No family should ever feel that the system is shutting them out, preventing them from getting answers or justice.
But for far too many in Scotland, that has been the reality.
The scandals at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) is not just a story of failure – it is a story of repeated institutional cover-up, with staff and families being ignored by system that should have supported them.
It is a story of NHS staff who spoke up and were ignored, sidelined, or even threatened.
It is a story of a government that chose to manage away a crisis rather than confront it head-on.
And it is a story that is still unfolding today.
A damning report from Healthcare Improvement Scotland last week exposed the shocking conditions in emergency departments across Greater Glasgow, with dangerously long waits, patients treated in corridors, and ambulances queuing outside hospitals.
But instead of supporting staff and patients, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde ignored warnings, bullied those who spoke up, and doubled down on a culture of cover-up.
It has been six years since I stood in Parliament time and again to raise the case of Milly Main.
No family should have to open their lives in such a public way, to share their pain on national television, just to get basic answers about what happened to their child.
Yet Milly’s family is not alone.
Every day in Scotland, families are being failed and forced to take on the system just to be heard.
That is not acceptable. It should not take media coverage, political pressure, or relentless campaigning to uncover the truth.
When things go wrong in our NHS, the least that patients and bereaved families deserve is honesty, accountability, and action.
Instead, what we have seen is denial, delay, and cover-up.
Every step of the way, families in Scotland have to fight the system—bit by bit, piece by piece—to expose what really happened.
And the SNP government has allowed it to happen.
It does not have to be this way. Scotland should be a country where victims of scandals and whistleblowers are protected, not where they are forced to fight for justice alone.
That is why we need Milly’s Law to guarantee transparency, protect whistleblowers, and ensure that public inquiries lead to real accountability—not cover-ups.
The SNP has resisted taking action for too long.
Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf had the chance to lead, but they lacked the courage to do so.
Now, John Swinney has a choice. He can continue down the same path of silence and inaction, or he can show the leadership that his predecessors failed to.
That means handing over government time in Parliament to allow Scottish Labour to bring forward Milly’s Law.
This is a moment for courage. Families like Milly’s should not have to keep fighting the system just to be heard. They have done their part. Now, it is time for the government to do theirs.
If John Swinney won’t act, then a Scottish Labour government will. Because I will never stop fighting for the patients, families, and NHS staff who have been so badly let down. That is my promise to the people of Scotland.
Tartan Week
This week, I will travel to the USA as part of Tartan Week.
An opportunity to celebrate Scotland’s deep and enduring ties with the United States. But this visit isn’t just about heritage—it’s about Scotland’s future.
Scotland is a global brand. Our food and drink industry already drives billions in exports, with Scotch whisky and Scottish salmon leading the way.
Our tourism and creative industries attract millions of visitors, and our expertise in renewable energy, life sciences, and defence manufacturing make us a key part of the UK’s special relationship.
But for too long, Scotland has lacked leadership focused on selling our strengths abroad and creating opportunities at home
The world wants what Scotland has to offer. It’s time we had a government that knew how to sell it.
Scotland’s economy has been held back for too long by this out of touch and incompetent SNP government – who want to go abroad not to serve the country but to play dress up at diplomacy.
It’s not good enough.
We need a First Minister who is a dealmaker—someone who will champion Scotland’s industries, open doors for our businesses, and drive investment that supports high paid and high skilled work here.
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