Westminster diary wb 8th May

Monday

Today was deemed a coronation day holiday but my office remained open as unfortunately the relentless onslaught on sections of our society by the Conservative and Unionist U.K. government continues unabated. 

Tuesday 

Back to Westminster and the smugness of the political monarchists exchanging coronation stories. Their lack of self awareness at being honoured for their servility is astounding. Meanwhile the All Party Parliamentary Group on medical cannabis under prescription were busy selecting our secretariat and considering our agenda for the coming year .

Wednesday

Once again at Prime Minister’s Questions the Prime Minister had to be reminded by the Speaker that he was there to answer questions not ask them. 

There are far more productive things to be done away from the chamber and I had a fascinating meeting with experts in using hemp in the construction industry. This is a growing area of interest and the possibilities are huge, both in terms of employment and environmental benefits. It’s an industry that could have a huge future. I was not required to cover any business in the chamber so I was I elated to beat a hasty return home. Fate however was not kind to me and my tea time flight from london city is cancelled and replaced by a 21:55 out of Heathrow that turns into a 22:15 . I got home at midnight. 

Thursday 

Today was a great day of engagements. The sort of day that reenergises me and reminds me what a privilege it is to do this job. I met with senior management of a company that are in the process of opening a small business in the James Watt marina. It’s a fantastic use of fish waste which creates biofuel. I held surgeries at the Craigend resource centre and Branchton community centre. Both are wonderful examples of community engagement and are going from strength to strength. I then drove through to Edinburgh for an event hosted by the Scottish Drugs Forum and listened to a number of wonderful speakers whose lives have been affected by the failed war on drugs and the damaging Westminster legislation. It was a late night and I got home at midnight again.

Friday

I drove to Jedburgh to meet with a range of people involved in the production of hemp insulation panels and the supply chain that supports it. By attending these events I am building a network of contacts that hopefully one day I can tempt into establishing both the growing of industrial hemp and the consumption of it in an appropriate manufacturing process in Inverclyde.