Westminster’sPublic Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee (PACAC) will hold the first public evidence session of their inquiry into the 2024 general election on 7 January.
The inquiry, which was launched by the Committee in December 2024, will review the administration, process and conduct of the most recent national election.
The Chair and Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission will answer questions on the Commission’s report evaluating the general election and May local elections.
The report, published in November of this year, highlighted ‘a number of significant improvements necessary to support participation and trust in future elections’.
The report references issues with postal voting, overseas voting, and intimidation of candidates and campaigners. The Committee are likely to explore the scale and context of these issues.
The Committee may also consider the Commission’s earlier report on the requirement for voter ID to be show for the first time at a UK general election. The Committee is also likely to build on previous committees work and consider the overall state of the UK’s electoral law and administration.
This month, Central Library have some of their beautiful artists’ books on display. They are also holding four bookbinding workshops with the artist and printmaker, Susie Wilson.
The exhibition is showing in the Mezzanine glass cabinets beside the Music Library – one floor down from street level – and it showcases some of the many gems that we have in our Art and Design Library collections.
Installation view of the Artists’ Books exhibition at Central Library
Central Library began collecting artists’ books in the 1990s, and we now hold over 200 items from around the world. Our earliest books date from the 1960s, and include notable works in the history of the artists’ book – works by Ed Ruscha, Sol LeWitt, Hamish Fulton and Ian Hamilton Finlay, for example. More recently, the focus for acquisitions has been on books by artists working in Scotland, or with a connection to Scotland.
Artists’ books are pieces of art in book form, and they are as varied as artists are varied. They differ from a sketchbook in that they are made to be seen; they are an artist approaching the book as their artwork and art practice. They may be a means of expressing different forms and textures – like a sculpture, how might the book change when it moves; how might you handle it; how might the light fall on it; what materials is it made from? Or perhaps the artist is exploring text and image relationships, narrative or sequence.
Installation view shows Tam O’Shanter, by Joanna Robson, 2021.
Artists have always been involved in book production, but the artists’ book is generally associated with the second half of the 20th century, and with the artist very much determining the book’s final outcome. Often editions are small, or the books are one-offs. And often they are made to be viewed outside of a gallery space, and all that that might entail.
An artist’s involvement in bookmaking, in making decorative letters or in painting borders, is hundreds of years old. And as technology has changed, so too has an artist’s relationship to book production.
We can see roots of the artists’ book as we know it, in artists such as William Blake (1757 – 1827) and his Songs of Innocence and Experience, or in William Morris (1834 – 1896) and his founding of the Kelmscott Press in 1890. William Blake wrote, designed, printed, coloured, and bound his own books, with the help of his wife, Catherine.
And William Morris saw the spread of print production around him as distancing the role of the artist too much. Instead, he wished to see the artist’s hand in every part of a book’s making, in its typography, page design, illustration, and even its text.
Title page, Songs of Innocence and Experience, by William Blake, c. 1825. Hand-coloured etching. Wikimedia Commons.
In the late 19th, early 20th century, the livre d’artiste or livre de peintrewas born. A luxury artists’ book, the livre d’artiste, originated in France as a limited edition, handmade book, with original graphics. It was often a lavish project for a well-known artist.
Books or assemblages that arose out of avant-garde movements in the early 20th century – Expressionism, Cubism, Futurism, Dada and Surrealism, and later Fluxus – can also be seen as forerunners to today’s artists’ books. These books, which were often made to bypass the gallery space, were an exploration of all the many and varied things that a book might be.
Zang Tumb Tumb, 1914; a sound poem by the Italian Futurist, Filippo Tommaso Marinetti (1876 – 1944.)
Recent acquisitions to the library’s collections include works by David Faithfull, Rosemary Everett, Susie Leiper, Anupa Gardner, DeeOoshee, and Isobel Lewis. We also have books by numerable prominent British and North American artists: the Abstract Expressionist painter, Helen Frankenthaler; the conceptual artists, Susan Hiller and Joseph Kosuth; Natalie D’Arbeloff and Tacita Dean (amongst many more).
