West Lothian schoolboy joins big bunch of jokers at the Scottish Parliament

Daily Record

10-06-2025

P3 pupil John McGlynn from Livingston left MSPs in fits of laughter
A Livingston schoolboy was one of 32 pupils from across the country who left MSPs chortling after cracking jokes at the Scottish Parliament.
John McGlynn, a P3 pupil at St John Ogilvie RC Primary School, left them in fits of laughter as he represented West Lothian at the VoiceBox grand final.
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The national joke-telling competition is organised by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT), with a regional winner representing each local authority in the final.
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Every finalist performed their joke live before an audience of MSPs, families, and supporters. The final followed a nationwide call for entries that saw thousands of jokes submitted by pupils from hundreds of primary schools.
Ezra Pasifull, who's in P3 at Oakbank Primary School in Perth, was crowned Scotland's funniest young comedian after leaving MSPs in stitches.
The winning joke, delivered with confidence and impeccable timing, was: 'I bought 10 bees but the beekeeper gave me 11 bees. I asked him why there is an extra bee and he said, because that one's a 'Free Bee!'
The final was hosted by the Presiding Officer, Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, and compered by BBC journalist and comedian Zara Janjua, who returned for her second year with the competition.
Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament said: 'It was a pleasure to welcome so many young people from across Scotland to their Parliament. Following a strong nation-wide competition, I want to congratulate all our finalists. The effort, imagination and thought that went into their contributions was extremely impressive. I'm pleased that once again the Parliament was able to support such a worthwhile competition.'
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VoiceBox was created by the RCSLT to spotlight the importance of early speech, language and communication development and the power of speech and language therapy. While rooted in fun, the competition's purpose is to raise awareness of the vital role communication plays in a child's confidence, learning, and life outcomes.
Glenn Carter, Head of RCSLT Scotland, said: 'While the event is full of joy and laughter, its purpose is serious. Speech, language and communication are essential skills that underpin a child's learning, relationships, and long-term opportunities. VoiceBox shines a light on this by showing just what children can achieve when they're supported to express themselves.'
The 2025 final marks the second year VoiceBox has been held at the Scottish Parliament, following its January launch on Blue Monday, a date chosen to brighten the calendar and kick-off joke competitions in classrooms nationwide.
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Each of the 32 finalists received £100 worth of books from sponsors Collins Big Cat, the UK's leading whole-school primary reading programme.
The overall winner's school received £500 worth of Collins Big Cat books, while the runner-up, Freya McVie Branley from St Winning's Primary School, Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, and third-place winner, Craig Speirs from Shortlees Primary, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, were awarded £200 worth of books for their schools.
In addition, the top three finalists received toy gift cards – £100 for the winner, £75 for second place, and £50 for third place.