Meeting of the Parliament 04 February 2026
Yes, I absolutely agree with what Emma Harper has said. It is a shame that Conservative members are humming and hawing or sighing when they hear criticism of Westminster policies. I represent a constituency in the north-east of Scotland that straddles the Highlands, and many of the businesses in my local area—as is the case in much of Scotland—are heavily impacted by Westminster policies, particularly Brexit, which has been hugely damaging to our rural industries and our exports to Europe. They have taken a big hit because of it and because of a range of other policies, such as higher energy costs and the rapid rise in employer national insurance contributions. I agree with Emma Harper’s points. That is why the Scottish budget sets out a lot of support for the Scottish business community.