Meeting of the Parliament 16 June 2026 [Draft]
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 in the register of members’ interests, which notes my roles in the national health service and as a member of Renfrewshire Council.
I have reflected a lot on the issue that we are discussing. I do not want to simply read out a written speech, as there have been many eloquent speakers who are far better at doing the written speeches thing than I am. However, I will say that, yesterday, while I was walking my dog, who does not walk far nowadays, I was thinking about the collaborative working that I have done over my 20 years in the NHS and nine years as a councillor in a minority administration. I had a lot of respect for fellow councillors across the parties. At the count at which I was elected, the first people who came bouncing up to me and gave me a hug were Labour councillors. I have known those people for a long time and have a lot of personal respect for them.
People gift us this opportunity to represent them, and the political make-up of representatives is bound to change as society changes and things influence us. However, the opportunity that we have in that democratic society should never be underestimated. In that regard, I think of my family’s personal journey. I am the proud daughter and granddaughter of refugees who had to flee Idi Amin’s dictatorship. They came here with one suitcase and one family photograph. Those are the things that genuinely matter and that people take for granted. Being part of a democratic system in which I am able to speak openly and am trusted to represent my communities is something that I will never take for granted. I am lucky in that I have been able to give back to society in a way that enables me to say thank you for those opportunities and for the safety that was granted to me and my family.
However, there is an onus on us all with regard to how we conduct ourselves in this chamber and outside it. The freedom to express ourselves and the right to speak freely come with responsibilities. One of the most impressive moments in the previous parliamentary session was the way in which members conducted themselves in the debates around the right to die. At that time, people in my life who are not that political were, all of a sudden, really engaged in and enthused by politics and talked about their opinions in a really respectful way, and that respect was reciprocal. There was no thrashiness about those conversations, even though people felt very passionately on both sides or were very confused in the middle of it all. That says a lot about the way that discussions were held in the previous session.
When people have disengaged from politics and do not turn out to vote, the question is, how can we bring people back together? This is how we do it—through the way that we conduct ourselves and open up those conversations. It is all very well to have resources like the participation and communities team, who will go out into our communities and actively engage with people, but the way that we conduct ourselves here is the foundation for that effort.
I really want us to reflect on that today. It is not just about being mindful of what we say here; it is also about the overall impact that that will have. Where we have influence, there is also consequence. The issue is to do with how the words that we utter can be interpreted. I ask members to be mindful of that when they are making points in this chamber and outside it. It is important that we foster a culture of integrity, mutual respect and reflection on our own conduct and that we think about how our conduct will be seen by those around us. By showing compassion, gratitude and consideration in our delivery, we can create a culture that enables our society at large to have pride in our national Parliament. That is something that we should all strive for.