The PostCode Challenge is back this Sunday!

We’re delighted to announce that we’re running the Innertubemap Postcode Challenge for the third year

on Sunday (28 April) from 11am-4pm. 

The Challenge is a treasure hunt on wheels, where participants have to check in at 10 points on the North Edinburgh cycleway, for the chance to win some great prizes and to have lots of fun. We’re now also welcoming walkers (and runners), who can take part by checking in to a reduced number of stops along the route.

We have a couple of spaces for stall holders for the day – it’s a great opportunity to promote your organisation, not only to the participants (approx 500 took part last year) but also to the many people walking and cycling along the routes.

If you’d like to take part, or donate a prize for the Challenge, please get in touch with Ruth Wyatt at ELGT on 0131 445 4025 or email ruth@elgt.org.uk

This event is part of the Innertube project, funded thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery and to the People’s Postcode Trust.

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Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust

City shines with Silver of the Stars this summer

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The Museum of Edinburgh on the Canongate is hosting the sparkling ‘Silver of the Stars’ exhibition, which makes a welcome return to the Scottish capital this summer following a triumphant six-year international tour.

On display until 21 September, this unique collection of contemporary Scottish silverware has been created by some Scotland’s best craftsmen and women in collaboration with world-famous Scottish actors, writers and musicians including Sean Connery and Ewan McGregor.

Commissioned by the Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh to mark their 550th anniversary, the exhibition has attracted over three-quarters of a million visitors across Europe.

On display will be the ten silver drinking vessels that make up the Silver of the Stars exhibition, including a vintage car-inspired whisky set for actor Robbie Coltrane, a bejewelled teapot for singer Sharleen Spiteri and a rolling teapot for Billy Connolly.

This year the collection returns to Scotland and is being shown at the newly refurbished Museum of Edinburgh before making its way up north for exhibitions at the Swanson Gallery in Thurso, the St Fergus Gallery in Wick and the Inverness Museum and Gallery.

Councillor Richard Lewis, the city’s Culture and Sport Convener, said: “The newly refurbished Museum of Edinburgh will be the perfect venue for this wonderful exhibition that has proved immensely popular both in Scotland and internationally. We’re delighted to be hosting Silver of the Stars and I’m sure it will draw in the crowds with ease, particularly during the busy summer months in Edinburgh.”

The exhibition will be accompanied by an exciting programme of events including silversmithing and jewellery workshops, handling sessions and lectures.

Tom Murray, the Deacon of the Incorporation of Goldsmiths of the City of Edinburgh, which commissioned Silver of the Stars to mark the Incorporation’s 550th anniversary, said: “Scotland is home to a unique community of artists working in silver. Their work is held by some of the world’s leading collectors and the demand from galleries to show this unique collection has been overwhelming. There is a huge interest in Scotland and its heritage and this collection combines ancient techniques and craftsmanship with superb artistry and new engineering solutions. In many ways it stands as a metaphor for Scottish talent and innovation.”

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The gloves are off: Osborne and Swinney in fight over money

money-001In the latest of what promises to be a long series of cross-border skirmishes two political heavyweights squared up to each other over Scotland’s future currency yesterday. In the red (white and blue) corner we had Westminster’s George Osborne while in the blue (and white) we had Holyrood’s John Swinney.

Old Etonian ‘Gentleman George’ Osborne is well versed in the Marquis of Queensberry Rules but ‘Slugger’ Swinney is a capable street scrapper; in a bruising contest of contrasting styles neither fighter landed a knock out blow, so there’s sure to be a rematch soon. And it’s no clearer whether we’ll be spending pounds, euros or even dollars here in Scotland after next year’s referendum

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The clash came following the publication of a report on Scotland’s currency and monetary policy, helpfully produced by the Westminster government to ‘inform the debate on Scotland’s constitutional future’, launched by Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander in Glasgow yesterday.

