Ian Blackford

FOR all of my adult life, the politics of energy has never been far from the centre of Scottish political debate. I joined the SNP in the 1970s during the “It’s Scotland’s Oil campaign” when the party rightly spoke of the bounty that was to flow into Westminster’s coffers.

A WEEK after his now infamous appearance in the rose garden at No 10 Downing Street, Dominic Cummings is still making headlines. It’s hardly surprising considering the feeling of outrage amongst the public, and the shambolic way in which the UK Government has dealt with the controversy.

I AGREE with the journalists, including those from within the BBC including the excellent Huw Edwards, calling for an end to the “toxic” attacks on his colleagues.

NICOLA Sturgeon launched the SNP’s manifesto for the European elections in Glasgow on Friday. She set out a positive, progressive, European future for Scotland. One which makes crystal clear that Scotland’s not for Brexit — Scotland is for Europe.

THE past week of continued Brexit chaos in Westminster has once again shown that Scotland’s interests are being ignored and sidelined. Theresa May, the ERG, and the DUP hold no mandate in Scotland, yet they are in the driving seat and think they can define our future.

I’M writing this from my beautiful constituency. Not because Tory grandee Nicholas Soames told me to “go back to Skye” last week in the House of Commons, but because the UK Parliament has closed up for Christmas – with only 99 days to go until Brexit.

TODAY, I will lead a cross-party delegation to Brussels to meet Michel Barnier to impress on the European Union to secure a deal with the UK that keeps us in the Single Market and the Customs Union.

IAN Blackford addressed the House of Commons in a debate on the Claim of Right for Scotland.