Fay Sinclair 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Super day campaigning for Lynda Holton in the Glenrothes Central and Thornton by-election.
We also got to recreate this campaign photo from 8 years ago - my boys are a bit bigger and more productive leafleters now!

Great "Breakfast and Blether" get together in Galashiels this morning. I set up these sessions to provide a space for informal political discussion so it's great to see locals taking up the opportunity.

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!

I'm delighted to have secured nomination from all three nominating SNP branches for the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency to go forward for selection to be our SNP candidate for the 2026 Holyrood election.

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

I had some super feedback on the new diary format for informing constituents about my activity as local councillor so am going to try it out as a weekly update.

It was great to take the SNP's local energy pricing message to doorsteps in Clovenfords yesterday for a joint campaign session with Tweeddale and Central Borders members. We had a few good conversations along the way and the sun was even shining. #ActiveSNP

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.

I agree. Westminster has the power but will not act in Scotland’s interests. We need to highlight this and build support for independence as it's independence that can bring the positive change we need.

Councillor Fay Sinclair, a person with short blonde hair and black glasses who is wearing a blue jacket, is smiling in front of a row of houses in Langlee, Galashiels, holding a copy of a leaflet that reads: Scotland could have cheapest electricity in Europe.

In the South of Scotland we produce four times more electricity than we need, yet our bills continue to rise because of Westminster's failure to move away from UK-wide pricing. Only SNP is campaigning to change this, and let Scotland benefit from our own green energy.

Back of leaflet. An image of The National shows front page headline reading Electricity in Scotland could be cheapest in Europe. Text explains Westminster is holding Scotland back by failing to reform energy pricing to reflect where green energy is generated. There is a photo of Councillor Fay Sinclair speaking at a meeting of Scottish Borders Council and text explains SNP Councillors won cross-party support for a motion calling for energy market reform.

This builds on work I've done as a Councillor to push for energy market reform.
Don't just take our word for it - Octopus Energy's CEO made headlines with his statement Scotland's electricity bills could be the lowest in Europe with localised pricing.

A leaflet with white electricity bulb on a green background. There are yellow words on top stating SCOTLAND COULD HAVE THE CHEAPEST ELWCFRICITY IN EUROPE. Black text underneath reads: SNP wants electricity prices to be localised, with cheaper bills closest to where green energy is produced - like here in the Scottish Borders. There is a yellow SNP logo in the bottom right corner.

Thousands of copies of this leaflet are being distributed across the Borders (I was out in Langlee, Galashiels, with a batch today) and it's great to see they were being shared at a street stall in Peebles this weekend too.

Infographic with white electricity bulb on a green background. Yellow writing is overlayed stating SCOTLAND COULD HAVE CHEAPEST ELECtRICITY IN EUROPE. Smaller yellow text reads energy pricing should reflect where renewable electricity is generated, meaning cheaper bills for Scottish communities. An SNP logo and slogan FOR SCOTLAND is in the bottom left corner.

I'm leading a campaign to highlight how SNP wants to make your electricity bills the cheapest in Europe!

Superfast broadband for 11,000 rural homes

The SNP Scottish Government is delivering superfast broadband for 11,000 homes and business in the Borders and East Lothian.

It’s the first of many contracts that will bring faster internet to thousands of premises across Scotland.

I'll be hosting our monthly Breakfast and Blether event this Friday morning in Galashiels. This is becoming a popular wee meeting with lots of great political chat and, of course, coffee. ☕️

Five years ago, Scotland was forced to leave the EU despite voting by 62% to Remain and now the Scottish economy is shrinking by £3bn per year and Westminster has grabbed our devolved powers via the Internal Market Act 😢
#IndyToRejoinEU

Labour's plan to invest money in "all corners of our country"...is almost entirely for South-East England

Labour have announced they are investing taxpayer money to drive growth "across the UK".

Guess where almost all of it is going.

Yesterday I addressed a professional gathering of around 50 headteachers to talk about why I brought forward a motion for SBC to embrace the lgbteducation.scot platform and resources to ensure a fully embedded LGBT+ inclusive curriculum in every school. Lots of enthusiasm from teachers. 🏳️‍🌈

I've not been using X for months but left my account active to point to my BlueSky. Noting the increasingly concerning behaviour of the owner of X, I've taken the decision to completely deactivate. This week, I'll be encouraging SBC to do the same.

All Scottish Borders Council schools and nursery settings will be closed tomorrow due to the extreme weather warning.
A Groupcall alert will be sent to all parents this afternoon.

NEW: Devolved governments face 'years of inertia, delay and uncertainty' without reforms being made to a key piece of post-Brexit legislation.

A report has found the legislation is 'unfit for the governance of four nations'.

Time to make a swift X-it (for those who havent already).

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?

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.

I don't know if it was ever discussed at NEC or by parliamentary groups but it was debated at National Council. That's members only so won't have been press there but was some coverage that it was on agenda.
We've also been talking about it at stalls at agricultural shows in the Borders for example.

Hi Andrew (great name BTW, also my son's name), zonal energy pricing was debated at SNP National Council and was agreed as party policy. I've also been taking it forward locally, getting approval for a motion on the topic at Scottish Borders Council. It is very much being pushed by SNP.

We're working on SBC's budget now but here's some ways the Scottish Government Budget is helping us locally.

At last month's full council meeting, I highlighted the disastrous impact the UK Government's employer national insurance rises will have on charities and other partners we work with to deliver local services. At my request, a letter has now been sent to Rachel Reeves calling for full reimbursement.

Scottish Borders Council has launched a consultation on school holiday dates for 2026/27 to 2028/29.

You can find further information and take part here: ow.ly/IuJI50UBIkG