Sir David Amess Summer Adjournment

Alison Taylor Excerpts

Thursday 16th July 2026 Commons Chamber

[Alison Taylor (Paisley and Renfrewshire North) (Lab)]

I did not have the privilege of meeting Sir David Amess, but I do remember the sense of shock across the country at his murder. He was clearly a man of deep convictions and determination to serve his country and his constituents. My heart goes out to his family and all those who knew him. They are in my thoughts and prayers today.

As our neighbours across the Atlantic are reflecting on the 250th anniversary of their nation, I am reminded of America’s great leader Abraham Lincoln and his words at Gettysburg, where he described those who died fighting in the civil war as having given their

“last full measure of devotion”.

It seems fitting that the same description can be applied to Sir David, and to Jo Cox before him: they gave their last full measure of devotion. They gave everything they had to their constituency and their country. It falls to us to honour their loss and to rededicate ourselves to the service of our country.

Like other hon. Members, I was deeply shocked to learn of the murder of the former Member Ann Widdecombe. When I was a newly elected MP, a constituent came to me with an issue that led me to contact Ann; she was incredibly kind and generous with her time. I record my deepest condolences to her family and friends.

Serving my constituents of Paisley and Renfrewshire North is the greatest privilege of my life. I am grateful to Mr Speaker for all that he has done to help us do our work safely.

For several years, I have served on the Labour-led Glasgow commission, exploring barriers and opportunities for the Greater Glasgow region. One inescapable conclusion from that work is the need for strategic, ambitious planning in transport, infrastructure and culture. I look at what has been achieved in Manchester as an illustration of what can be done with ambition and positivity. For example, Manchester is well served with an integrated transport network. My constituents can take a train to Manchester airport—they can even take a train to the less frequented Prestwick airport—but they cannot take a train to Glasgow airport, hampering access for both travellers and workers. Bus franchising has transformed commuting and leisure travel across Manchester, while Glasgow—one of the first places to have an underground system—has seen no expansion of that network and little thought on integrated transport.

My constituency includes Glasgow airport, and significant industrial and high-tech manufacturing, which is constrained not by its ambition but by the lack of ambition for two decades of an SNP-controlled Scottish Government. Following the publication of the strategic defence review, I will be convening a roundtable with defence-related businesses in my constituency to explore how, together, we can play a part in the challenges ahead.

For members still planning a holiday, may I highlight some of the delights of Paisley, Glasgow and Renfrewshire, all of which I represent a part of? A Renfrewshire museum holds one of only a handful of copies of the beautifully illustrated “Audubon’s Birds of America”. Previous important visitors to Paisley include John Witherspoon, the only clergyman to sign the US declaration of independence, and former President Ronald Reagan, who had roots in the area. In fact, American influence radiates across Renfrewshire, which hosts a nine acre indoor leisure and entertainment zone at Braehead. We also have the Grid, which is aimed at children of all ages.

[Several hon. Members rose—]