Action urged on global debt and sustainable development
The Scottish Government, Malawi and Zambia are calling on Commonwealth countries to work together to tackle the global debt crisis and give Global South countries a stronger voice in international financial decision-making.
A joint statement calls for urgent reforms to the international debt system, including:
fast and fair debt restructuring that helps countries resolve debt problems before they become crises
a new international framework, led by the UN or another global body, to help countries resolve debt problems more fairly and efficiently
new debt legislation ensuring private lenders share the burden of debt restructuring fairly with other creditors
improved access to financial help for climate projects
It highlights growing concern that unsustainable debt repayments are limiting the ability of many countries in the Global South to invest in essential public services, climate resilience and economic development.
Announcing the joint statement at a reception celebrating Scotland’s longstanding relationship with Malawi, Zambia and Rwanda, First Minister John Swinney said: “During my visit to Malawi and Zambia, I met communities who are taking control of their lives and livelihoods through Scottish Government supported, community-led climate resilience programmes, and I learned first-hand about the impact that both debt and climate injustice can have on communities.
“Across the Commonwealth unsustainable debt repayments are consuming resources that should be used to build schools, hospitals, and climate-resilient infrastructure, and climate change is exacerbating this problem. The Global South should not be forced to choose between repaying their creditors and helping their communities to recover from storms and droughts.
“The Scottish Government is committed to working with our partners across the Global South on a fair, long-term solution to the global debt crisis and supporting debt solutions that allow countries to invest in people, public services and climate resilience.”
Malawian High Commissioner to the UK His Excellency Dr Thomas Bisika said: “Where Malawi stands now, debt relief needs to be considered seriously as the ameliorative effects of debt restructuring have been very minimal and inconsistent at best.
“We also need debt reforms that improve access to emergency liquidity before, during and after climate disasters.”
Zambian High Commissioner to the UK Her Excellency Macenje Mazoka said: “Zambia welcomes this important joint statement and the spirit of solidarity it reflects.
“Our experience has shown that debt justice is not only about easing immediate pressures, but about creating a fairer international system that allows countries to invest in their people, strengthen resilience, and pursue sustainable development.
“We look forward to working with Commonwealth partners to advance reforms that ensure debt solutions are timely, fair, and climate-responsive.”
Chief Executive of Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund Lorraine Currie said: “Bringing diplomats, campaigners and academics together for the roundtable on debt justice was a powerful reminder that real progress begins with listening to those most affected and acting alongside them.
“The energy and unity in the room showed what genuine partnership can unlock. We are grateful to the Scottish Government for convening this vital conversation and for keeping debt justice high on Scottish, UK and global agendas.”
The statement was agreed earlier this week by Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action Gillian Martin, Zambian High Commissioner to the UK Her Excellency Macenje Mazoka and Malawian High Commissioner to the UK His Excellency Dr Thomas Bisika.
The UK’s first city-wide visitor levy scheme will officially apply to paid overnight stays in Edinburgh starts today – Friday 24 July 2026.
The ‘Tourist Tax’ levy is projected to raise up to £50 million a year to invest in sustaining, supporting and enhancing Edinburgh’s worldwide appeal as a place to visit and live.
A 5% fee will now apply to the cost of all paid overnight accommodation in Scotland’s capital city, capped at five nights in a row. The levy is charged at the same rate every day of the year.
The scheme was formally agreed in January 2025 and has applied to all advance bookings made since 1 October 2025 for stays taking place on or after 24 July 2026.
Worth over £90 million over the next three years, the initial programmes fall under three well-defined themes:
City Operations and Infrastructure;
Culture, Heritage and Events; and
Destination and Visitor Management.
The Council will receive the first levy receipts in October and November of this year.
Several ‘early win’ projects have already started, including:
A £132,000 contribution towards Edinburgh’s Festival Carnival and Mardi Gras events, which took place over the weekend of 18/19 July, providing an early demonstration of the Council’s intent to reinvest the levy’s funds into experiences that everyone can enjoy, whether they are visitors or residents.
