Month: December 2025

The great public services rip-off

Billions a year lost to private profit: STUC report into Scotland’s outsourcing crisis

Almost £3 billion of public money is “lining the pockets” of private profiteers within Scotland’s public services according to a shock new report from Scotland’s largest trade union body.

The Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) has issued a stark warning following the publication of new research by the Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE), estimating that outsourcing is draining £2 to 3 billion EVERY YEAR from Scotland’s public services through private profit and financial extraction.

The report shows that Scotland’s public money is being siphoned away from vital public services, including health, social care, education and local government and into the pockets of investors, global corporations and private equity funds.

Published by the APSE on behalf of the STUC, the report highlights the private-dominated care sector, where 79% of care home places are now in private hands and more than 20% of income leaks out of the system to corporate owners and investors.

Scotland spends more than £16 billion a year buying services, goods and works from external suppliers. The services that are most commonly outsourced, such as social care and soft facilities management, are overwhelmingly staffed by women. The report highlights that sacrificing the pay and pensions of thousands of low paid women is discriminatory, unfair and counterproductive.

STUC Leader Roz Foyer condemned the findings and called into question the aims of the Scottish Government’s own Public Service Reform Strategy, which stresses prevention, whole-system planning, fair work and community wealth building.

Roz Foyer, STUC General Secretary, said: “This report exposes the true cost of Scotland’s rip-off outsourcing crisis – a systematic extraction of public wealth on an industrial scale.

“Billions of pounds that should be paying for health, care staff, cleaners, refuse workers and local services are instead lining the pockets of shareholders and private equity interests with not a penny reinvested into our public services.

“We are urging the Scottish Government to act now. The bear minimum they need to do is ensure the same level of scrutiny is applied to the extent and quality of privately delivered public services as the Government applies to direct provision.

“However, you cannot build a Fair Work economy on the backs of the private profiteering of our public services.  Insourcing, directly awarding services and embracing trade unions as partners in that endeavour is not only fairer but also economically smarter. Every pound kept in public hands supports local jobs, local economies and better services.

“As we approach the election, Scotland cannot afford political silence from prospective MSPs who ignore the silent privatisation of Scotland’s public services.  Our public services are too important to be auctioned off to the lowest bidder and should not be handed to profiteers.”

Seven Skating Ministers! National Galleries of Scotland get their skates on to recreate iconic Skating Minister

To celebrate World Ice Skating Day today (14 December), the National Galleries of Scotland got their skates on to recreate one of the most iconic paintings from Scotland’s collection, Sir Henry Raeburn’s Skating Minister.

Teaming up with Edinburgh’s Christmas, seven skating ministers took to the ice rink on George Street to imitate the world-famous painting.

Painted around 1795, the artwork is actually named Reverend Robert Walker (1755 – 1808) Skating on Duddingston Loch, but has become fondly referred to as the Skating Minister. Since it was purchased on behalf of the people of Scotland in 1949, millions of visitors have flocked to National Galleries Scotland: National in Edinburgh to see the iconic painting on display for free. 

Visit the Skating Minister at the National this Christmas to re-create the stance in front of the man himself or feel inspired to take to the ice at Edinburgh’s Christmas ice rink on George Street. 

Three arrested following £8 MILLION cocaine recovery

Three men have been arrested and charged in connection with one of the largest ever drugs recoveries in Scotland, worth more than £8 million.

On Thursday, 11 December, 2025, officers executed a warrant at a premises on Melford Road in Bellshill, North Lanarkshire and cocaine with an estimated street value of more than £8m was recovered.

The men, aged 29, 46 and 65, were arrested and charged in connection and they are due to appear at Hamilton Sheriff Court tomorrow – Monday, 15 December, 2025.

Enquiries into the full circumstances are ongoing.

Detective Superintendent Steven Elliot said: “This was a sizeable recovery – one of the most significant we’ve seen in Scotland.

“This work underlines our commitment to the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce and the country’s Serious Organised Crime Strategy. Taking drugs off the street is a priority for Police Scotland.

“Drugs cause misery in our communities, and the public has a vital role in helping us to trace those involved in the supply of illegal substances.

“Anyone with information or concerns about drugs should contact us via 101 or make a call to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Photography competition to kick off 30th birthday celebrations for Edinburgh’s World Heritage Site

Residents and visitors are invited to enter a photography competition, launched to celebrate Edinburgh’s 30 years on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The competition is being run by the partners who look after the site: Edinburgh World Heritage (EWH), Historic Environment Scotland (HES), and the City of Edinburgh Council.

