Bob Doris for Maryhill and Springburn

'Appalling' treatment of Glasgow family highlights need for devolved immigration

The Prime Minister today told the House of Commons that she would ensure that the Home Office “looks again” at the plight of the Umeed Bakhsh family, who face being deported from their home in Glasgow.

Areeb Umeed Bakhsh, 13, and his brother Somer, 15, have lived in Glasgow since their family fled from Pakistan in 2012, however the Home Office has repeatedly rejected the family’s plea for asylum, because officials believe that they would not be at risk in Pakistan.

SNP calls on Tories to avoid hard Brexit

Research by a leading think-tank has revealed that exports to countries within the European Union support around 40,000 jobs in Glasgow and the surrounding areas.

Research by the Fraser of Allander Institute, which was commissioned by Glasgow City Council ahead of a Brexit summit, considers the impact Brexit will have on companies in and around the city, as well as highlighting the potential impact of Brexit on investment in Glasgow.

DWP work coaches could see their workload quadruple as Universal Credit rolls out, expert witnesses warned Holyrood.

Currently each work coach supports 85 claimants – with that figure expected to rise to 373 by 2024-25.

The startling figure adds to fears over the impact of the Universal Credit roll-out which has been plagued by problems.

DWP errors more than double in five years

The SNP has lambasted the Tories over their mismanagement of welfare, after figures showed that the number of Jobseekers’ Allowance claimants who have been underpaid has more than doubled in five years.

New analysis shows that the proportion of JSA claimants who have been underpaid due to official errors has risen from 0.8% to 2.1% since 2011/2012.

Tories treating migrants with contempt - time for powers to be devolved

The Home Office’s continued refusal to answer questions on immigration matters from MSPs is completely disrespectful to the constituents who have gone to their parliamentarian for help, SNP MSP Bob Doris has said – after he received a dismissive email saying they would not speak to him about young orphan Giorgi Kakava.

Bob Doris wrote to Sajid Javid last month asking for him to grant Giorgi Kakava permanent citizenship in the UK – after the Home Office only granted him right to remain for two and a half years. Giorgi is a 10-year old orphan from Georgia, who had to flee the country with his mother when he was a toddler. His mother sadly passed away during the asylum process earlier this year – and Giorgi is currently being cared for by his grandmother.

SNP MSP Bob Doris is spearheading a campaign which will see 15 bookmaker shops across Glasgow’s Maryhill and Springburn sign up for the White Ribbon Campaign to help towards eradicating gender based violence.

The MSP will meet with key partners ahead of a street campaign launch on Saturday 4 August outside Tesco on Maryhill Road, Glasgow, marking the beginning of the constituency week of Action that will run across all 15 stores until Saturday 11th August 2018.

Case underlines need for devolution of migration

The UK government has finally granted 10-year old orphan Giorgi Kakava and his grandmother the right to remain in the UK, after sustained pressure from local MSP Bob Doris and Maryhill Minister Reverend Brian Casey – after months of uncertainty over young Giorgi’s future.

Giorgi Kakava had initially been marked for deportation back to Georgia, where his safety would not be guaranteed. Giorgi has been living in Scotland with his mother since he was 3 after fleeing Georgia for safety reasons. His mother sadly passed away earlier this year during the asylum process – yet the Tories looked set to continue with plans to deport him.

Stats reveal over 6,500 betrayed by Tory cuts

Official UK government statistics provided by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre have shown that over 6,500 people throughout Glasgow and beyond have been left to suffer as a result of Tory job centre cuts.

The closures, which began in September 2017 and have resulted in half of Glasgow's job centre estate disappearing, have been heavily criticised by the SNP and local communities throughout, yet the Tory government has turned a deaf ear to local concerns.

New DWP Minister has chance to change course

The SNP has made a last-ditch call for the Tories to halt their plans to close job centres across Scotland – with the Maryhill site set to shut its doors for the final time on Friday.

The chaos of Theresa May's bungled cabinet reshuffle has led to Esther McVey becoming the new DWP Secretary and Alok Sharma become Minister for Employment – and cross-party representatives across Glasgow have united to call on the new Ministers to halt the planned cuts of their predecessors with a joint letter to Mr Sharma.