Scotland's Baby Box has been so successful, parents in England want it too, research from Barnardo's has found.

“Too many people are getting a raw deal. Too many people are struggling to feed their family, heat their homes and keep their children out of poverty. “The more growth we achieve, the more we can tackle unfairness.” www.thetimes.com/uk/scotland/...

Westminster is sleepwalking into an energy crisis and Scotland is left paying the price. Scotland’s energy should be in Scotland’s hands, so we can bring bills down and build a wealthier country. On May 7th, make it #bothvotesSNP for a fresh start with independence and lower energy bills.

In D&G, over 8,500 Baby Boxes have been delivered to parents across our community, free to every single newborn and saving families around £400. That’s a Scottish Government delivering cost of living help, and for our new generations. Don’t let other parties ruin that – vote SNP on May 7th.

Applications are now open via homeheatingadvice.scot for the Scottish Government's Emergency Heating Oil for residents of Dumfries & Galloway and across Scotland. The Scottish Government has more than doubled the support provided by Westminster, bringing the total fund up to £10 million.

Turn the postbox into your ballot box! Applications for postal votes close at 5pm on Tuesday 21st April. Visit www.dumgal.gov.uk for more information.

In our time in office, the SNP Scottish Government has delivered real help to people across Galloway and West Dumfries and throughout Scotland to tackle the Westminster cost of living crisis. Don't put that progress at risk - vote SNP on May 7th.

Delighted to deliver a keynote speech to the Anaerobic Digestion and Bioresources Association yesterday in Edinburgh, highlighting the South's key role in innovating and decarbonising agriculture.

Latest stats from Social Security Scotland show how the Scottish Child Payment is supporting our communities. Over 8,700 children across Dumfries & Galloway are benefitting from the payment, unique to Scotland and independently assessed as tackling child poverty in our society.

I agree with Anas Sarwar.

Over 8,500 Baby Boxes delivered by the Scottish Government in Dumfries & Galloway, and over 6,400 in Scottish Borders - across Scotland that adds up to nearly 370,000 boxes for newborns. We have an SNP Scottish Government delivering for Scotland - let's make sure that continues after May.

Fantastic news!

UK Gov's "local" growth fund is 100% controlled by the Scottish Secretary - in contrast to Wales - and that has meant ZERO funding for Dumfries & Galloway. I think that is appalling, and I've written to the ScotSec asking him to explain why D&G is being let down again.

I’m hugely proud that through the work of the Scottish Government we are helping communities in the global south who would otherwise miss out on basic health, education and social services. The cuts by the UK Government to international aid budgets are absolutely shameful.

Nearly 3.5 million journeys in D&G alone in the last few years since the under-22 bus pass came - better connections for young people and money in the pocket of every family in Scotland. A great success story delivered by the SNP.

I was on BBC Scotland's Debate Night last night, this week coming from Lockerbie. Misinformation on immigration is not only dangerous, it ignores how migration helps our public services and society. Like so much else, Westminster simply isn't working for Scotland.

Today, energy bills increase again across the UK. Deregulation of the electricity and gas sector hasn't worked - and too many of our citizens live in fuel poverty. With independence, we can use our energy wealth to benefit people and bring bills down, rather than throw away our natural resources.

Free eye tests - made free by the SNP - are saving over 2.4 million people across Scotland money every single year – and helping identify sight-threatening conditions earlier, allowing quicker intervention and treatment.

Yesterday, I met with Susi and David from the @autisticsociety.bsky.social in Scotland and picked up their Holyrood election manifesto for 2026. Their ask is that the next Scottish government must introduce the learning disabilities, autism, & neurodivergence Bill to Parliament as soon as possible.

New stats from Social Security Scotland show the difference the Scottish Government Winter Heating Payment has made across the South. In D&G, 13,395 people benefited, while in Scottish Borders 8,100 received a payment. That's a total of £1.26 million directly into bank accounts last winter alone.

A quick reminder of my surgeries tomorrow in Stranraer at the Millennium Centre at 11am and in Wigtown at the Ploughman at 2pm. If you can't make it along you can get in touch with my office - I am always here to help you.

New figures from Public Health Scotland show every adult in D&G saved nearly £330 last year on prescription charges on average as compared to nearly £10 each in England – that’s a total of £41.5 million in household pockets across D&G in 2024 alone.