A little bit of Poland in Glasgow

This afternoon I visited the Polish Association at their premises, the Sikorski Club , in the west end of Glasgow.

My visit was to discuss Brexit and the uncertainty that regrettably still surrounds the issue of EU Nationals resident here - something the U.K. government should have resolved months ago.

Despite the concerns of many it was a good and constructive discussion and I very much want to re-assure Poles and all EU nationals here that their contribution is valued and welcomed.

Many Poles have been in Scotland all their lives and are the offspring of those who came here to fight in the Second World War. Those migrants - fleeing from terror but determined to protect their country and the idea of freedom - founded the club which has a restaurant, bar, library and meeting rooms as well as this impressive memorial to the victims of the Katyn massacre, to the armed forces personnel who fought ( and died) so bravely and to the Polish Government members who perished in the Smolensk Disastermore recently.

The club has been invigorated by further waves of Polish migration here and is a little bit of Poland in the heart of Glasgow.

I suspect thousands pass within yards of this memorial every day, hidden away as it is in the backstreets , and never realise it is there. It was therefore good and appropriate to pause for a little in front of it today and reflect on changed times but eternal truths and the sacrifices of so many of our friends and neighbours.

They deserve better than the current anxiety and misery caused by an ill conceived and ill thought through Brexit.