Month: March 2021

Wedding venue says “I do” thanks to innovative virtual tour tech

State-of-the-art 3D walkthrough allows brides-to-be to explore from home

A WEDDING venue had hi-tech help to survive lockdown, thanks to a Scottish virtual tour pioneer that is enabling desperate brides-to-be to “visit” the venue during the pandemic.

Newhall Estate in Carlops, Midlothian, is a hugely successful choice for couples tying the knot, but it faced a catastrophic loss of business when it had to turn away visits as a result of lockdown.

However, state-of-the-art virtual tours built on Matterport technology have brought betrothed couples flocking back – after experts cleverly adapted technology that is normally used to sell houses. It is believed to be the first wedding venue in Scotland to use the technology.

The project is one of the first successes for newly-launched 360 Virtual Studios, which is rolling out a suite of new products and services for galleries, museums, events spaces and retailers – aimed at helping them recover from the pandemic, which has hit those sectors disproportionately hard.

Jak Kennedy, Director at Newhall Estate, branded the technology “a gamechanger” and insists it will not only help them survive the pandemic, but will be an ongoing benefit long after lockdown lifts.

He added: “This technology has given couples the confidence to book our venue without seeing it in person and has been a crucial element helping to keep us afloat during the pandemic.

“It allows us to make best use of time because staff and customers no longer have to make multiple visits to check the layouts and measurements as it is all available in exact detail at any time online.

“Our interactive floor plan has been a game changer for couples organising sleeping arrangements for the main house and has helped people plan for guests with specific requirements.

“We have had extremely positive feedback from couples who have booked their wedding with us stating the technology is brilliant and has given them a sense of confidence by having the ability to view all of the main rooms at their discretion.

“We were not getting bookings in without individuals visiting the venue before, but thanks to the virtual tour and interactive floor plan people have been happy enough to book without seeing the venue in person. It is an absolutely invaluable tool that we will continue to use.

“Indeed, it’s likely that we’ll rely on it even more – not less – when lockdown finally lifts and our wedding season get into its full glory again.”

360 Virtual Studios is the brainchild of award-winning entrepreneur Michelle Milnes who already runs a highly successful property marketing business.

She said: “I was approached by a range of different organisations during lockdown 2020, from the arts, tourism and hospitality sectors. That was a very powerful message that our cutting-edge technology can help businesses far beyond the property market.

“It’s been a slow burn since 2014 building up awareness of what we can do. However, the pandemic has pulled the future forward and the public are now truly seeing the potential of the virtual tours in a way that might otherwise have taken five to 10 years to achieve.

“It is fantastic to hear how powerful this has been for Newhall Estate. We’ve proven beyond all doubt is that this technology does far more than showcasing properties for sale.

“This is just the beginning. On the strength of what we have achieved here, we have now launched 360 Virtual Studios aimed specifically at galleries, exhibition spaces, venues and specialist retailers. The potential is incredible.”

The firm’s 3D virtual tours are built on state-of-the-art camera equipment and software, from Matterport. This allows them to create detailed virtualisations of any setting, where a virtual visitor can take a hyper-realistic, self-guided 3D tour.

The visitor can take the tour wherever they choose at their own pace, while examining a high resolution, true-to-life rendition of the layout, furniture, fixtures and even the views from windows. Unlike a video or photographs 3D tours can be viewed from all angles.

The Newhall Estate virtual tour allows customers to get an accurate representation of main rooms in the venue with the additional benefit of being able to take specific measurements, which is useful for planning the layout of an event.

The Scottish baronial venue can accommodate 29 people, while three self-contained cottages offer rooms for 11 more.

In addition, interactive floorplans allow viewers to put the tours in context and orientate themselves around the venue. The tours themselves have the technology to show dimensions and detail.

Parent company Property Studios has 32 staff, turnover close to £1m and national contracts with 30 estate agents and 12 major homebuilders. Typical virtual property tours rack up 1000 visits within a few days.

Aldi’s Millions Iron Brew Jelly Babies back By popular demand

  • The popular flavoured jellies are returning to Aldi’s 96 Scottish stores as part of store’s everyday range 

Following a Specialbuy sell-out in January, Millions Iron Brew Jelly Babies have returned to Aldi stores across Scotland as they go on sale as part of their everyday range. 

