Jeremy Corbyn’s Shadow Scottish Secretary Lesley Laird backs Keir Starmer’s bid for the Labour leadership
Laird praises Keir’s leadership skills and “socialist credentials”
Former MP served as Shadow Scottish Secretary in Jeremy Corbyn’s frontbench team
Keir Starmer’s campaign for leadership of the Labour Party was today boosted by the endorsement of former Shadow Scottish Secretary Lesley Laird.
Ms Laird served in Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow cabinet alongside Keir Starmer, until she lost her Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat in the December general election.
Praising Keir’s “socialist credentials”, Lesley Laird said: “I’m supporting Keir Starmer in this leadership election because I believe throughout this campaign already Keir has really shown his socialist credentials, which are going to be so important in taking forward the party and our policies to the electorate”.
Praising Keir’s leadership abilities, she added: “I’ve known Keir through our shadow cabinet roles, where he’s shown leadership – leadership at the despatch box and leadership in terms of the PLP – taking on difficult times and difficult territory for our Party through the Brexit process.
“I believe he has built up the trust and confidence of our PLP, of our wider membership and I believe he has the skills and the ability to build up the trust and confidence in the country – that will return a Labour Government.”
Mr Starmer is the overwhelming favourite to replace Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party, with the other candidates Rebecca Long Bailey and Lia Nandy trailing.
Angela Rayner heads the race to become Deputy Leader.
Ballots will be dispatched to eligible Labour Party members from Monday 24 February.
I Think We Are Alone is a funny yet bittersweet tale, written by Sally Abbott (Vera, The Coroner), about the human ache to connect, and the letting go and holding on to what we love the most.
This new play stars Chizzy Akudolu(Edmond De Bergerac, Holby City), alongside Charlotte Bate (On The Other Hand We’re Happy), Caleb Roberts (She Ventures and He Wins), Simone Saunders(Jane Eyre), Andrew Turner(Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald; Coronation Street), and Polly Frame who recently headed up the cast of the critically-acclaimed Solaris which played at the Edinburgh Lyceum, and is a Frantic Assembly veteran having joined them on their last outing with Sometimes Thinking that played last year’s Latitude.
Co-directed by Artistic Director Scott Graham and Kathy Burke, I Think We Are Alone is the centrepiece in a year’s worth of activity to celebrate Frantic Assembly’s 25th anniversary and will be touring the length and breath of the UK throughout Spring 2020. You can catch it at the King’s Theatre this week.
Lego club is back at Blackhall library and we are starting a new session today (Monday 17th February) followed by sessions every other Monday on the 2nd, 16th , and 30th of March.
Sainsbury’s bosses have insulted staff by tabling a wage CUT in the guise of a pay offer, says Unite, the UK’s largest trade union.
Unite, which has thousands of members across the supermarket giant, said a one per cent pay increase that has been offered to staff is in fact a pay cut when the 2.5 per cent rate of inflation is considered.
The union said the offer was an ‘insult’ to staff who during the last two years have endured changes to their contracts and a failed merger with Asda.
Many staff did not receive a pay increase when their contracts changed in 2018 and are on less money than they were prior to the changes, Unite, which is consulting members over how to react to the offer, said.
Unite national officer for food, drink and agriculture, Bev Clarkson, said: “This offer is an insult to staff who have gone through two years of unpopular contract changes and the uncertainty caused by the ill-fated Asda merger.
“Offering a paltry one per cent rise in the face of a retail price index of 2.5 per cent is simply unacceptable.
“Unite will do everything in its power to ensure our members are offered a pay deal that reflects the cost of living and their hard work. Sainsbury’s needs to stop penny pinching and table a sensible offer.”
More than sixty events are taking place this Cyber Scotland Week (17 – 23 February) to encourage people from all walks of life to consider a career in data security.
Organised by the Scottish Government and ScotlandIS, Cyber Scotland Week showcases innovation in the sector and the many economic opportunities in combatting the global cyber threat.
