Thank goodness I didn’t broadcast my secret sprout soufflé recipe to the entire nation on BBC Scotland, or there’d have been a huge rush and devastating shortage. 🙄 Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas lunch. 🦃

Merry Christmas one and all! 🎄

Whilst it’s nice to be off for a few days to spend time with family, politicians cannot ignore the fact that too many families and children will spend Christmas Day in temporary accommodation or B+Bs. This is a national shame and human tragedy, it needs to be a Scottish Government priority for 2026👇

I’ve been asked why our group in Holyrood backed the Motion of No Confidence in the Justice Secretary today. In 90 seconds 👇 I try to sensibly sum up the problem, and why we came the conclusion that her position was/is untenable. 🎥

I spent many a happy summer afternoon on Bondi in my year in Sydney. For the most part it’s a tolerant inclusive and welcoming city which mixed those of all religions,and none, together. This is a horrific anti-Semitic attack and I feel for those caught up in it. A sad day for the Jewish commmunity

Today’s comprehensive “state of the nation” report into the Scottish economy from the CBI and Fraser of Allander Institute is another stark warning sign that we are lagging behind on so many levels. Be it skills, entrepreneurship or long term sickness, urgent action is needed👀

Would the last Tory in Scotland switch the lights off on the way out…. 🙄 www.bbc.com/news/article...

Today I’ve written to the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament to enquire what measures are being taken to ensure MSPs can’t and won’t become paid mouthpieces for Russia, as it was for Reform’s former Welsh party leader. Moscow’s rhetoric has no place in our politics👇

Rachel Reeves jetted to my home town, Greenock, today to pose for photos with Peel Ports with her chequebook in hand. The cash is helpful sure, but it won’t mask her disasterous budget which hikes taxes and hammers our whisky industry. Next time give me a ring Rachel I’ll show you the real Greenock!

Today is #WorldAIDSDay for many it’s a sad day remembering those lost. 44 Million. It’s a sobering statistic. Nonetheless science and medicine has made leaps and bounds but our work is not done until a vaccine is universally available and everyone who needs treatment gets it. 💊

The SNP’s ferries fiasco has caused chaos for islanders and coastal communities. The Scottish Government must extend the so called “resilience” (compensation) scheme to everyone affected. Back my campaign and let’s put pressure on the gov: Add your name ➡️ www.scotlibdems.org.uk/ferry-compen...

Scotland’s renewables sector has so much potential. Apart from the disasterous seabed sell off on the cheap by the Scottish Government, this “flagship” offshore energy project now has its wheels coming off. I asked the Government for a statement on it all, to which they’ve agreed!

An SNP Scottish Government UNDERSPEND of £1bn last year A £5bn black hole in what it spends versus what it receives Now UK Labour government moots tax rises which obliterate the block grant settlement. Scottish taxpayers deserve better than these two failing governments! @scotlibdems.org.uk

Pleased to launch my Holyrood26 campaign video for Inverclyde! Standing in your home town is a real privilege too. Gives me a chance to shine a much needed light on my local area on the political stage. P.s If you haven’t been to Port Glasgow to see “The Skelpies” get yourself down there soon!

Chuffed to be standing in my home town of Greenock in next years Holyrood election for the @scotlibdems.org.uk I was born and bred in Inverclyde and it’s still home to my family so it means a lot to me to stand here. They do say all politics is local you can’t get more local than your own front door

👀 👇 this!

Fantastic speech from Kemi today, no seriously. It was basically a 20 minute recruitment video for the @libdems.org.uk for moderate, decent former Tories. 😂

Was pleased to host debate in Parliament today about the postcode lottery of early year funding. Lots of parents from right across the country are struggling to access childcare, reducing working hours or borrowing money to pay for it. The govt response was poor to say the least!

Russia. Belarus. The UK? Desperate stuff from the Tories today, aping Reform at every turn. The UK is a proud founding father of the Council of Europe. Putin will be chirping over his coffee this morning watching Kemi queue up to join him and Lukashenko in the wilderness. 🤦‍♂️ #echr

If the Scottish Government wants to see Clyde shipbuilding succeed, maybe it’s time to give the yard some work? Just a thought…… 🙄 #FergusonMarine

As I head home today I am reminded that politics doesn’t need to be divisive; nasty, bitter and hatred filled. I’ve had an absolute blast at my first @libdems.org.uk party conference and I say gently to folk who are scunnered with toxic politics, there is an alternative out there. 🤷‍♂️ come join me!

The suns out The stage is set It’s Party Conference time! #libdemconference

It’s been quite a week. After 4 years of consulting, lobbying, negotiating, listening and debating I was able to get my Victims Bill proposals into law. I was really moved by the response from the many families and survivors I met on this journey, I am hugely grateful to them.

Today the Scottish Parliament will vote on major changes to the Scottish justice system. 15 of my 16 amendments passed yesterday; no mean feat from the opposition benches. So the challenge is; are other parties able to rise to the challenge & support these much needed changes?

I am humbled by the braveness shown by victims of horrific attacks and crimes who asked me to take their causes to Parliament and fight for change to the justice system. Yesterday I moved 16 amendments to the Victims Bill, 15 passed. 1 govt defeat That’s how you get stuff done in politics…👇

This week Holyrood will debate the last stage of the Victims Witnesses and Justice Reform Bill. The majority of my own private “Victims Bill” proposals will be voted on and I hope included in it. It can’t be a day for playing party politics, it’s going to need grown up debate on an important law.