Lastly, we’re delighted to announce that we’ll be running a series of bookbinding workshops with the wonderful artist and printmaker, Susie Wilson (@susiewilson_). In celebration of the City of Edinburgh’s 900th anniversary, the workshops take the city as a starting point and inspiration. They will take place in the George Washington Browne Room in Central Library from 10.30am to 1pm on Saturdays in January and February. Tickets can be booked through Ticket Source or phone 0131 242 8040.
Saturday 11 January: Precipitous City: A journey through Edinburgh – a concertina or accordion book
Saturday 18 January: The Map: A Sense of Place – folding
Saturday 25 January: Miniature Theatres: The Tunnel or ‘Peep show’ book
Saturday 1 February: Forecast: A Change in the Weather – folded pocket
Please do explore our library catalogue where all items are listed. We also have a folder of listings up in the Art and Design Library where books are available for pre-arranged viewings (group visits are preferred).
We’re hoping to hold some open viewings of the collections too, so do keep an eye on Ticket Source and posters in the library for dates.
Scottish Liberal Democrat communities spokesperson Willie Rennie has criticised cuts to local authority funding which have seen the number of public toilets fall by 25% since the SNP came to power and four local authorities no longer having any public toilet facilities.
Analysis of data uncovered through a Scottish Liberal Democrat freedom of information request reveals that:
Across the 18 councils which provided data for both 2007 and 2024, there has been a 25% decrease in the number of public toilets during this period.
Across the 31 councils which provided data for both 2018 and 2024, there has been an 8% decrease in the number of public toilets during this period.
Clackmannanshire, East Dunbartonshire, Falkirk and South Lanarkshire now have zero public toilets.
Highland Council has closed the largest number of toilets, with 37 having closed since the SNP came to power. Edinburgh has closed more than half of its public toilets.
Commenting on the figures, Mr Rennie said:“Since the SNP came to power public toilets have been shut down left, right and centre.
“This is not just about public convenience. For some older or disabled Scots, a lack of accessible bathrooms can prevent them enjoying public spaces or getting out and about in their communities.
“That’s a depressing state of affairs for our country to be in but it the inevitable consequence of the decisions that successive SNP First Ministers have taken over the past 17 years.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats want to see local authorities handed real financial firepower to rebuild battered local services like public toilets and other essential amenities like electric charging points and waste disposal points.
“Looking ahead there also needs to be a commitment from the next Scottish Government not to treat local authorities as second-class services.”
Responding to new FOI data from the Scottish Liberal Democrats, the British Dental Association Scotland has warned lifetime registration figures are effectively meaningless, and that there can be no complacency from government or opposition over the future of the service.
New figures show nearly 40% of Scots registered with a dentist have not seen one in two years. 39.5% of all those registered with a practice have not been to one in 24 months, and that includes 1.8 million adults and 177,318 children. 80,000 children have not seen a dentist in five years. More than a quarter of adults (28.8%) who are registered with a dentist have not seen one in five years.
Reform to the discredited high volume/low margin model of care NHS dentistry in Scotland works to took place in November 2023. However, official data shows access problems remain the norm and the oral health gap between rich and poor is widening.
Research last summer found that no practices were able to take on new adult NHS patients within three months in Argyll and Bute, Dumfries and Galloway, Inverclyde, Orkney, Perth and Kinross and Shetland.
David McColl, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee said:“The Scottish Government likes to talk about registration when what really matters is participation.
“Scotland faces widening oral health inequalities. There’s no room for complacency from anyone at Holyrood.”
POLICE are appealing to trace 33-year-old Marius Thuemmler who is missing from Leith.
Marius was visiting relatives in Edinburgh and was due to travel from Leith to Wester Hailes yesterday. He did not arrive, however, and as a result police were contacted.
