BrianLeishman

LET me be absolutely clear - having the Labour whip restored has not changed my purpose in politics.

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I am here to stand up for everyone in Alloa and Grangemouth-whether they voted for me or not.

Representation is not conditional, nor is it a reward for loyalty.

It is a duty I have to every single person in our communities and I intend to honour that duty with the same fierce commitment I always have. The balance of power in our society has been tilted against ordinary people for far too long.

I am talking about 14 years of Tory austerity, compounded by almost two decades of SNP cuts to services which have left Scotland poorer, more unequal and less hopeful.

There has been a systemic undermining of the promise of positive social mobility - the idea that young people can build a life better than the one they were born into.

For instance, we are witnessing the effects of chronic underfunding of colleges and further education - shutting doors that should be wide open. Families are struggling to pay bills while food insecurity has become a daily reality. That is a disgrace in the world’s sixth largest economy. It is a political failure, one we must change.