Meeting of the Parliament 25 March 2026 [Draft]
I associate myself entirely with Jamie Greene’s comments. Jamie Greene has made a distinguished contribution to this Parliament over the 10 years that he has been here, and I wish him well for all that lies ahead for him. He has made an important contribution in shaping many of the reforms that have enhanced the rights of individuals in our society—he should be proud of what he has contributed to this Parliament.
I associate myself entirely with the substance of Mr Greene’s question and the appeal that he makes, and I commit myself to exercising leadership in that way. That is the way that I exercise leadership—with respect to other people in our society and respecting the rights of every single person in our society. I am horrified by some of the behaviour and by the racial intolerance and hatred towards other people that are now expressed publicly in our society. In my constituency, there are people who stand outside a hotel that accommodates asylum seekers and who have banners with language that is hate filled—it is appalling.
On Mr Greene’s point about the aspirations of politicians to come into the Parliament, let me speak something out loud, because I know that everyone is talking about it today. The homophobic joke—well, alleged joke—by Malcolm Offord, the leader of Reform in Scotland, is a warning to this country of what is coming our way. There is no place for homophobia, racism and intolerance. That is what Reform represents, and we all have to stand up against that bile in our society.