Scotland’s cyber company base has grown considerably in response to Scottish, UK and international demand, from around 50 companies in 2017 to just over 90 companies today.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “Cyber Scotland Week gives people of all ages the chance to come together to understand and learn about the threat and to hear about the wealth of cyber security careers opportunities.
“With over 60 events across the country, this Cyber Scotland Week builds on last year’s success and contribute to our ambition for Scotland to be a world leading cyber resilient nation.”
A yellow weather warning for high winds remains in place this morning as the tail end of Storm Dennis passes through. Thirteen flood warnings are currently in place across Scotland, but none of these affect the Edinburgh area.
Commuters are being urged to take care when travelling in heavy rain, wind and thunderstorms.
The latest FLOOD ALERT for Edinburgh and Lothians was issued yesterday and remains in place: ‘While river levels are now receding, they are expected to remain high during Sunday.
‘There may be ongoing localised flooding, primarily of land and roads, with local disruption to travel and difficult driving conditions possible. Remain vigilant and remember, it is your responsibility to take actions which help protect yourself and your property.
‘Advice and information is also available through Floodline on 0345 9881188.
‘This FLOOD ALERT UPDATE is now in force until further notice. If you haven’t already signed up to receive free flood messages, please call Floodline or register online at sepa.org.uk/floodingsignup. Your Floodline quick dial number for this area is 23200.’
Driving in storms, rain and strong wind
Choices and planning ahead
Even moderate rain can reduce your ability to see and be seen. A good rule of thumb is ‘if it’s time for your wipers, it’s time to slow down’.
If heavy downpours are expected, avoid starting your journey until it clears.
If you can, choose main roads, where you are less likely to be exposed to fallen branches and debris and flooding.
Use dipped headlights if visibility is seriously reduced.
Gusts of wind can unsettle vehicles – grip your steering wheel firmly with both hands. This is particularly important when planning to overtake.
Keep an eye out for gaps between trees, buildings or bridges over a river or railway – these are some of the places you are more likely to be exposed to side winds. Ensure that you maintain enough room either side of your vehicle so you can account for it being blown sideways.
Roads will be more slippery than usual in wet weather – be sure to give yourself more time to react when approaching a hazard. Increase your following gap to at least four seconds from the moving traffic in front.
Keep your eyes peeled on the road at all times as spray from other vehicles can suddenly reduce your visibility. Remember it affects others too, so anticipate their actions and be prepared.
What to do when the road is flooded
If the road is flooded, turn around and find another route. The number one cause of death during flooding is driving through flood water, so the safest advice is turn around, don’t drown.
Although the water may seem shallow, just 12 inches (30cm) of moving water can float your car, potentially taking it to deeper water from which you may need rescuing.
Flood water also contains hidden hazards which can damage your car, and just an egg-cupful of water sucked into your car’s engine will lead to severe damage.
Never drive through flood water. Turn around.
Keep an eye out for cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians
Remember to give vulnerable road users including cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians more room than usual. They are more likely to be blown around by side winds – always keep a safe distance.
MORE than 30 specialist water rescue firefighters were deployed throughout the Scottish Borders in response to severe flooding over the weekend.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service mobilised five water rescue units to the area, and they have been responding alongside partners to protect members of the public.
Crews carried out 15 water rescues at locations across Scotland including Perth, Linlithgow, Newcastleton and cross-border responses, and Operations Control have handled more than 60 flooding related incidents.
SFRS crews have also been working throughout the day to assist in the safe evacuation of residents in Hawick to safety, following Severe Flood Warnings indicating risk to life.
Heavy rains brought in by Storm Dennis have caused the River Teviot to reach its highest levels since 2015.
Assistant Chief Officer Paul Stewart said: “Crews have been working alongside our partners in extremely challenging conditions to ensure the safety of all residents in affected areas.
