Earlier this week Labour leader Keir Starmer was in Scotland to launch the party’s national mission on clean energy. It is a cause that will create half a million new, well-paid jobs in the energy sector, including 50,000 here in Scotland.

Keir outlined how Labour’s ambitious plans will make the UK a world leader in clean energy. As well as generating growth right across the country, it will also help to end the cost of living crisis by reducing energy bills for the long term and providing the country with real energy security.

At the heart of Labour’s plans is a publicly-owned national energy champion, Great British Energy, which will be based here in Scotland. It will be a shared project, owned by all four nations on these islands, a driving force for making us a clean energy superpower, generating green jobs, reducing energy bills, investing in local communities and taking a global lead on tackling climate change.

Saturday 24^th June is Armed Forces Day, the annual celebration of the service and sacrifice of our UK Armed Forces, veterans, and their families. We can rightly be very proud of our Armed Forces and those from our communities who either serve currently or have done so in the past. They are widely recognised as among the very best in the world.

Scotland has a long and proud tradition of military service within the various branches of the forces. Nearly 7,500 Scots joined the UK’s Armed Forces between 2015 and 2022. These recruits and those already in service make an enormous contribution to our country’s safety and wellbeing. On Armed Forces Day, we thank them for all they do for us and our allies around the world.

The next Labour Government will stand by our Armed Forces personnel by ensuring our heroes have good homes to live in and by fully incorporating the Armed Forces Covenant into UK law.