Entries will be grouped into twelve categories, each celebrating a particular value of Scotland’s capital city. The winning photograph in each category will become part of a year-long calendar, which will be sold on Historic Scotland sites and at Edinburgh World Heritage events to raise money for the Trust.

The over-all winner will take price of place on the front cover of the calendar and will receive a one-year membership for Historic Scotland, who run top-rated visitor attractions all over the country.

The Old and New Towns of Edinburgh were first inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995, where they were recognised as one of the most extraordinary urban landscapes in the world. With its division into Old and New Town, Edinburgh is a remarkable example of urban growth, showcasing two distinct but equally significant styles of city planning.

Photography enthusiasts will have until October 2026 to submit their work showcasing Edinburgh in all its glory across the seasons. The competition is open to both amateur and professional photographers, using any camera or device.

The entries will be judged by Tom Duffin, a professional photographer who specialises in showcasing Edinburgh’s heritage; Neil Hanna, a multi-award-winning photographer with over 35 years of experience; and Jane Bradley, celebrated Arts and Culture Correspondent at the Scotsman.

Terry Levinthal, Director of Edinburgh World Heritage, said: “Edinburgh is a city of matchless qualities.  It is a city of contrasts; of distant prospects and intimate details; a city of old and new; a place to be admired and be lived in.  

“These very picturesque qualities make it the perfect subject for photography.  To mark 30 years since inscription, we hope that everyone will be inspired to share their favourite views, details, buildings and places with us, so that we can share them with others.”

James Bruhn, Head of World Heritage and Heritage Policy at HES, said: “When a place is inscribed on the World Heritage List, that is by no means the end of the story.

“Edinburgh is a living, breathing place, and we are excited to support this competition and give local photographers the chance to capture Edinburgh’s unique beauty and win a membership to visit historic sites across the country.”

Cllr Joan Griffiths Planning Convener said: “I’d encourage everyone with an interest in photography to help us celebrate this significant milestone for the Old and New Towns World Heritage Site by entering the competition for a chance to be part of this exciting calendar.  I’m really looking forward to seeing the results.

“It’s a huge accolade to hold World Heritage Status and it’s extra challenging for a living, breathing city. We look after the Site with our partners and it’s important to us to make sure our residents from across the city feel a sense of ownership and belonging to the Site.

“The competition and resulting calendar is a great opportunity for people to reflect on what the Site means for them through their art as well as what they find special or feel proud of in this internationally renowned part of the Capital.”

The twelve categories for which applicants can submit their photographs are:

  1. Medieval Old Town
  2. Neo-classical New Town
  3. Gardens and open spaces
  4. Urban planning/street layout
  5. Topography and skyline
  6. Public and commercial monuments
  7. Conservation
  8. Layering of heritage
  9. Architectural detail
  10. Graveyards
  11. Juxtaposition
  12. The Living City

To learn more about the competition and prepare to take the perfect shot, visit this document.

MSP calls for review of NHS policy that may unfairly remove vulnerable patients from waiting lists

During First Minister’s Questions this week at the Scottish Parliament, Foysol Choudhury MSP raised concerns about an NHS policy which he warned could be unfairly disadvantaging vulnerable patients. 

Mr Choudhury highlighted the case of a constituent currently on an NHS waiting list who recently received a letter from NHS informing that, if they did not confirm within 21 days whether they wanted to remain on the list, they would automatically be taken off.    

He stressed that, while the policy reflects current government guidance, its impact is far more troubling. Mr. Choudhury cautioned that vulnerable groups, including older people, and those with additional support needs, may easily miss such a tight deadline, leaving them unknowingly removed from the queue for essential care. 

Calling for urgent action, Mr Choudhury asked the First Minister to instruct Ministers and officials to review the policy to ensure that no vulnerable patient is struck off a waiting list unfairly. 

Beavers visit Blackhall Care Home

RESIDENTS AT STRACHAN HOUSE CARE HOME ENJOY CHRISTMAS ACTIVITIES WITH BEAVER VISITORS  FROM LOCAL CHURCH

Residents at Strachan House care home, in Edinburgh recently enjoyed Christmas bingo, card making and carol singing with a visiting group of local Beavers from Davidson’s Mains church.

The event, which took place on evenings throughout the week welcomed the group of Beavers to enjoy music, games and activities with residents at the home.

The children and residents were supplied with plenty of Christmas snacks whilst they enjoyed their games and activities and the home now have a beautiful display of hand-crafted Christmas cards to enjoy throughout the season. 