Marius is quite distinctive in that he is 6ft 4 in height, has long dark blond hair, a beard and moustache, and numerous tattoos of various designs on his arms.
He is believed to be wearing black jeans, a black hooded top with a t-shirt underneath, and white and green trainers.
Inspector Kenny Robertson, Police Scotland, said: “Marius lives in England and was up visiting relatives over Christmas and New Year. Although he is familiar with Edinburgh, as he doesn’t stay here, he doesn’t have places that he tends to visit regularly.
“We have been checking CCTV and liaising with local bus and taxi companies, as well with as colleagues in British Transport Police, but so far there has been no sightings of him.
“We’d ask anyone who may have seen him, or who knows where he may be to get in touch. We’d also say to Marius to give us a call or return to family. We all want to make sure he is safe and well.”
Information can be passed to police via 101. Please quote incident number 1603 of Saturday, 4 January 2025 when calling
A leading insurance comparison firm is revealing the top winter driving hacks that could help motorists avoid higher premiums and retain those all-important No Claims Bonuses.
Quotezone.co.uk says many motorists overlook the winter conditions and can make unnecessary mistakes that will hit them hard in the pocket.
The firm, which runs one of the UK’s leading car insurance comparison services, says even minor adjustments in behaviour could save hundreds of pounds. Here they lay out some of the pitfalls motorists can find themselves in this winter:
Defrosting – It is tempting to leave the engine running while the windscreen unfreezes, and the car warms up. However, if an opportunistic thief takes the vehicle, many insurance companies will not cover the loss.
Leaving engines running is also an offence under section 42 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Doing this is known as ‘idling’, and is bad for the environment as it increases the amount of dangerous gases emitted into the air from the car’s exhaust.
Don’t use boiling water on windscreens – Glass can crack when it experiences a sudden change in temperature, and windscreen damage isn’t always covered by a standard car insurance policy.
Simply using a frost guard, a defogger or even homemade de-icer – lukewarm water mixed with rubbing alcohol.
Clear your windscreen before you set-off – Windscreens with inhibited views can land owners with a £1,000 fine and three points on a driving licence. So any leaves, snow, ice, mud or even condensation, needs to be fully cleared before setting out.
Check tyres – Motorists can be fined an eye-watering £2,500 for each faulty tyre and receive three points on their driving licence. If the police see another tyre falling short, it doubles to £5,000 and six points. Four faulty tyres could even see the maximum 12 points – resulting in the loss of a driving licence.
Commercial vehicle drivers, where the car or van is owned by their employer – could land firms with penalties of up to £20,000.
Numberplate – excess mud and grit on the roads this time of year can make your car dirty very quickly, and if the numberplate isn’t clearly visible, drivers could face a fine of £1,000.
Floods – Some car insurance policies include clauses advising policyholders not to drive through flooded roads, and may specifically exclude cover for any water damage to the car if the motorist goes against this advice.
Avoid puddles – Soaking pedestrians by deliberately driving through large puddles can results in a £100 fine and three penalty points.
Car insurance comparison site Quotezone.co.uk founder Greg Wilson said: “As winter approaches, it’s not just the fines that motorists should worry about, points on a driving licence are noted by insurers as a sign of how safe a driver is and what the risk of a claim might be when calculating premiums.
“Three points on a licence can add 5% to premiums every year until the points are spent after four years. Six points pushes premiums up by as much as 25%, and let’s not forget No Claims Bonuses and what they might be worth if they’ve been built up over time and now have to be accrued again from scratch.
“Careful, considerate and patient drivers who plan for the winter weather and adjust their behaviour to meet the conditions give themselves the best chance of avoiding points and keeping their premiums low.”
Our Open Music Space sessions resume for the new year next Friday – 10th January!
People are welcome to attend one session, a few, or all. The sessions are relaxed and informal, and no previous experience of making music is required.
People can book a place on a session by going to the Wellbeing section of the Hospice website, by phoning the Hospice, or by talking to a member of staff!
