Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Kirsty McNeill MP and Midlothian businesses are calling on the Scottish Government to cut the business rates of Scottish pubs, clubs and live music venues. The call comes after the Prime Minister announced a 20% reduction in business rates for eligible venues in England from April next year. Combined with existing support introduced earlier this year, the relief is expected to save the average business an additional £1,100 a year. Kirsty McNeill MP said: “Midlothian’s pubs and social clubs are vital community spaces that bring people together, help tackle social isolation and support local jobs. It is so important that they receive the support they need to remain at the heart of our communities. “Venues in England are getting a 20% cut to their bills, but so far, the Scottish Government hasn’t committed to extending the same support to our local businesses. “That’s why I’m joining forces with some of our brilliant local pubs and clubs in Midlothian to call on the Scottish Government to meet and match the support available in England.” Richard Harris, owner of the Rosslyn Inn, who is backing this campaign, said: “After the torrid time the industry has had, any breathing space would be very much welcome. “A commitment to match the reduction in business rates announced in England would give us assurances beyond temporary relief and help us get through what has been an incredibly difficult period. “I’m delighted to join Kirsty in calling for the discount given to English hospitality to be extended to Scottish operators.” Midlothian pubs, clubs and live music venues interested in supporting the campaign can contact Kirsty McNeill at kirsty.mcneill.mp@parliament.uk.  

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill has been appointed Minister of State for International Development following her previous role as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland. Taking up her new post at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the new role follows over two years in the Scotland Office. Now the Minister of State for International Development and Africa, her new role oversees international development policy, handling day-to-day delivery of international development strategy and official development assistance. Appointed on 21 July, Kirsty McNeill MP explained: “I am absolutely delighted to be taking up a new post as Minister of State for International Development and Africa at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. “I have so enjoyed the past two years as the Minister for Scotland and I’m incredibly proud to be back working on questions of global poverty and international justice – a field I’ve worked in for decades, going back to 2005 when I helped organise the Make Poverty History march in Edinburgh, as we tried to answer Mandela’s call to be a great generation. We’re still trying. In this job I’ll give it my all.” With Andy Burnham being the new Prime Minister, Kirsty McNeill took over the minister role from Jenny Chapman.

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. The Hillsborough Law was approved by MPs this week, more than three decades since the disaster. The law change, officially known as the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, will create a legally enforceable “duty of candour”, making it a legal duty for public officials to tell the truth to inquiries and investigations. It will also ensure victims of disasters or state-related deaths are entitled to parity of legal representation during inquests and inquiries, and has been supported by victims of the Grenfell Tower fire, the infected blood scandal and bereaved Covid families. Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill welcomed the news, saying: “Labour made a promise to the families of the victims of the Hillsborough disaster that the state would no longer be able to hide from those it is meant to protect.” “Now, thanks to their campaigning, and the Bill just passed by our Labour Government, no one will have to fight the state for the truth.” “This is an incredibly proud moment and a huge step forward for justice for the families who suffered the most appalling injustice.” As criminal law is devolved, these proposals apply only to England and Wales.

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Ten years ago this summer my friend Jo Cox MP was murdered at a constituency event. The far right terrorist who killed her believed that he would succeed in spreading hatred. Instead he unleashed a tidal wave of love as people started to hear Jo’s message for the first time. In her maiden speech in the House of Commons Jo said that “we are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us” and how right she was. Inspired by Jo’s story, the Great Get Together is an initiative started by Jo’s family and the charitable foundation which bears her name. It invites people right across the UK to connect with their neighbours, to turn strangers into friends and to have a blether with people even though we might not always see eye to eye. It’s an annual celebration of everything that connects our communities and this year I am proud to be hosting Midlothian’s Great Get Together. The day is free, fun and family friendly. We’ve got everything from a fire engine to dance performances, play sessions to an observational beehive, petanque to penalties, a brass band to a camera club. There’s even going to be a smoothie bike and a dad joke competition since it’s Father’s Day. All of this is being put on by volunteers from our extraordinary local community organisations. So if you’ve ever wondered what happens in a men’s shed, what walking rugby is like or whether you should become a community gardener, this is your chance to find out. I believe it’s important to hold these kinds of events everywhere, but especially so in a place like Midlothian which is growing so fast. Every time you look around there is a new development springing up and that can lead to us feeling a bit disconnected from each other. So let’s try to fix that this weekend. Bring the kids, a neighbour, a friend – or just bring yourself and meet someone new. Jo believed in the power of common action, and in her mind, there was no question that could not be answered in working together. So this weekend, let’s get together to remember her and remember just how much hope there is to be found around every corner in Midlothian. Midlothian’s Great Get Together is taking place at Danderhall Miners Club from 11 – 2 on Sunday 21 June. All welcome, RSVP here: https://kirstymcneill.com/greatgettogether/

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Residents across Midlothian are being invited to come together, meet their neighbours and celebrate what makes our communities so special at a free family event later this month. Local MP Kirsty McNeill is hosting Midlothian’s Great Get Together at Danderhall Miners Club on Sunday 21 June, from 11am to 2pm. This event is part of the annual Great Get Together weekend – a celebration of everything that connects our communities, inspired by Jo Cox’s belief that we have more in common than that which divides us. Families will be able to enjoy: – Football shoot outs – Live music from a local brass band – Dance performances – A visit from Dalkeith Fire Station – Arts and crafts for the kids – An observation beehive – Community stalls – A local baker Kirsty McNeill MP said: “Midlothian is now the fastest-growing area in the UK, and I think it’s really important that we take opportunities to get together with our neighbours and meet new people. “That’s why I’m delighted to invite folk to Midlothian’s Great Get Together. Whether you stay all afternoon or just pop in for a little while, it’s a great opportunity to find out more about the wonderful community organisations we have here in Midlothian, have a fun day out and celebrate everything that brings us together as a community.” The Great Get Together is free to attend and open to all. Sign up for the event here: https://kirstymcneill.com/greatgettogether/

Reproduced by the Midlothian View. People will keep more of their cash under a new government crackdown on unwanted and misleading subscriptions. The changes are expected to save consumers across the UK around £400 million each year by making it easier to cancel services. The measures, due to come into force in Spring 2027, will introduce stronger protections for consumers, including: – Clear, simple information before signing up to any subscription – Reminders before free or discounted trials end, or 12 month+ contracts automatically renew – Straightforward cancellations, including online exits for online sign ups – A 14-day cooling off period, after a free or discounted trial ends, or when a contract renews for 12 months or longer These new measures will make it simpler and far less painful to escape unwanted subscriptions, stop people being silently rolled onto expensive contracts and ensure that companies are upfront and open when selling subscription services. Kirsty McNeill, MP for Midlothian, said: “I really welcome the changes announced by this Labour Government, which will crack down on surprise subscription charges and ensure money is kept in residents’ pockets. “When pressures on household budgets are high, action like this really makes a difference.”  

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Local MP Kirsty McNeill has welcomed what she says are a series of major improvements to workers’ rights now coming into force, delivering stronger protections and higher pay for people across Midlothian. From 6 April, workers will benefit from reforms introduced through the UK Labour Government’s Employment Rights Act, including: – The introduction of ‘Day 1’ paternity leave and immediate access to unpaid parental leave from the start of employment. – Reforms to Statutory Sick Pay, including the removal of the Lower Earnings Limit and the waiting period, ensuring support from the first day of illness. – Strengthened collective redundancy rights, including doubling the maximum period for protective awards. – The creation of Bereaved Partners’ Paternity Leave, enabling fathers and partners to take up to 52 weeks of leave where the mother or primary adopter dies within the child’s first year. – Enhanced protections for workers who blow the whistle on sexual harassment. As part of wider action to make work pay and ease the cost of living, the MP also welcomed increases to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, which came into effect on 1 April. These uplifts will see a pay rise of £900 more per year for full-time workers on the National Living Wage and up to £1,500 for those on the National Minimum Wage. Kirsty McNeill MP said: “This month marks a defining moment for workers across Midlothian, who will now benefit from better pay and stronger rights at work. “People here deserve security in their jobs, fair pay for the work they do and the reassurance that if they are unwell, they will be protected. That is exactly what these changes, introduced by our Labour Government, deliver.”  