Funding ten festival city ambassadors to help visitors find their way around the capital this summer, and work alongside the Council’s partners to make sure Edinburgh remains a vibrant and inclusive place.
Other key initiatives to be delivered in the next three years include, but are not limited to:
A £2m Participatory Budgeting (PB) programme to fund local neighbourhood projects in all 17 of the city’s electoral wards, chosen by residents via a new online voting portal, while also encouraging visitors to explore Edinburgh’s many hidden gems.
Funding to ensure the city’s streets and open spaces are clean and kept to a high standard, including a £100,000 per year upgrade and replacement programme for bins in high footfall areas, £500,000 per annum to expand work to tackle graffiti through extra support for private businesses and £1.3m on additional operations services for the city centre (waste, cleansing, patrols).
Ambitious projects to renew and restore principal areas of Edinburgh, including investments in town centre high streets, £3m for public realm improvements in Hunter Square and £2m and £2.5m respectively towards transforming the city’s key coastal visitor attractions at Cramond foreshore and Portobello Promenade.
£5m contribution to restore Leith Theatre and create a year round culture and live music space, expanding cultural opportunity beyond the city centre.
£3m towards transforming the iconic Old Royal High School into a world class, national centre for music open to all.
£3.85m to speed up the setted streets renewal programme and £3m for new and upgraded public toilets to maintain Edinburgh’s streets, public spaces and public infrastructure to an accessible and world-class standard.
Investing in premier parks across the city to create improved spaces where the highest footfall and impact on the environment is experienced – and increases to the parks repairs budgets, while doubling the number of park rangers across the city.
Programmes to green the city with additional investment in planting, such as floral gateways, to improve the look and feel of the city’s green spaces as well as the overall visitor experience.
In the run up to the levy’s formal introduction, the Council has been providing ongoing support to businesses in the visitor economy. This has included providing materials to help businesses communicate the scheme to their guests, summarising key information on how it’s paid and the benefits it will bring to the city.
Council Leader Jane Meagher said:“This is such an important moment for our city – and for our residents and visitors. It’s the result of a huge amount of work over many, many years and I am proud to be the first local authority in the UK to push ahead with a city-wide visitor levy scheme. We now have a unique opportunity to invest more in the things that make our city so special.
“We know that the city’s popularity comes at a cost through the pressure it puts on our services and on the people who live and work here all year round. This small new contribution from overnight visitors will help improve the services and public spaces we all depend on, while better managing the effects of tourism and major events.
The levy has also opened the door to exciting new projects right across the city – helping to make Edinburgh a cleaner, greener and more welcoming place. We’ll soon be able to invest more into our many parks and greenspaces, and bring much-loved cultural venues such as the Royal High School and Leith Theatre back into use for the first time in decades – and much more.
“We’ve always said this is a city-wide fund and spending decisions need to be taken with the whole city in mind – and we’re very grateful to Edinburgh’s businesses and residents for their constructive feedback and support throughout the process.
“I’m very aware of how busy the city’s accommodation providers are at this time of year and we’re continuing to do everything we can to support them as the scheme comes into effect.
“This is a big opportunity for us all to work together and enhance Edinburgh’s position as one of the most popular visitor destinations in the world.”
Chair of the Edinburgh Visitor Levy Advisory Forum, Julie Ashworth said: “The Forum is here to continue to put forward the views of the city to ensure they are fairly and accurately represented as the investment projects begin to take shape.
“We all want Edinburgh to remain a world class destination in a way that works for everyone, and the levy is now ready to deliver transformative investment that will protect its unique heritage and support its future success.
“We’ve continued to work closely with Council officers to provide robust feedback on the investment projects and ensure the levy delivers real, visible improvements and supports both the visitor experience and everyday life for residents.
“From revitalised public spaces to better visitor infrastructure and experiences, we’re confident the levy can help Edinburgh stay welcoming, resilient and successful.”
