Yesterday, I kicked off our General Election campaign in Rutherglen.

Like most communities in Scotland, families here are currently represented by the SNP at Westminster.

Margaret Ferrier, like so many of her colleagues, promised to ‘stand up for Scotland’ yet has done nothing but seek division and campaign for an unwanted second independence referendum.

The people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West deserve better.

They deserve a hard-working local MP who will stand up for local families, and that’s what they will get by voting for Ged Killen, our fantastic General Election candidate.

Last week’s council elections proved that only Labour can defeat the SNP in seats such as Rutherglen.

We were a very close second to the Nationalists, with the Tories a distant third.

The same is true in Inverclyde, Midlothian, Glasgow East and elsewhere across the central belt, while Labour is now in pole position in places such as Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill, East Lothian and Edinburgh South.

Tory leader Ruth Davidson has been crowing about last week’s results, claiming her party is in the ascendency from the Borders to the Highlands.

Unfortunately, she forgot about everywhere in between. That’s where only Labour can beat the SNP.

Much has been made about the Tories’ slight revival in Glasgow, but it was Labour which prevented the Nationalists from securing their top priority of a majority on Glasgow Council.

SNP MPs across Glasgow will now be incredibly nervous about their future job prospects – and so they should.

Across Scotland, we defied the experts. Opinion polls had us on 14 per cent, and pundits said we would lose every single council. In fact, we won three, tied with the SNP in the fourth and came within one seat of the Nationalists in North Lanarkshire and West Lothian.

And the SNP lost its majorities in Dundee and Angus, with its overall vote share across Scotland plummeting from 50 per cent in 2015 to 32 per cent. The tide has turned.

And the reason for that is clear. People are fed up with Nicola Sturgeon’s attempt to force another divisive independence referendum on the people of Scotland.

With 4,000 fewer teachers in our schools, and local NHS services facing cuts and closure, people want the Nationalists to focus on the day job.

So as we look ahead to the General Election, the hard, simple truth is that in many of Scotland’s towns and cities, the only way to defeat the SNP is to vote Labour.

At this election, people shouldn’t take the risk of voting SNP. In 2015, Labour warned that a vote for the SNP would help the Tories back into Number Ten. That’s exactly what happened, and now we have the chaos of Brexit and the threat of a second independence referendum.

The only way that people across Scotland can reject this Tory Government and reject the threat of a divisive second independence referendum is to vote Labour on June 8.

This article originally appeared in the Daily Record on 09/05/17

9 May 2017

The alliance of pro-independence parties has been accused of desperation, after the Greens confirmed they wouldn’t bother fighting the General Election in a key Scottish seat.

The party – which has been ordered by the SNP to stand aside in close constituencies – won’t field a candidate in Moray, the seat currently held by Angus Robertson.

Projections show the SNP deputy leader could lose the seat to Scottish Conservative candidate Douglas Ross, with the recent council election suggesting the nationalists are trailing in second place.

Last week, SNP MP Tommy Sheppard urged the Greens to step aside or risk splitting the pro-independence vote.

Now the Greens appear to have bowed down to that request by confirming no candidate will stand.

Scottish Conservative Moray candidate Douglas Ross said:

“This decision by the Greens smacks of desperation; they will do anything to prop up the SNP and hang on their shirt tails.

“People will find it hard to believe them when they say they won’t be backing any particular candidate.

“When it comes down to it they will be backing the SNP all the way as we see time and again in the Scottish Parliament.

“The SNP has successfully bossed the Greens about – and that shows just how worried the party is about losing the seat in Moray.

“While the local Greens have tried to justify why they are not standing, this announcement comes just two weeks after the SNP’s Tommy Sheppard asked them not to stand and split the pro-Yes vote.

“If you don’t want another independence referendum, this is your only chance to make that clear. Only a vote for the Scottish Conservatives on June 8 can send a clear message to the SNP in Moray.

“Here in Moray, we will be running a positive campaign so people know what we stand for, rather than running in support of another negative and divisive independence referendum.”

