Report to the People
Ambassadors for Greenock
One of the big advantages of having our own Parliament in Scotland is its location. The fact that the Parliament is only a couple of hours away on the M8 or train makes it much easier for people in places like Inverclyde to visit.
Indeed, over the past couple of weeks, a number of local groups have made the trip East.
As you may have seen in the Telegraph or on television, a group of pupils from St. Joseph’s Primary School recently welcomed Tony Blair to Scotland and to the Parliament. It was extremely refreshing to see members of the first generation of Scots who will grow up in the devolved era visiting their Parliament and appearing so at ease. In fact, the Prime Minister was so impressed that the pupils even appeared on Friday night’s Party Conference Broadcast.
Last Thursday, a number of local members of the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children (SPUC) came through to lobby the Parliament. SPUC members had concerns that the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Bill will legalise "back door euthanasia." I was pleased to be able to meet them, discuss their concerns and allay their fears.
The fact we were meeting face to face in the Parliament transformed the meeting. It allowed me to go straight to my office and collect a copy of a statement given by Deputy Minister for Community Care, Iain Gray, to a Parliamentary Committee. The Minister’s categorical assurance was key in underlining my position to the campaigners.
In the coming weeks, a delegation from the Cowdenowes Community Council and a party of students from James Watt College will also be visiting the Parliament.
The group from the College have also arranged a meeting with Deputy Minister for Local Government, Frank McAveety, to cross-examine him on the Executive’s policies – something that would be infinitely more difficult at Westminster.
These people have acted as ambassadors for Greenock and have all brought something to the Parliament. Whether it was the enthusiasm of youth; the community experience of Community Councillors; the hard questions of young, sharp students; or genuine concerns which they feel must be expressed, every single visitor has an impact. This diversity can only make the Parliament stronger.
This quiet work, most of which goes on unnoticed and unreported, underlines the central message of devolution: Both the Parliament and your elected representatives are now much more accessible.
MSPs cannot be remote. Simple geography prevents this. Access to politicians is not a privilege. It is a right – a right which the Scottish Parliament is delivering.
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