SUSTAINED INVESTMENT PLANNED OVER NEXT FIVE YEARS A programme of proposed railway projects aimed at sustaining investment in Scotland’s Railway has been unveiled at an industry event today (26 March 2019). The Rail North of Border Conference saw almost 300 rail experts, including the supply chain, gather in Glasgow to Read more…
NI REGISTRATIONS FOR OVERSEAS WORKERS DROPS SNP MSP for Renfrewshire South, Tom Arthur, has said that the Tories’ “narrow-minded Brexit rhetoric” is to blame for a fall in the number of overseas workers coming to Scotland, and warned that this may cause damage to the economy and public services. Latest Read more…
Tactics is what you do when there’s something to do; strategy is what you do when there is nothing to do” — advice as useful for the politician as for the student of chess; to whom it was directed by the Polish-French grandmaster, Savielly Tartakower. A key dynamic of chess, familliar to Read more…
I’ve had another busy couple of weeks working on behalf of constituents here in Renfrewshire South and at the Scottish Parliament. Last week, along with my usual meetings and committee work, I represented the SNP at the annual ICAS Big Tax Debate in Edinburgh, chaired by STV’s Rona Dougal. Along Read more…
Local SNP MSP Tom Arthur has joined Down’s Syndrome Scotland in their Lots of Socks Campaign at the Scottish Parliament to raise awareness for World Down’s Syndrome Day 2019. Celebrated annually on 21st March and officially recognised by the UN since 2012, this event provides an opportunity to highlight the Read more…
One million people have signed a petition calling on Article 50 to be revoked following the Prime Minister’s catastrophic handling of Brexit. Last night, following a meeting with the Prime Minister, the SNP’s leader at Westminster Ian Blackford said it was time for Theresa May to face the fact that Read more…
BREXIT STILL THE BIGGEST THREAT TO SCOTLAND’S ECONOMY Unemployment has fallen to a record-low in Scotland, as latest figures show Scottish economic growth outperforming the rest of the UK. Levels of unemployment have reached a new low of 3.4% in Scotland, outperforming the rest of the UK – with UK Read more…
New figures released by the Scottish Government estimate that businesses across Renfrewshire South will save money, with East Renfrewshire set to save £0.2m and Renfrewshire set to save £1.4m, thanks to an SNP policy to protect small businesses. The Scottish Government’s decision to cap increases in poundage rates to below Read more…
Last week marked Scottish Apprenticeship Week 2019. With this year’s “Skills for the Future” theme, the Scottish Government celebrated the occasion with several announcements recognising the importance of investing in our workforce. As part of the new Apprentice Network, pupils in every high school across Scotland will benefit from a Read more…
I’ve had another busy week as MSP for Renfrewshire South. On Monday, I held my monthly supermarket surgery at Tesco in Linwood before a visit to St Benedict’s High School to meet with Head Teacher Alan Taylor and chat politics with S3 Modern Studies pupils. Later that afternoon I caught Read more…