Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 16 June 2026 [Draft]
16 Jun 2026 · S7 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Jo Cox’s Death (10th Anniversary)
I thank Jenny Young for taking my intervention, and I want to echo Michael Marra’s comments—it is an exceptional speech. She has drawn attention to how difficult this anniversary is for Jo Cox’s family.
I had the privilege of working very closely with Jo’s sister, Kim Leadbeater, in the previous session of Parliament, and I found her to be someone who exemplified precisely what Jenny Young has been talking about. I not only put on record my thoughts for Kim and the family at this time, but highlight her as an example of how we can tackle difficult issues in a way that does not cut across our need to be humane in how we conduct our politics.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Clare Adamson)
SNP
I ask members leaving the chamber to do so quietly, please.The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S7M-00180, in the name of Jenny...
Jenny Young (Central Scotland and Lothians West) (Lab)
Lab
I thank members from all six parties who added their support to the motion and helped secure tonight’s debate.I want to start by recognising that, first and ...
Michael Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the member for giving way—she is giving a very fine speech and tribute to Jo Cox.Has she been struck, in recent days, by what has been revealed by th...
Jenny Young
Lab
I thank the member for that intervention, and I absolutely agree with him. We all need to be wise to the fact that there are outside influences, and indeed o...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
I thank Jenny Young for taking my intervention, and I want to echo Michael Marra’s comments—it is an exceptional speech. She has drawn attention to how diffi...
Jenny Young
Lab
I thank Liam McArthur for that intervention and pay tribute to him for the way in which, in the previous session, he led the debate on assisted dying. That w...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Clare Adamson)
SNP
I inform the chamber that, understandably, very many members wish to speak in tonight’s debate. I intend to let everyone in, given the number of friends and ...
David Linden (Glasgow Baillieston and Shettleston) (SNP)
SNP
I start by paying tribute to Jenny Young and thanking her for securing this debate. Members’ business motions often talk about celebrating something, but the...
Katherine Sangster (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Jenny Young for securing the debate.I remember hearing the news about Jo’s death as I was driving home from work. At that point, I was not involved i...
Q Manivannan (Edinburgh and Lothians East) (Green)
Green
I thank Jenny Young for lodging the motion and for the chance, on the 10th anniversary of Jo Cox’s death, to allow ourselves a moment of pause. Grief is a dr...
Michelle Campbell (Renfrewshire North and Cardonald) (SNP)
SNP
I thank Jenny Young for bringing this debate to the chamber. It is an immense privilege to have the opportunity to speak to the motion. I refer to my entry i...
Stephen Kerr (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Jenny Young made an outstanding speech. Undoubtedly, she is a rising talent in the Labour Party—and quite rightly so.It is a privilege to be able to particip...
Adam Harley (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (LD)
LD
I am pleased to speak in today’s debate and I thank Jenny Young for bringing it to the chamber. It is a privilege to follow on from some fantastic speeches i...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Clare Adamson)
SNP
Before moving to our next speaker, who will be Patricia Gibson, I am minded to accept a motion without notice, under rule 8.14.3, to extend the debate by up ...
Patricia Gibson (Cunninghame South) (SNP)
SNP
I join others in congratulating Jenny Young on securing this evening’s debate to commemorate the political contribution of Jo Cox and to pay tribute to her l...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Clare Adamson)
SNP
You must conclude.
Patricia Gibson
SNP
Today, we pay tribute to Jo Cox, who is often quoted as saying that there is more that unites us than divides us. Truly, if we could remember that and live w...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Clare Adamson)
SNP
Earlier, I omitted to put the question on the motion to extend the debate, so I will put it now. Do members agree to extend the debate by up to 30 minutes?Mo...
Carol Mochan (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank my colleague Jenny Young for bringing this important and thoughtful debate to the chamber.I did not know Jo Cox, but I was privileged to meet many pe...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I, too, congratulate Jenny Young on bringing the debate to the chamber. I had not originally intended to speak in the debate; I wanted just to sit in and lis...
Julie MacDougall (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Reform)
Reform
I thank Jenny Young for bringing this important motion to the chamber. There have been important, heartfelt and moving contributions in the debate so far.Abo...
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland and Lothians West) (Reform)
Reform
I, too, congratulate Jenny Young on bringing the debate to the Parliament. It is one of the first members’ business debates that we have held in this session...
The Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans (Jamie Hepburn)
SNP
I begin by doing what all members have done and thank Jenny Young for securing the motion for debate in the Parliament, and I congratulate her on her first m...
Jenny Young
Lab
I welcome the member’s comments about the quality of the debate this evening. I put on record my thanks to all members for their very fine contributions, whi...
Jamie Hepburn
SNP
I say to Ms Young that I am pretty sure that every debate that I schedule is designed to do that. It is then over to colleagues to deliver on the rest. Howev...