Archive
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'Deeply disappointing': Scottish Government not consulted on Winter Fuel Payment
THE Scottish Government has said it is “deeply disappointing” that it was not consulted before Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced a slew of cuts in a bid to tackle a £22 billion black hole in public finances. Amongst the cuts, the Chancellor confirmed
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Labour could have taxed the rich, but instead they're hurting the poor again
It's not even August yet, but the silly season has started early. Following the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on Friday, there has been controversy and outrage from Christians, the right wing, and socially conservative commentators
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The Sun publisher agrees to searches over ‘fake security threat’ allegations
THE publisher of The Sun has agreed to search for documents that may relate to allegations it invented a “fake security threat” to justify the wiping of “millions of incriminating emails”, the High Court has been told. According to court documents
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North Coast 500 named most scenic driving route in whole of UK
A POPULAR tourist activity in Scotland has been named the most scenic driving route in the UK. The North Coast 500 was named as the favourite in a survey by Europcar, which looked at routes across all four nations of the UK. It comes as schools
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Main points as Labour announce billions of spending cuts in 'new era of austerity'
RACHEL Reeves has announced billions of pounds in spending cuts, after ordering the Treasury to carry out an audit of the UK’s public finances. The Chancellor said her aim was to “expose the scale of what has been uncovered” after Labour came to
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Stephen Flynn says Labour have 'broken promise' to voters after announcing cuts
STEPHEN Flynn has accused Labour of misleading the public after the Chancellor announced a swathe of cuts despite repeatedly denying they would not oversee public service cuts during the election campaign. On Monday, Rachel Reeves said she had
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Chancellor urged to apologise to Scots as Labour announce huge spending cuts
THE Chancellor has been urged to apologise to Scots after announcing huge cuts to public spending. On Monday, Rachel Reeves told the Commons that the Labour Government will be publishing a “detailed audit” and accused the previous Conservative
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'Utterly unjustifiable': Economist reacts to Rachel Reeves speech
IT looked as if Rachel Reeves had taken drama lessons to put on a show of sufficient mock anger in the Commons today. She clearly wanted to blame the Tories for what she was announcing. But nothing could hide the truth that we all already knew that
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Martin Lewis hits out at Labour as Winter Fuel Payment axed for millions
THE Chancellor has scrapped the universal Winter Fuel Payments to pensioners just as bills are expected to rise this winter. The cash, worth hundreds of pounds, is paid to all pensioners to help with the additional cost of heating over the winter
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Rachel Reeves blames Tory handling of asylum system as Labour announces huge cuts
RACHEL Reeves has blamed the previous Tory government’s handling of the asylum system as the Chancellor announced huge cuts. The Chancellor told the Commons on Monday that the Labour Government will be publishing a “detailed audit” and accused
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Top Scottish lawyer to represent family involved in Manchester Airport incident
A TOP Scottish lawyer is to represent the family involved in an incident at Manchester Airport which appeared to include a police officer kicking a man in the head as he lay on the ground. Fahir Amaaz and Muhammad Amaad were involved in a clash
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Ex-BBC presenter Huw Edwards charged with making indecent images of children
Former BBC presenter Huw Edwards has been charged with making indecent images of children, the Metropolitan Police has said. Edwards was suspended in July 2023 after claims he paid thousands of pounds for sexually explicit images. He remained
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Police appeal for witnesses after 'attempted murder' leaves man in serious condition
POLICE are appealing for witnesses following an “attempted murder” in Grangemouth. At around 5am on Sunday, police received reports that a 41-year-old man had been found with serious injuries within the close of a block of flats in Kersiebank Avenue
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Labour government scraps Winter Fuel Payment for millions of pensioners
RACHEL Reeves has announced that the Government will be ending Winter Fuel Payments for those not in receipt of benefits. It comes as the Chancellor said there was a £22 billion black hole in the public finances as she accused the Tories of covering
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Scottish council 'failed' in its legal obligations on controversial park plans
A SCOTTISH council failed in its legal duty to perform an impact assessment on plans to industrialise part of a park, a lawyer representing campaigners against the proposals has told the Court of Session. Friends of St Fittick’s Park are challenging
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More than 100 demonstrate for stronger land reform as farmers 'completely priced out'
MORE than 100 people took part in a demonstration calling for stronger land reform on Sunday, warning that farmers are being “completely priced out of the land market”. The crowd responded to a call to protest from the Landworkers’ Alliance (LWA
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'Young children' among those stabbed in 'major incident' in Southport
YOUNG children are said to be among at least eight people stabbed incident in Southport. Armed police arrested a man and seized a knife after being called to the “major incident” at a property on Hart Street, in Southport, north of Liverpool,