“We have been able to call upon specialist resources from across the East and West of Scotland, with more than 30 specialist water rescue firefighters mobilised to the area in response to the heightened flood risk.
“As such, we have been working very closely with partners and lead agencies throughout today to provide assistance where required and our resources remain available to protect Scotland’s communities.”
ACO Stewart added: “My thanks must go to our dedicated crews on the ground and our Operations Control staff, who have been working extremely hard across Scotland in response to severe weather related incidents in addition to normal 999 emergencies, as well as our partners and the resilient communities in the area.”
How Edinburgh Science Learning gets pupils into STEM with Careers Hive
Careers Hive is a free careers education event from Edinburgh Science Learning aimed at S1-S3 pupils which takes place at the National Museum of Scotland from 24th to 29th February 2020 with Saturday 29th being a general public Open Day.
Through a series of hands-on activities and discussions with young STEM professionals, Careers Hive provides students with new ways of thinking about their future careers.
This year’s programme includes discussions with the founder and director of Fodilicious, the UK’s first certified convenience foods that help those with IBS. Joining them is the founder of Seawater Solutions, whose idea of growing food with seawater addresses the degradation of land and the loss of biodiversity.
Over 3500 pupils from 40 schools around Scotland will take part in Careers Hive in 2020.
To further encourage teachers to engage with their students about STEM subjects, Careers Hive offers a free Teacher Afternoon on Friday 28 February.
Careers Hive is an annual, week-long free event run by Edinburgh Science Learning, the education arm of Edinburgh Science Foundation and one of the UK’s leaders in science education.
The organisation delivers projects to and for teachers and schools throughout the year which have reached more than a million pupils around Scotland over the past three decades.
Initially developed in 2016, Careers Hive inspires S1-S3 pupils to pursue a STEM-based (science, technology, engineering and maths) career through hands-on activities, workshops and discussions STEM professionals who are early in their careers. The event is designed to help young people realise what skills they possess that might be useful in a STEM career through fun and engaging workshops and activities,
This year the event takes place between 24 and 29 February at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh and will welcome over 3500 pupils from 40 schools all around Scotland. The event is now fully booked with school visits but audiences are encouraged to visit the Museum on Saturday 29 February between 11am and 4pm which is the Careers Hive Open Day.
Joan Davidson, Head of Learning at Edinburgh Science, said: “We are so excited to be welcoming over 3500 of Scotland’s young people to the National Museum of Scotland for Careers Hive this February.
“Our aim over the course of the week is to open their eyes to the incredible opportunities available to them through their lives if they continue to study science, technologies and maths at school.
“We hope that by taking part in our massive range of engaging, hands-on activities and by chatting to professionals from the science, tech, engineering and maths industries that are early in their careers, they will think about some of the fascinating jobs that can be open to them in the future and the different education and career paths that lead there.”
EXPERIENCE STEM
Students get hands-on with STEM careers in the Grand Gallery with four themed zones. Throughout each zone students engage with professionals about their jobs, and experience tasks and activities related to different fields.
One of them is Hannah Costello, a British Heart Foundation-funded researcher at the University of Edinburgh, currently in the third year of a four-year PhD with the charity. High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for heart and circulatory disease in Scotland and Hannah’s research investigates the effects of stress and salt on blood pressure.
The zones and some of the activities are:
Build and Connect looks at our connections through the internet, keeping transport systems running smoothly, designing homes for a growing population and creating happy communities. This includes an activity showing how machines can run a production line efficiently, and engines that participants can take apart to see their inner workings.
Design and Play illustrates how good design can make a complicated task simple, how to turn an idea into reality, creating and manipulating our digital environments and how coding is changing the world; this includes a special appearance from Robotical’s Marty the Robot, a programmable robot with character.
Energy and Environment focuses on finding the right mix of energy sources from the environment, smarter ways to distribute energy and technologies that help create clean and green energy; and an augmented reality mapping activity to show how windfarm sites are developed and an activity measuring the infra-red radiation escaping from models to show how we can reduce the carbon footprint of our buildings.
