Douglas Alexander MP

Labour MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire South

Our man about the house

• Paisley Daily Express Column - 1 September 2010

  Big Decision for Local Members. This is an important week for Labour Party members and trade unionists across the country, as ballot papers for the Labour leadership election land on our door mat and we decided who would do the best job as leader of...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 25 August 2010

  PART TIME LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES I was pleased to hear this week that the University of the West of Scotland is encouraging local people to take advantage of flexible part time courses. I know that for many people work, family commitments and financial pressures mean that full-time...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 18 August 2010

  DONATE OLD SCHOOL UNIFORMS There’s always an easy reminder for me about when the schools are about to go back. When I take my son to get a haircut in Johnstone the place is packed with youngsters in for their new term trim. Of course this is also the time...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 11 August 2010

  THINK HEALTHY Over the summer I’ve been trying to get out running a bit more. But despite this effort to get a bit fitter, it’s worth remembering that diet matters alongside exercise. I was surprised to read some new research from the Food Standards Agency (FSA) this week that suggested...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 28 July 2010

  ONE HEART ATTACK EVERY 15 MINUTES Here in Paisley we still face a huge problem – like the rest of west central Scotland in tackling coronary heart disease. We’ve made various efforts over the years – not least through the Have a Heart Paisley initiative. Yet it is still...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 21 July 2010

  

  CLAMPDOWN ON DRINK DRIVERS Our local Strathclyde Police have been running a crackdown on drink drivers this summer and early indications show that a high number of people who were driving under the influence of alcohol have been caught. Police...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 14 July 2010

  QUESTION FOR THE GOVERNMENT AT QUESTION TIME FROM EDINBURGH Last week I travelled to Edinburgh to take part in Thursday's edition of the BBC's Question Time. I was joined on the panel by the former Tory Secretary of State Michael Forsyth, the new Scottish Secretary Michael Moore, Nicola Sturgeon, and...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 7 July 2010

  SMA’ SHOT DAY This past weekend marked a very special day in Renfrewshire’s calendar, the celebration of the annual Sma’ Shot Day festival. This is an important tradition which I remember from when I was a boy. It marks the struggle and ultimate victory of Paisley’s...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 30 June 2010

  A Damaging and Divisive Budget that betrayed local people Now that the dust has settled and the analysis has been done we can see the budget for what it really is: An all too familiar and all too worrying agenda. Far from helping families and businesses in Renfrewshire I’m angry...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 17 June 2010

  KEEPING RENFREWSHIRE TIDY Given how often I hear complaints about litter, it was good news that a Litter Day of Action took place across Scotland last week. The idea behind the day was that anyone who was caught either dropping litter or letting their dog foul on the street would...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 9 June 2010

  EVEN IN TOUGH TIMES WE SHOULD VALUE TEACHERS AND NURSES This week has brought worrying evidence of wrong priorities being pursued locally and nationally. First we discovered that less than a third of new teachers across Scotland have been able to find a job, according to a new study. The...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 26 May 2010

  BIG LOTTERY FUNDING FOR RENFREWSHIRE For a number of years I have been campaigning to ensure Renfrewshire groups get their fair share of cash, so it was good news this week to hear that several groups and organisation across Renfrewshire have been benefiting recently from funding boosts from the Big...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 17 May 2010

  ADULT LEARNERS WEEK Many years ago I worked at Edinburgh University as a tutor working with people returning to education after many years. So I am delighted that all this week special activities are being held at Reid Kerr College's Ferguslie and Renfrew Learning Centres in honour of Adult Learners...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column 10 May 2010

  COMPLIMENTS FROM CRAIG On Saturday afternoon, after all the work of the election campaign, I was at the Houston Kirk Carnival with the family. The guest of honour on that sunny afternoon was Craig Brown, the Motherwell and former Scotland manager. When speaking to the assembled crowd of carnival goers...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 10 March 2010

  SAVE OUR SCHOOL BUSES On Monday morning the latest protest by local parents took place - against Renfrewshire Council's cuts to free school transport. The early morning protest was organised to ensure the SNP and Liberal Democrat Councillors determined to cut school transport, understood the strength of local feeling on...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 3 March 2010

  SUPPORT TO FIND EMPLOYMENT It was seeing the effects of unemployment in the early 1980’s – with the closure of the Linwood Car Plant – that first drew me into politics. So I am proud of the new steps that the government has taken towards supporting job seekers to get...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 24 Feb 2010

  SCHOOL BUS PROTESTS GROW Last Thursday morning I wanted to be at the Council but I had to be at the Cabinet! A meeting of the UK Cabinet was taking place in Durham, so I spent the day in the North East of England before getting back to Renfrewshire that...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 17 Feb 2010

  LOOKING FOR WORK? REID KERR CAN HELP At one of my advice surgeries in Hunterhill last week, I was discussing how to help get someone into work. With the impact of the global downturn still being felt here in Renfrewshire, I welcome the news that Reid Kerr College will now...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 10 Feb 2010

  WALK WITH PARENTS PROVES RISK TO PUPILS At eight o’clock on Monday mornings I’m usually on my way to work. Yet last Monday, at eight o’clock I was on my way to school! At the invitation of local Johnstone parents, as the local MP, I joined them and their children...

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• Paisley Daily Express Column - 3 Feb 2010

  FAIR TRADE FORTNIGHT Regular readers will know that I am a strong supporter of Fair Trade and helping to end poverty in the developing world. The aim of Fair Trade is to guarantee a better deal for Third World producers. Countries in Africa and elsewhere need help and through trade,...

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