Politics: Party conferences are good opportunity to hear from campaigning groups
The Party Conference season is now behind us, having concluded last week with the SNP Conference, which I was pleased to welcome here to Gordon Constituency at TECA Aberdeen.
Every political party looks to put the best possible gloss on its conference and, in truth, activists from all parties will have returned reinvigorated for the expected Westminster Election next year.
Despite popular opinion, party conferences are about so much more than speeches from the party leaders, which is normally all that gets reported, important though those are in terms of setting the direction of the various parties’ policies.
A diverse range of campaigning groups and organisations attend, either sending individuals, hosting fringe meetings or having an exhibition stand to inform and explain.
These range from charities seeking to raise awareness of their work or who are campaigning on specific issues, to the People’s Postcode Lottery and the NFUS.
It was a pleasure to meet with and recommit my support for the work of the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association where Inverurie man Neil Skene was on hand to update me on the latest issues.
Similarly, WASPI campaigners were there to reinforce their campaign for justice for those affected by the UK Government’s maladministration – the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s words, not mine – and campaign for a just settlement in compensation for having their retirement plans upended by the DWP failing to notify them with adequate time in which to make changes.
I was pleased to meet with the campaigners once again and hear about their latest activities to further their cause.
Finally, I am sure that everyone will have been looking on with horror at recent events in Israel and Gaza.
The mass murder and hostage taking carried out by Hamas is to be condemned unequivocally in my view.
With the possibility of an Israeli ground offensive now very real and with the population of Gaza living effectively under siege conditions, I am also very clear that the current collective punishment of Gaza is an unjustified and unjustifiable response, and is also to be condemned unequivocally.
I believe that urgent steps must be taken to establish a cease fire, as well as for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to allow civilian evacuation and to get food, fuel, water and medical supplies to those civilians who remain. There should also be an immediate and unconditional release of all hostages.
A viable Palestinian state existing alongside Israel has for many years been seen as the most viable route to peace and stability in the region, yet right now, that outcome seems further away than ever.
It should not require to be said, but both Israelis and Palestinians have the right to live in peace and safety. There is no justification in my view for actions which simply perpetuate a cycle of violence and increase the already unimaginable suffering of innocents, wherever they are trying to make their lives.