Gordon Macdonald SNP

My December newsletter can be downloaded from here:

mailchi.mp/c6f2212e4a6b...

Unlike the rest of the UK, Scottish child poverty rates are falling Latest figures reveal lowest child poverty levels in decades, posing more difficult questions for Labour ahead of the Autumn Budget.

Child poverty in Scotland has fallen to its lowest level in three decades, with both absolute and relative rates continuing to sit well below the UK average. For 2023–24, those rates were 22% and 17% respectively – 9% lower than the UK’s 31% and 26%

www.newstatesman.com/spotlight/20...

Last week, Edinburgh Tenants Federation celebrated its 35th anniversary at a Scottish Parliament reception.
www.edinburghtenants.org.uk/edinburgh-te...

Scotland the only country that has a payment to support families out of poverty at £27.15 per week.

Data from Public Health Scotland shows that new NHS outpatient waits of over a year reduced by 18% between April & October with waiting times falling for 5 months in a row.

Over the same period the total waiting list size for new inpatient/daycase procedures also reduced by 26%.

No austerity under Labour?

Labours budget last year we were told that a slate had been “wiped clean” and she was emphatic: “I’m not coming back with more borrowing or more taxes”.

On Wednesday she’ll be back for more - and the Labour tax rises are expected to be hefty.

www.itv.com/news/2025-11...

Following on from recent announcements on the Improving Access Fund, a reminder that Young Carer's Grant has also been extended, as part of our commitment to a Scotland where everyone can have a good and dignified life; real choices, autonomy, and access to support.

Labour has:-

💴 Refused to tax Billionaires

❌ Failed to lift the two child cap

⚡️ Raised household energy bills

🐝 Betrayed the WASPI women

⚒️Introduced a tax on jobs

They have moved from True Labour, to New Labour, to Blue Labour.

They are Tories in all but name.

Where is the £300 cut promised by Labour?

When Labour came to power the Ofgem “typical dual-fuel” price cap was around £1,568 for July–September 2024.

From 1 October–31 December 2025, the cap is £1,755, a 2% rise from the previous quarter.

Due to rise again in January 2026.

Last year Labour in Wales called for the devolution of TV and radio.

Why not Scotland?

www.gov.wales/independent-...

Labour promised a £300 cut to energy bills but the cost is going up again from January!

Anas Sarwar 'must come clean on rising energy bills' as Labour price vow in tatters.

www.thenational.scot/news/2564117...

Labour can find millions to save industry in England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 - or even Belgium. 🇧🇪

But nothing for Grangemouth or Mossmorran in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 - what are they playing at?

Labour plot to slash electricity prices for AI companies while families struggle LABOUR are planning to cut electricity prices for tech companies while energy bills continue to leave families struggling, The National can reveal.

UK Labour government plans to slash electricity prices for AI data centre companies while families struggle with high energy prices.

Labour promised families a £300 cut but instead companies could save £80m per year!

www.thenational.scot/news/2563567...

Labour getting it wrong on the UK economy!

UK unemployment at 5%, a 5 year high. Guilts at one of its highest levels at 4.75% and this is the rate at which the government borrows money. GDP growth is at 0.1% and inflation is still above the target of 2%

www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottis...

British Gas Energy Trust has announced £500,000 additional support for those struggling with their bills in Scotland, on top of grants of up to £2,000. You can learn more about the support available here: britishgasenergytrust.org.uk.

@ScottishPower launches a scheme to help ex-servicemen and women move into long-term careers in the energy sector.

The EMPower Network Programme is a year of formal training, accredited qualifications, rotational placements, and mentoring.

Register here:
www.scottishpower.com/pages/traine...

More than 880,000 pensioners to receive help with heating bills this winter Eligible people of state pension age set to receive between £101.70 and £305.10, depending on their circumstances.

More than 880,000 pensioners are to receive help with their heating bills this winter from the Scottish Government

Winter heating payments have begun, with eligible people of state pension age set to receive between £101.70 and £305.10, depending on their circumstances.

news.stv.tv/scotland/mor...

