Monday

I had travelled down yesterday so I could attend a play in London which was adapted for the stage by Gourock resident Davie Carswell and featured actors and technical crew from Inverclyde. Based on the Irvine Welsh sequel to Trainspotting, it was very well received by the London audience and is a great credit to Inverclyde creatives.

I was on the Order Paper for the last topical question to Defence and surprisingly was taken. I pressed the minister to investigate the lack of an award of the Nuclear Veteran’s medal to Ian Bernard. Ian is a local man that served in the RAF and witnessed the nuclear tests on Christmas Island. The minister was very quick to say he would take up the matter. Business collapsed early in the chamber with last votes at 9pm.

Tuesday

My select committee took evidence from the Institute for Government and Reform. Both organisations have concerns over the relationship between the civil service and government, in particular the cabinet office. There needs to be a balance where civil servants can advise ministers on the machinery of government and ministers make policies.

The breakdown was very apparent during Covid when as Patrick Vallance has pointed out that while Boris Johnson said he was guided by the science, he didn’t actually understand the science. And when Matt Hancock said we have been guided by the science, he lied. Maybe most damning is that Rishi Sunak didn’t ask the experts about his ‘eat out to help out’ strategy and it increased cases and deaths. I was assured that the situation was improving but when the bar was set so low, that doesn’t say much.

I waited for the adjournment debate which started early as once again business collapsed. Ironically, the government minister moaned that we were taking time debating about Scotland’s constitutional position when were so many other things to discuss. If that were true the government, who control the order of business, should load up the order paper so we can work until the recognised close of business, but they don’t. It’s almost as if they are incapable of legislating to improve any given situation. I tried in vain to intervene on the minister but he wasn’t for debating, preferring instead to talk down Scotland like so many unionists do. I wanted to ask him what if felt like to have such little faith in the people of Scotland that he doesn’t believe we have the capability to run our own country, just as every other small Northern European independent nation manages to do.

Wednesday

During Prime Minister’s Question time the SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn once again called for a ceasefire in Gaza. While any cessation in the violence is welcome, a temporary halt means a planned resumption of hostilities and a resumption of the massacre of innocent men, women and children. Meanwhile closer to home, when the Prime Minister was pressed by Welsh and Scottish MPs as to why we pay more for our energy than those in London. He had no answer. Scottish renewable energy producers get charged more than English producers to connect to the grid. There is no justification for this. The Chancellor of the Exchequer then delivered his Autumn statement. The headlines will be the reduction in National Insurance but the fact is the limited measures in today's statement won't touch the sides for most households, who have seen their monthly costs go through the roof.

Thursday

As part of my responsibility as an employer, my office team regularly engage with Mind Mosaic Counselling and Therapy. Today we had a round table to enhance the working mindset and ensure a better working environment. In the afternoon I had an interview with academics from Wolverhampton University regarding gambling related harm.

Friday

Today, I was out and about in the constituency holding surgeries at Branchton Community Centre, Gourock Library and in my constituency office in Greenock. My office handles casework every day but it’s always beneficial to me to be face to face with constituents as we work together to resolve issues that are of concern.