Winter Newsletter (November/December) 2024
- Liam Kerr
- Jul 7
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 9
Welcome to my newsletter. In this final edition of 2024 you can read about many of the things I have been doing during November and December. If you want to see more of what I am up to, follow me on social media. If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch through the details below.
It has been an honour to continue as a member of the Scottish Conservative Cabinet during 2024. I began the year as the Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, but in October it was a privilege to assume the role of Shadow Justice Secretary once again, a role I held from 2017 to 2021.
The Justice sector faces huge challenges after 17 years of SNP failure. From a ballooning prison population to an ineffective victim notification scheme, a lack of new prison buildings, insufficient staffing and resourcing in existing prisons and a lack of lawyers entering the legal aid system.
The SNP’s handling of the justice system is a disgrace.
Over the past year it has been a privilege to meet with many businesses, schools and charities in the North East, and represent their interests in Parliament.
I wish you a Happy Christmas and New Year. I look forward to 2025 and all the opportunities and challenges it will bring.
SNP mismanagement reared its head again as the Scottish Government put forward an Emergency Bill for the early release of prisoners. The SNP decided the right way to deal with the continued rise in the prison population was to react with panic and free prisoners.
To be specific, this means generally people serving under 4 years would qualify for immediate release after serving only 40% of their sentence, with between 260 and 390 prisoners being eligible for immediate release.
I took on the SNP and exposed their power-grabbing and reckless approach, warning of the dangers this would create. You can watch my exchange with the Cabinet Secretary here.
The SNP were determined to rush this Bill through Parliament. With the help of the Greens, and using emergency powers, MSPs were only given a very limited amount of time to put forward amendments, and so it passed at Stage 1.
At Stage 2, the Cabinet Secretary argued that my suggestion of adding a Governor’s veto to the bill as an extra safeguard, would divert resources and prevent planning for prisoners’ early release. The Cabinet Secretary’s weak response highlighted the complete lack of concern for the consequences of rushing to release prisoners while ignoring the warnings of others. This is not a one-off bill, it is a permanent and irreversible change to sentencing.
At Stage 3, I urged the SNP to listen to Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs who has commented, that prisoners freed before serving their full sentence would likely “go back and start” offending “again”. The data is clear: in an earlier release of prisoners by the SNP, over 40% reoffended again within six months. This bill does nothing to address rehabilitation and reintegration. Predictably, the SNP and Greens united and the Bill was pushed through.
The Scottish Legal Aid System and criminal defence is in crisis. Justice should not only be reserved for those who can afford it. Solicitors have warned that unfair pay and conditions are leading to solicitors leaving the profession. There is a real threat the system could collapse because there are just not enough solicitors in it.
While I welcome the £1 million support the Government allocated to training 40 new legal aid solicitors in 2021, it must be renewed ahead of the March 2025 end date of the current investment. I asked the Victims Minister when the Scottish Government will conclude their evaluation of the scheme, and when practices can expect to know whether support from the fund will continue.
You can watch me here challenge the Minister – who is paid £100k a year - as she began by reading an unrelated part of her prepared notes, only to eventually offer a vague response right at the end.
Thousands of Police Scotland officers could be pulled into weekend shifts under a controversial new proposal to overhaul working patterns. The plan, which introduces a seven-day shift model, may impact around three thousand officers currently on Monday to Friday schedules.
Given the fact that resources are being stretched more than ever, Police Scotland is being forced into making tough and unpopular decisions. It is time for SNP ministers to stop neglecting our Police Force, provide the funding desperately needed, and prioritise the welfare of hard-working officers who are trying to keep our communities safe.
You can read more here.
After 13 years and 16 Transport Ministers, the Scottish Government has abandoned its 2011 promise to dual the A96 from Aberdeen to Inverness by 2030.
Let us remind ourselves that on single carriageways the risk of a fatal or serious collision is 432% greater than on a dual carriageway. Why, then, has the government decided not to dual this road? I demanded an answer from the Cabinet Secretary for Transport about this decision. Her response was not in the slightest bit convincing, with her report even going as far as to say, “dualling would have a much greater negative impact on visual amenity”.
You can watch the exchange here. You can probably tell I’m barely containing my fury!
It has also emerged that the SNP Cabinet Secretary for Transport sat on the final publication of the A96 corridor review for three months before releasing it to the public! The veil of secrecy shrouding the dualling of the A96 should be a mark of shame for the SNP. Throughout the period when the Secretary had already seen the report, I repeatedly asked for meetings to discuss timescales. This was rejected. When finally released in November, the publication was two years overdue.
You can watch the Secretary’s response and excuses regarding the publication delay here.
