Former Ayrshire MP Dr. Philippa Whitford will be speaking at two events in the Borders – Friday 29 August and Saturday 30 August. The first talk will be about “the situation in Palestine and how we can help”, while the other will focus on “Scotland’s vision for a wellbeing economy”.
Who is Philippa Whitford?
Dr. Philippa Whitford is a senior breast cancer surgeon. At the age of 30, she worked as a medical volunteer for a year and a half in a United Nations hospital in the Gaza Strip.
In 2015, she was elected as the Scottish National Party MP for the Central Ayrshire constituency, taking the seat from Labour for the first time with a 27.7% swing. She was a member of the Joint Committee on the Draft Domestic Abuse Bill until she left in 2019. She was re-elected to her seat in every subsequent election until 2024 when she stood down.
Why are the events taking place?
Convener of the Scottish National Party’s Kelso and Jedburgh branch Ryan Whellans said, “many members have expressed to me anger and a sense of helplessness on an individual level for the situation in Palestine. I believe knowledge is empowerment and I took the initiative to invite Dr Philippa and her husband Hans down.” Her position as an Medical Aid for Palestine (MAP) trustee and volunteer, makes Philippa Whitford well-placed to advise on the situation in Gaza.
The next talk comes from the Kelso and Jedburgh SNP branch being “overwhelmed” by support for Scotland’s baby box scheme. A scheme introduced by the Scottish Government in 2017 which ensures all new-born babies in Scotland get a free box of essential items like: clothes, from a new-born up to six months, a digital under arm thermometer, a bath and room thermometer, a bath towel, a changing mat and books.
Mr Whellans said, “this and many other SNP-led initiatives demonstrate the desire for an independent Scotland with a focus on a wellbeing economy.”
The events, hosted by the Borders SNP, are open to everyone (whether a member of the party or not) and attendance is free if booked in advance. With the crisis in Gaza worsening, and support for Scottish independence fluctuating between minority and majority positions in the opinion polls, now seems the perfect time for events like this to raise awareness.
More on politics:
CLICK HERE TO DONATE TO OUR CROWDFUNDER
HELP US BECOME STRONGER SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO DELIVER POWERFUL CITIZEN JOURNALISM!