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Here are just a few things that have happened in the last few weeks. I had an experience that made me think we really need to talk about AI and the truth. It happened right here, in Midlothian View. I always enjoy getting the newsletter but was very confused when I read an article from SNP Councillor Dianne Alexander which attributed a quote to me I’m pretty certain I never said. When we contacted Midlothian View about it they immediately asked Councillor Alexander for the source of the quote. When it was not forthcoming they removed the article to give her time to explain what had happened. She still hasn’t, one month on. It seems to me there are only three possible explanations. Either a quote from someone else has been falsely attributed to me. It has been made up entirely by a person. Or it was one of the so-called AI ‘hallucinations’ that can occur when people use AI to write things and the technology goes a bit haywire and just invents stuff. If it’s the first, that’s just a mistake and an apology can be given and we can all move on. I’m really loath to think it’s the second as I think most people are in politics for good reasons. If it’s the third then we all need to talk about how technology can spread misinformation, because the truth matters. The next thing is that I received hundreds of emails from Midlothian parents worried about whether their kids are safe online. Then I hosted a listening event for families at the Steading in Rosewell. I’ll be feeding all your views into the government’s consultation. I also had a brilliant conversation with children at Roslin Primary School. They all felt strongly that protections for them to use technology safely should be improved but they also broke my heart when I asked them if they thought the grown-ups in their lives were able to help them monitor their screen time. One wee one said they’d never watched a film right through with their mum without her “double screening”. When I asked if they thought the adults they knew were using their phones too much, every single hand shot up. I’m not sharing that to judge anyone – I’m guilty of this too – but I made a promise to myself right then to try to put it down more. What all these experiences have in common is that we have a bit more power to change our relationship with technology than we can sometimes assume. Here are some ideas I have for how we could all work together on that. Firstly, I think we need to spend more time face to face. That way we are less likely to get pulled into online “rabbit holes” or “echo chambers” where we believe conspiracy theories or simply engage with people who already agree with us. I am a huge supporter of Midlothian’s network of miners’ welfares, social clubs and British Legions. If you haven’t joined your local club, why not think about it? I will be doing a number of Meet the Neighbours events at clubs this year – sign up for the newsletter if you’re interested: kirstymcneill.com/#signup. Secondly, let’s all think about our own behaviour online. Midlothian is blessed with all sorts of Facebook groups and forums. What kind of culture do we want them to have? Do we want them to be friendly and full of banter and advice, or places where people we disagree with are shouted down and attacked? We’ve all got a role to play in setting standards and an example. Thirdly, I think we do need to think about this at a policy level. Scottish Labour are proposing a total phone classroom ban and I have an open survey about issues like age limits for social media, which you can fill out at kirstymcneill.com/keeping-our-kids-safe-online. Finally, I should say that I wrote this article on my phone: I am not some kind of anti-technology nostalgic, desperate for a world before the digital revolution. My hope here is that we can find a way to unleash the potential of technology in a way that’s safe and makes our world more wonderful for everyone in it. If you’ve other ideas, I’m all ears.

Reproduced from Edinburgh Evening News.

Almost 3,000 residents in Midlothian have signed a petition to reverse Lothian Buses’ decision to scrap the “vital” 46 bus route.

 

Reproduced from Edinburgh Evening News. Midlothian MSP Kirsty McNeill launched her petition aiming to reverse Lothian Bus’s decision to scrap the number 46 service and reroute the number 48. The changes, which came into effect on Sunday (22 February) removes the only direct link between Rosewell, Bonnyrigg and the top of Mayfield to the Royal Infirmary - as well as leaving the whole top side of Poltonhall and Rosewell without a bus to the Community Hospital, out of hours services or a major supermarket. These changes will also remove vital direct connections between between Rosewell and Dalkeith, as well as from Mayfield to Newtongrange and Gorebridge. In a letter to Lothian Buses, Kirsty McNeill said: “More than 1,400 people have already signed my petition calling for these cuts to be reversed. This equates to around 1 in every 70 people in Midlothian – highlighting the significant local concern about the impact these decisions will have on people’s ability to get to work, healthcare appointments and stay connected with loved ones.

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill has called on Lothian Buses to reverse plans to scrap the number 46 service and reroute the number 48. The proposed changes will remove the only direct bus links from Rosewell, Bonnyrigg and the top of Mayfield to the Royal Infirmary – as well as leaving the whole top side of Poltonhall and Rosewell without a bus to the Community Hospital, out of hours services or a major supermarket. These changes will also remove vital direct connections between between Rosewell and Dalkeith, as well as from Mayfield to Newtongrange and Gorebridge. In a letter to Lothian Buses, Kirsty McNeill said: “More than 1,400 people have already signed my petition calling for these cuts to be reversed. This equates to around 1 in every 70 people in Midlothian – highlighting the significant local concern about the impact these decisions will have on people’s ability to get to work, healthcare appointments and stay connected with loved ones. “I strongly urge Lothian Buses to reconsider these cuts and to listen to the voices of residents. I would also welcome the opportunity for [Lothian Buses] to engage directly with those affected through a public meeting in Midlothian.” Midlothian residents can sign the petition calling for the bus cuts to be reversed by visiting kirstymcneill.com/bus-cuts.

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Moredun Research Institute has opened its upgraded High Security Unit (HSU) following a major programme of refurbishment and sustainability works. Aiming to strengthen Scotland’s role in protecting animal public health, the upgraded facility was officially opened by Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill, marking the completion of the work designed to secure the long-term future of one of the UK’s high-containment research facilities. Moredun’s HSU is one of only five such facilities in the UK and the only one in Scotland. It supports work on zoonotic pathogens; these are microorganisms that can cause disease in both humans and animals along with pathogens that have the capacity to cause animal disease outbreaks such as Bluetongue virus. MP Kirsty McNeill explained: “It was an absolute honour to open Moredun’s High Security Unit. Midlothian is a hub of scientific innovation and talent, and I am delighted that we are playing a central role in advancing the UK’s capability to protect animal and public health.” The facility plays a key role in the UK’s ability to prepare for and respond to future disease outbreaks, which can have far-reaching consequences, with past events costing the UK economy billions of pounds. The upgrade programme was funded by the UK Government Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and focused on key infrastructure improvements that will enhance animal welfare, staff safety and increase the energy efficiency of the unit. Professor McNeilly said: “The Moredun High Security Unit is a key facility contributing to the UK’s ability to deal with animal disease outbreaks, including those that infect humans. Its location within Easter Bush, a centre of animal research excellence, further enhances its value to the nation. We are immensely grateful for the funding from the UK government to complete vital upgrades to the facility and secure its future operation.” The work carried out in the unit helps prevent and control diseases that threaten animal welfare, farming livelihoods and, in some cases, human health. Recent research carried out at the facility includes testing a vaccine to control Louping ill, a severe tick-borne disease in sheep that is increasing in prevalence as the climate changes, and supporting research into new treatments for COVID-19 using specialist animal models. The opening was attended by senior representatives from government, universities, and the livestock health research community, reflecting the national importance of the facility.

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. The UK Labour Government has announced that the Edinburgh and South East region will receive £37.8 million of new funds to drive economic growth. The UK Government is backing regional economies across Scotland with £140 million of new investment. Spread over three years, it will fund regional projects which will drive economic growth. That might mean projects like infrastructure investment, business support or skills development – projects which will make a real difference in terms of skilled jobs and people’s prosperity. All this investment is on top of a block grant settlement for the Scottish Government. Since the election in 2024, the UK Government has provided the Scottish Government with more than £11 billion in additional funding. Welcoming the announcement, Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill said: “Labour promised to end austerity and I’m incredibly proud to say we have. Alongside delivering the largest financial settlement in the history of devolution for the Scottish Government, our Labour Government is investing directly in Midlothian’s future – investment that will have a tangible impact on our area’s prosperity and people’s lives.”