North of the border, @jamiegreeneuk.bsky.social wants Scotland to be better at research and development and is calling for more rights for victims of crime… www.libdemvoice.org/1314-septemb...

Today at #FMQs I asked the First Minister: 1) why £10M had been spent on “settlement agreements” for civil servants leaving their jobs (many under accusations of failure in post), 2) why so many had gagging orders attached them and 3) what else the money might better have been spent on?

I’m meeting stakeholders across Scotland’s ferry network. I popped in to the office of CMAL to hear their views 🎥 I want to hear from you! If you have a view on the future of our lifeline ferries, fill in the survey 👇 and be part of the conversation: www.scotlibdems.org.uk/ferries-cons...

First day back in Holyrood after recess, I had plenty to say but let’s start with the basics: people simply want their Parliament to move on from pointless constitutional grievances and talk about the day to day public’s services they deserve, rely on, and pay for 👀 👇

Happy hump(back) day! 🐋 A suitably cetaceous fact for today: #DYK humpback whales have the largest forelimbs in the animal kingdom, leading to their scientific name 'Megaptera', meaning 'giant winged'. 🧐 #NatureChmpioned by @jamiegreeneuk.bsky.social Learn more: www.scotlink.org/species/hump...

Sharing this important survey that my colleague @jamiegreeneuk.bsky.social is conducting. It's so important that local voices are heard on this issue. Answer it here: shorturl.at/Uo7gf

Should killers who refuse to reveal the location of their victims remains be freed from prison on parole? This has been the subject of much debate recently. Today I’ve written in @TheScotsman about it and how we might change the law fairly and promptly👇 www.scotsman.com/news/opinion...

For too long islanders & coastal communities have been let down. Today I’m launching a public consultation on the long term future of Scotland’s ferry network. We can’t trust Government to deliver so I want to hear from those who know best. Have your say👇 www.scotlibdems.org.uk/ferries-cons...

A busy day discussing my proposals for my Victims Bill reforms that I have been working on for a number of years which will come to Holyrood in Autumn. Including the importance of Suzanne’s Law in the final bill. I met with the Justice Secretary today to seek assurances over it the govts plans

Good luck to everyone performing or working in this years Fringe festival. I know it comes with its challenges every year but a mountain of effort goes into putting on a show. Break many legs! And thanks to Assembly for putting on a fabulous opening Gala!

For some people full time work simply isn’t an option. For others, with the right assistance, diagnoses, training and mental health support there should always be a pathway into employment. The Scottish Government needs to do more to tackle the mental health crisis 👀 👇

The Public Audit Committee, of which I a Deputy Convenor, published its cross-party report into Ferguson Marine. It lays bare a litany of management failures, praises yard workers and calls for a coherent future strategy from Scottish Ministers, lest the yard will be no more.

Had a great meet with Sabir Zazai Chief Executive of the Scottish Refugee Council in Glasgow. We talked about prejudice, integration and New Scot initiatives. Like many communities which are small in number they often attract the most coverage, too often negative @scotrefugeecouncil.bsky.social

Perfectly right and proper to criticise politicians. Perfectly fair to deem them incompetent or inept. That’s part and parcel of the job. But for goodness sake, they (we) are still human beings and often under huge amounts of stress and pressure on a personal level. Be decent. 🤷‍♂️

Seems like my comments on this very subject in Holyrood last week were as timeous as they were accurate. Politics needs to do better than scapegoating marginal and minority communities. Some parties really never learn any lessons from their distasteful attitudes. Language and words matter.

Bonne fête du Canada! #CanadaDay

This week is #ShopKind week. I was pleased to meet with SRC in Parliament to discuss the partnership with @ukhomeoffice.bsky.social and the @britishretail.bsky.social to treat retail workers with respect. Their message clear: Abuse and violence against retail workers cannot be tolerated. Ever!

Pleased the Scottish Government has responded to calls for this. Not a moment too soon. Though it needs to be extended to cover all islands and businesses affected. Including, for example Cumbrae, and those in Ardrossan. news.stv.tv/highlands-is...

Great to see so many veterans, serving members and their families out and about today celebrating #ArmedForcesDay2025 remembering that our armed forces are also peace keepers and humanitarian aid workers across the world in so many conflict zones. 🙏🏻

Today being #ArmedForcesDay I’ve written to the Deputy First Minister to ask if the Scottish Government is fully committed to Scotland’s growing defence sector, what it is doing to attract new business and how will it address skills gaps in the key STEM subjects needed to help it grow

Today I’ve written to the business and tourism minister to ask when businesses affected by the endless ferry chaos on the west coast will be compensated. Traffic and footfall is down, many are struggling to keep their doors open. Promises were made to look at this, yet nothing has happened yet.

For the late night politico geeks, a fantastic win for the @scotlibdems.org.uk in Edinburgh this evening. A massive rise in first preference votes since 2022 🙌

Scottish public sector spend on health, social care and devolved benefits will soar to £150bn over 5 years. That’s more than half of ALL government spend. But where’s the investment in preventative healthcare or in getting people back into work? We all want a healthier, wealthier, happier country.

I see Kemi Badenoch has just called for a purge of the Scottish Tories of those who are not “Conservative” enough. I wonder what her current Tory MSPs, former leader Jackson Carlaw, and current Shadow Health Secretary Sandesh Gulhane, make of her attack. 👇 a blunder she may come to regret…