Graeme’s Views
My Position on Rosebank and Jackdaw
by Graeme Downie | 10 August 2026 | Blog | 0 Comments
Graeme Downie MP 10/09/2026 I have received a lot of emails and messages from people asking about the future of oil and gas in the North Sea and, specifically, about the proposed Rosebank and Jackdaw developments so I wanted to explain my view in detail. This...
My position on the “Growing up in the online world” national consultation (proposals to ban social media for under 16s)
by Graeme Downie | 26 May 2026 | Blog | 0 Comments
I have received a significant volume of correspondence about proposals to ban social media for under 16s as part of the Government’s “growing up in the online world” consultation. Given the strength of feeling on this issue, I wanted to set out my position clearly,...
My position on the Government’s response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) investigation on women’s state pension age
by Graeme Downie | 3 February 2026 | Blog | 0 Comments
I have received letters and emails about the Government's response to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) investigation into women's state pension age and associated issues. Below, I have shared my response to these messages, and set out my position...
Asylum and Returns Policy
by Graeme Downie | 26 November 2025 | Blog, News | 0 Comments
The Home Secretary recently outlined her plans for reform of Britain’s asylum and returns policy. This is a very serious topic that I know a lot of constituents are concerned about, so I wanted to set out my views having read the documents and spoken to some of the...
My position on the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill
by Graeme Downie | 1 July 2025 | Blog | 0 Comments
When the Welfare Green Paper was published in March 2025, I said I strongly agreed the current welfare system was broken and in desperate need for reform. Informed by the experiences of my constituents who contact me to share their experiences, that remains my view. ...
Aspiration, ambition and the route through Scottish marginals
by Graeme Downie | 1 June 2023 | Blog | 0 Comments
You could almost hear the eyelid muscles of Scottish Labour activists straining last week as we stared at the results of the YouGov MRP poll that had just been published. Don’t let the eyelids shut. Keep those eyes open. Don’t blink or it might go away. But no, it...
Scottish voted want change but not for its own sake
by Graeme Downie | 24 May 2023 | Blog | 0 Comments
I was delighted to be selected to be the Scottish Labour candidate for the seat where I live, Dunfermline & West Fife, likely to become Dunfermline & East Ochils after boundary changes. It it is a very winnable seat in a General Election, but also could be a...
Crisis, what crisis? Values, what values?
by Graeme Downie | 21 March 2022 | Blog | 0 Comments
The quote penned by novelist James Lane Allen “Adversity does not build character, it reveals it” applies about as clearly to the past two years of politics as perhaps at any time of the past. It is therefore worth reflecting on what the responses over the past two...
Global climate challenge; Time to act local?
by Graeme Downie | 9 March 2022 | Blog | 0 Comments
Recently, I was listening to the final episode of my favourite podcast, Talking Politics, which is ending after six educational years. As the team of Professor David Runciman and the incomparable Helen Thompson neared the end of the recording, they listed the things...
Getting voters to demand better of local government could kickstart a democratic renewal
by Graeme Downie | 21 January 2022 | Blog | 0 Comments
As a local council candidate, what strikes me speaking to people is that everyone, regardless of age, gender, background or political affiliation, wants to make their community and country, however they identify that, better. We know the divisiveness of the...