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Local MP Kirsty McNeill has welcomed Labour’s Christmas travel support that enables Scottish Armed Forces personnel to reunite with their loved ones this Christmas. While many in the Armed Forces already qualify for travel cost support, around 35,000 service personnel don’t currently qualify for this support. That is changing this festive season, with 2600 Scottish Armed Forces personnel now able to claim for a return journey to be reunited with their friends and family this festive season. Around 30,000 junior personnel in years 2-5 of their military careers – a group particularly affected by postings far from home early in their service – will receive a funded return journey to see their loved ones this Christmas. A further 5,000 separated parents with non-resident children will also receive travel credit, helping them reunite with their children over Christmas. Local MP Kirsty McNeill said: “Labour promised to renew the nation’s contract with those who serve and we are delivering on that promise. I know what an extraordinary commitment our armed forces show and I’m proud that Labour are supporting them to get home to their loved ones this Christmas.” Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “Our Armed Forces make extraordinary sacrifices to keep our country safe. Helping them get home to their families for Christmas is the least we can do to support them”.  

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. The UK is currently establishing inventories of living heritage to celebrate Scotland’s vibrant traditions and social practices. Submissions are now open to communities across Scotland for examples of living heritage such as ceilidhs, Pancake Day and Highland Games. Kirsty McNeill, Member of Parliament for Midlothian, is urging Midlothian’s Gala Day committee members and volunteers to submit expressions of interest so that local gala days can be considered for Scotland’s Inventory of Living Heritage. She said: “Our gala days, festivals and children’s days are a reminder of Midlothian’s proud mining heritage and are a time when whole towns come out to a sea of bunting and the sound of fun fairs. These are huge events, made possible by teams of dedicated volunteers who work all year round on gala day committees, and they deserve to be celebrated for the important part they play in bringing our communities together.” Creating inventories is one of the key obligations of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which the UK joined in 2024. Submissions can be made at livingheritage.unesco.org.uk. The deadline for entries is Friday 27 March 2026.

Reproduced from Midlothian View. Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill has backed the Labour Government’s new investment to provide training and work to young people who are neither earning nor learning. Labour has announced new measures to support 16-24-year-olds across Britain and provide help for many of the 300 young people claiming unemployment-related benefits in Midlothian, to give them an opportunity to get on and contribute to the local economy. By expanding its Youth Guarantee scheme with £820 million of new funding, the Government is aiming to tackle the problem and giving a brighter future to young people in Midlothian. Labour’s investment will pay for new Youth Hubs to be set up across local communities. Youth Hubs are centres that offer support to young people, such as CV advice, skills training, mental health support, housing advice and careers guidance. The package will also provide hundreds of thousands of new training and work experience placements for young people out of work and claiming benefits, and a new ‘Jobs Guarantee’ that fully subsidises six months of paid employment for 18-21-year-olds who are long-term unemployed on Universal Credit. Commenting on the announcement, Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill said: “I am delighted that the Work and Pensions Secretary has committed hundreds of millions of pounds of investment to the young people of this country. “Too many in Midlothian are being held back. Hundreds of our young people are stuck on benefits, and this new package of support will provide opportunities for them to turn their lives around after the previous government neglected them.”

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Community organisations in Midlothian are set to benefit from new investment in local renewable energy projects thanks to funding from Great British Energy. The National Mining Museum Scotland and Lasswade Community Rugby Trust are among almost 50 projects to receive support through the Scottish Government’s Community Energy Generation Growth Fund, backed by £4 million from Great British Energy. The fund is helping communities across the country to install local renewable energy projects such as wind turbines and solar panels. In total, community energy projects in Midlothian will receive nearly £100,000 of funding, helping local groups to take greater control of their energy generation. The announcement was welcomed by Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill, who said: “This is fantastic news for our families and businesses. Folk in Midlothian voted for change and this is it in action – record investment in clean energy, giving communities the power to produce their own energy, cut bills and put money back into the local economy.” Launched by the Labour Government, Great British Energy is a new, publicly owned clean energy company headquartered in Scotland’s energy capital, Aberdeen. The company has already begun delivering its first major project – installing rooftop solar panels on hundreds of schools and NHS sites – helping to cut energy bills by hundreds of millions of pounds while reducing carbon emissions.

Kirsty McNeill MP appeared on BBC Any Questions, sharing that this Labour Government is focused on building an economy that works for everyone. Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds here. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJ9Rr52qoPQ[/embed]

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Local MP Kirsty McNeill is calling on community organisations across Midlothian to apply for the Changing Places Toilets Scotland Fund, a vital initiative aimed at improving accessibility for disabled people and their carers. During her maiden speech, Kirsty pledged to support disabled children and their families – a commitment shaped by her conversations with parents and carers during her campaign. Since then, Kirsty and her team have engaged with nearly 50 families across Midlothian to better understand what is working well and where improvements are needed. A recurring issue raised by families is the lack of Changing Places toilets in public spaces – specialist facilities designed for people with severe disabilities. Currently, only IKEA and Dobbies in Midlothian provide fully accessible toilets equipped with hoists, privacy curtains, adult-sized changing benches and sufficient space for carers. The Changing Places Toilets Scotland Fund provides a vital opportunity to address this gap, with the fund covering project costs and offering up to £10,000 in development costs for organisations seeking to build a Changing Places facility. Kirsty McNeill MP has urged local businesses and organisations to apply for this funding, saying: “Too often, the absence of Changing Places toilets forces individuals and families to make unacceptable choices – to stay at home, to drastically reduce fluid intake before going out or to be changed on unhygienic toilet floors. Some people have even undergone life-changing surgery simply to cope with the anxiety around toilet access. These are not choices anyone should have to make. I encourage all eligible local organisations to consider applying for this funding.” The deadline for this funding is Monday 20th October 2025 at 12pm.

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. The UK has formally recognised Palestine to protect the viability of a two-state solution and create a path towards lasting peace for the Israeli and Palestinian people. The historic decision, announced alongside Canada and Australia, comes as the situation on the ground in Gaza continues to worsen, Israel continues to expand its illegal settlements in the West Bank and Hamas continues to hold the hostages. The UK government has underlined that recognition is not enough to change the situation on the ground on its own. That’s why the decision comes as part of coordinated international efforts to build consensus around a Framework for Peace, which addresses governance, security, humanitarian access and ceasefire monitoring in Gaza, as well as the foundations of a two-state solution. The government has also pledged an additional £15 million to deliver vital aid and medical support in Gaza and is coordinating the evacuation of Palestinian children for treatment in the UK, with the first group arriving earlier this month. The announcement was welcomed by Kirsty McNeill, Labour and Co-operative MP for Midlothian, who said: “Unspeakable horrors are unfolding in Gaza, and the UK’s recognition of the State of Palestine is a historic and vital step toward a two-state solution at a time when it faces unprecedented threat. The UK Government will not relent until this war ends, the hostages are freed, and a just political solution is within reach. That means working in concert with international partners, as the government has done by recognising Palestine alongside Canada and Australia ahead of the UN General Assembly, where the UK will continue working closely with allies to advance a framework for a lasting peace in the Middle East.”

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. On Tuesday 15 July, a national delegation of social club members from across the UK – including Bilston Miners Welfare in Midlothian – met with Local Growth Minister Alex Norris to call for a revival of the social club movement. Led by Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill, a longstanding advocate for the clubs movement, the delegation urged government action to support and revive social clubs as valued community spaces. Speaking to the Minister in the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government, clubs highlighted the critical role these spaces play in tackling isolation, supporting wellbeing, and strengthening community pride, particularly in areas hit hardest by economic decline. A national survey of social clubs conducted by the Centre for Democratic Business found that nearly 70% of clubs have received no external support on business planning, fundraising or applications for government funding. The Co-operative Party, Centre for Democratic Business and Kirsty McNeill MP have been jointly campaigning for a new social clubs charter to revive clubs for the 21st century. This meeting marks the start of engagement with government on the development of a charter to support opportunities for social clubs and remove barriers to their growth. Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill said: “Social clubs aren’t just places we go, they are places we belong. For generations, they have served as part-pub, part-music venue, part-community centre and so much more. “Importantly, they are run and owned by their members, the people who care the most. “Despite the decline in membership, our social club movement is full of motivated people who want to support and improve their communities. What they need now is government action to thrive.” Co-operative Party General Secretary Joe Fortune said: “Part of the Co-operative Party’s mission is to rebuild the fabric of community life and bring back the spaces every local place should have access to. “Our campaign to save Britain’s social clubs is about doing just that. It’s not about nostalgia, it’s about building strong and thriving communities for the future, and using the co-operative model – which many clubs already use – to do it.” Centre for Democratic Business Co-lead Jonathan Gordon-Farleigh said: “Social clubs are a vital but often unrecognised part of our social infrastructure – places where people come together to build relationships, organise locally, and take collective ownership of their future. For over a century, they’ve offered more than entertainment: they’ve been spaces for civic participation, mutual aid, and community leadership. “Despite the movement’s well-publicised decline in recent decades, clubs continue to serve their communities with commitment, creativity, and resilience. And reviving social clubs means investing in the democratic infrastructure our communities need to thrive. With the right government support – from targeted funding to a national charter – we can reimagine these spaces for the 21st century.”

