Tag: Scottish Conservatives

New Hate Crime laws come into force

Greater protection for victims and communities?

New measures to tackle the harm caused by hatred and prejudice come into force today (1 April 2024). The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act will ‘provide greater protection for victims and communities’.

It introduces new offences for threatening or abusive behaviour which is intended to stir up hatred based on prejudice towards characteristics including age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity and variations in sex characteristics. These extra provisions will add to the long-standing stirring up racial hatred offences, which have been in place UK-wide since 1986.

The new laws were developed following Lord Bracadale’s Independent Review of Hate Crime Legislation which concluded that new specific offences relating to stirring up hatred were needed. The legislation, which was passed by a majority of MSPs in the Scottish Parliament in 2021, was also subject to extensive consultation and engagement throughout, including with communities affected by hate crime.

Minister for Victims and Community Safety Siobhian Brown said: “Nobody in our society should live in fear and we are committed to building safer communities that live free from hatred and prejudice.

“We know that the impact on those on the receiving end of physical, verbal or online attacks can be traumatic and life-changing. This legislation is an essential element of our wider approach to tackling that harm.

“Protections for freedom of expression are built into the legislation passed by Parliament and these new offences have a higher threshold for criminality than the long-standing offence of stirring up racial hatred, which has been in place since 1986.”

The Scottish Conservatives oppose the legislation: “Unfortunately, this is not an April Fool. Today, Humza Yousaf’s dangerous Hate Crime Act has come into force. This SNP law will have a chilling effect on free speech.

“We were the only party to oppose it every step of the way.”

The Scottish Government’s Hate Crime Strategy and Delivery Plan sets out Ministers’ strategic priorities for tackling hate crime in Scotland.

Lothian MSP launches petition to restore funding for planned new Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion

Lothian MSP launches petition to restore funding for planned new Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, has launched a petition to save the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion after SNP Ministers withdrew funding for a replacement hospital, for the second time in three years.

At FMQs last Thursday, Mr Briggs asked the First Minister about plans for the development of a new eye hospital for Edinburgh and the South East of Scotland. In response to Mr Briggs the First Minister stated that: “There is no doubting of course that the Eye Pavilion does need built”.

Following the original decision to withdraw funding for a replacement eye hospital, a significant campaigning effort led to the previous First Minister U-turning and reinstating funding for a replacement hospital.

The current eye pavilion is no longer fit for purpose with an extensive list of maintenance issues that the health board needs to keep on top of.

There has been no money spent on the existing Princess Alexandra Eye Hospital in the last year.

The current Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion is a centre for excellence, which Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has said is at risk of being lost due to the mismanagement of budgets by SNP Ministers.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said :“It is completely unacceptable that SNP Ministers have removed funding for a replacement Princess Alexandra Eye Hospital for the second time in two years.

“The current hospital is no longer fit for purpose and we need a new hospital to treat over 50,000 patients who attend the hospital every year.  

“We are at risk of losing a centre of excellence in the South East of Scotland and future generations will have worse eye health due to this period of ineptitude by SNP Ministers.

“Please sign my petition for a replacement Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion to show the extent of public support for this funding to be reinstated.”

If you would like to support Mr Brigg’s petition to reinstate funding for a replacement Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion, you can find the petition here :

https://www.edinburghconservatives.org.uk/campaigns/save-edinburghs-new-eye-hospital

Yesterday (Thursday 1st February) at FMQs Miles Briggs MSP asked the First Minister:

Last year 59,240 patients attended the Princes Alexandra Eye Pavilion.

For a patient in Edinburgh or the Borders with a detached retina the need for urgent surgery is critical.    

The Health Secretary has suggested that if the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion is not replaced then more surgery will be centralised to the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in Glasgow.

It would be unacceptable for emergency eye surgery to be centralised to Glasgow.               

Can ask the First Minister if he and the Health Secretary will agree to urgently meet with Lothian MSPs to discuss the concerns that Ministers will now not commit to a new replacement Eye Hospital.

An estimated 90,800 households across Lothian receiving Cost of Living payment

Scottish Conservative MSP for Lothian, Miles Briggs, has “warmly welcomed” the latest cost-of-living payments being paid by the UK Government to thousands of his constituents in Lothian.

The UK Government has confirmed that the latest £300 payments will be paid automatically into the bank accounts of those eligible in Lothian between 31 October and 19 November.

It comes as part of a package worth £900 in total to support those on means-tested benefits in Lothian with the effects of the global cost-of-living crisis.

Eligible pensioner households will also receive a further £300 later in the year, on top of the Winter Fuel Payment.

Those eligible in Lothian do not need to apply for the payment, as it will be paid directly into their bank account.

Statistics from the UK Government show that in Lothian, 90,800 households will receive the cost-of-living payment.

