Meeting of the Parliament 24 March 2026 [Draft]
I completely agree with Ms Haughey. That is what I am trying to say—that banks are the cornerstone of communities and we value them. Scouts, girl guides and churches that put their collection money into banks value them so much that banks should not be allowed to hollow out their services piece by piece. If we are serious about supporting our town centres and our high streets, restoring pride in our communities and ensuring that no one is left behind, access to basic banking services must be part of the conversation.
There also needs to be a broader rethink of how we protect access to cash. Ms Haughey has spoken about banking hubs, which I, too, welcome. However, we need to send a clear message that communities deserve investment from, not abandonment by, banking businesses.
The people I speak to are not asking for the world, only for fairness. They are asking to be listened to and that their communities be treated with the respect that they deserve. The closure of the Rutherglen bank risks doing the opposite of that. It risks accelerating decline in a place where we should be supporting growth. It also risks isolating those who are already vulnerable and sending a message that towns such as Rutherglen and places such as Springburn can be left behind. That cannot be acceptable.
I urge Lloyds Banking Group to reconsider its decision before the closure in the summer. I also urge Parliament to recognise that, if we truly care about our communities, our high streets and restoring pride in places, we must stand up and say that enough is enough.