The SNP are trying every trick in the book to cover up for their failings on the A96.
We need YOUR help to hold them accountable.
In the days since the review was published, several collisions had already occurred. Since 2021, 128 people have been killed or injured on this road – yet the SNP has spent a mere £700,000 on safety improvements during this time.
This is unacceptable. If you agree the SNP must deliver on their promise to the North East and dual this dangerous road, click the link and make your voice heard: here.
The declaration of a critical incident at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary was deeply concerning. Highlighting the immense pressure on our health services and partner agencies.
During the incident, patients requiring life-saving care were still treated at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, however other patients were redirected, “where clinically appropriate” to other hospitals. Raigmore Hospital in Inverness – over 100 miles away – and Ninewells in Dundee over 70 miles away.
Aberdeen Royal Infirmary has had a long and difficult problem with emergency admissions. In the last few years there have been frequent periods where ambulances have been reported to be ‘stacked up’. A host of Health Secretaries, including the latest, Neil Gray, say a lot of the right things, but nothing changes in terms of support for NHS Grampian.
Urgent action is needed to address staffing shortages and ensure patients receive the care they deserve.
You can read more here.
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While the accidents pile up, no one in the SNP Government seems interested or concerned about the dangers of the Toll o Birness and Cortes Junctions.
Fraserburgh haulage business, Gray & Adams’ HGVs use the Toll o Birness junction around 170 times each week, with risky manoeuvres and dangerous exiting onto the A90.
The regular users of these roads know the dangers and so are keen to share their knowledge with anyone who will listen. To date, not one SNP MSP who represents the North-East has shown up to hear their concerns.
You can watch my speech here where I challenge the Cabinet Secretary to experience the reality of a right turn on to the A90 at the Toll o Birness.
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The SNP-Lib Dem led Aberdeen City Council is grabbing money from motorists who drive in the low emission zone. The LEZ has set a record for the most fines issued in a month, despite being around half the size of Glasgow’s LEZ and smaller than Edinburgh’s LEZ. Designed to improve air quality and reduce carbon emissions, the LEZ scheme is punishing drivers for owning older vehicles. The sheer number of fines issued shows that many have no choice but to drive their vehicles in to the low emission zone to get about their daily business.
17 years of SNP government underfunding has left the council cash-poor, but this is a disgraceful way to find money. Footfall has declined in the city centre and businesses are suffering as people vote with their feet and go elsewhere to avoid a fine.
You can watch my interview with That's TV Scotland about the issue here.
As a result of factors including a sustained decline in funding for Higher Education, Universities are up against it. I pointed out to the First Minister that Robert Gordon University may be forced to make 135 employees redundant. Sadly, they’re not alone; with Edinburgh University warning of redundancies and Dundee University facing a £30 million deficit and inevitable redundancies.
I invited the First Minister to park the politics for a minute and agree to a cross-party multi-stakeholder discussion on university funding.
Did he? No. He claimed everything was fine and blamed Westminster.
You can watch my question and the FM’s response here.
Publically-owned ScotRail are planning to reduce ticket office opening hours, affecting stations in the north east. Montrose station ticket office will see a reduction of over 29 hours a week.
I have long called for an upgrade to Montrose station. Rail performance should be improving. Instead, the rail service is facing a state-backed erosion of services.
As a publicly owned company, the SNP government must sign off ScotRail’s proposals, so I’m calling on Ministers to reject this proposal. Angus residents can write to their local elected SNP member to highlight their dissatisfaction about this latest ill thought-out decision.
It was fantastic to visit Murtle Market, Camphill School’s new sustainable social enterprise, on its opening day. The market includes a takeaway café and organic shop which seeks to provide work experience for pupils with learning disabilities and complex additional support needs. A project like this equips the young people with critical skills and develops their confidence, I look forward to another visit very soon.
A new BMX and skateboard pump track at Victoria Park in Peterhead opened to the public this month. I was thrilled to attend the opening day. The track was officially opened by David Jarvis, an army veteran and INVICTUS Games gold medallist for the Men’s Cycling Time Trial. Free BMX coaching was on offer for guests.The track will allow residents to keep active, have fun and socialise. A great addition to the local community.
I had an outstanding visit to Banff & Macduff Men’s Shed, who have been awarded Scottish Men’s Shed of the Year for the second consecutive year.I congratulated them and observed the friendships that have been forged through sharing skills and working on projects together. Their projects benefit the local community and I look forward to hearing about their continued success.
It was a privilege to attend the Shell ‘Girls in Energy’ event, celebrating the incredible potential of young women in the Energy sector, and highlighting the vital role Oil and Gas will continue to play in our local economy.
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