplomats and human rights defenders alike. Indeed, the defence of human rights was absolutely central to who Christina was. Presiding Officer, you might recall that she came perilously close to being ejected from the chamber when she wore a Pussy Riot cap in solidarity with the Russian rock band that had been incarcerated for standing up to Putin. I was Christina’s deputy convener on the Equalities and Human Rights Committee for much of the previous parliamentary session, so I got to know her pretty well, and I was always very fond of her. If you were to ask me to summarise Christina’s personality in three words, I would use these: love, light and laughter.”
“Members of Christina’s family and Keith, there are days when this place sits in shadow—in times of national crisis or of political rancour and on days of grief such as today—but there are times when it absolutely shines. More often than not, the spoken contributions of Christina McKelvie lent themselves to the latter occasions. We came from different political traditions, but I recognised the defiant brightness with which she carried herself from our first meeting, long before I entered politics, in my days as a youth worker. I will never forget the giddy joy that she brought to Aberlour’s “Strictly Come Dancing” fundraiser, when, after a chance meeting with Keith Brown on a train, I persuaded them both to enter months of training ahead of that event. Christina was well regarded at home and overseas.”
“There are aspects that he would narrate that I would share. Families are undoubtedly waiting too long for fatal accident inquiries. That is why, in response to the trauma that is associated with delays, I have commissioned an independent review of fatal accident inquiries that is focused on deaths in prison custody. I hope to be in a position to announce the chair very soon. I hope that that demonstrates my commitment to families that are impacted by a death in custody to move this on—and that we will move it on. I appreciate that there are wider issues around fatal accident inquiries, but my focus right now is to deliver better efficiency and better trauma- informed care for families that are impacted by a death in custody.”