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Tributes pour in after Dundee councillor dies aged 63
TRIBUTES have been paid to a Scottish councillor after he died aged 63. Charlie Malone, who represented the Lochee ward on Dundee Council since first being elected in 2017, was praised as a “lifelong campaigner for equality, justice, and peace”
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Thousands flock to exhibition on reintroducing lynx to Scotland
THOUSANDS of people have visited a travelling exhibition on the potential reintroduction of lynx to Scotland. Next month, The Missing Lynx exhibition – which uses interactive displays to tell the story of the species’ extinction in the UK and their
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Ian Murray hails new trade talks with Israel as 'great news for Brand Scotland'
IAN Murray has said new trade talks between the UK and Israel are "great news" for Scotland. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds announced on Monday that trade talks would be reopened with the country, leading to accusations that the
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Tommy Robinson flees UK after 'flagrant contempt of court', High Court hears
TOMMY Robinson has left the UK after committing “flagrant” contempt of court relating to a film played at a protest in central London, the High Court has been told. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was due to appear at the Royal
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Labour accused of 'rewarding Israel for war crimes' after announcing new trade talks
THE Labour government has been accused of “rewarding Israel for its war crimes” after announcing trade talks will be reopened with the nation. Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds confirmed that discussions are being held with Israel,
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Singer Nina Nesbitt on why she's no longer desperate to leave Scotland
Nina Nesbitt believes she has reached a major milestone, not only in turning 30 but finding the confidence to fully enjoy her songwriting and musical career Nina Nesbitt gave herself one of the most important presents when she turned 30 a fortnight
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Revive wartime policy of regional Scottish meetings, Fergus Ewing urges Labour
THE Labour-run Scotland Office should revive the wartime policy of holding regional meetings with politicians across the country, Fergus Ewing has argued. The former SNP Cabinet secretary called for Ian Murray to bring in meeting with “MPs and
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Ofcom discontinues probe into Dan Wootton's cancelled GB News show
OFCOM has discontinued an investigation into Dan Wootton’s GB News show, in which he claimed he has been the target of a smear campaign. The journalist, who left the channel in March this year to set up his own independent platform, said in an
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Puberty blocker ban imposed by Tories is lawful, High Court rules
THE use of emergency legislation by the Conservative Party to ban puberty blockers was lawful, the High Court has ruled. In May, the UK Government brought in a ban on the prescription of puberty blockers for under-18s experiencing gender dysphoria
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Councils should refuse to accept responsibility for future PFI payments
WE are led to believe that Labour are about to give birth to the son and daughter of PFI, ready to heap future debt on local councils. May I suggest that councils can avoid this by publicly stating that they will never be responsible for any and
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It's about time we get Scotland's iconic symbols right
AFTER the election result and the football result (albeit the pain lessened a bit by the Euros final outcome), Scotland is at ground zero. John Swinney’s government (and the SFA) will not be short of advice on how to rebuild, but here is some anyway
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What time is Chancellor Rachel Reeves's speech on UK finances – and how to watch
CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves is expected to announce cuts to infrastructure projects as she addresses public spending and a £20 billion “black hole” in the UK’s finances. The leading Labour MP will deliver her verdict on the public finances to the
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Councillor responds to anger as Scottish public buildings to fly Palestine flag
PRO-ISRAEL groups have criticised a Scottish council for seeking to fly the Palestinian flag on some public buildings in a gesture of solidarity. It comes after Renfrewshire Council gave the green light for the Palestinian flag to be flown from
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Hollywood star Saoirse Ronan marries Scottish actor in secret ceremony
HOLLYWOOD actress Saoirse Ronan has married Scottish actor Jack Lowden in a secret ceremony. The function included just a few friends and family members and was reportedly in Edinburgh city centre last weekend. The Irish Independent first reported
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Scottish home rule looked defeated in 1979. Yessers can learn from that today
IN 1979, the movement for self-government for Scotland seemed defeated – 30 years after the Scottish Covenant in 1949 led to an upsurge of support that made the momentum seem unstoppable. My late father, Arnold Kemp, wrote that he had given up
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Scottish Tory MP admits he 'governed poorly' as a minister
A SCOTTISH Tory MP has admitted to having “governed poorly” during his time as a minister – at least, if you read between the lines. Andrew Bowie also criticised Rishi Sunak’s ability to run the UK government as he backed Kemi Badenoch in
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Pro-independence Plaid Cymru 'neck and neck' with Labour in Welsh polling
PLAID Cymru are just one point behind Labour in Wales, a new poll of Senedd voting intention has found. The results raise questions about whether the party will be able to hold onto power in Cardiff, where it has ruled since devolution in 1999,
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'Legend': Scottish coach and Gladiators referee John Anderson dies aged 92
