Meeting of the Parliament 16 June 2026 [Draft]
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.
Above all, I pay tribute and my respects to the late Jo Cox. I did not know her personally, but I feel as though I did, having listened to members’ remarks today and having read a lot about the great work that she contributed. On the 10th anniversary of her death, I recognise her dedicated work as a campaigner, activist and humanitarian, and her deep commitment to her community, which comes over loud and clear. I echo what everyone has said about her horrific and tragic death in 2016. I pay respect to her family—my deep thoughts are with them—and to the family of Sir David Amess, who, tragically, also suffered a horrific death.
Jo’s legacy continues through the Jo Cox Foundation. We have heard lots of really good contributions on that. We know that she wanted to build stronger communities and a safe and respectful democracy, while also tackling loneliness. Her lasting message has been mentioned. Jo said that we
“have far more in common than that which divides us.”—[Official Report, House of Commons, 3 June 2015; c 675.]
We can all learn something especially important from that message and apply it to our politics—not just say that we will do it, but do it. Jo campaigned passionately for promoting a kinder and more compassionate politics, with mutual respect. We can bring that to the Scottish Parliament, as a starting point.
Since I was elected, it has been clear to me that there is work to do to make our politics more respectful, civil and courteous. As elected politicians, we have an absolute duty to lead by example. We often speak about honesty, integrity and respect, but our actions do not always reflect those values. That must change.
Each of us brings different perspectives and ideas to our debates. As we have just heard, if we listen with respect and understanding, we can build stronger relationships, work more constructively together and set a better example to our communities. When we have open and honest discussion, we can learn and grow. We might not always agree, but we can put aside our differences and, as we have said, focus on what unites us and our shared hopes, values and aspirations for communities in our country.
As we know from Jo Cox’s death, safety is very important, and it is something that she also spoke about. As we have heard in the debate, words are powerful so we should be mindful of how we use language in order not to jeopardise the safety of others.
Democracy and fairness should always be at the heart of our politics and society. Let us embrace our differences, recognise one another’s strengths and work towards stronger communities in which we all belong and everyone can thrive. Let us honour Jo’s memory and build better politics for us all—politics in which every voice matters and we can build up our bridges. When we come together, anything is possible.