6 months until the election.

Let’s build a fairer, more prosperous, more affordable country.

An independent Scotland. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Happy to support Cycling Without Age Scotland @CWAScotland.

CWAS provides free rides in the fresh air in its unique Trishaws for people of any age with limited mobility, disabilities or isolated.

For more information visit cwas.org or email: info@cwas.org

Scotland is an afterthought.

Scottish Government has been confirmed as high investment grade, by two global credit rating agencies.

This matches the UK and better than Spain, Italy and Japan.

First Minister John Swinney will announce next steps for our government’s Bonds programme tomorrow.

www.gov.scot/news/scottis...

In his Members’ Business today, Gordon Macdonald SNP welcomes Heriot-Watt University's £35m ambition to create a new Centre for Sustainable Brewing & Distilling 🍺🌱

The centre will build on 120+ years of innovation in brewing & distilling.

Watch live from 5pm: https://ow.ly/nPpJ50Xq5XC

Since Labour came to power unemployment scross the UK has risen from 4.1% to 5%.

The UK's jobless rate has risen to a level not seen since late 2020, according to the Office for National Statistics who reported a figure of 5% covering the three months to September.

Real living wage employers reach record high as of November 2025, benefiting around 72,000 workers.
Proportionately, Scotland has about FIVE times more accredited employers per capita than the UK average.

IN LABOUR RUN WALES ONLY 5 OF 22 COUNCILS ARE REGISTÈRED WITH THE LWF.

CalMac to sue shipyard for repair costs CalMac are to sue Birkenhead shipyard Cammell Laird over multi-million hull deformation repair costs.

CalMac is pursuing legal action against Birkenhead’s Cammell Laird shipyard to recover multi-million repair costs for the MV Caledonian Isles dry-docked in Jan 2024 at Cammell Laird for repairs of £5m. After repairs a hull deformity was discovered.

welovestornoway.com/index.php/ar...

Currie Community High School opened without fanfare After a long community campaign to retain a school in the area, Currie Community High School was opened in a closed doors ceremony without press or MSPs officially invited. Only the Education Secretary, Jenny Gilruth, was asked to cut the ribbon, and local councillors were asked along, but none of the local MSPs, who were all involved in the campaign to keep the school open, were given an official invite to see the results of their work.

Currie Community High School opened without fanfare

After a long community campaign to retain a school in the area, Currie Community High School was opened in a closed doors ceremony without press or MSPs officially invited. Only the Education Secretary, Jenny Gilruth, was asked to cut the ribbon,…

"ShelfWatch" Audits Reveal Mixed Progress on Scottish Produce in Supermarkets - Scottish Rural Network National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) has released its latest “ShelfWatch” findings following a series…

The NFU Scotland is calling for a dedicated ‘Buy Scottish’ campaign to help raise consumer awareness and celebrate Scotland’s world-class food production.

Plus improved country-of-origin labelling to ensure accurate, transparent information.
www.ruralnetwork.scot/news/shelfwa...

Drax power plant to go on earning ‘over £1m a day’ from burning wood pellets Analysts say Britain’s biggest power plant in line to earn £458.6m a year under new government subsidy contract

Corporate Welfare
Drax receives subsidies for burning wood to produce electricity. £869m last year. £458.6m a year for 2027-2031. UK Govt not taken equity stake.

In 2024, paid £97m dividend, £300m share buyback

Drax electricity is the most expensive. It is the biggest single UK carbon emitter.

British military announces first delivery of Ajax armoured vehicles – eight years late First 50 vehicles, costing nearly £10m each, finally ready to deploy to Nato’s eastern flank, where drones now dominate

This is more of a threat to national security!

UK's MOD has announced the 1st delivery of 50 Ajax armoured vehicles, 8 years behind schedule & costing £10m each.

An order for 589 was placed in 2010 but delivery deadlines of 2017, 2020 & 2021 were missed.

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...