Monday

BACK at Westminster and ironically my first two meetings are zoom meetings with folk in Inverclyde.

First it was my office meeting to cover case work and then it was with Councillor Stephen McCabe, Inverclyde Council Chief Executive Louise Long and Stuart McMillan MSP. We discussed the path forward to try and obtain the best possible outcome for the employees of BT/EE who are currently based in Greenock.

Last week, the Speaker offered the SNP an SO24 which is an emergency debate. He did this because he overreached himself while handling the SNP opposition day debate on a ceasefire in Gaza. Today he withdrew that offer.

His disdain for the democratically elected Members of Parliament from the SNP is palpable.

After that, business in the House was very slow and based around Northern Ireland, therefore, I didn’t take part and instead busied myself in preparation for the Westminster Hall debate later on Financial Risk Checks for gambling.

This was a petitions debate which came about because a petition got more than 100,000 signatures and so the Petitions Committee put forward the debate.

It should have been better than it was because rather than focus on the proposed affordability checks and their ability to help prevent gambling related harm, it turned into two-and-a-half hours of MPs with racecourses trying to talk up the horse racing industry, which is absolute nonsense as it’s the area of gambling which is least affected by the proposals.

But the Jockey Club raised the petition and promoted it through the Racing Post. There is a lot of nonsense talked about affordability checks. Hopefully we covered a few.

Tuesday

MY select committee took evidence from Sir Alex Chisholm, Chief Operating Officer of the Civil Service. It was focused on the work of the cabinet office but as he is leaving, and it was his last appearance in front of the committee, we pushed the boundaries a wee bit.

You don’t get to his level in the civil service without knowing when to speak and what to say. It was like an episode of Yes Minister and Sir Alex wasn’t for saying anything other than toeing the line.

Stuart McMillan MSP, Councillor Liz Robertson and I met up with senior managers of RBS/Nat West following the announcement of jobs losses in Greenock. We sought assurances that this was not a steady decline. And as far as they could, they reassured us.

The nature of banking is changing and many more people are working from home. These two factors make it very hard to predict the future. In the evening the SNP group got together as we do for a full and frank discussion on a range of subjects.

Wednesday

I DROPPED into the event in Westminster Hall to support those affected by contaminated blood.

It’s a scandal that has been running for decades now and the campaigners were there to demand that the UK Government acts on compensation for those infected and affected by then contaminated blood scandal.

There was a delegation from Sweden in the viewer’s gallery at Prime Minister’s Questions. What must they have thought of the name calling, baying and jeering?

Westminster likes to call itself the mother of all parliaments. Well, it’s kids are behaving appallingly and the nanny has no control over them.

The only time there was any respect was when Stephen Flynn pointed out that 30,000 people had died, 70,000 were injured, 1.5 million are sheltering in Rafa, 300,000 are living in feral conditions in Northern Gaza and 100 hostages are still held by Hamas and so he asked the Prime Minister to use the UK Government vote at the UN to vote for a ceasefire.

On the last three occasions they have abstained. He didn’t get an answer. A strong PM would have said yes.

I attended an event about the technology that can be used to slow down or block people from gambling and was told in no uncertain terms that one of the major problems is kids buying loot boxes and skins while gaming and that Mastercard and the like won’t intervene as they can on gambling sites.

These kids are being groomed as the next generation of gamblers.

Thursday

STARTED the day delivering newsletters and talking to folk in the Gibshill area. Managed to stay dry, which was a bonus.

Then I visited HMP Greenock to discuss a range of topics but primarily how transgender issues are addressed. It would be really good if people who make the laws about such things engaged with those that have to live with the consequences.

Currently HMP do a great job and have done regarding this issue for decades.

I viewed the council budget meeting from afar. I get mentioned a lot by Labour councillors at these events but I have no right to reply. In the end the Labour councillors, supported by two of the Independents, Councillor McVey and Provost McKenzie voted to impose an 8.2% rise on the council tax this year and 6% next year.

The alternative budget from the SNP group was to accept the money from the Scottish Government, which would be added to the baselines every year going forward and have a zero rise this year.

But reading the room and seeing that they would be outvoted, they withdrew that and backed the extremely sensible amendment from Councillor Quinn to delay the decision until all the numbers are confirmed, which is after the UK budget on March 6.

But amidst the Labour Party petulance and their disregard for the opportunity of creating a consensus, this amendment was defeated.

The Conservative and Unionists, just like their UK Government counterparts at the UN abstained.

Friday

I attended the jobs fair organised by the Wise Group in the Beacon Arts Centre and then visited Port Glasgow Railway Station with Stuart McMillan MSP to see the latest improvements.

My lunch hour was given up to my radio show on Clyde Coast Radio, and I finished my week in my Greenock office with my hardworking staff.