The birth of rugby in Edinburgh: how the handling code captivated the city and led to the first international in 1871.
Edinburgh is right at the heart of rugby history, with the world’s first rugby international played at Raeburn Place in 1871, between Scotland and England.
Rugby was the dominant code of football for the city’s schools from the 1850s onwards and Andy Mitchell will detail the series of events that led to the carrying game gaining the upper hand, explaining why young men in Scotland’s capital played rugby football almost exclusively until association football finally made a breakthrough in the 1870s.
The pioneers created a legacy that remains with us today as rugby continues to be a thriving sport at school, club and international levels.
Andy Mitchell is a Scottish sports historian who runs a dedicated sports history website and has written several books including a Who’s Who of Scotland footballers and the story of the first international match.
He was brought up in Edinburgh and when he went to his first football match in 1970 – an Edinburgh derby, no less – he was immediately hooked on the game despite attending a rugby-playing school.
He was fortunate enough to have spent most of his career in the media working in football, as Head of Communications at the Scottish Football Association and as a freelance media officer for UEFA. Now retired, he lives in Portobello and is researching sports history as vigorously as ever.
Edinburgh is 900 Years Old!
In 1124 King David I introduced a new system of local government into Scotland by creating royal burghs as part of his efforts to reform the nation’s economic and political structures.
Edinburgh was one of his first royal burghs, along with Berwick, Dunfermline, Roxburgh and Stirling.
While there is no surviving founding Edinburgh charter, an 1127 Dunfermline Abbey royal charter refers to ‘my burgh of Edinburgh’. In 1128, Canongate Burgh was created for Holyrood Abbey.
After the Reformation, Edinburgh spent considerable effort acquiring the former abbey’s lands over the following 200 years. It acquired Canongate then created a new burgh for South Leith in 1636.
The burghs of Broughton, Calton and Portsburgh were also acquired and run by Edinburgh. This complex system of governance was abolished in 1856 when all burghs under the management of Edinburgh were merged into a single burgh.
In 1833, Portobello and Leith were made independent parliamentary burghs under the Burgh Reform Act. They ran their own affairs until amalgamated into an expanded Edinburgh in 1896 and 1920, respectively. 1975 saw the last expansion of the city’s boundaries, including Queensferry, which had been made a royal burgh in 1636.
Edinburgh has selected 2024 to mark the start of the 900th anniversary of our city, and to tell the story of Edinburgh’s journey through the centuries from the 12th century City of David right up to the 21st century, the City of Diversity.
Our talks at the City Art Centre will celebrate the 10 themes and will span a period of summer 2024 until August 2025.
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Tax admin changes to mean up to 300,000 taxpayers will no longer be required to file a tax return
Easier access to tax relief on temporarily imported fine art and antiques often shown in galleries and exhibitions announced, boosting the sector’s international competitiveness.
UK’s tax minister expected to announce these alongside a raft of other measures to help HMRC deliver Plan for Change through securing tax revenue and creating the conditions for growth in speech later today (11 March)
Up to 300,000 people, including those with side hustles, will no longer need to file a Self-Assessment tax return, tax minister James Murray is expected to announce in a speech later today.
This includes people trading clothes online, dog-walking or gardening on the side, driving a taxi, or creating content online.
As part of a bold new package to transform HMRC into a quicker, fairer and more modern body the minister is expected to announce plans to increase the Income Tax Self Assessment (ITSA) reporting threshold for trading income, from £1,000 to £3,000 gross within this parliament.
This will help deliver the Plan for Change by freeing up time for taxpayers helping to create the conditions for economic growth.
This will benefit around 300,000 taxpayers. An estimated 90,000 of them will have no tax to pay and no reason to report their trading income to HMRC in the future at all. Others will be able to pay any tax they owe through a new simple online service. The changes reflect the government’s commitment to driving forward efficiency reform, a key component of its Plan for Change.
Mr Murray, the minister responsible for HMRC, will announce this reform to tax experts hosted by the Chartered Institute of Taxation and the Institute of Chartered Accountants for England and Wales in a speech to mark the 20th anniversary of HMRC.
