Speaking Up For Local Constituents
Scotland's Deputy First Minister - Nicola Sturgeon - made a personal statement in parliament last week - about the importance of politicians speaking up on behalf of their local constituents.
The statement was warmly received across the floor of the chamber and outside - for a welcome change tribal party differences were put to one side.
Nicola Sturgeon apologised for mishandling aspects of a specific case - but she won the day by making it clear where her loyalties stood - in terms of her day job as an MSP.
Here are a few extracts from what the Deputy First Minister had to say:
"Let me therefore be clear about my understanding of the duties of an MSP when asked for help by a constituent.
I believe that, when a constituent asks for my help, it is my duty to make such representations as I am asked to make, so long as those representations are reasonable, legitimate and appropriate.
There is no doubt that being health secretary is a job that, with the permission of the Parliament, I look forward to getting on with, but I believe that the first and overriding duty of an MSP is to represent their constituents.
I also believe that it would be wrong for any of us to decide what help to give or not to give a constituent simply on the basis of how it might later look for us."
Let's hope that MPs and MSPs in certain Scottish councils - were hanging on every word.
The statement was warmly received across the floor of the chamber and outside - for a welcome change tribal party differences were put to one side.
Nicola Sturgeon apologised for mishandling aspects of a specific case - but she won the day by making it clear where her loyalties stood - in terms of her day job as an MSP.
Here are a few extracts from what the Deputy First Minister had to say:
"Let me therefore be clear about my understanding of the duties of an MSP when asked for help by a constituent.
I believe that, when a constituent asks for my help, it is my duty to make such representations as I am asked to make, so long as those representations are reasonable, legitimate and appropriate.
There is no doubt that being health secretary is a job that, with the permission of the Parliament, I look forward to getting on with, but I believe that the first and overriding duty of an MSP is to represent their constituents.
I also believe that it would be wrong for any of us to decide what help to give or not to give a constituent simply on the basis of how it might later look for us."
Let's hope that MPs and MSPs in certain Scottish councils - were hanging on every word.