Developed by Greenock-based confectionary producer, Golden Casket, the Millions Iron Brew Jelly Babies (99p, 200g) were originally launched as part of Aldi’s Next Top Product competition.  The unique product brings Scotland’s best loved flavour to the market in an exciting new format.    

The 2020 Aldi’s Next Top Product competition, which ran in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink, saw the supermarket launch a variety of new products in 2021 from eight local Scottish suppliers including Fife-based Growers Garden, Kilmarnock’s Nudie Snacks, and Arbroath drinks company, Bon Accord. 

Sandra Fisher, Sales and Marketing Director, Golden Casket, said: “Aldi’s Next Top Product search has given our Millions Iron Brew Jelly Babies fantastic exposure and we’re so pleased how well they were received by customers. 

“To sell out in less than a month after launching in January was just brilliant, and we are thrilled that the product has returned within Aldi’s everyday range and will again be available across all Aldi Scottish stores.”  

Aldi currently works with over 90 Scottish suppliers, and after reaching their initial goal of stocking over 450 Scottish products by the end of 2020, the supermarket has now increased this target to stock over 500 locally sourced products in the next two years.  

Graham Nicolson, Group Buying Director, Aldi Scotland, said: “The search for Aldi’s Next Top Product was an opportunity to uncover fresh talent and hidden gems in Scotland’s thriving food and drink sector.

“When we sampled the Millions Iron Brew Jelly Babies as part of the judging process, we all thought that they would prove a hit with customers, and I’m pleased that we can bring back the product for our customers to enjoy.” 

Millions Iron Brew Jelly Babies will be available from all 96 Scottish stores from Saturday (26 March). 

You can find your nearest Aldi store here. 

SFRS issues extreme wildfire warning


An extreme risk of wildfire is in place across East and North-east of Scotland today and will be in place until Thursday, March 25. 

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has urged people who live within or who may enter rural environments to exercise caution to help lower the chance of a wildfire starting. 

The extreme warning has been released in conjunction with the Scottish Wildfire Forum (SWF).

Wildfires have the potential to burn for days and devastate vast areas of land and wildlife, threatening the welfare of nearby communities. 

SFRS Area Commander Bruce Farquharson said: “We are asking the public to exercise extreme caution and think twice before using anything involving a naked flame. 

“Many rural and remote communities are hugely impacted by wildfires, which can cause significant damage. 

“Livestock, farmland, wildlife, protected woodland and sites of special scientific interest can all be devastated by these fires, as can the lives of people living and working in rural communities. 

“These fires can also have a hugely negative impact on the environment and the release of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. 

“Human behaviour can significantly lower the chance of a wildfire starting, so it is crucial that people act safely and responsibly in rural environments, and always follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code.”

Former footballer taking on mammoth challenge in memory of beloved local community leader

A Kilwinning man is taking on a marathon task – running a 10k, every day for 47 days in memory of his mother, a well-known community figure, who passed away suddenly after a heart attack.

Craig Potter, 37, has set himself the challenge to raise money for Heart Research UK’s Heart of Scotland appeal, and to raise awareness of the dangers of undiagnosed heart conditions.

Craig’s mum, Theresa, passed away suddenly after suffering a heart attack at home in July.

“She never displayed what we perceived were normal symptoms of a heart attack,” said Craig.

“She never mentioned about a tight chest or about pains in her arm. She had woken up the night before and said she felt anxious, which was unlike her. The next day, she had been mildly nauseous and had a dry mouth, but was still working from home and was planning to meet up with a friend.

“My dad went downstairs to make himself a quick lunch. When he came back upstairs, 3 minutes later she was dead, it was that sudden.

“It was devastating, we are a small, close family. A huge part of our life was gone.”

With the family grieving, Craig began looking for a charity and a challenge to take on in her memory.

“Two things my mum was really proud of – she was a proud woman, and a proud Scot. When we came across the Heart of Scotland appeal, some of the stats shocked us. The fact that you are more than 50% more likely to die from heart disease in Scotland than in South East England is just unpalatable,” said Craig.

“Since my mum died, people have come to us with their own tragic stories, other mums, wives, sisters, and daughters suddenly dying from heart conditions, and yet somehow it is still not perceived as a women’s health issue. We want to change that.

Another stat the family found form the Heart of Scotland appeal was that currently, 47 people a day die in Scotland from cardiovascular disease.