Reproduced from The Scotsman.

​​It’s been a year since I became your MP, so given you are my boss it’s time for an annual appraisal. Obviously the most important objective I have is supporting you with problems, so I prioritised setting up an accessible office on Dalkeith High Street.

Dear Midlothian, It’s been a year since I became your MP, so given you're my boss it’s time for an annual appraisal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXlXZsa5Exk Obviously the most important objective I have is supporting you with problems so I prioritised setting up an accessible office on Dalkeith High Street. We have a team running an ‘always on’ advice service so if you need help just email or call - you don’t have to wait for a specific time of the month. We prioritise the most urgent cases first so if your question is not time sensitive, expect a wee delay. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikPb92p42rE[/embed] So far, we have handled over 4,107 cases where folk have asked for our help or for information, and have returned £17,207 to people’s pockets through our casework. Before the election I promised that I’ll always fight for your family as if it’s my own. I’ve tried to live by that in big ways, like fighting for a record settlement for the Scottish Government at the budget which has meant Midlothian Council had £14 million extra to deliver local services. But I’ve also tried to live by it in more tailored ways too, like setting up the local Disabled Children’s Forum for parents and carers of disabled children to support each other and pressure me, as I know how exhausting and lonely it can be doing it all alone. Supporting family finances has always been a big priority so I’m really pleased that there have been FOUR interest rate cuts since Labour came to office, thanks to the stability we’ve returned to the economy. One in twenty Midlothian workers have had a pay rise thanks to increases to the National Minimum and Living Wage. And both the creation of GB Energy and the expansion of the Warm Home Discount show our commitment to bringing down bills for good. Family life, of course, doesn’t take place in a vacuum and I know that one of the best things I can do for our communities is help our local economy grow. That’s why, last week, I brought together a packed room of local business leaders for the first Midlothian Growth Summit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwLjOQEkmdw We heard from fantastic speakers from the Midlothian Chambers of Commerce, Scottish Tourism Alliance and the Scottish Hospitality Group among others but I think the one everyone was most interested to hear from was the Supercomputer Director from Edinburgh University’s Advanced Computing Facility at Roslin. The UK Government has just announced £750 million in funding for the supercomputer so it was a lovely way to celebrate this huge news for Midlothian. Earlier in the year the UK Government announced £5 million for a study into the extension of the Borders Railway and support for 600 Midlothian homes and businesses to get broadband upgrades so I’m pleased we have seen so much investment in Midlothian in just a year. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hF7Qoj91RYY[/embed] Supporting local groups and charities is also really important to me, particularly our local miners' welfare and social clubs. I was pleased to bring clubs from all across Scotland together at Bilston Miners and we are working with clubs across England and Wales too on the Club Together campaign, generating proposals for government about how to help clubs thrive. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/shorts/F4gRtQWwntM[/embed] I was really pleased so many local organisations came to the funding workshop I did with the People’s Postcode Lottery too - please do sign up to Midlothian Matters and follow me on Facebook for more funding information and ways to get involved in local organisations. Two final bits of news you might have missed. Very early on this Labour government fixed the injustice of the Mineworkers Pension Scheme, boosting the pensions of nearly 1,000 ex-miners in Midlothian by 32%. And thanks to our commitment to our armed forces we will see improvements to 179 Midlothian military homes. The people who powered this country and the people who defend this country will always have my heart. This is what I’ve prioritised in year one. Let me know what you’d like me to focus on in year two. Yours aye, Kirsty

Written by Kirsty McNeill MP. Reproduced from Midlothian View here. Since my last update to you, my team and I have been hard at work running our always-on advice service. We’ve handled nearly 2,500 cases since the election where folk have been in touch asking for support, including 384 cases in January alone. Last month, we helped people on issues ranging from supporting access to specialist debt support to raising concerns over the need for improved gritting in Penicuik and Roslin. We’ve also been listening to the stories of some of the 120,000 people on an NHS Lothian waitlist, learning about the best ways I can help to deliver real change for those who are struggling to access the healthcare and mental health services they need. It’s my job to fight for what matters to you most, so I’m writing to NHS Lothian to raise the issues we’re facing here in Midlothian. I will also write to the Scottish Government to call for increased funding for our public services, following the record financial settlement it received in the UK budget – an additional £1.5 billion last year and £3.4 billion this year. Please drop me an email at kirsty.mcneill.mp@parliament.uk if there’s something you’d like me to raise in these letters or if you’d like to be kept up to date with this work. In Parliament, our Labour Government has been continuing the hard work of change, focused on creating an economy which works for working people. We’re already seeing some indication that things are starting to turn around, with the IMF recently upgrading the UK’s growth forecasts, crediting the decisions made in the Chancellor’s autumn budget. I’m working hard to make sure the benefits of growth are felt by folk here in Midlothian, including by discussing local growth opportunities with the Midlothian Chamber of Commerce and meeting new businesses to see how I can support them to get set up in the constituency. I’m also resolutely focused on making sure that families see real benefits in their finances – you can hear more about this commitment in my recent appearance on BBC Debate Night. Key to this is our work ushering in the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. This will scrap zero hours contracts, end fire and rehire and introduce a real living wage which will see more than one in twenty workers in Midlothian receiving a pay rise this April, with full-time workers seeing an uplift of around £1,400 a year. There’s a lot being done, and a lot more to do this coming year. I appreciate your patience, support and trust as I work to deliver change for Midlothian. P.S. - Want to stay up to date with my work for you in Midlothian and Westminster, as well as learn about local news, events, history and trivia? Click here to sign up to Midlothian Matters, our regular community newsletter.

Reproduced by the Midlothian View. Last Friday, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves visited the University of Edinburgh’s Advanced Computing Facility in Midlothian to mark the UK Government’s landmark £750 million investment in a new national supercomputer. The investment, confirmed in the recent Spending Review, will see Midlothian become home to the most powerful supercomputer in the UK – a world class asset that will equip scientists across the country with the computing power they need to deliver cutting-edge research. From personalised medical treatments to sustainable air travel, the supercomputer will drive forward innovations that grow our economy and ensure people are better off. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Midlothian is the UK capital of supercomputing, which is why the UK Government is investing £750 million for a new national supercomputer, based at the Advanced Computing Facility at Easter Bush. This will create skilled jobs in Midlothian and drive up economic growth, as part of our Plan for Change. “Midlothian’s fantastic local MP, Kirsty McNeill has campaigned for this investment from the day she was elected and I was delighted to work with her to bring this critical national asset to the constituency.” Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill said: “I’m incredibly proud to see Midlothian at the heart of such a huge milestone for science and innovation in the UK. Folk in Midlothian voted for change and this is what that looks like – major investment in our fantastic scientific and technological talent, who will take the lead in driving the next wave of innovation and discovery.” Professor Sir Peter Mathieson, Principal and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Edinburgh, said: “The Chancellor’s announcement to invest in a new national supercomputer was a strong endorsement of our University’s expertise and track record in delivering world-leading technology. Today’s visit gave us a welcome opportunity to showcase our state-of-the-art facility and share how we will continue to play a key role in the UK’s advancement in computing power. We look forward to working with the UK Government and partners on this major national project.” Professor Mark Parsons, Director of EPCC and Dean of Research Computing at the University of Edinburgh, said: “It was a great pleasure to show the Chancellor the cutting-edge work that is taking place at our Advanced Computing Facility. Our status as the first National Supercomputing Centre, alongside the new supercomputer, will enable us to push the boundaries of computing and AI and unlock new advances and economic growth for the benefit of society.” The investment could also strengthen Midlothian’s renewable energy sector, as the University of Edinburgh is currently piloting a groundbreaking system that aims to store waste heat from the Advanced Computing Facility in disused mines and use it to warm homes.

