Meeting of the Parliament 05 March 2024
There are many views and the situation is dire. We have to admit that. I want to see progress on a resolution to things and to see a two-state situation in that part of the world. There are attempts to achieve that. Even today, discussions are taking place in other parts of the middle east to try to create a ceasefire, and I look forward to that happening in the future.
Given the Scottish Government’s approach to today’s debate, it seems that it is trying to cloud the picture by arguing that Scotland would be better off on its own. However, we know that the financial broad shoulders of the United Kingdom ensure that we have a stable, responsible and properly managed situation. The Scottish Government’s idea of taking a constructive approach has involved it releasing yet another taxpayer-funded independence brochure. The publication of “An independent Scotland’s place in the world” represents the 11th time in the past two years that the SNP has chosen—scandalously—to waste the time of civil servants and the money of Scottish taxpayers, who are paying for this. It is unbelievable that we are putting all that time, effort and money into something that is hypothetical and that the people of Scotland do not wish to see. [Interruption.]
The paper talks about the importance of “security, wellbeing and prosperity” despite the fact that none of these things has even the slightest thing to do with Scottish independence. [Interruption.] The SNP Government is clearly willing to continue its same old narrative week after week—