“We were in the grieving process, and we knew we wanted to do something. Something that would raise money, but crucially, raise awareness. Should we have known these signs? Should people be aware? We weren’t, and certainly other people aren’t.

“This is where the idea came from, to run every day for 47 days, with different groups of people to really spread the word. 47 days means we’re talking about it for longer, more people will hear the message and will hear the stats.”

Craig’s challenge begins on the 24th March 2021, with the final day of his run falling on his mum’s birthday, the 9th of May.

He will be joined each day by different friends, family members and well-wishers across the UK, all keen to pay their respects and help spread the message around heart health in women and Scotland.

A number of Heart Research UK staff will also be joining Craig throughout his challenge

Following Theresa’s passing, the family was overwhelmed with the amount of messages they received from people that had been impacted by Theresa, who had dedicated her life to supporting and developing those in the community.

Theresa had spent many years working in communities, focusing on education, health, campaigns against poverty and, most recently, response to the COVID pandemic.
 
“The impact was overwhelming, we had hundreds of messages from all over the world,” said Dougie Potter, Theresa’s husband.

“More people than we could ever know that Theresa had developed in a positive way. I knew she had an impact on people’s life, but the scope and range of people that sent us messages was breath-taking.

“High level politicians, saying that Theresa had influenced their lives, to young people, community groups, activists and colleagues saying that Theresa was just so impactful in their lives forever. That range took our breath away.”

As well as raising money for research across Scotland, both Craig and Dougie are passionate about raising awareness of heart conditions and their symptoms, especially in women.

“The research we have read seems to show that if women have problems, we often think of other things that could be causing their symptoms. With men, we tend to get to the idea of heart problems quicker and therefore get treatment or medical intervention quicker.” said Craig.

“The reality is, this is killing 2600 women a year in Scotland. That shocked us a family.

“That’s what this is all about, getting people talking, reinforcing these messages. Mum was the last person you’d expect this to happen to. She was upbeat, strong, energetic and lived a healthy life.

Dougie finished by saying “Us talking openly about Theresa has already saved lives, with women asking for treatment where in the past they may have not.

“But we’re not talking about this enough, and it’s affecting so many people. My hope is that by sharing Theresa’s story it creates more conversations, more awareness and we can begin to save lives.”

Craig’s challenge kicks off on the 24th March 2021. and you can support his challenge here –  https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/craig-potter12

You can learn more about the Heart of Scotland appeal here:  https://heartresearch.org.uk/heartofscotland/

Commemorating COVID-19

Fund will enable communities to remember in their own way

Communities will be supported by artists to develop projects that help them reflect on the impact of the pandemic, as part of longer term efforts to commemorate those who have lost their lives to Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Greenspace Scotland commissioned artists will engage with community groups, faith groups and those hit hardest by the pandemic to shape ideas that benefit communities and reflect local people’s experiences of the pandemic.

The Covid Community Memorial projects, which could include commemorative gardens, memorials or artworks, will be supported with £4.1 million provided by the Scottish Government and administered by Greenspace Scotland.

The First Minister led a minute’s silence at noon today (23 March 2021), marking a year since Scotland first went into lockdown.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “None of us will ever forget this year, which has been like no other. We’ve all made sacrifices which have helped to save lives in the past 12 months, and many of us have lost loved ones – each one a person who can never be replaced and whose loss is greatly mourned.

“Vaccines now offer us hope that we can soon get back to a more normal way of life, and give us confidence that we can start to set dates for when it may begin to return. But as we move forward, and our daily lives begin to return to normal, we will – we must – remember those we have lost, and continue to offer our thoughts, solidarity and support to the bereaved.

“Today, after a year where we’ve been forced to live our lives apart in ways that for many will have been unimaginably difficult, we will come together to mark the first anniversary of lockdown, to pay our respects to those we have lost, and to reflect on everything we have been through as a nation.

“In the years to come, projects supported by this fund will provide spaces that people will visit, and cherish; where people will be able to gather in person to mark the pandemic and to remember those who have died – and to remember the many ways we supported one another as a nation through an extraordinary period.”

Julie Procter, Chief Executive of Greenspace Scotland, said: “The heart-breaking and difficult events of the past year have highlighted more than ever how important it is for us all to have access to greenspace. Somewhere for us to breathe fresh air, meet with friends and family, connect with nature and find solace during challenging times.

