LAST Tuesday I was proud to be one of the 90 MSPs that voted in favour for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by Hamas, following a debate in the Scottish Parliament.

In closing the debate, the First Minister confirmed he has written to the Prime Minister and Sir Keir Starmer, urging them to immediately take steps to ensure the UK recognises the State of Palestine.

It’s imperative that the UK Government and the international community must use their influence to prevent the further loss of innocent life. Every child the world over deserves to grow old, including the children of Gaza and Israel. It is our moral obligation to act.

Also in parliament last week, the Deputy First Minister responded to the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement saying that it delivered the ‘worst case scenario’ for Scotland’s finances and failed to live up to the challenges posed by the cost of living and climate crises.

The cut to National Insurance shows the UK Government has the wrong priorities at the wrong time, depriving public services of vital funding. Shockingly, the health funding announced represents an increase of less than 0.01 per cent to Scotland’s health budget in 2024-25.

The Scottish Government will now assess the full implications of the statement as it develops a Budget that meets the needs of the people of Scotland, in line with our missions of equality, community and opportunity.