The report reviews how the current UK currency and monetary policy arrangements work and examines the options in the event of independence. The analysis sets out in detail the advantages and disadvantages of the potential currency options open to an independent Scotland, including: a formal sterling currency union with the continuing United Kingdom; using sterling unilaterally, with no formal agreement; joining the euro; or introducing a new Scottish currency.

The paper concludes that none of the options under independence would serve Scotland as well as the current arrangements in the United Kingdom, which is one of the most successful monetary, fiscal and political unions in history.

All of the alternative currency arrangements would be likely to be less economically suitable for both Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom.

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Speaking during his Glasgow visit Chancellor George Osborne (pictured above) said it would be a “very deep dive into uncharted waters” if an independent Scotland kept the pound in a currency pact with the UK, and added that there was no guarantee that the UK and Scotland would be able to come to an agreement on a currency union. That would mean a separate Scotland was left with three options – unilaterally keeping the pound, creating a Scottish currency or joining the euro.

Mr Osborne said: “All of these alternative currency arrangements are less suitable economically than we have now for both Scotland and the rest of the UK. The fundamental political question this analysis provokes is this – why would 58 million citizens give away some of their sovereignty over monetary and potentially other economic policy to five million people in another state?

He added: “Let’s be clear – abandoning current arrangements would represent a very deep dive indeed into uncharted waters. Would a newly independent Scottish state be prepared to accept significant limits on it’s economic sovereignty? To submit it’s economic plans to Westminster before Holyrood? The only way to be sure of keeping the pound as Scotland’s currency is to stay in the UK.”

However the Scottish Government has commissioned it’s own study and believes that a Sterling zone monetary union is the best option for an independent Scotland.

The Scottish Government’s currency paper, also published yesterday, fully endorses the findings of the Fiscal Commission Working Group’s expert report that as an independent country in a Sterling zone Scotland would have the powers needed to exploit areas of comparative advantage and also tackle those areas where we need to improve performance.

Scottish Government – Currency

Commenting on the paper, Finance Secretary John Swinney (pictured below) said: “A Sterling zone, with the pound as a shared currency will provide the full flexibility to set tax and spending decisions to target key opportunities and challenges in Scotland.

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“The sharing of the pound between an independent Scotland and the rest of the UK is the common sense position supported by the Fiscal Commission. A sterling zone is also in the overwhelming economic interests of the rest of the UK every bit as much as it is in the interests of Scotland. An independent Scotland using the pound will mean Sterling’s balance of payments will be massively supported by Scotland’s huge assets, including North Sea oil and gas – which alone swelled the UK’s balance of payments by £40 billion in 2011-12.

“The Fiscal Commission Working Group includes two Nobel Laureates, and their expert report – having examined several possible currency options – concluded that sharing Sterling with the rest of the UK is the best option, offering freedom and flexibility for Scotland to develop our own taxation and spending policies to boost growth and address inequality. At present, the Scottish Parliament controls just seven per cent of Scotland’s revenue base, and that would only increase to 15 per cent under the terms of the Scotland Act. With independence, Scotland will control 100 per cent of our revenues, which is what it needs to be to build a stronger economy and fairer society.‪

“The combination – which only comes with independence – of keeping the pound, accessing Scotland’s abundant resources, and taking decisions on tax and other economic policies that are right for Scotland, is the best way to boost jobs and growth.

‪“Scotland’s finances are consistently stronger than the UK’s – generating more revenue per head than the rest of the UK in each one of the past 30 years – and Scotland has had a lower fiscal deficit than the UK over the past five years. With the additional economic levers that independence will provide, and the up to £1.5 trillion asset base provided by Scotland’s oil and gas reserves, an independent Scotland will stand on a strong financial footing.

“Next year’s vote is the choice between unlocking the opportunities independence will open up or continuing to allow economic and welfare policy to be set by a Westminster system that isn’t working for Scotland.”

A deep dive into uncharted waters, or unlocking opportunities?  Ultimately, you’ll decide next autumn.

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