He will also detail future simplifications to the government’s Temporary Admission customs procedure, to make this relief for temporary imports easier for a range of sectors to use, including art and antiques, often showcased in exhibitions across the UK.
A new digital pilot with the United States to test ways to speed up trade processes for U.S. and UK businesses is also expected to be announced. This pilot will look to make the communications between HMRC, the U.S. and businesses more seamless through better use of digital credentials and secure real-time data transfers. It will look to make it easier and quicker for businesses to request trade benefits from each country.
Minister Murray will also update on the work HMRC is doing to tackle phoenixism – where company directors go insolvent to avoid tax – as well as announcing a new reward scheme to encourage informants to come forward to HMRC about tax fraud.
Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury James Murray said: “From trading old games to creating content on social media, we are changing the way HMRC works to make it easier for Brits to make the very most of their entrepreneurial spirit.
“Taking hundreds of thousands of people out of filing tax returns means less time filling out forms and more time for them to grow their side-hustle.
“We are going further and faster to overhaul the way HMRC works to make sure it delivers the Plan for Change that will help put more money in people’s pockets.”
Improving HMRC customer services
Since taking office, Murray has been taking teams of senior HMRC officials to meet firms including NatWest, Octopus Energy, Barclays, John Lewis, and Centrica to learn best practice and innovative approaches to modernising and digiting customer service from the private sector.
This includes the use of generative AI and ‘test and learn’ approaches to improving customer service. HMRC is trialling the use of generative AI to point taxpayers to the advice they need on GOV.UK.
In line with practice from banks and other private sector businesses, Murray will announce that HMRC has begun trialling a system where customers can use their voice as their password, to pass security checks faster and more securely.
Following an evaluation of the trial, it is expected to be rolled out across HMRC over the rest of this year. Voice Biometrics strengthen security, safeguard customer data, and reduce call times. Customers’ voice recordings are converted into encrypted biometric data, a voice print, and stored securely in a data centre.
As reforms got underway to automate and digitise its services, HMRC met its target of 85 per cent of calls handled between October and December 2024 and is expected to meet its customer service standards in 2025-26.
As part of this government’s commitment to partner and learn from industry, HMRC will launch a new service to provide an escalation route for agents with Self Assessment and PAYE queries which are over 4 weeks old. A dedicated team of experienced technicians and advisers will adopt a ‘once and done’ approach, taking end-to-end ownership of cases and maintaining regular communication with agents.
Closing the Tax Gap – phoenixism and informants
Since becoming chair of HMRC’s board last year, Exchequer Secretary James Murray has steered the UK tax authority to go further and faster to close the tax gap, in order to raise the revenue required to fund public services and investment projects.
Following the Autumn Budget’s announcement of future work to tackle phoenixism – where rogue directors avoid payment of company tax by going insolvent – Mr Murray will update on the work in his speech. He will lay out how HMRC and the Insolvency Service have agreed a joint plan, which includes an increase to the use of securities, where HMRC asks for upfront payment of tax from new companies, making more rogue directors personally liable for the taxes of their company.
Murray will also announce a new reward scheme for informants to be launched later this year. This will look to target serious non-compliance in large corporates, wealthy individuals, offshore and avoidance schemes. The scheme will take inspiration from the successful US and Canadian ‘whistleblower’ models and will complement the existing HMRC rewards scheme.
Informants could take home a significant amount of compensation. This will be equal to a proportion of the tax take, ensuring that the scheme raises more money that it costs. Work is ongoing within the government regarding what percentage this could be. Further details will be set out in due course.
At the Budget in October, the Chancellor announced an injection of over £1.5bn in HMRC to recruit and fund an additional 5,000 new compliance caseworkers and 1,800 debt collection officers. Minister Murray will announce in his speech that an additional 600 new compliance staff will start work this month. Investment in AI is expected to improve the targeting of compliance work and help make HMRC staff more productive.
This, alongside investment to modernise HMRC systems and legislation to tackle non-compliant tax avoidance and prevent non-compliance will raise £6.5bn per year by 2029/30.
This will help deliver the Plan for Change by securing tax revenue to help fund investment projects to boost growth.
Simplifying Tax Admin and Modernising HMRC
A simple and modern tax and customs system is vital to create the conditions to grow the economy.
