Meeting of the Parliament 03 February 2026 [Draft]
I welcome that intervention from the cabinet secretary, and I agree. I am glad that we are having this discussion in the chamber today, where we are able to talk about it openly, and it will of course form part of the Official Report.
I again welcome the approach that the cabinet secretary has taken, and also the way in which we have discussed other ideas, such as extending our approach to cover different types of memorials and the review that he confirmed to me in a letter dated 26 January.
Although I remain absolutely committed to protecting war memorials and tackling the harm that is caused by desecration incidents, the Desecration of War Memorials (Scotland) Bill as drafted is not the most effective solution. Given the limited time that is left in this parliamentary session, and mindful that progressing the bill would require significant amendments, which have not been consulted on, I do not believe that it is right to push the bill to a vote today at stage 1. I do not want Parliament to be divided on what I believe is an important issue, especially when we are divided not necessarily on the principle but on the piece of proposed legislation that is before us.
I would much rather work with all parties to achieve the desired outcome. That is what our armed forces and veterans groups would expect from us, and I am keen to gather that consensus. I believe that, if the Scottish Government is true to its word and looks to legislate in this area—or if a Government of a different make-up chooses to legislate in this area—we could do something positive to reduce the number of attacks on our war memorials.
I will conclude by speaking directly to the armed forces and veterans groups who are the custodians of war memorials. Any attack on a war memorial, however large or small, is egregious, cruel, offensive and re-traumatising for everyone—for families who have lost a loved one in conflict and those who have served or are serving themselves.
The Desecration of War Memorials (Scotland) Bill might not be the answer today to prevent the mindless vandalism of war memorials across the country, but I will continue to work hard to ensure that better protections are put in place. The brave men and women whose names are etched into stone, who gave their lives for our freedom, deserve nothing less.
With that, Presiding Officer, I seek permission not to move the motion on the general principles of the bill. As soon as I return to my seat, I will write to the chief executive to withdraw my bill.