My Articles
I want to talk about our schools
Today I want to talk about our schools.
A major international report published last week found that Scotland’s school standards are not as good as we want them to be. I think our kids deserve for us to be upfront about the challenges we face and what we are doing to address them – and that’s exactly what the SNP government is doing.
by Theresa May must scrap cruel and callous tax on child support
Last week we saw a powerful debate in the UK Parliament over the United Nation’s International Day on the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and the launch of my colleague Eilidh Whiteford’s Bill on ratifying the Istanbul Convention. These illustrate all of our desires to move towards a society where both men and women are able to live free from fear and abuse.
by UN Human Rights Day: 5 ways we’ve stood up for rights
Today is United Nations Human Rights Day and this year the campaign is calling on us all to ‘Stand up for Rights’. At Westminster, in the Scottish Parliament and in government, we are committed to protecting and enhancing human rights. Here are just five ways the SNP has stood up for human rights this month.
by Tory plans to close half of Glasgow’s Job Centres: what you need to know
The UK government has announced morally outrageous plans to close half of all Job Centres in Glasgow.
by Our action to raise attainment in our schools
In her first speech to Parliament following her election as First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon said that education would be the defining mission of the new government.
Since then, the Scottish Government has been taking forward our ambitious plans to transform education in Scotland. Here’s how.
by I’m not giving up the fight for a fairer UK sanctions regime
The UK government’s punitive benefit sanctions regime has led to more people going to foodbanks, as well as placing huge amounts of stress on individuals and their families.
by We’re committed to supporting small businesses. Here’s how.
Today is Small Business Saturday, inspired by a campaign to encourage Christmas shoppers to buy from small businesses and support their local economy. In government, the SNP is working hard to support small businesses all year round.
by Creating a fairer Scotland for disabled people
Ahead of UN Disabilities Day on Saturday, Minister for Social Security Jeane Freeman has launched the Scottish Government’s Disability Delivery plan, setting out the actions we will take to reduce inequality experienced by disabled people.
by Small countries can be equals in a partnership of many
Today First Minister Nicola Sturgeon addressed the Seanad, the upper house of the Irish parliament – the first serving head of government to ever do so.
by Those scribbled Brexit notes: what they mean
It’s been over five months since the EU referendum and the Tories are still unable or unwilling to publish a plan for Brexit. The only detail the public now have on their strategy are some scribbled notes, from a Downing Street meeting with senior Tory ministers, that were never meant to be seen. Here’s what those scribbled notes mean.
by Fact check: SNP MPs cost less and work harder than their predecessors
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) have confirmed that data published last week on MP expenses was incorrect.
The incorrect figures, which under-reported the expenses of Scottish Labour and Lib Dem MPs in 2014/15, were used by Scottish Labour to launch an attack on SNP MPs.
by Our Action on Adoption
The SNP want Scotland to be the best place in the world for all children and young people to grow up. When a child or young person can’t live at home, we want to make the process of finding a stable and loving family as quick and simple as possible. Here’s the actions we are taking to make that happen.
by Fact check: the Tories’ £820 million whopper
The Tories are claiming a £820 million Autumn Statement giveaway to Scotland. Here’s what’s really happened to Scotland’s budget under the Tories.
by The true cost of Brexit
Yesterday, the true cost of Brexit – and the UK’s financial and economic future – was revealed by the Chancellor. It is a cost which will be paid through lower growth, lower tax revenues, higher borrowing, higher debt and higher inflation. That is the future the Autumn Statement revealed we are facing as a result of leaving the European Union.
by The Brexit Bombshell Autumn Statement
The Chancellor today set out his first Autumn Statement and laid bare the real cost of Brexit. Here’s what you need to know.
by The Chancellor must use the Autumn Statement to end austerity
On Wednesday the Chancellor will deliver his Autumn Statement – the first UK budget statement since the EU referendum.Here are the SNP Scottish Government’s five key demands for the Chancellor.
by EU referendum: 150 days on
Despite voting overwhelmingly to remain in the EU, Scotland now faces the prospect of a hard Brexit, which would see us taken out of the single market. That’s not what Scotland voted for. While it’s become apparent that the UK government has no plan, and are completely unable or unwilling to set out…
by What we’ve learnt this week about Tory Brexit
It has now been more than five months since the EU referendum and the UK government is still unable and unwilling to set out what Brexit will mean. However, in spite of the UK government’s secrecy on the issue, the potential impact of Brexit became clearer this week. Here’s what we’ve learned about Brexit in just five days.
by We must always cherish values of tolerance, equality and diversity
2016 has been a truly eventful year – perhaps more eventful than any previous year in my lifetime – and it still has a few weeks left to run. On the political front, we had elections to the Scottish Parliament – and I am delighted that the SNP won a third term in office. However,…
by Leaked Brexit memo – what you need to know
A leaked memo from earlier this month, has revealed the UK government still have no plan for Brexit – five months on from the referendum. Scotland voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU but now faces the prospect of being dragged out by a UK government beset by chaos and confusion. That’s not what Scotland…
by Time to end austerity
Nicola Sturgeon today gave a speech on Brexit and the economy at the Sheffield Political Economy Research Institute in the University of Sheffield. Below is the full text – check against delivery.
by I’m with her
I fervently hope that it will be Hillary Clinton who is sworn in as 45th President of the United States in January and who returns to the White House, this time not as First Lady but as America’s first female leader.
by The UK government must respect devolved nations on Brexit
The decision of the High Court to rule that Parliament must be consulted before triggering Article 50 may well go down as a pivotal moment in the journey the UK has embarked upon in the wake of the EU referendum.
by Scottish ‘Turing Law’ an important step forward for LGBTI equality
Since forming the Scottish Government in 2007, the SNP have led the way in making Scotland one of the most LGBTI-friendly nations across the globe. Now the Scottish Government’s announcement that it will bring forward legislation to pardon all gay and bisexual men who were convicted for same-sex sexual activity under past homophobic laws that are no longer on the statute book, is another historic action taken by the SNP government to forward LGBTI equality in Scotland.
by Tory rape clause proposal must be consigned to dustbin of history
The on-going issues surrounding the chaos caused by Brexit are quite rightly dominating the headlines, but one very important announcement from the UK Government last week deserves further attention. That’s the news that their so-called rape clause proposal will be put out to consultation.
by 10 ways that Scotland is a leader on fair pay
While there’s still much to do, the SNP in government has made the promotion of the real Living Wage central to our efforts on fair work, ensuring that work pays and individuals are valued.
by Poverty is not inevitable – we will do all we can to eradicate it
It is unacceptable in a country as prosperous as Scotland that people are still living in poverty and I want to do all that I can to create a fairer, more equal Scotland for everyone. Poverty is not inevitable. And this government is committed to do all we can to eradicate it.
by Scotland must be a full and equal partner in UK negotiations on Europe
The political and economic landscape in the wake of June’s Brexit vote is one that could scarcely have been imagined just a few short months ago. There is no doubt that the responsibility for the considerable uncertainty we now face lies with those who advocated a referendum, but who spent next to no time planning…
by