This is my last column before the end of the school year and the start of the summer parliamentary recess. I want to say a huge thank-you to all the pupils, teachers, other school staff, parents and carers who have worked so hard during this unprecedentedly challenging year. As a parent and, until last month, [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP is backing the Marine Conservation Society’s Plastic Challenge, which is encouraging people to take small but impactful steps to help reduce single-use plastic consumption. The challenge, which runs throughout July, supports people to look closely at their buying habits and help them to make informed choices to cut out single-use plastic in [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP is calling on local people to take part in the nationwide Thank You Day on Sunday 4th July by holding a Tartan Tea Party. Thank You Day is a chance for people to get together with their neighbours, friends and family to celebrate and say ‘thank you’ to those in our local [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has welcomed Capital Credit Union’s Covid Financial Wellbeing Package, which seeks to provide answers for consumers on education, support and the products they have available. 14.5m people in the UK have less than £100 in savings and financial resilience is at an all-time low, with many households susceptible to unscrupulous and high-cost [...]

South Scotland MSP Martin Whitfield is backing calls for Scotland’s fashion industry to be more ethically, socially and environmentally conscious to help end the throwaway clothing culture and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. Mr Whitfield has signed a motion at Holyrood commending campaign group Fashion Revolution Scotland on its campaign to end human [...]

South Scotland MSP Martin Whitfield has agreed to become a Nature Champion for Scotland’s adders, the only venomous snakes found in Scotland or the UK. The adder, which rarely exceeds 60cm in length, has a zig-zag pattern down its back and can be found around patches of woodland and on heathland. They are widespread throughout [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has praised North Berwick-based Jerba Campervans, a business that has been accredited with the Fair Tax Mark, for its vocal stance on fair taxation for businesses during this year’s Fair Tax Week (5-13 June). As part of the week’s activities, Simon Poole, the employee-owned company’s co-founder and Managing Director, gave a presentation [...]

Last week I was honoured to be appointed to my party’s shadow team at Holyrood, serving as shadow minister for children and young people, lifelong learning and youth unemployment. This is a dream appointment for me. It will enable me to use my experience as a teacher to help focus attention on the vital importance [...]

South Scotland MSP Martin Whitfield has joined colleagues in pledging to be a champion for Scottish sport in the new parliamentary session. During the election campaign, the Scottish Sports Association asked all candidates to sign up to its pledge to “be a Scottish sporting champion in Parliament and in our communities, to celebrate the benefits of [...]