Sessions take place between 11 & 12 in the music studio, and this block will run until 14th March 2025.
National Galleries of Scotland has announced an unmissable programme of free and ticketed exhibitions set to take over the National, Portrait and Modern galleries in Edinburgh throughout 2025.
From striking installations in Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Yearsto time travelling into The World of King James VI and I, taking to the skies with Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer, a celebration of 250 years of JMW Turner with Turner in January: Ireland’s Vaughan Bequest and more.
There will be a sensational array of art to enjoy in the Scottish capital next year. Ticketed exhibitions can be booked online now What’s on | National Galleries of Scotland
From 26 July until 2 November 2025, immerse yourself in a major large-scale exhibition by Andy Goldsworthy. Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years will take over the upper and lower galleries in the Royal Scottish Academy building for the summer. Based in Scotland, Goldsworthy (born 1956) is internationally famous for his extraordinary work with natural materials.
The exhibition will span five decades of creation with over 200 works including photographs, sculptures, and expansive new installations. Goldsworthy will also create several major new works onsite at the Royal Scottish Academy building especially for Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years. This spectacular summer exhibition is sure to be one of the most talked-about of the year – and it is showing only in Edinburgh.
Next spring at the Portrait, travel back in time and be immersed in The World of King James VI and I. Son of Mary, Queen of Scots, successor to Elizabeth I and the first monarch to rule over Scotland, England and Ireland, get to know King James (1566 – 1625) and step into the world in which he lived, ruled and changed forever.
Marking the 400-year anniversary of King James’s death, this exhibition will chart his remarkable reign through stories of friendship, family, feuds and ambition. Drawing on themes with contemporary relevance, including national identity, queer history, belief and spirituality, The World of King James VI and Iwill be an enriching journey through the complex life of a King who changed the shape of the United Kingdom.
Over 100 objects will be on display, including ornate paintings, dazzling jewels, lavish designs and important loans from galleries across the UK, celebrating craft and visual art from the 16th and 17th centuries. From 26 April – 14 September 2025 come and be fully immersed in the sights, sounds (and even smells) of the period, connecting the people of the past with the people of today. Tickets are on sale now.
In 2025 the National Galleries of Scotland will commemorate the 250th birthday of beloved British artist JMW Turner (1775 – 1851) with a once in a lifetime, free exhibition. For the first time, visitors will be able to marvel at over 30 Turner watercolours from Dublin.
Turner in January: Ireland’s Vaughan Bequest at the Royal Scottish Academy building will be one-off special take on the keenly awaited and much-loved annual tradition. Spanning the breadth of Turner’s career, visitors can roam through sweeping seascapes, dramatic landscapes and spectacular cities, many displayed in their original frames.
As part of this special partnership, the Turner works from the Scottish national collection will go on display at the National Gallery of Ireland allowing visitors in both Scotland and Ireland to connect with works from the Henry Vaughan Bequest they don’t often get to see.
There will be another two new and exciting projects making their way to the Moderns in 2025. From next summer you can explore your collection at Modern One with a series of new free displays showcasing magnificent and diverse works of 20th and 21st century art belonging to the people of Scotland.
This includes an opportunity to see compelling works from ARTIST ROOMS, the national touring collection cared for jointly by the National Galleries of Scotland and Tate. Discover the bold and varied self-portraits of Robert Mapplethorpe, immerse yourself in Louise Bourgeois’s evocative practice, and be captivated by the works of Helen Chadwick in a new ARTIST ROOMS display.
Chadwick’s Self Portrait (1991) from Scotland’s national collection will feature alongside the major sculptural installation, Piss Flowers (1991-2), which will be lent by Tate having recently been donated as part of the D.Daskalopoulos Collection Gift.
Explore this powerful new presentation of the nation’s superb contemporary and modern collection from 12 July 2025. A further exhibition taking place at Modern Two will be announced in early 2025.