“The Covid Community Memorial project will connect with communities across Scotland to create special places where people can come to reflect on this time, remember those who have sadly lost their lives, find healing and hope for a brighter future.”

Greenspace Scotland will issue a call for expressions of interest in April with a view to awarding commissions in June. The aim would be for outputs from the commissions by November 2021 and project design and delivery from November to October 2022.

New working frontier: a people focussed blended model for the post-Covid future

A new report by the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT) reveals that the workforce of the future – predominantly those who have been office based – will want to make informed choices of where and how to work most productively and more beneficially for their wellbeing.

Post the pandemic, organisations should consider the three ‘Hs’ of working – from Home, a nearby hub or local location, where employees can meet clients or have time to concentrate on projects, or the HQ and head office, where people can gather to socialise, brainstorm ideas or collaborate face-to-face. 

The New Frontiers for Smarter Working, Work and Workplace Report also finds that this new blended future will depend on how employers gauge the benefits from the improved working set up while ensuring the wellbeing of employees.

Shona Adam, SFT’s associate director of Workplace Change and co-author of the report, said: “This exciting future is about allowing both employer and employee to make an informed choice of where they want to work from, on any given day, that is going to best achieve the outcomes that need to be delivered by both the employee and the organisation.

“As a result of the pandemic, we know that people have benefited from the lack of the daily commute and that the majority of office-based roles can be done remotely. However, some people are struggling with mental health and isolation problems. Each organisation will have to assess the preferences of their workforce as well as explore the impacts, and weigh up the longer-term benefits and risks.” 

Working in conjunction with an SFT-led group comprising of public, private and third sector ‘smarter working’ professionals, a variety of opportunities for the future have been identified. 

Analysis of a sample of public sector organisations from the Working Group identified employees’ preferences and found 88% wanted to work at least one day a week from home, with 24% happy to continue to work full-time from home, while only 10% preferred not to work from home.

Shona Adam, went on: “Smarter working isn’t just about the physical place. It’s about understanding the people aspect, and this will be the future focus. This is a social revolution, accelerated by the pandemic. It’s not a static situation where we simply return to old ways.

“As a result, the reoccupation of physical office space requires radical rethinking and one of the most common questions that the group is now receiving is about how organisations reorganise the physical office spaces that have been used in the past. Organisations need to understand ‘the purpose’ of physical workspace in the future and how they will use it.” 

Ms Adam said the culture of ‘presenteeism’, where employers and managers expected to see their colleagues sitting in the office, is being swept away: “What the pandemic has demonstrated is that we have gone from the head office or HQ, to hundreds and thousands of offices in homes. We have a dispersed workforce working on the basis of trust to get the job done.”

However, home working for prolonged periods is having an impact for some people on their mental health and in certain cases, causing social isolation. Acknowledging this, the report explains how employees could continue to go to the Head Office to socialise, integrate with colleagues, cooperate on ideas and strategy, innovate products and services and to share the culture.

Neutral ‘Hub’ locations, such as a café or a digitally connected public library, could also become part of the flexible working solution, allowing face-to-face meetings or research to be undertaken away from home.

SFT hopes organisations embrace the opportunity driving the momentum for change, with the report pointing out that there will be clear differences between organisations depending on their purpose and function and how supportive employers are to the concept.

This will require different thinking around Human Resources and Organisational Development functions such as employment contracts and leadership structures while monitoring of mental health and wellbeing will be crucial to everyone in the evolving situation. 

Summing up, Shona Adam said: “Collectively, across both public and private sectors, we need to use the experience we’ve had during the pandemic in a positive way, to dispel presenteeism and consign it to the past.

“Workers can be located anywhere provided they undertake the activities they are paid to do. This is a tremendous opportunity to explore a distributed network for delivering outcomes.”

Holyrood to host an international summit of parliamentarians on climate change

One of the largest gatherings of international parliamentarians to discuss the climate emergency will take place at the Scottish Parliament in November, it has been announced today.

The two-day event, which is being organised by GLOBE International in partnership with the Scottish Parliament, forms part of the wider programme of events surrounding the UK hosted, COP26 conference in Glasgow.

The International Legislators’ Summit is due to take place in a hybrid format at the Scottish Parliament on Friday 5 and Saturday 6 November 2021.  The Summit will invite international parliamentarians to engage in discussions around the theme of ‘accelerating climate action and delivering a green, fair and resilient recovery’.