Written by Kirsty McNeill MP. Reproduced from Midlothian View here. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/shorts/g696qjIhVH0[/embed] The Labour Government has just delivered a pay rise for 200,000 of the lowest paid Scots. That’s 1 in 20 workers here in Midlothian. 25 years ago, Labour created the National Minimum Wage, boosting incomes and making work more secure. But since then, we’ve had 14 years of a Tory government which did nowhere near enough to make work pay – especially for young people. That’s why our Labour Government has taken immediate action to increase the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, boosting the incomes of the lowest paid Scots. This move means that as of today, full time workers who are over 21 and receiving the National Living Wage will see a 6 percent increase to their pay, resulting in an extra £1,400 a year. And for 18 to 20 year olds working full time and receiving the National Minimum Wage, a 16 percent pay rise will see their annual incomes rise by £2,500 a year, with apprentices also receiving an 18 percent increase to their incomes. As a trade unionist, I’m incredibly proud to be part of bringing this change alongside Labour’s landmark Employment Rights Bill – the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation. Once this Bill is passed, folk in Midlothian will be more secure in their work as a result of a ban on exploitative zero hours contracts, an end to fire and rehire and basic rights from day one in a new job – including bereavement, paternity and parental leave. This is what Labour is doing to make work work pay, and to make work secure. This is the difference a Labour Government makes here in Midlothian.

Kirsty McNeill MP was on Debate Night on 29th January 2025. Watch the full episode on the BBC here. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-9gyUXhhzU[/embed]

Written by Midlothian View Reporter, Luke Jackson. Reproduced from Midlothian View here. This week Kirsty McNeill, Scottish Labour and Co-operative MP for Midlothian, signed the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment, pledging to remember those who were murdered during the Holocaust and paying tribute to survivors and their families. Holocaust Memorial Day falls on 27th January, the liberation of the infamous former Nazi concentration and death camp, Auschwitz-Birkenau. 2025 is a significant anniversary year, marking 80 years since the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps of Europe. With survivors becoming older and frailer, this is likely to be the last significant anniversary at which Holocaust survivors will be present, and able to share their eye-witness testimony. As the Holocaust moves from living memory to history, this Holocaust Memorial Day presents an opportunity to bring the Holocaust to the fore of our national consciousness. After signing the Book of Commitment, Kirsty McNeill, Scottish Labour and Co-operative MP for Midlothian, commented: “Holocaust Memorial Day presents an important opportunity to reflect on the darkest times of European history. I’ve had the privilege of meeting extraordinary survivors who work tirelessly to educate young people, as well as with Holocaust educators in Scotland such as the Scottish Jewish Archives Center who communicate pain of this magnitude with incredible care. We sometimes think of the Holocaust as history, forgetting that it is also about people we love coping with a murder in the family, here and now. This pain is today’s, the obligation of memory is today’s, the moral imperative to fight antisemitism is today’s. It was an honour to sign the Holocaust Educational Trust’s Book of Commitment, pledging to never allow the stories of survivors and their families to be forgotten”. Karen Pollock CBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “This year, on Holocaust Memorial Day, we come together to mark 80 years since the liberation of the extermination and concentration camps of Europe. We remember the six million Jewish men, women, and children who were murdered by the Nazis and their collaborators and we honour those who survived and rebuilt their lives after enduring unimaginable horrors. The images and accounts that emerged at liberation revealed the full scale of the Nazis’ attempt to annihilate the Jewish people and this gave rise to the enduring call ‘Never Again.’ This phrase embodies the hope that the Holocaust would serve as a stark warning to future generations of the consequences of unchecked hatred and antisemitism. As we mark this significant anniversary, the lessons of the Holocaust remain as urgent as ever. With survivors becoming fewer and frailer, and with antisemitism continuing to surge across the world – we must all commit to remembering the six million Jewish victims and must take action to ensure anti-Jewish racism is never again allowed to thrive.”

Every year Holyrood publishes Scotland's essential political reference guide - the Holyrood Scottish Political Guide. The below was reproduced from their 2025 guide. Kirsty McNeill was previously an advisor to Gordon Brown when he was prime minister. She started working for Brown at 27 after he noticed her work with Make Poverty History, where she led on organising the 25,000 strong march in Edinburgh. Before being elected, McNeill was executive director of the policy, advocacy and campaigns at Save the Children. She is now serving as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Scotland Office. McNeill is also a member of the European Council on Foreign Relations alongside foreign ministers, former prime ministers and leaders from Nato. Why did you want to be an MP? I honestly thought I'd left politics behind me - I got a huge amount of meaning from my work at Save the Children. Then the cost-of-living emergency hit - and it hit hard - and I realised there was nothing I could ever do in my job, no matter how well I did it or how brilliant my colleagues were, that would ever make as big a difference as Labour in government does. Tell me something that might surprise people about you? Until I was 20 I desperately wanted to be a music journalist. I had a student marketing job with the NME and my way into international development was signing up musicians to back Oxfam's campaigns. What are your main areas of interest or causes to campaign on? My main policy interests are children and young people, care experience, class inequality and poverty, supporting our local voluntary sector and miners' welfare. I'm also a proud internationalist and care deeply about foreign policy and development. Locally I will focus a lot on fighting for fair funding for Midlothian Council, getting the infrastructure we need, and ensuring that our proud mining heritage is protected as we strive for the jobs of the future. What is your top tip to a lobbyist, special interest group or campaigner, on how NOT to engage with you? One of my big mantras in my old life as a charity campaigner was "campaigners make things possible, politicians make things happen." We need each other but the system only works if everyone respects everyone else's role. What is the best way for a journalist to try and get to know you? If you look at where I've worked, where I've volunteered, how I practice my politics, the kinds of things I've written about in articles or spoken about in podcasts, it all fits a pattern of what's important to me. I want a world where everyone is safe and everyone has enough. How we get there and how we navigate our disagreements along the way takes up most of my energy. Is there a description that you have seen about you in the press or on social media that has amused you? I was quite surprised to read that I'd been a pensions adviser to Gordon Brown. He was more so. Can I buy you a coffee (or something a little stronger) and how do you take that? You're always welcome to buy me an Irn-Bru Xtra. What's your guilty secret? I once took what I thought was a piece of cheddar from a cheese plate while talking to a very senior American politician only to discover it was in fact some orange peel that I had to chew, declare "delicious" and swallow in front of everyone, pretending this was just a thing Scottish people did.

