It’s been quite the celebration for the SNP across my constituency of Aberdeenshire North and Moray East with four MSPs of excellent calibre either returned to Holyrood by the voters in the case of Karen Adam and former Cabinet Minister, Gillian Martin, or welcomed to the new parliament with Laura Mitchell and my former colleague at the local Council, Dawn Black entering Holyrood for the first time.
Karen Adam has been returned as the MSP to Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Laura Mitchell was elected the new MSP for Moray, Gillian Martin returns as an MSP for Aberdeenshire East, and on the list, former North-east local Councillor and now new MSP for Angus North and Mearns, Dawn Black.
These candidates fought a fair and hard campaign, and I am proud to have been part of it, getting out and talking to voters during such volatile global times and continuing issues with the cost of living and energy crises due to mismanagement at Westminster.
This has been an historic Scottish election, with the SNP returned for a fifth time in government. I am delighted to see so many new and familiar SNP faces go into Holyrood with a fresh approach to tackling the key issues highlighted on the doorsteps during the campaign, with shared values on a progressive and socially justice vision for Scotland.
Our own MSPs in the SNP outnumber the Unionist parties’ MSPs combined, with more MSPs than ever before in support of independence this parliamentary session. Indeed, it has been a landmark election for nationalist parties across the UK, with Plaid Cymru winning in Wales and Sinn Fein already in government in Northern Ireland. The message to this lame duck Prime Minister and the UK Government is clear – voters want the SNP back in Government as a bulwark to Westminster chaos, to continue to improve the lives of all our citizens as we work towards our independence and as we rise to the myriad challenges faced.
In Scotland the First Minister is right to talk of bringing people together to find ‘common ground’. We are acutely aware of this need given the closeness of the victory in Banffshire and Buchan Coast with the Reform party. It’s crucial we reach out to understand all our constituents’ concerns, and I look forward to supporting my Holyrood colleagues in this endeavour.
