Happy New Year

I’d like to wish readers of The Gazette, and residents across Renfrewshire, a very Happy New Year.

It’s been great to spend more time here at home in Renfrewshire as the House was in recess for the festive period.

As well as spending Christmas Day with my own family, I had the opportunity to visit “Renfrewshire’s Christmas Day Lunch” and see the true spirit of Christmas for myself.

It is absolutely heart-wrenching that people across Renfrewshire – possibly our friends and our neighbours – were alone, hungry or struggling financially during the festive period.

However, the extraordinary act of kindness of providing food and company to those in need is a remarkable response to the loneliness and hunger that plights are towns and villages.

I would like to reiterate my personal thanks to Jodie Campbell and all of the other volunteers – as well as the local people and organisations who donated – for their generosity.

It is acts of kindness such as this that make me immensely proud of Renfrewshire.

Welfare Surgery

As you may expect, one of the issues that constituents contact me about most often is social security. The problems that my constituents come to me with are wide and varying, and can a significant impact on their day-to-day living.

Because of the seriousness of this issue, I have decided to host a welfare surgery at Renfrew Town Hall on Friday between 11am and 1pm.

I hope that this welfare surgery will identify prevalent problems that people are facing, as well as providing constituents with opportunity to meet myself and a number of local organisations that can offer advice.

If you have a problem with your pension, benefits or tax credits, feel free to come along to the welfare surgery.

St Mirren v. Partick Thistle

Last Friday I had the rare opportunity to get out and watch some football. I joined George Adam, Paisley’s MSP, who is a loyal St Mirren supporter, and Jamie Hepburn, the Minister for Sport, to watch St Mirren take on Partick Thistle.

Although, I must admit, it was disappointing to see the Paisley side lose 2-1 as the full-time whistle blew.

Fiscal Framework

I challenged the Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell to commit to a fair deal for Scotland during a debate last week in the House of Commons.

The sole Tory MP in Scotland ducked and dived our questions on the fiscal framework.

Perhaps this can be explained by the fact that the UK government has not invited Mr Mundell to the negotiations.

Nevertheless, it is crucial that any financial deal that accompanies the Scotland Bill is fair for Scotland – the SNP will not sign off a deal that will make Scotland worse off.

The UK government must now fulfil the no detriment policy.