Confirmation of the Greens’ decision is here:
http://www.insidemoray.com/ross-attacks-green-decision-not-to-run-for-westminster-seat/

Can you be instrumental in determining causes of civil aircraft accidents and serious incidents worldwide? If so, this Inspector of Air Accidents (Engineering) role is for you, and we’d like to hear from you.

The purpose of this role is to investigate the engineering aspects of aircraft accidents and serious incidents involving civil aircraft operating in the UK and to UK registered or manufactured aircraft overseas.

A full job description and role profile is on the Civil Service Jobs website.

Read about a week in the life of an Engineering Inspector below.

The deadline for applications is 7 June 2017.

I am often asked about what I do. When I tell people, the response I usually get is, “wow, that must be fascinating”.

Well, actually it is. I am an aircraft engineer and after a successful, broad and varied career in the Royal Navy I joined the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) four years ago. It was clear to me when I joined and still is today; if you love aircraft, engineering and are inquisitive by nature, enjoy learning and like puzzling things out, this job is ideal.

So what does it really involve?

Weeks are never the same and my time is taken up with the various stages of my investigations into air accidents and incidents large and small. At any one time I can have three or four on the go.

Accidents by their nature are unexpected and can and do happen any time, day or night. My involvement starts after the Branch has been informed that something has happened and I am assigned along with Flight Data and Operations colleagues to the case. This can be an investigation anywhere in the UK or to assist worldwide. I am usually at a high state of readiness to deploy as I move up the AAIB engineering duty rota which ensures at least one of 12 engineers is available 24/7, 365 days per year. Once assigned I deploy to wherever the aircraft might be. It can be anything from a micro-light, to a helicopter or even several hundred tonnes of airliner. The aircraft may be in small pieces in a field or parked at an airport stand with no sign outwardly of anything wrong.

This initial stage is fascinating and may take several days. In many cases I have to temper my enthusiasm given that this may well be a stressful or even life-changing experience for those involved. I need to remain calm and sympathetic to people who may be highly emotional, shocked and upset as I unravel what might be the worst day of their lives. Talking to relatives can be a challenging part of the role, but in some ways it can be rewarding, knowing that I am providing the answers they need to help them understand what happened, which may provide some comfort. I also have to be comfortable in myself, mindful that not all – but some – accident sites are dreadful to say the least. While psychological support is provided, the job is not for the faint-hearted.

Having gathered initial evidence with my colleagues, we formally present to the Chief Inspector and our peers our findings and thoughts as to where we think the investigation is leading.

As the engineering aspect of the investigation progresses, lines of inquiry emerge which require exploring in detail. This often means looking at drawings and manuals to understand the workings and design intent of the systems involved. This may then lead to reconstruction or, conversely, dismantling. I may then need to examine further and test components in our hangar or, if needed, with the manufacturer wherever they may be in the world; the job does involve a lot of travel. One day it might be a simple bolt or fastener, the next, a modern avionic system. I deal with both with an open but methodical and questioning mind with the same attention to detail. I constantly interact with knowledgeable experts at all levels and tact and diplomacy comes to the fore during my work and gets things done.

Rigorous and occasionally lively discussions are held with colleagues as the investigation progresses to identify the facts and causes and to formulate effective safety recommendations to prevent reoccurrence. Throughout the investigation I work towards producing a clear and accurate written report which conveys the circumstances and details of the engineering features of the accident so that it can be read and understood by people within aviation and by ordinary members of the public. I also have to be confident in my investigation when I give evidence publically to the Coroner (or Procurator Fiscal in Scotland).

In between investigations, and sometimes simultaneously for that matter, I have the opportunity to learn and train to improve my aviation knowledge and investigative skills. This might be a short course run by an aircraft manufacturer on their product or a university course looking at, for example, new materials. It can also be an in-house course to hone or refine a specific skill, for example microscope photography. Time is also made available for me to be part of aviation by simulator flying or flying in light aircraft to maintain a private pilot’s licence.

An AAIB engineering inspector is a fascinating and rewarding job. No two weeks are ever the same except for one thing, the knowledge that I and my colleagues are working to make commercial and private aviation safer by understanding what went wrong and what went right during accidents and incidents. Although the job can be difficult in some respects, given the sometimes distressing part my work, it is very rewarding and I thoroughly enjoy coming to work at the AAIB.