Following the commitment in the Autumn to bring forward measures in the Spring to simplify the tax and customs system, the government will today go further to reduce the time businesses spend managing their tax, so they can focus on what matters most to them: growing and being productive.
The minister will announce a future digital pilot with U.S. Customs and Border Protection to test ways to speed up trade processes for UK and U.S. businesses. In 2024, UK-U.S. goods trade was worth a combined £115bn.
The aim is to make supply chains between UK and U.S. businesses more efficient through modernising how HMRC systems, international partners and businesses communicate with each other. The pilot will look to make the communications between HMRC, the U.S. and businesses more seamless through better use of digital credentials and real-time data.
The pilot will include testing the ability to issue and share digital trusted trader credentials between UK and U.S. systems. This would speed up processes for trusted U.S. and UK businesses trading with each other including by making it more easy and efficient to request trade benefits from each country.
Susan S. Thomas, acting Executive Assistant Commissioner of the U.S. CBP’s Office of Trade said: “Modernizing trade processes is essential if we are going to keep pace with today’s trading environment.
“We are taking our operations to the next level, bridging gaps between systems, creating a new era of supply chain transparency and data system flexibility.”
James Murray will announce changes to simplify the tax system. The ITSA trading income reporting threshold will increase from £1,000 to £3,000 gross within this parliament, aligning with the new reporting thresholds for property and “other taxable” income.
This means that up to 300,000 taxpayers will not need to file a tax return. This ranges from people trading vintage clothes, dog-walking or gardening on the side, to driving a taxi or creating content online This will help cut waste, avoid unnecessary worry for customers and improve the conditions needed for them to grow.
Murray will also highlight simplifications to the customs regime to reduce burdens for traders. These include improvements to the Temporary Admission procedure, which relieves import duties for eligible goods that are imported temporarily. For example, the usual time limit for fine art and antiques will increase from 2 to 4 years.
Ellen Milner, Director of Public Policy, Chartered Institute of Taxation said:“We welcome the government’s focus on simplifying the tax system and improving customer service – rightly two key priorities for HMRC as the tax authority heads into its third decade.
“A more straightforward, easy to navigate tax system could free up business owners and managers to focus on growing their businesses, rather than spending their days overcoming bureaucratic hurdles.
“We especially welcome the announcement of a new approach to dealing with slow-moving income tax queries from agents. Hopefully, in due course, this can be expanded to unrepresented taxpayers and to other taxes.”
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Foysol Choudhury MSP is backing a health charity’s national No Smoking Day campaign, urging Lothian residents who smoke to make attempts to stop and win through improvements in their physical health, mental wellbeing and finances.
The MSP is supporting ASH Scotland’s ‘Quit and Win’ campaign, which is highlighting that giving up smoking increases opportunities to live a healthier life through improving mental health and decreasing the risks of developing coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia and some cancers.
The charity advises that an average smoker who gives up tobacco on No Smoking Day (Wednesday 12 March) would save £3,332 within 12 months, money that could be better spent on a holiday or something special for themselves or their loved ones.
Alan Dalziel, Senior Policy Manager for ASH Scotland, said: “Tobacco is still the biggest cause of preventable death in Scotland but people across Lothian can have a brighter future by quitting smoking, and we’re delighted Foysol Choudhury MSP is backing our campaign to raise awareness of the free help that is available on the NHS.
“Most people in Scotland who give up smoking do so without quit aids but, for those who need support, nicotine replacement patches, gums or lozenges that are backed by established evidence and safety controls can help your chances of success, along with free specialist health advice from Quit Your Way services.
“Reach out to Quit Your Way today as their personalised support to give up smoking could be vital in helping you to improve your physical health, mental wellbeing and personal finances.”
Commenting, Foysol Choudhury MSP stated:“I am pleased to be supporting ASH Scotland’s ‘Quit and Win’ campaign and encourage my constituents who smoke but want to give up to try for the first time, or try again, to quit smoking and gain a range of health benefits as well as the chance to save your money when you live a tobacco-free life.”
