I was delighted to have been selected recently as the Scottish Labour and Co-operative Party candidate for Edinburgh Northern & Leith at the next Scottish Parliament elections.  I was particularly proud to have been selected as a Co-operative Party candidate as well as a Scottish Labour candidate.

I am committed to promoting co-operative and mutual business models as part of the team promoting the Co-operative Capital on Edinburgh City Council.  I look forward to joining the Co-operative Party’s MSPs promoting a Co-operative Scotland in the Scottish Parliament. That is why I want to draw your attention to the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Bill which will go through its final parliamentary stages next Tuesday (13^th May).

My colleague James Kelly MSP has been battling for more recognition of the importance of the Co-operative sector in this important piece of legislation.  He has been arguing that the Scottish Government should say that co-operatives should be considered whenever public money is being spent on a contract.

The Scottish Government says that it supports co-operatives but when push comes to shove it does not back up the rhetoric with legislation. I am tweeting Nicola Sturgeon asking her to change her mind and support James Kelly’s amendment which will promote co-operatives please join me.