By Judith Tonner
New MSP Davy Russell thanked his constituents and paid tribute to his predecessor as he made his maiden speech at the Scottish Parliament. The Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse representative made his first contribution from the Holyrood floor since his by-election win last month in an education debate, in which he praised his schooldays at Quarter Primary and Hamilton Grammar. He told constituents: 鈥淚 thank you for putting your trust in me, and I will work every day to earn it. My promise to you is simple 鈥 I will be your voice in the chamber, and I will never stop fighting for a better, fairer and more hopeful future for us all.鈥 Mr Russell registered a surprise victory in the hotly-contested Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse poll, gaining a majority of 602 to regain the seat for Labour for the first time in 14 years; and told fellow MSPs: 鈥淏eing elected is one of the biggest honours of my life.鈥 The new MSP was invited to address parliament for the first time by deputy presiding officer Liam McArthur, and began his maiden speech by honouring the late Christina McKelvie, the popular constituency member and Scottish Government minister who died of breast cancer in March, aged just 57. He drew applause after saying: 鈥淩egardless of where I went or who I spoke to [during the election campaign], I heard genuine warmth and affection for Christina. She was a passionate MSP and a friend to many across the chamber. She served my community with distinction and will always be fondly remembered.鈥 Mr Russell, who emphasised his local credentials and community connections throughout his election campaign as he concentrated on knocking doors and speaking to voters, told how he still lives in Quarter where he was born and brought up. He said: 鈥淚 started my career as a roads apprentice in Hamilton before working my way up to director level. Until the by-election, I had the honour of representing His Majesty as a deputy lord lieutenant of Lanarkshire. 鈥淢y life has been spent serving my community, but throughout my life I did not expect to become a politician. However, I knew that the opportunity to be Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse鈥檚 voice in the Scottish Parliament would be the best way that I could serve my community again.鈥 The 63-year-old became a grandfather at the very beginning of his election campaign and said: 鈥淭he only thing greater than being elected as my community鈥檚 MSP was the feeling when my grandson was born, on the night that I started my political journey.鈥 He continued: 鈥淗olding him in my arms reminded me of exactly what is at stake here. It is not just about policy or politics but about the kind of Scotland that we want to pass on to our children and grandchildren. I entered the Scottish Parliament not with the answers but with a deep-rooted belief in public service, a commitment to listening and an unshakeable resolve to stand up for the people who sent me here.鈥 Mr Russell鈥檚 maiden speech took place in a debate ahead of voting on the Education (Scotland) bill, and he said: 鈥淢ine is a story not of privilege but of standard education through the two good schools that I went to. Perseverance, hard work and further education 鈥 that is the spirit that I bring to the chamber. 鈥淥n the campaign trail, I had hundreds of conversations with people and education was one of the big issues that came up time and again. I heard from parents, teachers and even grandparents who were worried about the state of our schools and who feared that the next generation was being deprived of the opportunities that previous generations had.” He criticised the Scottish Government鈥檚 record on education including a 鈥渇ailure to close the attainment gap鈥 and said: 鈥淎 new direction is desperately needed to deliver the education system that young Scots deserve. We cannot tackle tomorrow鈥檚 challenges with today鈥檚 complacency. 鈥淎 good education is a key driver of efforts to reduce child poverty. Building a better future for the next generation is one of the most important missions of any government 鈥 that starts with education, because it is about equipping young people with the confidence, curiosity and character to thrive in this world.鈥 The debate came ahead of MSPs voting to pass the education bill which will see the establishment of a new national qualifications body and new independent education inspectorate. Education secretary Jenny Gilruth said: 鈥淭he successful passage of this legislation shows this Government is serious about implementing the changes needed to drive improvement across Scotland鈥檚 education and skills system. Our major programme of education and skills reform will bring about the changes needed to meet the needs of future generations of young people.鈥 Mr Russell was followed in speaking by Ross Greer, the Green MSP, who said: 鈥淚 congratulate Davy Russell on making his first speech in the chamber. I find that, nine years in, the novelty and privilege of being in the chamber have certainly not worn off yet.鈥 *Don’t miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here . And did you know Lanarkshire Live had its own app? Download yours for free here .