European Movement in Scotland:- Politicians from SNP, Labour, Scottish Greens and Scottish LibDems unite to show support for Ukraine at EMiS AGM
MOVEMENT GROWING IN NUMBERS AND STRENGTH, SAYS CHAIR
Senior figures from across the mainstream Scottish political spectrum united to propose a motion of support for Ukraine to the AGM of the European Movement in Scotland (EMiS), held in Edinburgh on 8th March.
The motion, which was passed unanimously by the meeting, reads:
“The European Movement in Scotland unequivocally supports the sovereign right of the people of Ukraine to decide their future and have full enjoyment of their democratic freedoms, system of government, land and assets, free from invasion, intimidation and coercion by foreign powers.
“Ukraine’s freedom and security must include its right to democratically decide if it wishes to join international organisations such as the European Union and NATO.”
MSPs Sarah Boyack (Labour), Patrick Harvie (Scottish Greens) and Willie Rennie (Scottish Liberal Democrats) joined former SNP MP Alyn Smith in tabling the motion.
David Clarke, who was re-elected chair of EMiS, says: ““Today, leading figures from rival parties have demonstrated political maturity and responsibility by proposing a message of heartfelt support from the membership of the European Movement in Scotland for Ukraine’s wish to live in peace and security and be master of its own future.
“Ukraine has been attacked by Russia, its soldiers killed and injured. Its people scattered. Its economy devastated, but still, it fights on. It is fighting for freedoms that since the end of WW2 we have taken for granted. Their fight is our fight.”
David Clarke told the AGM that EMiS had a successful year in 2024, increasing its membership, income and range of activities: “The Scottish public is firm in its opinion that Scotland is better off in Europe.
“Scotland is leading UK opinion and has been central to delivering the message that our future security and prosperity will be much more certain only if we return to being a full member of the EU family.”
TICKETS REDUCED TO £5 FOR ALL FILMS, ALL DAY, ONLY IN IMAX
OFFER VALID ACROSS ALL IMAX CINEWORLD SITES IN THE UK & IRELAND
Cineworld, the UK’s leading cinema chain, will be holding its eighth annual IMAX Film Fest on Saturday 15th March 2025 with tickets on sale now!
IMAX is the world’s most immersive cinematic experience and the special one-day event will give film fans across the nation the chance to catch some of last year’s best movies in IMAX. Tickets are available for only £5 (or €5 in Ireland) while Cineworld Unlimited members will be able to enjoy these blockbusters for only £3.
The festival will give guests the chance to experience their favourite star-studded blockbusters with the IMAX difference, where crystal clear images and pulse raising audio will make you feel like you’re in the film.
For one day only, Cineworld will bring back some of 2024’s biggest hitters including:
The Wild Robot – A heartwarming tale that’s perfect for the whole family with an all-star cast of voice actors including Bill Nighy, Mark Hamill and Lupita Nyong’o. IMAX captures the lush landscapes and emotional depth of this animated adventure to deliver each frame as a work of art.
Wicked – Let IMAX’s expansive screen sweep you into the magical world of Oz, where every vibrant colour and spellbinding song resonates with breathtaking clarity so you can join the characters on a whirlwind journey.
Gladiator II – Feel every clash of swords and thunderous roar of the Colosseum in vivid IMAX detail, where the scale of ancient Rome unfolds before your eyes and the action from the all-star cast of Paul Mescal, Pedro Pascal and Denzel Washington blows you away.
Deadpool & Wolverine – Ryan Reynold’s Deadpool teams up with Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine for this hilarious superhero blockbuster with IMAX making every scene larger than life so you can feel every explosive moment.
With 26 IMAX cinemas across the UK and Ireland, Cineworld is the biggest IMAX partner in the UK, delivering stunning images and powerful, immersive audio to transport audiences into films like never before.
IMAX’s remastering process fully transforms every frame of a film to produce the best possible version of a filmmaker’s vision while the IMAX auditoriums are equipped with a perfectly tuned integrated sound and speaker system for heart-pounding audio that will truly blow you away.
IMAX’s unique aspect ratio (1.90:1 versus anamorphic widescreen’s 2.39:1) expands the cinematic environment to craft a truly overwhelming experience.