Ken Macintosh MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, said: “The eyes of the world will soon turn to Glasgow as we look towards what international progress can be made to tackle the issue of climate change as it hosts COP26 later on this year. 

“The Debating Chamber of this Parliament has not shied away from tackling important issues. So it is particularly fitting that the Parliament can support this global event and provide a platform for international parliamentarians to discuss some of the most important issues that will affect the world in the coming years.”

Gillian Martin MSP & Convener of Holyrood’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee said: “This event will help highlight the critical role that Parliaments all over the world will have to play if we are to effectively tackle the climate emergency. Only through effective law-making and detailed scrutiny can we be confident that national Governments can deliver on their global and national commitments.

“It will facilitate collaboration, open communication and shared learning which will be so important to us all on our shared journey through the climate emergency.”

Juan Carlos Villalonga, President of Globe Argentina & Chairman of the Board of GLOBE International, said: “Five years on from Paris, few could have foreseen that the world would be thrown off course by a global pandemic and COP26 delayed by a year. COVID19 has revealed the systemic and interconnected nature of crises.

“As we gather in Glasgow to address the climate emergency, our response as legislators must be similarly systemic and interconnected. We must work together to raise ambition for accelerated action on climate change.

“Action which succeeds most when it delivers co-benefits and simultaneously addresses related crises such as biodiversity loss and inequality in our communities.”

* Hybrid/virtual arrangements are assumed for this event to ensure that it is able to proceed despite any COVID-19 restrictions in place on 5 and 6 November

Capital Theatres is recruiting for recovery

Capital Theatres is looking to appoint three key individuals to its team – Director of Finance & Business Services, Director of Development & Head of Creative Engagement.

Under the leadership of a new Chief Executive Fiona Gibson, Capital Theatres is moving into an exciting new strategic phase as it spearheads the cultural and economic regeneration of its communities in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is now recruiting for three key positions to help it move successfully forwards, including a new post for Head of Creative Engagement, further developing its increasing focus on community engagement and developing artistic talent, and a new Director of Development who will lead the fundraising campaign to support the redevelopment of the King’s Theatre as well as a variety of creative projects.

It’s current Director of Finance, Iain Ross is set to retire after 11 years with Capital Theatres and so the third role is set to steer the organisation financially as it charts its way through recovery and seeks to expand its creative vision.

Director of Development; an important role in the future strategic direction of the organisation, the post will be responsible for devising and implementing a creative and innovative fundraising strategy, of which a key priority will be the King’s Theatre Redevelopment Campaign.

Building on the success already achieved in the early phases of the capital appeal, the new Director will lead the public launch of a high-profile capital campaign, which will see the century-old, iconic landmark in Edinburgh transformed and restored it to its former glory, ensuring its future for generations to come.

Head of Creative Engagement; a new role for a special person who can grow and develop all aspects of the Creative Engagement programme, centring on Capital Theatres’ strategic ambition to co-create high quality projects that make a real difference inside the local communities it serves.

The role will also lead on increasing community engagement around the King’s Theatre Redevelopment Campaign, develop the Studio as a ‘go-to’ venue for emerging artists and new work, pioneer alternative performance experiences for audience members whose needs are not met by traditional models and evolve the organisation’s award-winning engagement activity with people living with dementia.

Director of Finance and Business Services: Resilience and longevity of the theatres is paramount and the Director of Finance & Business Services is pivotal to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the organisation.

The role will manage the financial business case for delivery of the King’s Theatre redevelopment project, along with financial decisions support for the broader organisational strategy including collaboration and co-production with cultural consortia and artistic partners, revenue growth through trading and the cashflow planning and reporting requirements of public and private fundraising.

More information on the roles and details on applying are available at https://www.capitaltheatres.com/about/jobs

NHS 24 reflects on busiest year yet

Almost one year from the announcement of lockdown in March 2020, NHS 24 are taking time to acknowledge the work of their colleagues during what has been their busiest period to date.

Across 2020, the 111 service received 1,699,796 calls, seeing a huge increase in volumes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Steph Phillips, Director of Service Delivery, said: “This year has been tough for everyone. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected us all, NHS staff included. From early 2020 we saw an increase in our call volumes and on our busiest day (Saturday 14th March) we received 13,849 calls in one day.

