I AM HUMBLED to be re-appointed Housing Minister.

Opposition parties and hostile media criticise ‘continuity’ in government as “the same old song”. In fact, the First Minister is fusing longer-serving parliamentarians’ decades of experience with the energy of ministers aged 40 or younger: Kate Forbes, Màiri McAllan, Jenny Gilruth and Mairi Gougeon. Their ministerial responsibilities highlight challenges shaping East Lothian’s daily life, family experience, business enterprise and sustainability. Net Zero Minister McAllan informed Parliament of the need to re-address its staged climate goal targets.

Recognition of issues with Westminster’s climate change plans required concerned charities and the Good Law Project to pursue the Tory Government in the High Court, winning a ruling that the Tories’ climate action plans were “unlawful”.

An exceptionally wet winter and spring have resulted in the Scottish Government-funded Farm Advisory Service (FAS) warning of exceptional rainfall impact on lambing, calving, flooding and farm management.

Tom Bradshaw, new president of the NFU, states that multiple factors, including Brexit, pose a threat to Britain’s food security and the need to feed an island of 70 million people (by mid-2026). Incompetent post-Brexit trade deals with Australia and New Zealand disadvantage UK farmers. I’d like to hear from East Lothian’s farmers about which they think Brexit prioritises: national ‘food security’ or cheap food imports from non-EU countries?

Ironically, John Swinney appointed his Government on Europe Day. The SNP is committed to rejoining the EU while other parties are in denial about the ‘will of the people’.

The latest Westminster revolving-door farce involves the far-right Tory MP for Dover joining Labour. She’s anti-strike, anti-firefighters, with a record of questionable views and actions as an MP – not a problem for Keir Starmer; anything goes in his thirst for power.

By not re-appointing a Minister for Independence, John Swinney re-affirms that independence is not in the SNP’s gift but rests with the people of Scotland: their right to decide for themselves terrifies Unionists. John Swinney’s Government respects Scotland’s right to decide its own future.