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My family has its own proud connections with the military. One of my sons served in the Royal Air Force, my father was in the Royal Household Cavalry and my grandfather fought in the Scottish Horse during the first world war.
This afternoon, we are celebrating a great campaigner, but we mourn the loss of a talented young man and a wonderful person; a great friend full of humour, fun and warmth; and a cherished husband, son, brother and uncle full of love for his family.
I say to Christine Grahame that it does—it does. As it happens, my older son is called Andrew; even so, I would never presume to say that I share a connection with both the apostle Andrew and the archangel Michael.
Last week I had the opportunity to see Ken Loach’s new film “I, Daniel Blake”. I watched it with my son and it devastated us both. It devastated the entire audience in the cinema and is, I believe, devastating audiences across the UK.
They fear for the economic chances of their sons and daughters and they fear the paths that those sons and daughters might go down if a job, an income and a house are not available to them.
Mental health must be a national priority. As the son of a retired psychiatric nurse, I am keenly aware of the incredible work that mental health clinicians and staff perform.
The constant pull between providing for wee ones and being there and present for them is exhausting.We have heard much from families about how difficult it can be to find a place. We recently experienced with our son Callan how much of a rush there is to find any childcare, let alone the right childcare.
I happily stand by my Government’s record on investing in rural Scotland. I declare an interest, as my sons are Gallovidians and I lived and worked there for many years, when I saw the beautiful landscape buried by the Forestry Commission overplanting Sitka spruce.