Promoted by Cal Johnston-Dempsey at SNP Group Office, County Buildings, Almada Street, Hamilton, ML3 0AA

NEW: Labour and Tory councillors have voted against funding for community groups in Hamilton and Larkhall on the eve of a crucial by-election in the constituency

Disappointing to see Labour+Tories team up again to deny Hamilton community groups funding they need+deserve. £0000s sitting unused specifically for this purpose. We call on Labour+coalition partners to end their austerity agenda and invest in the people & places of South Lan.

BREAKING: 59% of people would back Scottish independence if it means removing the monarchy and becoming a republic, a new Norstat poll has found.

Thanks to Ggow Times for covering this, I'm proud to have written it with @EliseFrameSNP Vapes can play a role in helping smokers quit but they are now the primary source for new nicotine addicts Anything to keep these fruit flavour death batteries away from kids is worth a try

🎅 Make your way down to Uddy Cross for Grow Uddingston's Xmas Fayre. Raffle/Tombola. Free hot choc at the Church of the Nazarene I bought a wreath, a choc orange highland coo, tablet & a Muiredge/SJB tote bag Got something else but can't post in case my wife sees her gift 😂

Scotland produces more electricity than we use, and we do it in the cheapest ways possible – renewables. Yet the price of electricity is pegged to the most expensive way of producing it – burning gas. Scotland could have free electricity at times if London changed this rule.

Much of South Lanarkshire is now covered by an Amber warning for snow and ice. That means a higher chance of disruption so please be careful and avoid travel if possible.

Proud to have brought this to SLC with Cllr Frame. Vapes can play a big role in helping smokers quit, but they are now becoming the primary addiction drivers for new nicotine addicts. Anything we can do to keep these fruit flavour death batteries away from kids is worth a shot.

Pleased to be seconding two of these motions.

Tomorrow, we will be proposing 6 motions to council: ❌ ACTION ON VAPES SALES TO CHILDREN ♻️ NEW WASTE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 🌍 BAN ARMS SALES TO ISRAEL 💜 WASPI CAMPAIGN ⚽️ HAMILTON ACCIES 150th ANNIVERSARY 👥 16 DAYS AGAINST GBV Watch live at 10am👇 https://t.co/SxyLLjX9i4

Only posting Councillor-y things here now.

Pictured (L to R): – Cllr Cal Johnston-Dempsey (Councillor for Bothwell and Uddingston) – Mary Hernon MBE DL (Deputy Lord Liutenant of Lanarkshire) – Joyce Caldwell (Vice Chair of Uddingston Community Council).

As has become somewhat of a tradition, I attended at Uddingston while my ward colleagues attended at the Bothwell service. I later visited the Bothwell War Memorial privately.

The Black Watch poppy pin is to represent my papa, who served in that regiment and was wounded for life. The white poppy represents pacifism and the belief that the greatest honour we can pay to war wounded and killed is to ensure there are none that follow them - "never again".

It was an honour to lay a wreath this year again at Uddingston War Memorial on behalf of the Council. This year, I wore both a Poppy Scotland red poppy with the Black Watch regimental badge, and a Peace Pledge Union white poppy.

Trump will give Putin and Netanyahu carte blanche. He will not stand for a shred of decency and will not uphold the collective defence pact at the heart of the NATO alliance.

Taxi driver on the way to work this morning preached how Trump hates war and will end the invasions of Ukraine and Palestine. Not true in the way he thinks and I didn't have the energy to argue. My wife is picking me up from the office so I hope she doesn't spew the same patter.

Now more than ever, we must stand up for the core liberal values of equality, democracy, human rights and the rule of law – at home and around the world.

This is a dark, dark day for people around the globe. The world’s largest economy and most powerful military will be led by a dangerous, destructive demagogue.

Word of the day is ‘recrudescence’ (17th century): the return of something terrible after a time of reprieve.