Scottish Secretary honours armed forces at Remembrance service
The Scottish Secretary and a UK MP laid wreaths at Edinburgh and Glasgow Remembrance services, joined by military, veterans and leaders to honour service personnel and families.
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander represented the UK Government at the Annual Service of Remembrance in Edinburgh, placing a wreath at the Stone of Remembrance in Edinburgh City Chambers. The event brought together military personnel, veterans, community leaders and the Lord Provost’s Wreath Laying Party at 11am. The gathering marked Remembrance Sunday, a national moment to reflect on those who gave their lives for the country’s freedoms and to acknowledge the contributions of serving personnel, veterans and their families.
Alexander joined a procession from the Stone of Remembrance to St Giles’ Cathedral, accompanied by a pupil from George Heriot’s School playing the pipes. At the cathedral, he read Psalm 120, ‘A Song of Ascents,’ during a special Remembrance Sunday service. The service underscored the solemnity of the occasion and the collective gratitude owed to the armed forces community across the United Kingdom.
Following the service, Alexander attended a reception at Edinburgh City Chambers, reinforcing the UK Government’s ongoing commitment to the armed forces. The event highlighted the government’s recognition of service and sacrifice, both in Scotland and nationally. The wreath laying and attendance at the cathedral reflected the government’s participation in the day’s commemorations.
In Glasgow, John Grady MP, Parliamentary Private Secretary to HM Treasury, laid a wreath on behalf of the UK Government at George Square’s Remembrance Sunday service. Across the UK, similar ceremonies took place, including the National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph in London, attended by the Prime Minister and senior Cabinet members.