ASSC Demands Fair, Transparent Implementation in Edinburgh
Edinburgh’s visitor levy will take effect from today (24th July), marking the start of what the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) is calling “the real test” for the policy. The launch of the levy comes as new figures confirm that the city is already one of the most expensive in Europe to visit, before the new tax is even added to the bill.
According to the Post Office Travel Money City Costs Barometer 2026, Edinburgh now ranks as the third most expensive city break destination in Europe, behind only Oslo and Copenhagen, and is the most expensive city on the continent for two nights’ accommodation [1]. The findings will add to concerns from the self-catering sector that the levy risks compounding an affordability problem that already sets Edinburgh apart due to its onerous short-term let licensing and planning regime.
While much of the tourism industry opposed the plans, with the ASSC remaining critical of the percentage model, the leading trade body says the focus must shift to implementation, ensuring it is implemented fairly, transparently and with the minimum possible burden on businesses. The Council must be laser-focused on the evidence through honest monitoring and adjusting the charge if the data shows unintended consequences.
From tomorrow, accommodation providers become responsible for collecting the levy – this adds administration, software changes, staff training, and compliance work to businesses that are often small and micro-enterprises.
The ASSC has repeatedly raised concerns that national guidance arrived too late for businesses to prepare with confidence, and that the National Digital Portal does not resolve VAT treatment, booking system compatibility or day-to-day guest communications.
Moreover, the ASSC emphasises that the levy is not simply a charge on overseas tourists. Around 70% of Scotland’s tourism comes from the domestic market, meaning the levy will also be paid by Scottish families, UK visitors, people attending weddings and funerals, those visiting friends and relatives, and people travelling for medical appointments.
The Association is urging the Council to judge the scheme’s success not by how much revenue it raises, but by its impact on visitor numbers, occupancy, spending, employment and Edinburgh’s overall competitiveness. It wants any levy income to fund additional investment in the visitor economy – not to replace existing council spending or fill funding gaps – with full transparency over how every pound is spent.
Fiona Campbell MBE, Chief Executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, commented:“Edinburgh already tops the table as one of the most expensive cities in Europe to stay in and that’s before a single pound of this levy has been charged.
“The real test isn’t the day the levy starts, it’s what happens next. Businesses will readily comply under difficult circumstances, but they need the Council to hold up their end of the bargain with clear guidance, honest monitoring of the evidence, and absolute transparency about where the money goes.
“Overall, we want to see a scheme that is fair, proportionate, transparent and evidence-led, one that supports the visitor economy rather than undermining the businesses that help make Edinburgh one of the world’s great destinations.”
‘Referendum would take our focus away from growing the economy and helping families with the cost of living’
Prime Minister Andy Burnham met the First Minister of Scotland, John Swinney, in Glasgow yesterday, ahead of the start of the Commonwealth Games.
According to Number Ten, the The Prime Minister began by congratulating the First Minister and the city of Glasgow for hosting the Commonwealth Games, especially at short notice, and said he was looking forward to watching the opening ceremony later that evening.
The conversation then turned to how the Prime Minister and First Minister can work more closely together to build a model of devolution to improve people’s lives across Scotland.
The Prime Minister reiterated his belief that deeper devolution could make a real difference in helping communities across the UK to re-industrialise – creating jobs, transforming high streets and reviving local economies – and welcomed the First Minister’s willingness to engage with that process.
The Prime Minister stated up front that another referendum on independence was off limits because ‘it would take our focus away from growing the economy and helping families with the cost of living’.
More broadly, the Prime Minister said this was a moment for both sides to work together in a constructive relationship. He looked forward to regular engagement with the First Minister in the months ahead.
The Scottish Government has not officially commented on the meeting, but First Minister John Swinney tweeted:
‘Good to welcome Prime Minister @andyburnham to Glasgow today. We will work constructively to improve the lives of people in Scotland, but that relationship must also be built on respect for Scotland’s right to choose its own future.’
