Hansard

Thank you, Presiding Officer, and congratulations on your election to your new office.

Generations ago, a young man named Patrick left Sligo and crossed the sea to Glasgow. Patrick drove the city’s trams, carrying people through the bustling streets of a rising powerhouse. In Glasgow, he met Annie from South Uist—two communities, two traditions bound by love and shared resilience. Patrick and Annie married and raised five children in the heart of the city. One of those children was John. In their house, alongside faith, education was held in the highest regard. For them, learning was the ultimate deliverer.

John took that lesson to heart and became a teacher—a dominie, in the truest sense of the word. History has a way of moving in circles. John eventually crossed back over the sea to Ireland and fell in love with an Irish lass named Una. Returning to John’s Scotland, they began their married life, renting a small attic room in Anniesland in Glasgow. But the pull of home was strong, and Una longed to be nearer her family, so they boarded the literal boat back to Ireland, where for decades John raised the educational bar for generations of young people.

Yet the song of my family remains the same, and its chorus always involves a sea to be crossed. So it was that, one day, Una drove one of her sons to Belfast and on to Larne to catch the boat to Scotland, and I arrived in Glasgow, where I met Catriona from the Isle of Lewis. We fell in love and now, gathered round us, we have our own crew.

That is an abridged version of how I came to be standing here in our Scottish Parliament—a story of chance encounters, packed suitcases and quiet sacrifices across generations and of a long, winding road that has led me to the immense privilege of representing the people who sent me here. They are the constituents and residents of Glasgow Anniesland, whose trust I will work every day to repay.

It enhances the privilege to follow in the footsteps of someone who served Glasgow Anniesland with such distinction. My much-loved predecessor also earned international recognition for his work on nuclear disarmament, including being named in a Nobel peace prize nomination through his leadership of Parliamentarians for Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament. He was and remains the indefatigable Bill Kidd. [Applause.]

Turning to today’s debate, this summer represents a unique opportunity. Scotland hosts the Commonwealth games while our men’s national football team returns to the world cup stage—just in case anybody missed that. The games will bring together around 3,000 athletes from 74 Commonwealth nations and territories. I have already been in contact with the organisers and look forward to meeting them next week to ensure that the games are a huge success and deliver a lasting legacy for the city and beyond. However, it will not only be the lifting of the world cup or medals at the games that mark success; it will be the legacy that is created.

The offer of free inclusive sporting opportunities for children and young people is particularly welcome. For many families, the cost of participation can be a significant barrier. By removing those barriers, we open doors for more young people to discover a sport that they love, to build confidence, to make friends and to enjoy the many benefits that participating in physical activity can bring. We now know that participation in sport can improve mental wellbeing, reduce social isolation, strengthen community connections and create a sense of belonging. Whether it is a child learning to swim for the first time, a local football club welcoming new members or community volunteers supporting activities throughout the summer, those experiences help build stronger and healthier communities.

I am especially encouraged by the universal learn-to-swim offer for primary school children. Swimming is not only a sporting activity but an essential life skill that can save lives. That is particularly true when we think of the many tragic water-related deaths in the recent UK heatwave. Our thoughts and wishes go out to the families and friends who are affected by those terrible tragedies.

If such initiatives are to create a lasting legacy, we must ensure that today’s investment delivers long-term opportunities. I am keen to learn more about how success will be measured, how we will assess whether young people remain active and how we will measure the impact on health outcomes, community engagement and the reduction of barriers to participation. In Anniesland, that legacy will see the new world-class athletics track at Scotstoun stadium being gifted to the city of Glasgow, which will ensure that local clubs and athletes have continued access to a state-of-the-art sporting facility. The stadium is also home to the hugely successful Glasgow Warriors rugby team, which will kick off Scotland’s summer of sport this Saturday when they play in the semi-finals of the BKT United rugby championship at Murrayfield. I wish them every success.

The greatest success of Scotland’s summer of sport will be seen not in the excitement of a single summer but in healthier, more connected communities for years to come.