General Manager, Frances Fisher of Strachan House care home said: “The residents at our home had a great time enjoying this intergenerational activity.

“The Beavers were able to share with us their stories, crafting abilities and their beautiful singing voices. This event brought so much joy to residents, staff and the Beavers alike”. 

Strachan House care home is run by Barchester Healthcare, one of the UK’s largest care providers, which is committed to delivering personalised care across its care homes and hospitals. 

Strachan House provides residential care, nursing care and dementia care for 83 residents from respite care to long term stays.

Dance Base to celebrate 25th year in Grassmarket home

2026 represents a landmark year for Dance Base, Scotland’s National Centre for Dance, as the organisation celebrates 25 years in its purpose-built home in the heart of Edinburgh’s Grassmarket.

Established in 1993 as a charity to foster dance in all its forms, Dance Base spent its first decade operating within venues across Edinburgh and the Lothians, including the Assembly Rooms, before securing a permanent home to open as Scotland’s National Centre for Dance in 2001. Over the past quarter century, the award-winning and accessible space, designed by Malcolm Fraser, has been a home for many within Scotland’s thriving dance community.

In Autumn 2026 Dance Base will host a series of special events, inviting Scotland’s dance community and new audiences alike join them within the space to celebrate this important milestone in the organisation’s history.

Full details of these events will be announced in Spring 2026.

A Home for Dance for All

Operating year-round, Dance Base offers a dynamic programme of specially curated public performances, alongside classes and workshops. These are taught by a network of extraordinary teachers (many of whom are dance artists in their own right) who support dancers at every level and stage of their development.

With a focus on championing Scotland-based artists such as Tess Letham and Sadiq Ali, and broadening our understanding of who can and should dance, with projects like PRIME, (Dance Base’s in-house company for dancers over 60) Dance Base continues to help dance flourish and change lives in Scotland and beyond.

2026 also marks the 10th anniversary of Dance Base’s in-house Lothian Youth Dance Company (LYDC) (pictured above).

Working with a new cohort of up to 20 talented young dancers aged 14-21 from across the city each year, the programme offers intensive and unique experiences for the young people to expand their contemporary dance technique and performance skills, with opportunities to work with acclaimed choreographers and to perform to international audiences during the Dance Base Festival.

In addition to weekly Dance for Parkinson’s classes that have been running for 15 years, Dance Base also plays a leading role in the delivery of the Dance for Parkinson’s Scotland Network. A joint initiative managed in collaboration with Scottish Ballet and delivered in partnership with Parkinson’s UK, this pioneering programme offers inclusive, supportive movement classes designed for people living with Parkinson’s, as well as their families and carers.

Alongside this community focus, since launching its first Festival programme in 2002, Dance Base has also established itself as the home for dance at the Fringe, curating an annual programme which showcases local talent alongside artists and companies from across the globe. Delivered through a unique partnership with Assembly Festival for the past three years, Dance Base Festival returns in August 2026.

© Eoin Carey

Dance Base CEO Jeanie Scott said: “From providing an essential launchpad for Scottish dance artist careers, to hosting and nurturing our most bespoke and caring programmes like Dance for Parkinson’s – this extraordinary building has become a true home for dance in Scotland.

Dance Base Artistic Director Tony Mills said: “Looking towards the next 25 years, we will build upon what makes Dance Base so special: our commitment to foster nurturing and inclusive spaces to dance, and be a source of joy, inspiration, growth and excitement whether you are a professional, a passionate amateur, or someone who needs extra support to take to the floor.”

Scottish Government ministers visit Social Bite village

Màiri McAllan and Maree Todd applaud homelessness charity’s supported accommodation as an exemplary alternative to temporary accommodation

Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Màiri McAllan, and Minister of Drugs and Alcohol Policy, Maree Todd, visited leading homelessness charity, Social Bite’s pioneering supported accommodation village in Edinburgh yesterday to explore the model and discuss its success in breaking the cycle of homelessness, addressing addiction issues and reducing social isolation.

Accompanied by Social Bite founder Josh Littlejohn MBE and Cyrenians CEO Ewan Aitken, the ministers were given a tour of the village including a look inside one of the innovative nest houses which, since launching in 2018, have helped break the cycle of homelessness for almost 100 people.

One of three Social Bite Villages currently in progress in Scotland, discussions centered around the models as an excellent alternative to temporary accommodation, their track record in helping people leave homelessness behind for good, and their impact in addressing addiction issues.