The centenary of revered Scottish artist Ian Hamilton Finlay (1925 – 2006) will also be marked in a new free display of his work at Modern Two from 8 March to 26 May 2025. A visionary in his craft, Ian Hamilton Finlay harnessed the power of collaboration throughout his career, drawing on the expertise of fellow makers and creators to bring his artistic visions to life.
Hailed as a poet, sculptor, printmaker, gardener and provocateur, his practice covered a wide range of media, reflected in this display through over 30 sculptures, installations and prints as well as extensive archival materials, all from Scotland’s national collection.
Moving into the autumn at the Portrait, take to the skies and see the world from above the clouds through the remarkable work of Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer.
A trailblazer in his field, Buckham (1879 – 1956) soared above the realms of what was thought to be possible in 20th century photography and aviation.
From 18 October 2025 – 19 April 2026, meet the man behind some of the most iconic aerial photographs, marvel at the death-defying lengths he took to capture the perfect image and explore how his innovative techniques paved the way for modern technologies such as Photoshop and AI.
Explore the imaginative Your Art World exhibition at the National, showcasing the inspirational works of young artists from all over Scotland aged 3 – 18-year-olds. The exhibition is a celebration of what happens when young people are encouraged to be wildly creative.
Discover installations from school and community groups who have worked alongside the National Galleries of Scotland. Or even view the creations of the young people in your own life.
With the opportunity to upload artwork online via the website, anyone aged 3-18 can see their own digital submissions on screen in the gallery. Immerse yourself in the imagination of these young artists from 10 May to 2 November 2025.
Anne Lyden, Director-General at the National Galleries of Scotlandsaid: “We’re really excited to announce our 2025 public programme, which is packed full of fantastic exhibitions.
“Breathtaking installations at the Royal Scottish Academy, soaring above the clouds at the Portrait gallery, and modern and contemporary highlights from your national collection at the Moderns.
“Whether you want to be inspired, find a moment of calm or share a joyful experience with friends – there’s so much to discover at the National Galleries of Scotland.”
Exhibition dates:
Turner in January: Ireland’s Vaughan Bequest:1- 31 January 2025 | FREE | National Galleries Scotland exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy building
Ian Hamilton Finlay: 8 March – 26 May 2025 | FREE | National Galleries Scotland: Modern Two
The World of King James VI & I: 26 April – 14 September 2025 | Tickets £4-£9 | National Galleries Scotland: Portrait
Your Art World: 10 May – 2 November 2025 | FREE | National Galleries Scotland: National
ARTIST ROOMS: Opening 12 July 2025 | FREE | National Galleries Scotland: Modern One
Andy Goldsworthy: Fifty Years: 26 July – 2 November 2025 |Tickets £5-£19 | National Galleries Scotland exhibition at the Royal Scottish Academy building
Alfred Buckham: Daredevil Photographer: 18 October 2025 – 19 April 2026 | FREE | National Galleries Scotland: Portrait
Road policing officers are continuing to appeal for information following a now fatal crash in Edinburgh involving a car and a pedestrian.
The incident happened around 5.45pm on Monday, 30 December, on St John’s Road between the Drumbrae roundabout and Corstorphine Bank Drive.
It involved a black Ford Fiesta and a pedestrian, an 87-year-old woman.
Emergency services attended and the pedestrian was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where she died yesterday (Friday, 3 January). No one else was injured.
The road was closed for crash investigation work and re-opened around 1am on Tuesday, 31 December.
Sergeant Paul Ewing said: “Our thoughts are with the family of the woman who died and they have asked for privacy at what is a very difficult time for them.
“Our enquiries are continuing to establish the full circumstances and we are keen to speak to anyone who can assist who has not already spoken to officers.
“We are asking road users who were in the area at the time to check their dash-cam to see if they have captured anything that could help with our investigation.
Anyone who can help is asked to call Police Scotland on 101, quoting incident number 2432 of Monday, 30 December, 2024.