Rebecca Long-Bailey, Labour’s
Shadow Secretary for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in response to
the Conservatives’ announcement on an energy price cap, said:

“This is desperate stuff from the Tories,
re-announcing something they tried to get a headline for just a fortnight ago.
But just as when they announced it last time, there’s still no proper detail
nor any real commitment to helping working people.

“When the Tories say they’ll ‘cap’ bills, the
question they need to answer is whether they can guarantee bills won’t go up
for people next year – that’s the real test. A cap suggests a maximum amount
that can be charged, not a promise that bills won’t go up year on year.

“The reality is that the Tories aren’t offering
anything for working people. Their record is one of failure and broken
promises, letting ordinary people down at every turn. Over and over they’ve
promised to get bills down but under them households are almost £900 worse off
due to increase energy bills since 2010.

"Only Labour can be trusted to deliver a country
for the many rather than just the few. All the Tories offer is broken promises
and a record which has seen working people worse off.”

Thank you Mr President.

I would like to thank the Prosecutor for her report and her briefing today. And the United Kingdom wishes to reiterate its support for the work of the Prosecutor and for the role that the ICC plays in bringing those responsible for serious crimes of international concern to account.

Mr President,

Libya needs urgent progress towards full political reconciliation now more than ever. The scale of the crisis facing the people of Libya is grave. It is a crisis where the fighting continues year after year and where international humanitarian law violations and human rights violations and abuses continue unabated. The people of Libya deserve a better future.

Establishing effective governance is key: Libya’s legitimate political institutions need to work together to break the political deadlock which is prolonging instability and the suffering of the Libyan people. Libya’s political and social groups need to seize the momentum offered by the welcome meetings between Prime Minister Seraj and Marshall Heftar earlier this week to set out a path towards Libyan reconciliation and unity. Security, stability and prosperity can only be achieved when the country’s leaders choose to get together and work out a plan for the common benefit of the Libyan people.

Mr President,

The UK welcomes the Prosecutor’s ongoing efforts to investigate alleged crimes despite the practical difficulties in conducting investigations inside Libya.

The United Kingdom remains deeply concerned at the continued violence between armed groups across the country – and particularly by reports of human rights abuses and violations by combatants in Benghazi and elsewhere, including attacks on innocent civilians and on medical facilities. There is no justification for attacking medical facilities protected under international humanitarian law.

We note that the Prosecutor is giving consideration to opening an investigation into alleged criminal acts against migrants in Libya. Such alleged crimes provide further justification for tackling migration ‘upstream’, so that the international community helps create more opportunities in migrants’ home countries.

The United Kingdom is grateful for the Prosecutor’s update on the cases of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi and Abdullah al-Senussi. We support the Prosecutor’s call for the Libyan authorities to do everything possible to ensure transfer of Saif al-Islam Gaddafi to the ICC, and to consult the Court on any problems that might impede his transfer to The Hague. We look forward to the outcome of the Court’s consideration of the UNSMIL report on the domestic proceedings against Mr al-Senussi.

The United Kingdom commends the continued engagement of the Libyan Prosecutor-General and the Libyan Representatives to the Court. We call on other States and relevant international organisations to assist the Libyan authorities in their efforts to build the rule of law in Libya. We thank the Prosecutor for the update on allegations of torture committed against Saif al-Islam Gadaffi in Al-Hadba prison, and we welcome the fact that one of the accused who had been returned to his position at the prison, has now been removed.

We also thank the Prosecutor for her briefing on the case against Al-Tuhamy Mohamed Khaled, who is wanted for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Libya in 2011. We fully support the Court’s call for cooperation, from members of the Council, Libya and all states, to provide information to facilitate a swift arrest of Mr Al-Tuhamy and ensure his surrender to the ICC. It is crucial that he and other individuals responsible for war crimes in Libya do not become fugitives from justice.

In conclusion, the United Kingdom understands the financial and resource constraints faced by the Prosecutor’s Office and the need to ensure adequate funding for the Court’s Libya investigations. We are committed to working with others to ensure the Court has the resources necessary for its work, while ensuring that the ICC budget is as streamlined as possible.

Thank you Mr President.