Mr. Briggs says the UK Government are continuing to “step up” to support the most vulnerable in his constituency during these tough economic times.

Scottish Conservative MP/MSP Miles Briggs said: “It is warmly welcomed that the UK Government are providing a further £300 in cost-of-living payments to the most vulnerable in Lothian and across the country.

“As the economic situation continues to constrain people in Lothian, this help from the UK Government comes at a perfect time, and the package – worth £900 in total – is going to help those who need it most.

“As we approach winter, this ­help will prove even more invaluable.

“With payments being made automatically, people who are eligible in Lothian don’t need to do anything to receive these payments into their bank accounts.

“Of course, if there are any issues, then myself and my team will always be on hand to ensure those who need these payments get them from the UK Government.”

Consultation open for Desecration of War Memorials Prevention (Scotland) Bill

Scottish Conservative deputy leader Meghan Gallacher MSP yesterday (Wednesday) launched her Proposed Desecration of War Memorials Prevention Scotland Members Bill for consultation at Holyrood.

The legislation would ensure that attacks on war memorials – which have been on the rise over the last decade – are actively discouraged by amending vandalism law to recognise the desecration of these monuments as a specific offence, which would bring Scotland into line with England and Wales.

The consultation will run from now until December 19.

In the early hours of Monday 14th November the war memorial in front of Edinburgh City Council was vandalised in what was a mindless act of vandalism.

Miles Briggs asked an FMQ at the Scottish Parliament that Thursday describing the incident as an “absolutely appalling insult to our fallen war heroes”.

Groups including the Friends of Dennistoun War Memorial have campaigned tirelessly for this legislation, which has also secured the support of veterans’ organisations, past and present British Armed Forces personnel – including Simon Weston – veterans campaigners, community action groups, and leading veteran charities.

Miles Briggs is now encouraging people to make their views known through the consultation so that Scotland’s War Memorials will receive the protection that they deserve.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “I fully support my colleague Meghan Gallacher’s proposed bill to protect our war memorials in Scotland.

“Vandalising war memorials is an abhorrent act and those who damage these memorials should be punished appropriately.

“I encourage everyone in the Lothians to engage with this consultation to prevent our war memorials from being vandalised .”

Drugs: Scottish Government calls for decriminalisation for personal supply

RECKLESS, SAY SCOTTISH CONSERVATIVES

Decriminalisation of all drugs for personal supply is one of a number of polices which the Scottish Government is calling on the UK Government to implement in a new paper on drug law reform.

The move would allow people found in possession of drugs to be treated and supported rather than criminalised and excluded. Decriminalisation would also mean that without a criminal record, people in recovery would have a better chance of employment.

The document has been published by the Scottish Government outlining measures which could be implemented through further devolution, independence, or changes enacted immediately by the UK Government to support the work being done within existing powers to reduce drug deaths.

Among the proposals are:

  • Decriminalisation of all drugs for personal supply progressed as part of a wider review of drug laws
  • Immediate legislative changes to allow us to fully and properly implement harm reduction measures such as supervised drug consumption facilities (rather than the current proposal being explored which is constrained by having to work within existing legislation), drug checking and increased access to the life saving drug naloxone.
  • a roadmap for further exploration of drug law reform, focused on evidence and the reduction of harm, including an update of the drug classification system to be based on harms caused

The proposals follow recommendations made by the Drug Deaths Taskforce in September 2021.

Minister for Drugs Policy Elena Whitham said: “These are ambitious and radical proposals, grounded in evidence, that will help save lives.

“We want to create a society where problematic drug use is treated as a health, not a criminal matter, reducing stigma and discrimination and enabling the person to recover and contribute positively to society. While we know these proposals will spark debate, they are in line with our public health approach and would further our national mission to improve and save lives.

“We are working hard within the powers we have to reduce drug deaths, and while there is more we need to do, our approach is simply at odds with the Westminster legislation we must operate within.

“These policies could be implemented by the Scottish Government through the devolution of further, specific powers to Holyrood including the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 – or through independence. An immediate way for these policies to be enacted would be for the UK Government to use its existing powers to change its drug laws.

“Scotland needs a caring, compassionate and human rights informed drugs policy, with public health and the reduction of harm as its underlying principles, and we are ready to work with the UK Government to put into practice this progressive policy.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives said: “Trying to solve Scotland’s drug death crisis by decriminalising dangerous class-A drugs is reckless.

“To tackle the highest drug death rate in Europe, Humza Yousaf needs to back our Right to Recovery Bill.”

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have been calling for the decriminalisation of drug misuse for years. From rehab spaces to support for families, there are pressing areas where action is needed. This is an urgent public health crisis and ministers need to act like it.

caring-compassionate-human-rights-informed-drug-policy-scotlandDownload

Building a new Scotland: Embedding rights into the Constitution

First Minister: Equality and rights at the heart of an independent Scotland’s Constitution

An independent Scotland would have a constitution based on the sovereignty of the people and reflect Scotland’s values as a modern, democratic European nation from day one, according to plans outlined by the First Minister Humza Yousaf.  

