SBC SNP Councillors

Join us for breakfast and a blether in Galashiels this Friday.

A first look at tomorrow's front page of The National 📰

Scotland's economy throttled by Labour

A flavour of last week's activity. There was also some band practice, taxiing of teenagers from football training and the construction of a rather large cardboard chick with my primary school boys for an Easter-themed homework project!

Great letter in The National today from SNP Councillor @faysinclair.bsky.social
Why should Scotland pay the price to meet fuel needs of England?

On International Women’s Day
Celebrating the fabulous five SNP women within our council group on SBC. Cllr Aileen Orr Cllr. Annette Smart Cllr. Fay Sinclair, Cllr. Elaine Thornton-Nicol, Cllr. Viv Thomson #IWD2025

It was a great honour to welcome Scotland’s Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes MSP to the Tweeddale Branch SNP’s open discussion meeting. A fantastic audience and inspiring conversations.

Great to see local activists helping to drive this campaign being led by Councillor Fay Sinclair and the SNP Group at Scottish Borders Council.

New figures show that we have met our CAMHS waiting times target, with over 90% of patients being seen within 18 weeks.

There’s more to do, but we’re making real progress on tackling NHS waiting times across Scotland.

Great to visit the new Peebles High School as it takes shape. Due to open later this year!

It was fitting as we mark the 5th anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic to be invited to Borders General Hospital where the first weave of the Borders Together tartan was put on display.
The bright design symbolises the unity, strength and resilience of our community during the Covid-19 pandemic.

SBC councillors leading the campaign for cheaper energy bills.

I was honoured to sign the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment today.

80 years from the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, and every day, we must remember the 6 million Jews murdered by the Nazis and recommit to fighting hatred and racism in all its forms.

🐟 Last night, @cgrahamemsp.bsky.social hosted a reception hearing from organisations campaigning to close the gap between legal protections for farmed fish and and land-based farm animals.

When a platform is dominated by disinformation and hate, with engagement plummeting, it's right that we question if our institutions should continue to promote it as a communication tool. We think Scottish Borders Council should sign out of X for good.
What are your views?

When a platform is dominated by disinformation and hate, with engagement plummeting, it's right that we question if our institutions should continue to promote it as a communication tool. I think Scottish Borders Council should sign out of X for good.
What are your views?

Very welcome news that unemployment in Scotland has fallen to 3.8% and is lower than the rest of the UK.

Scotland’s economy has grown faster than the rest of the UK, but we need to do more to deliver growth and progress - I will be setting out views in a speech tomorrow.

The betrayal of WASPI women by successive Tory and Labour governments is utterly shameful.

Thousands across the Borders have lost out due to UK Government and many have campaigned for decades to right this wrong.

SNP will continue to campaign alongside WASPI for the compensation they deserve.

SNP Councillors leading on important issues.

Your ambition for Scotland's parliament shouldn't be limited to mitigating the incompetence of Westminster.

www.believeinscotland.org

New figures show that 5657 baby boxes have been delivered to support expectant parents across NHS Borders area.

Over 319,800 baby boxes have been delivered to expectant parents across Scotland - providing them with around £420 worth of essential items for their newborn.

"Fay's Three Things" from last week. A wee snapshot of some of the things I've been up to as SNP councillor for Galashiels & District.

📈 Scotland has seen the second highest growth in employment in the UK this month.

🇪🇺 We were second only to Northern Ireland - which unlike Scotland, has access to the EU single market.

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland continues to enjoy a higher employment rate than England.

🚜 Scotland’s farmers have suffered massively due to Brexit – loss of access to the single market, higher supply chain costs – and the loss of common agricultural policy funding.

📢 Now, a former policy advisor to Labour claims "We don’t need small farmers."