SIDA was represented by SCIAF’s Anne Callaghan at the recent Scottish Labour Conference, as we seek commitments to global solidarity from Scotland’s political parties in advance of the elections in May.
The Scottish Government’s international development programmes were introduced by a Labour First Minister, Jack McConnell, in 2005. In the run up to Scottish Parliament elections in May, SIDA has been calling on politicians to maintain the cross-party consensus behind the value of these programmes, and commit to Scotland being a powerful voice for global justice on the world stage.
After a well-attended fringe event at the SNP Conference in October, on 27th February we were represented by SCIAF’s Advocacy and Campaigns Manager, Anne Callaghan, at the Scottish Labour Conference.
Anne said:
“It was a curiously upbeat Scottish Labour conference in Paisley, especially as it was held the day after the by-election victory by the Greens in Gorton and Denton.
“We shared a stall with our friends from Stop Climate Chaos Scotland and it was a great opportunity to talk to delegates about our calls for the next Scottish Government to take serious action on climate change and international development.
“Among the senior figures stopping by for a chat were Chair of the Scottish Parliament’s Cross-Party Group on International Development, Sarah Boyack, External Affairs Spokesperson Neil Bibby, MSPs Monica Lennon, Paul Sweeney, Katy Clark, Paul O’Kane, several Westminster MPs including Richard Baker [pictured] and party leader Anas Sarwar.
“The big set-piece of the day was Anas Sarwar’s speech to a full hall. It mainly focused on domestic priorities around education, housing, and health.
“At the end of the day, we joined the Uplift reception which highlighted the need for a just transition for workers and meeting emissions targets.
“Party manifestos are due out soon – potentially early in April. We look forward to seeing some of our asks featured as part of a commitment to make sure Scotland plays its role as a responsible global citizen.”
More information about our policy priorities for the 2026 elections, and those of our network partners, can be found here.
Image: Anne Callaghan (left) with Richard Baker MP (centre) and Jim Densham (right) from Cycling UK representing Stop Climate Chaos Scotland