Written by Kirsty McNeill MP. Reproduced from Midlothian View here. On Christmas morning I let my mind wander to every wee one opening a science kit who might one day find themselves working at the Roslin Institute, everyone kicking a new ball thinking about catching Steve Clarke’s eye. But I also thought about the kids whose Christmas had an edge to it, those whose families are right up against it with debt and bills and find the January mail the most frightening of the year. That’s why my focus this year is going to be resolutely on family finances. Just consider this for a moment: more than half of the children facing poverty in Midlothian are in households where someone’s in work. I recently met with Midlothian’s Trussell food bank to learn about the support they are providing to families who have been struggling with growing bills and shrinking pay. More than 262,400 emergency food parcels were distributed across Scotland in 2023/24, with 75% needing support from a food bank because their income doesn’t cover the essentials. Behind that statistic is a devastating story of low pay and folk who are doing everything right but still finding there’s too much of the month left when their account skids towards red. It’s only been six months since the General Election but already we are implementing the plans that will make work pay. Labour is ushering in the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation by scrapping exploitative zero hours contracts, ending fire and rehire and delivering a pay rise to 200,000 of the lowest-paid Scots – including more than one in twenty workers in Midlothian. In our budget we also made sure to target resources to those who most need the help. 1.7 million families in Scotland will see their working-age benefits uprated in line with inflation, and 125,000 pensioners in Scotland who are eligible for Pension Credit will benefit from an additional £465 a year for single pensioners and up to £710 a year more for couples. There is no denying there were difficult choices last year too, but this year we should start to see the benefits of the National Wealth Fund, GB Energy, the Help to Save scheme giving over 200,000 Scots a savers’ bonus of up to £1,200, the investment of £200 million for town centre regeneration across Scotland, a fuel duty decision that will save more than 3 million people across Scotland money at the pumps and reforms to Universal Credit that will leave families in Scotland around £420 better off on average. But we know there’s much more to be done. That’s why a crucial part of my role as Minister for Scotland is contributing to the UK Government’s Child Poverty Task Force, through which we’re developing an ambitious strategy to make sure every child gets a decent start. When we hosted the Task Force in Scotland we heard so powerfully from families going through poverty, as well as the charities and public services who are providing them with support, that people want their problems dealt with at source. Families need a serious, cross-governmental plan to deal with the core driver of child poverty in Scotland – an economy which doesn’t work for working people. These testimonies will be key in shaping our next steps. To do right by families, listening to folk in Midlothian and right across Scotland – and putting their needs at the heart of the Labour Government’s plans – is the right place to start.

Listen to the Spectator Podcast here. Kirsty McNeill is a new Labour MP but certainly not new to the Labour movement. She is perhaps best known for her time working as an advisor to the Browns; firstly in Number 10 during Gordon Brown’s time as Prime Minister, and later for both Gordon and Sarah Brown on their charity projects. Following her experience working on a number of non-executive boards, including at the IPPR and Our Scottish Future, she unseated the SNP in the seat of Midlothian. Currently serving in the Scotland Office, she was one of the first MPs of the new intake to be awarded roles in government. On the podcast, Kirsty talks to Katy Balls about growing up in an SNP-supporting family, her training as a debater and how activism and advocacy led her into politics. She also provides her reflections on 2014 Scottish referendum having worked on the campaign, how Scottish and Labour politics have changed over the past few years, and her priorities for the new Labour government. Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Cindy Yu.

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Kirsty McNeill, Midlothian’s MP, writes her monthly column for Midlothian View. Midlothian is growing because it’s an absolutely brilliant place to raise a family, with its population rising by a whopping 16.1% in the last ten years. But funding from the SNP government hasn’t kept pace. With our NHS waiting lists on the rise and bus routes being cut, we’re not developing the kinds of amenities, services and infrastructure that are needed to support family life. Last October, Midlothian Council launched a consultation on savings to bridge a budget gap of £9.41 million in 2025/6. This included a potential increase to Council Tax, as well as cuts to our libraries, school swimming programmes and Gala Days. I promised to fight for the investment Midlothian needs, and I’m very proud to say that the Labour Government has delivered the largest funding settlement for Scotland in the history of devolution – resulting in nearly £5 billion extra which the SNP Government can choose to spend on much needed investment in our local services. Decisions taken in our progressive Labour budget mean that the Scottish Government has received more per person than equivalent UK Government spending in the rest of the UK – but the SNP needs to spend this wisely. If the Scottish Government provides Midlothian with its fair share of this funding, there should be real opportunities for long-overdue investment in our communities. After years of inaction and broken promises, real change for Midlothian – not empty words – is what we need.

Written by Kirsty McNeill MP. Reproduced from the Edinburgh Evening News here. Five months ago, just as the election we so desperately needed was finally called, I wrote to everyone in Midlothian promising change. I said that whilst we won’t be able to deliver everything people want, a Labour Government would have Scotland at its beating heart and do the most for those with the least. That’s a promise kept. In our Labour Government’s first budget we have delivered the largest funding settlement for Scotland in the history of devolution. Thanks to Labour’s progressive budget, on top of investment of £1.4 billion in local Scottish growth projects, the Scottish Government will receive an additional £1.5bn this financial year and £3.4bn next year – money they can choose to spend on our NHS, schools and public transport. In our first four months we have also introduced the Employment Rights Bill, ushering in the biggest upgrade to workers’ rights in a generation by scrapping exploitative zero hours contracts, ending fire and rehire and delivering a pay rise to 200,000 of the lowest-paid Scots, including over 5 per cent of workers in Midlothian. This is what responsible, serious government looks like in action; a budget which prioritises investment in our public services and lets families keep more of their own hard-earned cash in their pockets. As promised, we’re also making sure to target resources at those who really need the help. Labour’s commitment to the triple lock will see over one million Scottish pensioners benefit from £8.6m more in state pension. On top of this 125,000 pensioners in Scotland who are eligible for Pension Credit will benefit from a 4.1 per cent increase in the Pension Credit Standard Minimum Guarantee – an additional £465 a year for single pensioners and up to £710 a year more for couples. And around 1.7m families in Scotland will see their working-age benefits uprated in line with inflation – a £150 gain on average in 2025-26 – with Scottish families also benefiting by an average of over £420 a year from reductions to the maximum level of debt repayments that can be deducted from a household’s Universal Credit payment. We promised to end austerity. I’m very proud to say that now we have. Kirsty McNeill is MP for Midlothian and Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. UK Labour Government ends the injustice of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme, boosting the pensions of 952 former mineworkers in Midlothian The Labour Government has reversed the historic injustice of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme, with the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Ed Miliband, confirming that mineworkers and their families will finally have the Investment Reserve from their pension scheme transferred to them. This move will mean a 32 percent boost to the annual pensions of 112,000 former mineworkers across the UK, including 952 former mineworkers in Midlothian who will receive an immediate uplift in their weekly pension. The announcement was welcomed by Kirsty McNeill, Labour and Co-operative MP for Midlothian and Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland, who said: “It is a national scandal that people in Midlothian who helped power our country have had to fight for so long for the pension settlement they deserve. “The UK Labour Government has ended this injustice and delivered what is rightfully owed back to Scottish miners and their widows. This is a victory for the extraordinary work carried out by folk here in Midlothian to champion this important cause, and the direct result of a UK Labour government in the service of working people, with Scottish MPs at its heart.” The investment reserve fund was set up using profits from the scheme in 1992, to provide a buffer in case the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme went into deficit. This money was due to be returned to government in 2029. Former mineworkers and their families have fought for justice for many years. In a landmark decision, the fund – now worth £1.5 billion – will be handed over to the pension scheme, ensuring former pit workers who powered the country for decades finally get the just rewards from their labour. Sir David Hamilton, ex-mineworker and former Labour MP for Midlothian, said: “I welcome the Government standing by their manifesto commitment and transferring the £1.5 billion across to mineworkers and their widows. This in real terms means a 32% increase to their weekly pensions, which will be paid out from November 29th. I’m sure this will be warmly received by the many in Midlothian and across Scotland who have been unfairly dealt with over the years.” When British Coal was privatised in 1994, the government also agreed to take half of any profits generated by the pension scheme, in return for a guarantee that pensions would increase in line with inflation. The scheme has continued to produce strong returns and the government has never paid any funds into it. Therefore, the government is also delivering on its commitment to review this agreement to ensure former miners and their families get a fairer deal in the years ahead, with next steps set out in the coming months. Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar said: “We owe the mining communities who powered Scotland a debt of gratitude. For decades, it has been a scandal that the government has taken money that could have been passed to the miners and their families. Now that scandal ends, and the money is rightfully transferred to the miners.”

Reproduced from the Edinburgh Evening News. Midlothian MP Kirsty McNeill has written a letter to constituents setting out why she will today back the Assisted Dying Bill. The Labour MP says she has listened to evidence and views from different side in the lead up to today’s vote and believes it will mark “the beginning of a new and better approach to the end of life in our country”. But she adds: “I do not expect everyone to agree with either my decision or my reasoning but I do hope, in setting it out, we can understand each other a little more.    

Reproduced from LinkedIn. Jings. It’s a Scotland Office double at the @heraldscotland Politician of the Year Awards. Thanks to @IanMurrayMP for being such a brilliant boss and all our @ScottishLabour colleagues.