The fourth paper in the ‘Building a New Scotland’ series, sets out how a written constitution developed by the people in Scotland could put rights and equality at its heart, including by protecting the right to strike and giving constitutional recognition to the NHS. 

Speaking at the launch of the new prospectus paper, First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “This fourth publication in the ‘Building a New Scotland’ series sets out the Scottish Government’s proposals for how people in Scotland can create a written constitution that puts democracy, rights and equality at the heart of everything we do as an independent country.  

“To be a success, our written constitution must be one that the people in Scotland believe in, giving them the direct opportunity to shape and build a better country. It must also have the collective authority of the nation, so that those in power accept that, under the constitution, they are accountable to the people.  

“Independence would give Scotland the ability to create a constitution that provides recognition of the NHS in Scotland, giving people the right to access a system of health care, available free at the point of need.

“It would allow Scotland to continue its progressive approach to human rights and equality, without the current restrictions of the devolution settlement and without the threat of the UK Government overruling our decisions or unwinding our advances.

This would ensure that our human rights and equality protections could cover all policy areas, including those currently reserved. 

“With independence, we can build a better country on that fundamental right of every person in Scotland to be treated equally, and with a written constitution, Scotland can build a new home for democracy, rights and equality.” 

The Scottish Conservatives, the main opposition party at Holyrood, are unsurprisingly less than impressed with the SNP’s priorities.

They say the Scottish government is spending over £1.4 million of taxpayers’ money to fund independence campaigning. The Tories believe this is a waste of public money when our NHS and schools are struggling.

First Minister’s speech – 19 June 2023 

Paper: Creating a modern constitution for an independent Scotland 

Briggs: NHS Lothian A&E Waiting Times showing no sign of improving

Date ↓% within 4 hours
19 March 202360
20 March 202261.5
21 March 202184.1
22 March 202094.6
24 March 201986.6

Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP for Lothian Miles Briggs said: “The figures are an embarrassment for Humza Yousaf and are indicative of the extent to which he failed in his role as Heath Secretary.

“It is completely unacceptable that in the space of 3 years the percentage seen withing 4 hours dropped almost 35% from 94.6% to 60% in Lothian.

“Despite being well into the swing of Spring, the figures for Lothian are now worse than at the peak winter times.

“In taking his eye off the ball and doing his best to appease the independence hardliners during the leadership contest, Lothian and Scotland’s figures have deteriorated further.

“While as Health Secretary he was clearly unable to find a solution to the mess he created, one of his first priorities as the new First Minister must be to get on top of the situation and find someone who can clear up the disaster that he presided over.”

‘Yousaf must go’ call as thousands wait for over 12 hours in A&E in Lothian

Humza Yousaf must be sacked for ‘dangerous negligence’, Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has said, as the party revealed that the number of patients waiting over 12 hours to be seen in Accident and Emergency in Lothian has soared.

Statistics have shown that, in the year from November 2021 to October 2022, a shocking 15,936 people in NHS Lothian spent more than 12 hours in A&E waiting to be seen – despite an SNP government commitment to see 95% of patients within four hours.

This figure has spiralled in recent years, with the number of people waiting more than 12 hours now around 18 times higher than the same period in 2018/19.

With A&E services in disarray and the situation only worsening throughout the winter, Scottish Labour is warning that lives will be lost due to the SNP-created A&E crisis.

Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “The facts are plain for all to see – NHS Lothian’s A&E services have been plunged into a deadly freefall by Humza Yousaf’s dangerous negligence.

“Despite the efforts of hardworking staff, the number of patients spending a shocking 12 hours waiting in A&E has soared this year.

“The SNP’s mismanagement of our NHS is putting lives at risk – we urgently need a real plan to put a stop to this chaos and protect services in Lothian.”

The Scottish Conservatives are also calling for Yousaf’s sacking. A spokesperson said: “With each passing week, Humza Yousaf continues to preside over complete chaos in our A&E departments.

“His tenure as Health Secretary has been nothing short of a disaster and Nicola Sturgeon must sack him immediately.”

Number of A&E patients waiting more than 12 hours:

Year to October 2019* Year to October 2022* Change (%)Change (times higher) 
NHS Ayrshire & Arran15578038416%5
NHS Borders5629255123%52
NHS Dumfries & Galloway43392812%9
NHS Fife4105326225%263
NHS Forth Valley20628991307%14
NHS Grampian2816855918%60
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde19759972944%30
NHS Highland206673235%33
NHS Lanarkshire8516267636%7
NHS Lothian910159361651%18
NHS Orkney48100%2
NHS Shetland01
NHS Tayside327800%9
NHS Western Isles00
NHS Scotland3879458951083%12

* 12 month period from November to October

Sturgeon: Ambitious plans for a more dynamic and fairer economy

New economic paper for an independent Scotland to be published

Proposals to build a dynamic and socially just economy will be at the centre of government plans for a newly independent Scotland, according to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Speaking ahead of the launch of a new prospectus paper detailing plans for the economy of an independent Scotland, the First Minister said independence would help Scotland become a fairer, wealthier and greener country.

