Graham Leadbitter

My constituents, energy workers, and families across the Highlands have been left dumbfounded that the UK Labour Government blocked 1500 jobs in the Highlands and a £1.5bn investment in our renewables industry.

Unlike the UK Government, the SNP will always stand up for Scotland’s whisky and spirits trade and it’s high time the Labour Government backed this successful industry and ended their supertax on Scotland’s premier drink.

The new Prime Minister should follow in the footsteps of the SNP Scottish Government by championing the industry at home and abroad and scrap its tax hikes which have slowed the sector's success.

But the tax hikes imposed on the industry by Labour and Tory MPs at Westminster have driven down sales, brought down tax revenue, and placed enormous pressures on distilleries across Scotland.

These figures show that Scotland’s world-famous spirits sector has the skills and products to succeed in spite of the harmful Westminster policies being levelled against it.

I urge the Defence Secretary to consider the procurement of more firefighting helicopters and aircraft.

As the effects of the climate crisis get closer and closer to home it’s important we step up our domestic defence capabilities to ensure we can protect our communities from environmental threats just as well as we can from military threats.

The people of Scotland should embrace the chance to permanently escape the chaos of Westminster by voting for a fresh start with independence.

It’s perfectly reasonable and democratic to put the question of Independence to the people of Scotland and the Scottish Parliament must have the power to do so.

Scotland just delivered an overwhelming majority of pro-independence MSPs to the Scottish Parliament - the largest number in history - their demand for a fresh vote deserves to be heard.

Westminster has consistently taken an undemocratic approach to Scotland’s people and their calls for a vote.

It's time we take the power out of the hands of Westminster politicians and put it into the hands of a Scottish Parliament that will deliver on people’s priorities and wishes.