The Ministers applauded the charity’s innovative approach and its ambition to scale the projects country-wide to help as many people as possible out of homelessness and addiction, build independence and gain safe and secure housing and employment.

The charity called upon the ministers to look at the current welfare and temporary accommodation systems in the UK and to work together with them to back the bespoke village model as a viable and effective way of meeting the needs of people across Scotland. There were also discussions around how more cross-portfolio working between housing, homelessness, health and addictions policy-makers, could truly make the difference for people with addictions in Scotland.

Josh Littlejohn said: “I’m grateful to Màiri McAllan and Maree Todd for taking time to visit the Edinburgh Social Bite Village. It was brilliant to discuss the ways we can better support people who are facing homelessness and to have the opportunity to explore the challenges around access to recovery facilities, as we gear up to submit our planning application for a village in Dundee.

“We have called for backing from both ministers to help us scale our tried and tested Village model across the country, and hope they will be able to show continued support as we work with our partners to find appropriate solutions to preventing homelessness and addiction.”

Danielle, who lived in the Edinburgh Village in 2022, shared some of her experience: “The Village gave me stability, it has a calming atmosphere – it was the first place I could call home since childhood.

“I owe so much to Social Bite, to the Village, and everyone who helped me along the way while living there and beyond.”

Ewan Aitken, Chief Executive of Cyrenians, said: “The Social Bite village is the epitome of a public health approach to homelessness, relying on partnership between two charities, and the experience of those with lived experience, to provide a service which is truly tailored to the needs of the people who use it.

“I was delighted to be able to meet both the Minister for Drugs and Alcohol and the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, using the village as an example of the kind of collaborative approach that we need to across the public, private and third sector.

“Because if we are to truly tackle homelessness and drugs and alcohol harm, we need to understand how those two problems intersect and how we can all work together to combat them.”

The Village will soon undergo a move from its current site to a new site in Granton, where it will continue to house up to 16 people who have experienced homelessness. The new location will bring with it a refresh of the Hub, the communal area for villagers to cook, gather and relax, and the introduction of seven new one-bedroom ‘Nest Houses’ which have been re-designed and improved, following resident feedback.

Charity partner and fellow homelessness prevention organisation, Cyrenians, will continue to deliver round-the-clock support.

Cyrenians has been a key part of Social Bite’s work in supporting the reintegration of people into the community by helping residents to develop skills and confidence.

For more information on the Edinburgh Village, visit: https://www.social-bite.co.uk/what-we-do/the-edinburgh-social-bite-village/

Group campaigning for Scottish assisted dying legislation hits out at recent MSP misleading claims on impacts on the disabled

Friends at the End (FATE), a charity campaigning for the introduction of assisted dying legislation in Scotland, has hit out at a group of MSPs, including Kate Forbes, Michael Marra and Ed Mountain, on making misleading claims about the impact of proposed legislation on the disabled.

This includes the claim that individuals will be able to access on the grounds of disability alone.

Emma Cooper, Convenor of the Board of Trustees, FATE, said: “After five years of intense scrutiny and careful consideration by the Scottish Parliament’s Health Committee, it is unacceptable to see senior politicians adding to confusion about what Scotland’s Assisted Dying Bill actually says.

“The Deputy First Minister’s recent comments, presented as concerns about safeguards, risk breaching the Scottish Government’s own position of neutrality. They also repeat claims unsupported by the proposed bill or international evidence.

“We must be clear: assisted dying cannot be accessed based on disability alone.

“A specific ‘for the avoidance of doubt’ clause was added at Stage 2 to make this explicit. Yet organisations such as Glasgow Disability Alliance (GDA) continue to promote the opposite, and Kate Forbes is now echoing their narrative. This is misleading the public and influencing Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) with inaccurate assertions.

“Thirty years of international experience show no negative impact on disabled communities, and no jurisdiction has repealed its laws. Academic research, including the work of Professor Ben Colburn of the University of Glasgow, confirms that assisted dying legislation does not create systemic risk for disabled people.

“This debate is too important for false narratives or politically amplified misinformation. Scotland deserves a discussion grounded in facts, not fear.”

Friends at the End (FATE) is a Scottish charity that supports people at the end of life and campaigns for compassionate, safe, and evidence-based assisted dying legislation.

The organisation provides information, advocacy and practical support, and works to ensure that terminally ill, mentally capable adults have the right to make informed choices about their own dying process.

FATE promotes dignity, autonomy and transparency in end-of-life care, drawing on international evidence and lived experience to inform public debate.