Pubgoers group CAMRA calls for business rates cut to be matched
Responding to the announcement that Prime Minister Andy Burnham is cutting business rates bills in England by 20%, CAMRA Chief Executive Tom Stainer said:“Pubgoers are crying out for a First Minister and Scottish Government that matches the new Prime Minister’s pro-pub stance, and which wants to protect and promote our pubs as vital community hubs.
“The First Minister should commit today to matching the announcement made for pubs in England and give our locals an extra 20% discount on their business rates bills too.
“Our business rates system is grossly unfair to pubs and social clubs, bricks and mortar businesses that are also vital social institutions for their communities.
“We desperately need proper reform of the system, so pubs aren’t forced to pay eye-watering business rates bills.
“A truly fair business rates system would permanently lower bills for pubs and end the need for these temporary reliefs once and for all.”
Celebrating its 20th anniversary as the world’s first purpose-built home for live storytelling, the Scottish Storytelling Centre (SSC) is marking Fringe 2026 with one of its most ambitious programmes to date – presenting 33 shows spanning storytelling, theatre, music and spoken word and becoming the first venue on the Craigmillar Tapestry’s city-wide exhibition tour.
This year for Fringe, audiences can journey from Shetland to Ancient Greece and beyond through contemporary retellings of myths, legends and traditional tales while acclaimed theatre explores Scottish language, identity, history and culture with exciting new work from home-grown and international artists.
The community-created Craigmillar Tapestry will take pride of place in the SSC’s exhibition space from 24 July to 31 August before continuing its tour across Edinburgh to Portobello, Craigmillar, Newcraighall and The Inch.
The Craigmillar Tapestry has been stitched by over 500 residents of Craigmillar and Niddrie, documenting the rich history of the area with makers weaving in elements of their own experience and cultures into the work – including traditional Syrian stitching, names of local activists and important landmarks around the area.
Each panel has been designed by Craigmillar-born artist Andrew Crummy MBE in consultation with communities around the Greater Craigmillar area. Crummy has also worked on the Great Tapestry of Scotland, now housed in a purpose-built venue in Galashiels, and several other community-stitched tapestries.
The Craigmillar Tapestry is a particularly personal project, as the artist returns to his roots in Craigmillar and honours the legacy of his mother, the extraordinary activist and founding leader of the pioneering Craigmillar Festival Society, Helen Crummy MBE.
Andrew Crummy said: “All the tapestries I am involved with, like The Great Tapestry of Scotland are based on Community Arts ethos developed by The Craigmillar Festival Society.
“A way of using the Arts that has inspired and travelled the world. It is an honour to be involved in developing this Tapestry, with many involved, telling fantastic stories from an amazing community.
“It was originally an idea from my mother, the late Helen Crummy in 2010, who wanted to celebrate not only the history of Craigmillar, but all those who helped Craigmillar become a vibrant and rich community. As Helen’s favourite song says “History will be made, when the people play their part.”
The twenty tapestry panels celebrate the area’s history – with many illustrating historic sites that can be visited today such as the Neolithic ‘Niddrie Standing Stone’ on Greendykes Road, the remarkable, Medieval Craigmillar Castle.
Other highlight pivotal historic contributions local people have made to Scottish life over the centuries, such as a panel dedicated to Agnes Moffat, a child coal-bearer who gave evidence to a national inquiry into child labour practices by the ‘Children’s Employment Commission’ in 1842.
Local stitcher Heather Henderson said:“I have been involved with the Craigmillar Tapestry since the start. I have enjoyed watching, taking part & teaching in helping to bring Andrew’s drawings for every panel, come alive with the stitches.
“I am so proud when I see every panel finished. It’s such an honour to see them. It’s done leaps and bounds with my mental health and it gives me a purpose to go out.”
Scottish Storytelling Centre’s Interim Head of Programming, Lauren Paterson says:‘Our Fringe 2026 programme explores the connections and common ground we share across time, language and culture and it is therefore fitting that for Fringe 2026 and for the Centre’s 20th Anniversary celebrations, we can house this wonderful piece of art that champions community connection and collective local history.