Building on the evidence published in the first of the Building a New Scotland series, Independence in the modern world, the latest paper will set out how the powers of independence, combined with Scotland’s abundant economic strengths and resources, can deliver a stronger economy and fairer society.   

The paper is also expected to propose a Building a New Scotland Fund. With infrastructure investment of up to £20 billion from remaining oil revenues and responsible borrowing, the new Fund will accelerate the transition to net zero, build resilient communities, and help kick-start the sustainable economic growth so important for the newly independent nation.

The paper will also address the issues of currency, fiscal sustainability, and trade.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Scotland has an abundance of skilled people, innovative businesses, and natural resources. We have everything it takes to be just as successful as comparable independent European countries. Our analysis from the first paper in the Building a New Scotland series shows that a dynamic economy and social justice go hand in hand. Each makes the other stronger. 

“Scotland’s economy is one of the best performing in the UK – however the UK economy, particularly post-Brexit, is now lagging behind many EU and international comparators. The UK economic model is demonstrably failing and increasingly holding Scotland back.

“Independence is now essential to build an economy that works for everyone. The paper we are publishing today will help people make a clear, informed choice about independence and how we can forge a path towards becoming a fairer, greener, wealthier country.”

The First Minister will hold a press conference today at 12pm.

Watch live here @scotgov from 12pm.

Building a New Scotland series

renewing-democracy-through-independenceDownload

Unsurprisingly, the Scottish Conservatives are less than impressed:

The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS), Scotland’s premier pro-EU body, strongly endorsed the Scottish Government’s decision to make rejoining the European Union a centrepiece of its economic strategy if Scotland were to become independent.

EMiS, a cross-party body that is neutral on the independence question, points out that Brexit has demonstrably impoverished the UK and destroys the sustainable, inclusive growth Scotland wants and needs. 

Mark Lazarowicz, EMiS chair, said: “Scotland’s economic prospects will be immeasurably strengthened inside the European Union, the world’s largest single market.

“We have witnessed the damaging economic impact of Brexit, with the UK set to be 4 per cent poorer than if it had stayed in the EU, according to the independent Office for Budget Responsibility. This is set to knock £80bn off the UK’s gross domestic product and about £40bn off exchequer receipts.

“There can be no lasting growth perspective outside the world’s biggest trading bloc. Rejoining the EU is the key to ending poverty and inequality and promoting green growth and jobs,for both Scotland and the whole UK.”

The Labour Party is opposed to rejoining the European Union.

Scottish Conservative council election manifesto pledge to increase the discount for single person households

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, has claimed that almost 160,000 people across Edinburgh and the Lothian’s would benefit from increasing the council tax discount for single occupancy households, from 25% to 35%.

Figures obtained by SPICe, the Scottish Parliament research department, show that there are currently 159,490 households across Edinburgh and the Lothian’s who receive the single occupancy household discount. Of which 98,000 are in Edinburgh, 17,218 in East Lothian, 13,967 in Midlothian and 30,305 in West Lothian.

A central Scottish Conservative council election manifesto pledge is to increase the discount for single person households from 25% to 35%.

The average property in local authorities across Scotland is band D. This means that the average single person household in Edinburgh would save an additional £138 per year, in West Lothian £131 per year, in Midlothian £144 per year and East Lothian £134 per year.

The total saving for single occupancy households in Edinburgh would be approximately £13,524,000 in West Lothian £3,969,955 in Midlothian £2,011,248 and in East Lothian £2,307,212. Across all four local authorities the savings for single household properties would be £21,812,415.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “Increased council tax and the rise in the cost of living, all hit single person households the hardest, with more and more people struggling to get by.

“The Scottish Conservatives have committed to and will continue to push for single occupancy households to receive 35% council tax discount, a 10% increase from the current discount of 25%.

“Across Edinburgh and the Lothian’s this would benefit almost 160,000 people, alleviating some of the pressure from council tax hikes.

“Single parents, young professionals and elderly people living alone would all benefit from an increase to the single occupancy household discount.”

Tables for tax bands in each local authority and savings per tax band:

Edinburgh

BandCouncil TaxSaving
A£919.17£92
B£1,072.36£107
C£1,225.56£123
D£1,378.75£138
E£1,811.52£181
F£2,240.47£224
G£2,700.05£270
H£3,377.94£338

98,000 x 138 = £13,524,000