Douglas Alexander MP: speeches

Speeches

• 15 Jul 2026 · Devolved Powers · Hansard source

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  I could not agree more. My own mother worked for many years in the NHS in Ayrshire, at Crosshouse hospital. The Scottish Government are, alas, letting those dedicated NHS workers down. After 19 years in power, they must account for their record on public services, from NHS waiting lists to declining school standards. We used to have an education system that was the envy of the world. The priority should be on delivery, not division.

• 15 Jul 2026 · Independence Referendum · Hansard source

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  I am not sure whether paying generous tribute to the right hon. Gentleman for his question and the wisdom thereof will impair my prospects. Of course, devolution provides us with the tools, but one of the great tragedies of the last two decades in Scotland is that, regardless of whether it is the education system—where we used to be the envy of the world—the national health service, or the capacity to build and operate ferries, all too often Scotland has gone backwards on the SNP Government’s watch. There is a pretty basic explanation for that: for them, government is simply a way station on the route to independence, so they are not interested in delivering truthfully for the people of Scotland.