In 1915 my Great Granny’s father was killed when his fishing boat was cut in half by a British war ship. My Great Granny’s mother, was left to raise 5 girls by herself. She had to make the choice about whether or not to keep my Great Granny, or hand her over to a relative who had more money. Imagine having to choose whether or not to keep a child? This belongs in the last century.

A few people have contacted me with worries about the GRA section in the SNP manifesto. I read it to mean that a re-elected SNP Scot gov would make changes to the GRA. However a lot of you have read it as meaning that there will be another consultation. We have had enough consultations. Legislation needs to change to make legal gender recognition easier.

Just looking through the actual text of @theSNP manifesto now. There are so many highlights.

https://twitter.com/kirstysnp/status/1382638598051233814

Focus on improving mental health services - 25% increase in direct Scot Gov investment.

First Minister @NicolaSturgeon announcing the transformational @theSNP manifesto, pledging large increases in NHS spending and a focus on mental health too.
#BothVotesSNP We will abolish all NHS dentistry charges! Yaaaass! 🦷 universal healthcare provided free at the point of need. So many of my constituents will benefit from this. (Too many 😢)

Arghhhh!! Completely gutted by this announcement. Will be seeking more information as a matter of urgency.

https://twitter.com/BBCDouglasF/status/1374684947764686851

I know that the local management have fought hard and that the store was actually doing really well compared to other stores. This is a shoddy decision.

Home schooling reminders for those starting tomorrow. 1. Do not judge yourself against others. Just because they post a happy pic doesn’t mean they’re not also drowning.
2. You have a right to be sad and find things hard even if you have fewer children / a less demanding job / a bigger home than other people.

I have no idea how to post about this but I feel like I should. We are living through a global pandemic. Life has changed in ways nobody predicted and we couldn’t have imagined even at the start of 2020.

As physical services resume in many of our city's faith communities, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you all. Thank you to all of those faith leaders who reached out to me when I resigned as Deputy Leader of the SNP Westminster Group. Though I did not respond to you all, your kind words and offers of support were really welcome and helpful at a hard, dark time for me.
Thank you for reaching out and supporting your congregations and wider local communities during this incredibly difficult time.

If you live in Scotland, or even if you’re just visiting, please download the new Test and Protect App.

protect.scot/index.html It takes about two minutes from install to completion. You don’t need to type in any personal information.

I don’t normally comment publicly on internal party stuff. If a sitting MP decides to stand as an MSP I do understand that there are significant funding issues because that individual is causing a by-election. There are also local organisational issues with running one campaign immediately after another. My big concern about asking an MP to stand down much in advance of a Holyrood election is that this will have knock on implications for their staff.

I have taken the difficult decision to stand down as @theSNP Deputy Leader in Westminster.

I'm proud of what I've achieved as SNP Westminster Deputy Leader over the past three years. Together with our team of SNP MPs we have provided a strong voice for Scotland at a challenging time, won a landslide victory at the general election, and seen support for independence rise to record levels.

We need to talk about menstruation. Contrary to the views of a very famous author, using the word "menstruator" is not an attempt to erase the word "woman". The word menstruator is used to describe people who menstruate. This is not the same as women. I'm a 34 year old woman and for most of my adult life have not menstruated due to a variety of contraception, pregnancy and breastfeeding. When decisions are being taken on access to free sanitary products those who menstruate should be able to access them, not just women.

And yet we still have “no recourse to public funds” status. Kids literally going hungry because of your department’s policies. Words are not enough. You must change the policies of the UK Government and the Home Office. Treat all people like humans. Wherever they were born.

https://twitter.com/pritipatel/status/1270098354752585728

I asked a question about this today. You did not even try to answer. Denial of systemic racism in the policies of the Home Office means nothing will change.

A large number of constituents have contacted me regarding Black Lives Matter. I’ll be holding two virtual surgeries on Friday 19th and Saturday 20th June. #Aberdeen #BlackLivesMatter #BLMAberdeen As a voice in Parliament I can make your views heard, but to do so I would like to hear your experiences and your ideas. What should I be asking for in Westminster? What changes should we push for to ensure Black Lives Matter in Scotland and the UK.

Trying my best to listen to Jacob Rees Mogg. It's very hard to do so. He's making the case for physical participation. I'm not arguing against physical participation. However, he's failing to explain why he feels the need to withdraw remote participation. As @LSRPlaid just said, those constituents of members who are shielding will be less well represented and so considered by the UK Government as worth-less than others.

I’ve read every bit of guidance I can find, and I can’t seem to find anything that explains the safest way for me to get to London. I’m not a scientist, so looking for advice on best way to travel that reduces the risk of me catching or spreading covid. Would it be safer for me to drive? Obviously I would have to stop to fuel up and to rest - because there’s no way I can drive that far without getting quite tired. Also I would need to use the toilet too.

In Scotland, from tomorrow you can meet with people from ONE other household. Outside. Please don’t go into someone else’s house. Don’t use their loo and don’t touch any hard surfaces they touch.

https://twitter.com/BethRigby/status/1266040446498766849

Exclusions apply if you are going into the house of someone you are caring for who needs care in their home.

I had a look through the suggestions page yesterday. There are some really excellent ones, including making sure sibling groups are together if schools are to return in a phased way. Reopening nurseries, taking private transport to access daily exercise.

https://twitter.com/magnusllewellin/status/1258275335147335686

Cutting more slack for those who can’t currently sell their houses, playing SPL behind closed doors... there was a great discussion too on how social bubbles could/couldn’t work.

Yesterday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock referenced this “early poll” that said 80% of people on the Isle of Wight want to download the contact tracing app. My colleague @MartynDaySNP pushed him on this, point out that only 17% of the Singapore population have downloaded their contact tracing app.

Most Scottish and Northern Irish MPs would need to get on a plane or a train to go to the House of Commons. Thankfully house staff have worked incredibly hard to get the hybrid system up and running. But there has been push back from some more traditionalist MPs.

https://twitter.com/seanfarrington/status/1256096905152663552

I strongly believe there should be no requirement for us to use public transport until it is safe to do so: for us, our families and others whose health we risk by not staying at home. Virtual meetings must continue to be the norm, and remote voting will need to be part of that.

Last year my son had #KawasakiDisease. It was the most terrifying time of my life, but thankfully he was diagnosed and treated quickly by doctors at @NHSG_RACH. It is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in children. If your child has these symptoms, regardless of whether or not we are in a global pandemic, you should seek medical advice.