SNP MSP appeals to Nicola Sturgeon to help families of loved ones killed abroad

A FORMER SNP Cabinet minister is calling on Nicola Sturgeon to include improved support for families of loved ones killed abroad in her new programme for government to be unveiled tomorrow.
Angela Constance has been campaigning on the issue for over two yearsAngela Constance has been campaigning on the issue for over two years
Angela Constance has been campaigning on the issue for over two years

Angela Constance, MSP for Almond Valley, has campaigned on the issue since the tragic death of balcony plunge victim Kirsty Maxwell in Benidorm two years ago.

She said the First Minister had already acknowledged the current system of support was not good enough and more could be done for families.

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Ms Constance said: “While consular services and support are a reserved matter and provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who have a clear and central role, I believe we can also do more within Scotland’s devolved services so that practical, emotional and even financial support is available for families like Kirsty Maxwell’s. I have written to the First Minister calling for a commitment to achieving this within the programme for government.”

When asked about the issue in parliament earlier this year, Ms Sturgeon said the current system of support was “not entirely satisfactory”.

Kirsty Maxwell, 27, died after falling from the tenth-floor balcony of an apartment in Benidorm after a night out with friends in April 2017.

Spanish police believe Mrs Maxwell, from Livingston, jumped from the balcony, but family members are adamant she lost her grip after scaling the barrier.