“Each call to the service represents a patient who needs support or advice, and our amazing staff have continued to work hard throughout this difficult period to provide this support for the people of Scotland. We also hit another remarkable milestone in December, as 111 received its 25 millionth call since the service launched in 2001!

“We’ve also seen a huge increase in the use of our digital service, NHS inform, which has hosted information about COVID-19, testing and vaccination throughout the past year. 

‘Vaccination for COVID-19 is well underway which is great news for everyone, however we still advise caution and to follow government guidance in your area.

“All up to date information is available on our NHS Inform page- www.nhsinform.scot/coronavirus.

“This has everything you need to know on symptoms, booking a test, what to do if symptoms worsen, and information on the vaccine.”

You can call NHS 24 via 111 for help with symptoms when your GP is unavailable.

You can  also find the information you need to manage your symptoms via www.nhsinform.scot, Scotland’s trusted health information site

Indyref2 Bill published

A draft independence referendum Bill has been published to give people in Scotland the right to decide their future, once the current health crisis is over.

Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said the draft Bill is being brought forward to offer Scotland the choice of who is best placed to lead the country’s post-pandemic recovery – the people who live here or a government based in Westminster.

The draft Scottish Independence Referendum Bill publication sets out a number of key issues for a vote including:

  • the timing of a referendum should be a matter for the next Scottish Parliament to decide. Ministers have separately made clear it should take place once the public health crisis is over
  • the question “Should Scotland be an independent country?” is the same one used during the 2014 referendum and it will be tested by the Electoral Commission
  • voting eligibility will be extended to match the franchise at Scottish Parliament and local government elections

The draft Bill has been published on the Scottish Government’s website. It will be for a future Scottish Government to consider whether it formally introduces a Bill in the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Russell said: “Our top priority will continue to be dealing with the pandemic and keeping the country safe, but we are optimistic that because of the incredible efforts of people across Scotland better times lie ahead.

“The Scottish Government believes it should be the people living in Scotland who have the right to decide how we recover from the pandemic and what sort of country we wish to build after the crisis.

“If Westminster maintains its control, recent history shows what Scotland can expect: an economic recovery hindered by a hard Brexit that is already taking a significant toll and the continued, systematic undermining of devolution, which is weakening our parliament’s powers to maintain food and environmental standards and protect the NHS from post-Brexit trade deals.

“Scotland’s recovery should be made by the people who live here and who care most about Scotland. That is why Scotland’s future should be Scotland’s choice.

“It should be for the next Scottish Parliament to decide the timing of the referendum. So that the recovery from the pandemic can be made in Scotland, the Scottish Government believes it should be held in the first half of the new Parliamentary term.

“If there is a majority in the Scottish Parliament after the forthcoming election for an independence referendum there can be no democratic justification whatsoever for any Westminster government to seek to block a post-pandemic referendum.”

Read the draft Scottish Independence Referendum Bill

Scot Lib Dem candidate for Northern and Leith slams SNP for prioritising independence over recovery

Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Rebecca Bell has criticised the Scottish Government for diverting their attention to an independence referendum instead of focusing on the pandemic.

On Monday 22nd March, the Scottish Government published a draft bill on a proposed second independence referendum which sets out the SNP’s plans to hold a referendum early in the next Parliament. 

The document states that the timing of a vote will give power to MSPs to determine the timing of another referendum on independence, rerunning the same question as used in 2014 “Should Scotland be an independent country?”.

Rebecca Bell said: “People are under huge pressure from the pandemic and after years of arguing about independence and Brexit, the last thing we need right now is another independence referendum.

“While families and businesses have been worried about their lives and livelihoods, the SNP have put civil servants and their resources up to the task of planning an independence referendum instead of planning for the recovery from the pandemic.

“We need a Pandemic Recovery Bill, not a Referendum Bill which distracts from our recovery. This should be our absolute priority. The Scottish Liberal Democrats will put the recovery first and use our strength and influence to build a fair, green recovery for everyone.”

Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Willie Rennie said: “Holy moly, they’ve had people working on the referendum instead of dealing with the pandemic.

“Dozens of civil servants could have been planning to get cancer services running full speed but they’ve been ordered to do this instead. Or they could have been working on getting funds to business, better mental health services or support for schools.

“We are still in a pandemic. Thousands have lost their lives, thousands more have lost their job.

“Reasonable people will think that this is the wrong moment to be pushing a referendum.

“We should put recovery first and bin this bill.”