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Dear Midlothian, Five months ago, just as the election we so desperately needed was finally called, I wrote to every one of you promising change. I said that whilst we won’t be able to deliver everything you want, a Labour Government would have Scotland at its beating heart. That’s a promise kept. We have:

• Delivered the largest funding settlement for Scotland in the history of devolution in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ first Labour Budget;
• Introduced the Employment Rights Bill, ushering in the biggest upgrade to workers rights in a generation by scrapping exploitative zero hours contracts, ending fire and rehire and delivering a pay rise to 200,000 of the lowest-paid Scots, including more than 5% of workers in Midlothian;
• Ended the injustice of the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme, returning over a billion pounds to former coal miners, including nearly 1,000 mineworkers in Midlothian;
• Created GB Energy, a publicly owned company headquartered in Aberdeen, bringing investment, jobs and growth to Scotland; and
• Committed £1.4 billion for local Scottish growth projects.

Thanks to Labour’s progressive budget, the Scottish Government will receive an additional £1.5 billion this year and £3.4 billion next year, money they can choose to spend on our NHS, schools and public transport. This is what responsible, serious government looks like in action; a budget which does the most for those with the least, prioritises investment in our public services and lets more families keep more of their own hard-earned cash in their pockets. Some of you have written to me seeking reassurance that we’re targeting resources at those who really need the help so I wanted you to know the following:

• Labour’s commitment to the triple lock will see over one million Scottish pensioners benefit from £8.6m more in State pension.
• Households eligible for Pension Credit will get £465 a year more for single pensioners and up to £710 a year more for couples due to a 4.1% increase in the Pension Credit Standard Minimum Guarantee, benefitting 125,000 pensioners in Scotland.
• Around 1.7 million families in Scotland will see their working-age benefits uprated in line with inflation – a £150 gain on average in 2025-26.
• And by reducing the maximum level of debt repayments that can be deducted from a household’s Universal Credit payment each month from 25% to 15% we have ensured that the Scottish family will benefit by over £420 a year on average.

We promised to end austerity. I’m very proud to say that now we have. Yours aye, Kirsty

Written by Marie Sharp. Reproduced from Edinburgh Live. Midlothian ’s new MP has pledged to fight for fairer funding for local services as she marks her first month in the post. Kirsty McNeill was elected with nearly 50 per cent of all votes to be the new Labour MP for the county at the UK General Election. And she has vowed to repay the faith voters showed in her at the ballot box by making Midlothian her priority. A former political adviser to Labour Prime Minister Gordon Brown during his time in office, the new MP will juggle constituency work with a ministerial role at the Scotland Office as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State. But she said her thoughts in her first month were focused on establishing an office in Midlothian so she can carry on working closely with residents who she met during her campaign. She said: “I know that many folk took a leap of faith when they cast their vote for me because they were ready for change and ready to have a Labour MP in the heart of a Labour Government. “I don’t take that responsibility lightly so the thing I felt most pressing was the need to set up a brilliant constituency office to ensure people get support.” Ms McNeil said speaking to people on the streets concern about funding for local services was at the forefront of conversations. Midlothian Council has said it has a budget gap of over £13million which is expected to rise to over £25million in the next four years. The MP said that Midlothian is the fastest growing council in Scotland, but required greater investment, adding: “This means our infrastructure isn’t keeping up with all the demands on it – something so many people across Midlothian said was their number one issue.” The new MP has sat on the boards for a children’s charity and a climate change project, but has stepped down from those roles. She said: “As much as I loved my work at Save the Children UK I’ve resigned from that and from the other charity and non-profit organisations I was on the boards of so I could focus solely on my roles as Midlothian’s MP and as a Scotland Office minister. “I’ll continue to champion their brilliant work and all the other community organisations I’ve been involved with over the years. ” And she said her work in those fields had given her an insight into the hard work ahead. She said: “What I have learned during my twenty plus years working to tackle child poverty and climate change is that we need to work collaboratively across sectors and backgrounds if we’re to make a dent in some of our greatest challenges. “No single person or entity is going to have the solution – that is why we need to approach every conversation with an open mind so we can truly understand each other’s challenges and collaborate to trial innovative solutions.” The new MP believes the Labour Government will make a difference to lives of people in Midlothian with its planned changes and projects including the Great British Energy plans which she says will “bring down bills, create good new jobs and help tackle climate change”. But she warned change will not happen overnight. She said: “We have brought forward transformational proposals on rights for workers, including a genuine living wage delivering a pay rise for tens of thousands of Scots, a ban on exploitative zero-hour contracts and the end of fire and rehire. “And with the PM and Secretary of State prioritising a ‘resetting of relationships’ with the Scottish Government there is lots of potential for proper joint working on issues like limiting young people’s access to addictive vapes. “Of course things will take time – there are real long-term consequences of having 14 years of Conservative government. I can’t promise everything will improve overnight. But what I can promise is that my colleagues and I will work tirelessly to deliver the change that both Midlothian and Scotland as a whole voted for.”

Midlothian’s new MP Kirsty McNeill writes her first column for Midlothian View It’s been just over a month since I became Midlothian’s MP. You are my boss so it’s important to update you on what’s been happening. Just a few hours after the count at Lasswade High I was in Glasgow for the first meeting of our new Scottish Parliamentary Labour Party – now 37 MPs strong. That Sunday we were addressed by the new Prime Minister in Edinburgh, just after his meeting with the First Minister where he pledged a resetting of relationships with the Scottish Government – something that is already paying dividends on our joint work on Grangemouth. Then it was off on the train, ready for a Monday morning induction. One of the very first things that happens when you become an MP is you are shown your peg in the Members’ Cloakroom and, yes, there really is a ribbon on it should you wish to hang up your sword. I only mention this because it’s important that you know the peg doesn’t have my name on it – it has ours. It’s the peg for Midlothian – a symbol that I’m only there because of and for you. I’m already looking forward to the first school group from Midlothian visiting in the autumn – if you’re in London when parliament is sitting, remember you can contact our office (on kirsty.mcneill.mp@parliament.uk) about having a tour or meeting me there if I’m down. Likewise if you have any urgent casework please flag it to the same email address. We are in the process of hiring a full staff team and sorting a local office – please bear with us and we will get to it as fast as we can. And if you’d like to receive my regular newsletter, Midlothian Matters, please sign up at www.kirstymcneill.com/midlothianmatters. On the second day of the new parliament all the Scottish MPs were invited into Downing Street, another sign of how Scotland will be at the beating heart of this new government. It was also that day I was invited to join the government as a minister in the Scotland Office. As part of the wider government, I have been supporting the King’s Speech. We’ve got cracking on creating GB Energy, headquartered here in Scotland, to deliver lower bills, good jobs and energy security and we’ve already made the changes to the Low Pay Commission’s work that should see around 200,000 Scots getting a pay rise. Of course all of this takes place against the backdrop of a truly shocking economic inheritance left by the Tories. We face a £22 billion black hole in spending for this year alone. The Treasury’s reserves have already been spent many times over and it’s only August. It was sobering being in the chamber to hear the Chancellor lay out the scale of it and the need for tough, fast decisions. Some of you have been in touch asking about why Labour voted against the SNP’s amendment to the King’s Speech. The answer is that fighting child poverty is the cause of my life – nothing matters to me more – and anyone who has ever worked on this topic knows that giving children the best start in life requires more ambition than simply making changes to the benefit system. We need action on wages and progression at work, housing, mental health and much else: exactly what the government’s Child Poverty Taskforce has been charged with delivering. We need proper, costed plans that will make lasting change in children’s lives, not parliamentary games and social media slogans. We’ve had a lot of both in recent years and it hasn’t gotten us very far. This is what responsible, serious government looks like. We have seen it in action again over the last week, with the Prime Minister and Home Secretary promising that far right thugs will feel the full force of the law. It is simply unspeakable that these criminals are compounding and exploiting the agony of grieving families. We all have choices about who gets our attention. I will be focussing mine on the people who loved Bebe King, Elsie Dot Stancombe and Alice Dasilva Aguiar and all those people in communities touched by crime and violence who have come together to show that they will not be divided. Over the last few weeks I’ve visited community groups across Scotland and here in Midlothian – including our Sure Start, libraries service, the Central Dalkeith and Woodburn Pantry and the National Mining Museum. I’ve attended the Dalkeith Festival and meetings with council officers and local police. In all of these interactions I am so struck by how many people are doing right by each other, quietly building the bonds of community through the simple act of loving their neighbours and lending a hand. That’s how I know that in the end decency and democracy will win.