“We’re so looking forward to welcoming the Tapestry and all those who will come to see it. The Tapestry will be displayed in the Storytelling Court, where every single audience member attending a show will get to see and engage with it, making it the real heart of our programme this year.”
Families who fled the war in Ukraine and arrived in Scotland will take to the Edinburgh Fringe stage this August in a moving new performance exploring freedom, identity and belonging.
On 21 August, Mission of Innocents will present Liberty at C Aurora at Lauriston Halls for one night only. The production has been created and directed by Tetiana Hordiienko, an award-winning Ukrainian choreographer and director who built a career of more than two decades across theatre, television and film before rebuilding her own life in Scotland.
Drawing on both her professional experience and personal experience of the war, Liberty brings together Ukrainian families to tell a story of freedom, identity and belonging through dance, music and projected visuals.
Spanning the 1990s to the present day, Liberty reflects the history of Ukraine and its people, highlighting the strength they have shown through decades of fighting for freedom.
Featuring performers as young as eight-years-old, it draws on the performer’s own experiences of displacement following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
From living aboard temporary accommodation ships in Leith and Govan to finding friendship, confidence and a sense of belonging in Scotland, the production traces a journey from uncertainty and upheaval to hope and opportunity.
Tetiana Hordiienko, Creative Director of Liberty said: “When I came to Scotland, I wanted to create something that would help Ukrainian children reconnect with their culture while giving them confidence in their new home.
“Liberty has been created with and for the families taking part, and every scene reflects their own experiences.Ukrainian culture runs through every part of the show, from the music to the movement.
“Blending contemporary dance with traditional influences, Liberty celebrates not only the country’s rich heritage but also the creativity and spirit of its people. Full of energy and colour, it carries audiences with it on an unforgettable journey.”
For many of the families involved, Liberty is a celebration of how far they have come since arriving in Scotland. It reflects the confidence, friendships and brighter future they have built through Mission of Innocents’ creativity-led programmes.
Nataliia Pidruchna, Director of Children’s Programmes at Mission of Innocents, said: “These children have lived through experiences that most adults would struggle to comprehend. Some arrived in Scotland unable to speak English, having left behind family members, friends and everything familiar to them.
“What audiences will see on stage is a story about friendship, identity, hope and the extraordinary resilience of our performers. Every movement, piece of music and creative decision has been shaped by their own experiences and imagination.”
The show marks Mission of Innocents’ second appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe following last year’s successful performance of Life in One Suitcase. While the company’s debut told the story of arriving in Scotland, Liberty explores what it means to rebuild a life, create a sense of belonging and continue the fight for freedom.
Joyce Landry, Founder and CEO of Mission of Innocents, said:“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is one of the world’s great stages for storytelling and these young people have earned the right to have their stories heard.
“Many of the performers in Liberty first arrived in Scotland living in temporary accommodation, uncertain what the future would hold. To see them now standing on a Fringe stage, sharing their culture, their creativity and their voices with an international audience, feels incredibly special.
“Their journey is remarkable and says so much about the resilience of these young people and the power of creativity to help those rebuild confidence, connection and a sense of belonging.”
Performers hope the audiences will leave feeling hopeful and inspired, carried by the warmth, joy and energy that they bring to the stage.
Mission of Innocents is a Scottish charity which helps children displaced by war, conflict and crisis feel safe again, rebuild confidence and rediscover hope through creativity. Since 2022, it has worked with hundreds of young people from Ukraine and other conflict affected communities, using art, music, dance and storytelling to help restore confidence, connection and a sense of belonging.
To book tickets to the Liberty performance on the 21st August, please visit:
We are very happy to release the last of our special summer events to help you #ReadToTheBeat: “Once Upon a… What?” with award-winning storyteller Danyah Miller.
Using games, sound, movement and a very opinionated magic carpet, we need lots of families along to craft an exciting story with her!
This will be on Thursday 4th August at 2:30pm, for around an hour.
Please sign up on Eventbrite with the following link:
Kids’ Hawaiian Party! 
Wednesday 5th August
1:00pm – 3:00pm
Muirhouse Millennium Centre
