Queen's speech debate draws to close

Back to normal again, as we finish the debate tonight on the "Queen's Speech" (of course, in reality, the government's programme for the next year). Criticism from the opposition that there's "nothing new" in the programme; but then the government announced its "draft programme" before the summer, to allow more discussion and consultation on its programme - so it's not surprising that a lot of it sounded familiar. I think that the Queen's Speech was actually quite substantial - you can judge for yourself by having a look at this link with more details about the speech, or this one which looks specifically at the climate change proposals in more detail.

But we also had time to get the Scottish Labour MPs together to send a message of support for the vital Scotland-Italy game this weekend!

Ending the session early does not mean a holiday!

This post might sound a bit defensive, but it was brought on by a letter (only one!) from a constituent who, having heard that the Parliamentary session was finishing last week, assumed that MPs were all having a holiday! So just to explain, yes we did have a few days break between the end of the 2006/7 Parliamentary session and the state opening of Parliament for the 2007/8, but it doesn't mean we've all gone away to the sun. Like most MPs, if we are not at Westminster, it is an opportunity to visit a lot of groups and centres in the community which obviously we cannot do when Parliament is in session. And in my case, it has included a meeting with the City Council museums department about the campaign for a Leith museum (more about this on the campaign website); a meeting about our plans for a community energy project in North Edinburgh and Leith (of which more on my main website shortly); the launch of a major of a project, funded by the UK government, to support training and employment initiatives in Edinburgh; and taking part in what was a really special occasion, an event organised by the Multi-Cultural Family Base in Leith to commemorate the bicentenary of the Act of Parliament which abolished the slave trade in British possessions worldwide. We had a fascinating talk from Heriot-Watt professor Geoffrey Palmer about the links, forged in the slave trade and the empire , between Scotland and Jamaica in particular. An excellent exhibition by local children as well on the historic links between Leith and the empire and slavery. The event was a reminder that we too benefited from the slave trade; but the event looked forward also at cultural links today, as well as reminding of us of slavery today in different forms.

And of course, being in the constituency is a good opportunity to catch up with the paperwork, cases, and also some of the key local issues. Last week, for example, I finalised my submission to the City Council giving my views on the important planning application by Forth Ports for the redevelopment of Leith docks.