Written by Phyllis Stephen. Reproduced from The Edinburgh Reporter here. The Prime Minister has appointed Kirsty McNeill MP for Midlothian as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to work with Ian Murray, MP for Edinburgh South, in the Scotland Office. UK Government Minister for Scotland, Kirsty McNeill, said: “It is an honour to serve in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Government to rebuild Britain and which has Scotland at its beating heart. “Teaming up with Scottish Secretary Ian Murray in a resurgent Scotland Office, I will work across our country and far beyond to build a brighter future for all. “Now for action and my absolute priority in the role will be to deliver the change and renewal that Scotland needs – to drive economic growth, create jobs and reduce poverty.”

Written by Ian Swanson. Reproduced from Edinburgh Evening News here. Former Downing Street adviser Kirsty McNeill, now the new MP for Midlothian, is seen as a rising star in Labour. Born in Glasgow, she grew up in an SNP-supporting family and has described early memories of being "plonked under tables at meetings and being told to fold leaflets, being sent to race nights, to staff tombola stalls". She says it was as a teenager that she developed strong opinions about poverty and inequality and saw social class as being more important than independence. She studied Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) at Oxford University, where she was president of the Student Union. After working in the charity sector for some years she spent three years as an adviser to Gordon Brown while he was in Number 10, working on his response to the financial crash, writing speeches and helping with outreach to communities. After Labour's defeat in the 2010 general election, she spent a further year helping Gordon Brown and his wife Sarah setting up their office and establishing his global education projects. Ms McNeill had stood unsuccessfully for Labour in the London constituency of Southwark North and Bermondsey at the 2005 general election and served as a Labour councillor in Southwark between 2006 and 2010. She took a senior post with Save the Children in 2015 and has been the charity's executive director of policy, advocacy and campaigns for the past eight years. She is also chair of the advisory board for Our Scottish Future, the think tank set up by Gordon Brown to present the positive and progressive case for Scotland's place in the UK.

Reproduced from Midlothian View here. Midlothian has a new Labour MP. Kirsty McNeill has been elected with a majority of over 8,000. In her acceptance speech Kirsty McNeill thanked Owen Thompson for his twenty years service as an MP and before as a councillor Referring to the election Ms McNeill said: “I hope this is a moment when we turn the page on the division and chaos of the past. A moment where we decided that whilst we will never agree about everything we have to find ways to agree about more. “To those who voted for other parties I hope you will also find me as someone with a listening ear and an open heart. “Scottish Labour MPs will have a clear set of priorities. We will deliver economic stability, we will deliver cheaper bills through GB Energy, a cut in NHS waiting times, a new deal for working people with a pay rise for over 200,000 Scots, jobs and opportunities for young people and we will maximise Scotland’s influence at Westminster. That was the choice at this election and Midlothian has chosen change.”

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. Midlothian View readers face a clear choice tomorrow on July the 4th. We can stick with the status quo: two governments in London and Edinburgh that are at each other’s throats and more interested in picking fights with each other than winning fights for you. Or we can pick change: economic stability, cheaper bills through GB Energy, a cut in NHS waiting times, a New Deal for Working people with a pay rise for over 200,000 Scots, jobs and opportunities for young people and maximising Scotland’s influence at Westminster. I hope you’ll choose change over more of the same and I hope you’ll pick Scottish Labour with a sense of optimism in your heart. I know, though, that some of you are more cautious. I understand that. Some folk I’ve spoken to are voting Labour for the first time ever and that means a lot. Others have voted for other parties for a wee while but are returning to Labour because they see we’ve changed and are putting working people first. Whatever happens, I’ll never take your support for granted. I met someone the other day who is going to vote for the first time in his life – at 50 – and all I could think about all night was how, if I am lucky enough to be elected, I can deliver enough for him to deserve a second vote in a few years time. I’m proud that in my current job I lead charity programmes delivering help for hard-pressed families up and down the country. The only reason I feel called back to politics is because I believe I could deliver even more change as your MP. In all the conversations we’ve had – on your doorsteps, on the phone and online – I hope you’ve got a bit of a sense of me as a person. I listen, I care and I get things done. You can always find more information about me and ways to be in touch on my website. I am not taking anything for granted on Thursday and I’ll be out working for every vote until the end. If enough of you reward me with your support I hope you’ll let me have a little lie-in on Friday morning and then from Friday afternoon please be in touch and let’s get started on delivering the change Midlothian needs. Kirsty McNeill is the Scottish Labour and Co-operative candidate.

Reproduced from the Midlothian View. The National Mining Museum in Newtongrange played host to the Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar yesterday as they visited Midlothian to back Labour’s candidate Kirsty McNeill. Joining forty activists – from age 16 to 99 – they had the chance to talk with local students, NHS workers, former teachers and community campaigners about the policies on offer from Labour on July the 4th. Speaking at the event, Kirsty McNeill, Scottish Labour and Co-operative candidate for Midlothian, said, “On the 4th of July we have the chance to vote for change. Not just growth in our economy, but in our ambitions. A future where no child is hungry and each generation does better than the last. That’s what’s at stake in this election.” Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said, “Kirsty is someone who is absolutely determined to deliver and cares passionately about eradicating poverty. She’ll be a fierce and tireless champion for the people of Midlothian and if people here vote Labour on the 4th of July they’ll get a Labour MP at the heart of what we hope will be a Labour government. Not carping from the sidelines but being at the centre of decisions that matter to Midlothian” Earlier in the day, Rachel Reeves had given a speech in Edinburgh outlining Labour’s plans for jobs and prosperity in Scotland.

Reproduced from The Herald.

One of Scottish Labour's rising stars has revealed that she was "raised by the SNP", taken by family members as a child to party meetings and fundraising events.

Former Gordon Brown adviser Kirsty McNeill is hoping to oust the SNP in Midlothian at the general election later this year.

Joining Christopher Pietroni for our sixth episode of the ‘Leadership Exchanged’ podcast is Kirsty McNeill, Executive Director of Policy, Advocacy and Campaigns at Save the Children. Kirsty is Labour’s parliamentary candidate in the Scottish target seat of Midlothian. She is also Chair of Our Scottish Future, the Civic Power Fund, Larger Us and the Aid Alliance, and non-executive director for the Centre for Countering Digital Hate. Kirsty is well-known for being an innovative and effective local and national campaigner, with a particular focus on social and economic injustice. She has gained extensive experience in leadership during her career, but also throughout her education, including her time at the Rockwood Leadership Institute where she completed an intensive leadership programme on the Art of Leadership in 2018. In this episode, Kirsty shares her personal experiences with democracy and equality, learnings from moving from single-issue advocacy into government, and her thoughts on what good leadership looks like. This shapes her views on collective leadership and her approach to her role at Save the Children today. The Leadership Exchanged podcast asks if the world's biggest and most complex problems could be solved if the right leadership approach was applied? Do we need to exchange current approaches to leadership for something new? In each episode, Leadership expert Professor Christopher Pietroni discusses with guests what kind of leadership is needed if you want to make real, lasting change. Find out more about the Leadership Exchanged podcast: birmingham.ac.uk/leadership-exchanged and listen to the podcast here.

Kirsty McNeill and Philip Rycroft join Eddie to chat about the extraordinary couple of weeks we've seen in Scottish politics since Nicola Sturgeon announced that she would be stepping down as FM. They examine where the turmoil in the SNP leaves Scottish politics and our wider constitutional debate - and how this moment represents an opportunity to take Scotland forward. Listen to the podcast here.

In this new series of the Better Angels podcast, host Sarah Brown is exploring how different personality types call for change. For the final episode of this series, Sarah speaks with Executive Director of Policy, Advocacy and Change at Save the Children Kirsty McNeill, who is leading teams to galvanise the public and influence policy makers on humanitarian action, global development and help for children here in the UK.