Christine Grahame’s View on experience

Wednesday April 7th 2021

Christine Grahame Scottish National Party's candidate in the Midlothian South, Tweeddale & Lauderdale


Midlothian View Holyrood Challenge: This View has been written by Christine Grahame, the Scottish National Party's candidate in the Midlothian South, Tweeddale & Lauderdale constituency for the Scottish Elections on Thursday May 6th 2021

Hmm, a positive reason why you should vote for me? First and foremost, experience.

A Parliamentarian since 1999 I have had the privilege of being your MSP for 10 years. Through this time, I have supported many local campaigns and answered hundreds of your emails especially during these dreadful covid months. I have met you in my surgeries: in the supermarket, libraries, at your place of work, where you volunteer, on my Summer Surgery Tours to villages and learned a lot from you.

I have experienced in my lifetime Scotland too often governed by a party it did not vote for. Yes, we have our Parliament, but it deals only with domestic issues: justice, education, health. These are important but real power remains at Westminster. The real power, over taxation, over benefits, state pension, war, nuclear weapons is not in the hands of MSPs.

The Scottish Parliament has its funding but that is determined by Westminster and has limited power to raise additional funds for our public services.

My 20 plus years of experience tells me that without full economic power, without independent control of Scotland’s assets, without the ability to frame a fair and just tax system and full borrowing powers, then what we can do is limited.

For example, while billions are being spent on replenishing nuclear warheads, would Scotland keep these? Would the money be spent elsewhere? Would it be spent on social housing for rent, for paying our care workers in a National Care Service? Would Scotland on its own terms have come out of the European Union when at the referendum voted 62% Remain?

Experience tells me that we as a nation have our own priorities: keeping Scotland nuclear free, protecting our vulnerable, cherishing our public services. Experience of other countries tells me that is called Independence.

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