GLADIATORS referee John Anderson has died at the age of 92, the TV show has announced. The Scottish sports coach was best known for being the umpire in the original ITV show between 1992 and 2000, as well as appearing in the revamped short-lived
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Suella Braverman ducks out of Tory leadership race as Kemi Badenoch runs
KEMI Badenoch has thrown her hat in the ring and Suella Braverman has bowed out as nominations are set to close in the Conservative Party leadership race. Badenoch, an early favourite with bookmakers, joins Priti Patel, Mel Stride, Tom Tugendhat
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Evri names Scotland as key growth area amid plans for thousands of new jobs
PARCEL delivery firm Evri has announced plans to hire hundreds in Scotland amid a major expansion. The company said it is planning to create 550 new jobs in Scotland, and 9000 across the UK as a whole, as it prepares to expand after agreeing to
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Woman, 23, among three killed in major motorbike crash in Scottish Borders
THREE people have died after a major motorbike crash on a Scottish road. A 23-year-old woman, 29-year-old man, and 37-year-old man were all sadly pronounced dead at the scene after a collision on the A6088 in Scottish Borders on Sunday. The
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29-year-old woman dies after motorbike crash on Scottish road
A 29-YEAR-OLD woman has died after a motorbike crash on a Scottish road. The woman, along with three other motorbike riders, was travelling on the A83 on Sunday afternoon when the incident happened at the Kilmory Roundabout at Lochgilphead at around
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Delta Aquariid meteor shower to light up Scotland's skies – where to look and when
SCOTS will be treated to a meteor shower this week as the Delta Aquariids light up the night sky. The display is expected to peak in the early hours of Tuesday, with up to 25 shooting stars an hour streaking across the sky. The Delta Aquariids
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What I learned from my hundreds of hours of research for Fringe show
WHEN I start writing anything, there’s always a gnawing fear that I won’t know enough about my subject matter to do it justice. It’s why, for this year’s show, I spent hundreds of hours researching economics – reading books, watching documentaries
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Christina Hendry: Yes supporters must think of Robert the Bruce and the spider
I WRITE these reflections as I sit on the ferry heading home after a short trip to Arran. The island has a rich history, including during the time of the Scottish Wars of Independence. It is believed that in 1306, Robert the Bruce landed at Lochranza
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Alan Riach: Introducing two Catalan poets heading to Glasgow this week
IN Chapter XIV of his 1920 book Cartagena And The Banks Of The Sinú, an account of the history of the major port city in Colombia and his own travels there in 1917, RB Cunninghame Graham makes the memorable assertion that “the Catalans are the Scotch
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Rachel Reeves urged not to 'pull a George Osborne' amid reports of major cuts
RACHEL Reeves has been warned not to “pull a George Osborne” amid growing concerns the Chancellor is to announce significant cuts to make up for a £20 billion funding hole. On Sunday, widespread reports suggested that Labour are planning significant
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George Kerevan: It's not just liberal academics who understand need for wealth tax
CHANCELLOR Rachel Reeves has suddenly discovered a circa £20 billion “black hole” in the public finances, which she will unveil today. This is a surprise only to Reeves. The rest of us have known since the last Tory Budget that huge departmental
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How a punk rock band immortalised our future First Minister
FOR me, independent music, alongside whisky, is one of Scotland’s greatest cultural exports. My book Postcards From Scotland: Scottish Independent Music 1983-1995 was written to make this case and document its oral history. Glasgow band The Vaselines
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What is PFI and how does it work?
PFI stands for the public finance initiative, which is a way of financing big public-sector projects through the private sector. It involves a long-term contract that runs for about 25 to 30 years between a private party and a government entity
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Why are we talking about PFI now?
THE public finance initiative (PFI) was brought in under John Major’s government between 1992 and 1997 but was considerably expanded after that point under Tony Blair and his then-chancellor Gordon Brown. We know that was a long time ago but the
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Why the SNP must listen to the Yes movement on currency
THE Scottish Currency Group strongly agrees with Joanna Cherry when she said in her National column on Friday that the SNP leadership should engage with the wider independence movement and be prepared to change their policy when expert Yes groups point
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Tommy Sheppard: We must take this step to independence before a citizens' convention
FIRST out of the traps in the race for a new strategic plan for independence was Believe in Scotland. Even before the new Westminster Parliament had been sworn in, the organisation published its report on a Scottish Citizens’ Convention, heralding
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What are the pros and cons of PFIs – and why would Labour bring them back?
THE Labour government has made no secret of its intentions to bring private finance in to pay for public infrastructure, sparking concerned comparisons to the private finance initiatives (PFIs) used heavily under Tony Blair. Chancellor Rachel Reeves
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The National launches PFI series: Will Labour revive controversial funding method?
THE newly elected Labour government has come to power pledging to deliver on infrastructure, pledging houses, transport, and energy projects. But at the same time, they have poured cold water on the idea of major government investment. Chancellor