Casey Cohen, Head of Marketing at Cineworld, said: “IMAX is where cinema truly comes alive. We’re thrilled to bring back Cineworld’s IMAX Film Fest for its eighth year, giving audiences the chance to see these epic films the way they were meant to be seen – on the biggest screens possible, with towering visuals, thunderous sound, and unparalleled immersion.”
Tickets for this incredible experience can now be purchased from the Cineworld website or the Cineworld app.
A man has been jailed for two years at Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday (Monday, 10 March, 2025), after pleading guilty to possession of indecent images of children.
Brandon Miller (22) was arrested following a search of his home on 20 September, 2024. Electronic equipment was seized and analysed with indecent images of children recovered, which led to his arrest.
On Tuesday, 11 February, 2025, he was convicted of the offences, including sexual assault, the possession, taking and distributing of indecent images of children and inciting another person to commit sexual offences against a child.
Detective Inspector Adrian Ure of the National Child Abuse Investigation Unit said: “Brandon Miller showed utter contempt for the child victims and the horrific sexual abuse they suffered in the images and videos he was taking, viewing and distributing.
“He may have thought the internet provides anonymity and his appalling offending would go undetected. His arrest and sentence show this is not the case and no matter what steps you have taken to avoid detection, you cannot hide behind a computer.
“Any form of child sexual abuse is a serious criminal offence and a priority for Police Scotland. We work with our partners to quickly act against anyone who is involved in these abhorrent crimes. I would urge anyone with any concerns about a child at risk of abuse, or a potential victim, to contact us immediately.”
Over 12 million eligible members will receive £50 each in a one off ‘Big Nationwide Thank You’
Nationwide’s financial strength, which its members helped build, allowed it to acquire Virgin Money
Latest way Nationwide is showing its mutual difference by returning greater value to its members
Nationwide also hopes to announce an additional 2025 Fairer Share Payment in May, depending on financial performance
Nationwide is giving over 12 million members a share of over £600 million to thank them for enabling the successful purchase of Virgin Money. They will each receive £50 and most of the payments will be made next month.
Nationwide’s financial strength, which its members have helped build, allowed it to acquire Virgin Money in 2024. As a result, Nationwide is now even stronger and able to deliver the benefits of mutuality to even more people in the UK.
Over 799,000 in Scotland will receive the Big Nationwide Thank You.
Top areas in the region to benefit, include over 79,000 people in Fife, nearly 73,000 people in Edinburgh, nearly 62,000 people in Glasgow and over 60,000 people in South Lanarkshire.
Debbie Crosbie, Nationwide CEO, said:“Nationwide became even stronger when it bought Virgin Money and we are already improving services for its customers. The Big Nationwide Thank You recognises the role our members played in building the financial strength that made the deal possible.
“It’s another of the very real benefits of being a member of Nationwide and our modern mutual model.”
Nationwide is ranked as the UK’s best high street banking provider for service1. In November it announced record first half growth in mortgages and deposits and an increase in market share.
After its acquisition of Virgin Money, it has continued to invest in improving customer service and recently revealed that it had become the UK’s top lender for first-time buyers2. It is now the country’s second largest provider of mortgages and savings accounts and the only mutual full-service banking provider in the UK.
The ‘Thank You’ payment is the latest demonstration of its mutual difference – a way of delivering even more value back to its members. Since April 2023, Nationwide has provided over £3.5 billion in member value, including £729 million through two Nationwide Fairer Share Payments.
The ‘Thank You’ payments will be made from 9 April across the country (see regional breakdown in Notes to Editors3). Nationwide will write to members receiving the payment from today, letting them know when and how the money will be paid4.
The payments will go to over 12 million members who had a savings or current account, or mortgage, at the end of last September.
Additionally, they must also have made at least one transaction on their current account or savings or had a balance of at least £100 in their current account, savings or mortgage in the 12 months to the end of September 2024. They must also still have their accounts or mortgage at the time the payment is made.
The Big Nationwide Thank You is separate to the Fairer Share Payment, which Nationwide wants to repeat this year, although this will depend on Nationwide’s financial performance. A decision will be made in May, when it publishes its results for the 2024/25 financial year.