Heal and Feed examines technology in health and wellbeing and the challenges around getting water where it is needed, feeding a growing population and dealing with disease and epidemics. As part of this, pupils will perform knee, head or abdomen surgery using real-life surgical equipment in E.R. Scottish Water will also be presenting a new activity showing how water gets to our taps and how to deal with waste.
At the centre of the exhibition the Think Tank, supported by Wheatley Foundation, hosts a ‘speed meet-up’ careers activity where students get face-to-face with those in the early stages of a STEM career, giving them the chance to hear about experiences and ask questions.
LIFE AFTER LEAVING SCHOOL supported by Royal Bank of Scotland
Students partake in a panel discussion with young STEM professionals to learn about their jobs, break stigmas and have their own say on important issues in the industry today.
Among others, this year’s line-up includes:
Yanik Nyberg, founder of Seawater Solutions. After seeing the destructive impacts of conventional agriculture and the threat of rising sea-levels in Scotland, Africa and Asia, Yanik came up with the idea of growing food with seawater to address the degradation of land and the loss of biodiversity. This system of farming creates wetland ecosystems on which food can be grown, while carbon is captured at a rate of up to 40 times higher than the same area of rainforest, and profits are over eight times more profitable than the average potato field.
Pooja Jain came to Scotland in 2011 to do a bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Sciences, followed by a master’s degree in Neuroscience by Research at the University of Edinburgh. Her research interests focused on “cognitive characteristics and interventions for neurological disorders”, including lab-based research into various aspects of Alzheimer’s disease. This interest now drives her business, Edinburgh-based CogniHealth, which is developing a “digital companion” called CogniCare for helping people with dementia and their carers.
Lauren Leisk is the founder and director of award-winning food start up Fodilicious Ltd. The young entrepreneur and Business Management graduate has valuable experience in the food industry. After suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) for many years, Lauren started Fodilicious to bring the UK’s first certified convenience foods to market helping those with IBS and gut health to find products for their diet that are also delicious and healthy for anyone to enjoy, thus fulfilling a huge gap in the UK free from food industry.
Michael Harkins, the Founder of Turtle Pack, an award-winning swimming aid for children 2+. Having graduated from Heriot-Watt University and worked as a swimming instructor for over a decade, Michael started Turtle Pack in 2015. “Swimming isn’t just a sport – it’s a life skill. I’ve always been passionate about teaching children to swim, whether that’s in lessons or by using Turtle Pack. The tools out there for parents and swimming instructors haven’t really changed in decades, but we understand so much more now about how children best learn new skills.”
An important goal of Careers Hive is to raise awareness amongst young people that there is not a set education or career path they have to follow to work within STEM industries. Many STEM professionals may have a background in something completely different, but they can still use those skills towards a successful science, tech, engineering or maths career.
There will be several speakers from Royal Bank of Scotland at the event, some of whom have not entered their current roles in tech through traditional career paths.
For example, one speaker, Michaela, originally graduated with a degree in Classical Music but after spending time working in university recruitment and admissions, she decided to begin to study towards a Computing and IT degree with the Open University in her spare time. She now works in the bank’s Digital A.I. team as a technical analyst.
SKILLS GATEWAY
The skills gateway workshop will see students explore how the strengths, skills and interests they have and will develop at school will help them tackle challenges in their future workplaces, and get them to think about how to relate the jobs of the future to the challenges of the years to come.
The informal environment simulates a fun and innovative workplace, where people with different strengths and skills work collaboratively and creatively to share ideas and solve challenges.
To encourage teachers to work with their students on STEM subjects, Careers Hive is hosting a Teachers Afternoon on Friday 28 February between 1.30pm and 3.30pm at the National Museum of Scotland.
The afternoon is open to all teachers, with different sessions for primary and secondary educators.
