First Minister: Equality and rights at the heart of an independent Scotland’s Constitution
An independent Scotland would have a constitution based on the sovereignty of the people and reflect Scotland’s values as a modern, democratic European nation from day one, according to plans outlined by the First Minister Humza Yousaf.
The fourth paper in the ‘Building a New Scotland’ series, sets out how a written constitution developed by the people in Scotland could put rights and equality at its heart, including by protecting the right to strike and giving constitutional recognition to the NHS.
Speaking at the launch of the new prospectus paper, First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “This fourth publication in the ‘Building a New Scotland’ series sets out the Scottish Government’s proposals for how people in Scotland can create a written constitution that puts democracy, rights and equality at the heart of everything we do as an independent country.
“To be a success, our written constitution must be one that the people in Scotland believe in, giving them the direct opportunity to shape and build a better country. It must also have the collective authority of the nation, so that those in power accept that, under the constitution, they are accountable to the people.
“Independence would give Scotland the ability to create a constitution that provides recognition of the NHS in Scotland, giving people the right to access a system of health care, available free at the point of need.
“It would allow Scotland to continue its progressive approach to human rights and equality, without the current restrictions of the devolution settlement and without the threat of the UK Government overruling our decisions or unwinding our advances.
This would ensure that our human rights and equality protections could cover all policy areas, including those currently reserved.
“With independence, we can build a better country on that fundamental right of every person in Scotland to be treated equally, and with a written constitution, Scotland can build a new home for democracy, rights and equality.”
The Scottish Conservatives, the main opposition party at Holyrood, are unsurprisingly less than impressed with the SNP’s priorities.
They say the Scottish government is spending over £1.4 million of taxpayers’ money to fund independence campaigning. The Tories believe this is a waste of public money when our NHS and schools are struggling.
· Government’s £150 Disability Cost of Living payments paid from today (Tuesday 20 June)
· Payments will be made automatically over two-week period between 20 June and 4 July 2023
· Anyone in receipt of certain disability benefits on 1 April 2023 is entitled and will receive the payment
· One-off disability cash forms part of wider support package worth up to £1,350 for the most vulnerable
More than six million disabled people across the UK are set to receive a £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment from today.
The one-off payments, issued by the Department for Work and Pensions throughout a two-week window, will help disabled people with the extra costs they face.
It comes as part of a wider package of Cost of Living support worth up to £1,350 to the most vulnerable households, underlining the Government’s commitment to supporting these those most in need.
The Government is also working hard to ease cost of living pressures by working towards the goal of halving inflation, which will lay the foundation for the long-term growth needed to improve living standards for everyone.
Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Mel Stride MP, said: “We recognise that some of the most vulnerable UK households continue to face cost of living pressures, in particular those who are disabled.
“Our commitment to halving inflation and ultimately getting it back to the 2% target will relieve a lot of financial pressure for us all, but this extra support will help over six million disabled people right now as we work towards that goal.”
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Jeremy Hunt MP, said: “The additional costs faced by disabled people mean inflation is particularly challenging, which is why halving it this year and getting back to the Bank of England’s 2% target is our priority.
“The £150 we’re sending disabled people over the next two weeks is part of a major cost-of-living support package worth just under £100 billion, providing some peace of mind to the most vulnerable in society.”
Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, Tom Pursglove MP, said: “We understand the additional financial pressures disabled people are facing, which is why we are putting another £150 in their pockets from today.
“This is on top of further cost of living payments for low-income benefit claimants, as we’re committed to providing support where it is needed most.”
As the payment is made automatically, those eligible for the support do not need to take any action. The payment reference on bank statements will appear as the individual’s National Insurance number followed by “DWP COL”.
The full list of benefit recipients that qualify for the Disability Cost of Living Payment between 20 June and 4 July are those who receive any of the following:
A small number of payments will be made after 4 July, where claimants were still awaiting confirmation of their eligibility or entitlement to qualifying disability benefits on 1 April.
This new payment is in addition to the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment that was paid last September. Pensioners will also receive a further £300 payment later this year and people on eligible means-tested benefits will be paid up to two more Cost of Living payments through to next Spring totalling £900.
The 111 service provides urgent care triage if you think you need A&E but it’s not life-threatening, and advice when your GP, pharmacy or dental practice is closed.
Knowing when to phone NHS 111 can help us manage calls effectively, and help you get the right care in the right place quickly.
This summer, embark on a Curious Edinburgh Granton Walk highlighting Granton’s heritage.
Through 19 stops, this walk spans medieval times, through the industrial age and into the future, highlighting Granton’s heritage.
The scenic walk along the Forth foreshore is suitable on foot, is wheelchair/pram friendly and can also be done on a bike. It takes around 1.5 hours at a leisurely stroll and is suitable for all mobilities.
To access the tour, please download the app via the Apple Store or Google Play.
How did this happen? Granton:hub was given the opportunity to develop a virtual walking tour, covering 20 stops, telling the story of Granton’s rich industrial and heritage past.
The academics involved, Niki Vermeulen and Bill Jenkins, were given the Tam Dalyell prize for excellence in engaging the public with science. They generously offered the prize money to granton:hub as part of the funds to develop the tour.
Gina Fierlafijn Reddie, member of the granton:hub steering group, liaised with the Curious Edinburgh team and gave the talk (scroll to 56:51 to view Gina’s talk on the Granton Tour).
Up to £25 million expansion to harden Ukraine’s cyber defences as Russia continues its callous attacks
Funding will protect critical national infrastructure and vital services through bolstered cyber defence capabilities to Ukraine, enabling them to detect, respond and prevent Russian cyber-attacks.
Cyber defence funding comes as the Prime Minister prepares to make the case for the private sector to join the fight to push back Russia by investing in Ukraine
The UK will roll out a major expansion to its cyber defence programme in Ukraine, protecting the country’s critical national infrastructure from crippling Russian attacks.
The programme, which supports Ukraine’s Government to rapidly respond to and defend vital government services against debilitating cyber-attacks, will be boosted by an injection of up to £25 million and a two-year expansion.
The package will include £16 million in UK funding and potential for a further £9 million contribution from international allies.
It is the latest tranche of UK support to Ukraine as the country mounts its counteroffensive against Russian forces that have brutally invaded the country, using all domains to sow instability and attempt to destroy Ukraine’s rightful sovereignty.
The Prime Minister, who will this week make the case for the private sector to join the counteroffensive against Russia by supporting Ukraine through investment, will say that it is vital the international community hardens Ukraine’s defences to enable it to protect and grow investment into the country.
Ukraine has successfully fought back a number of cyber-attacks by Russian forces, including destructive wiper-ware attacks and covert espionage-ware attacks.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Russia’s appalling attacks on Ukraine are not limited to their barbaric land invasion, but also involve sickening attempts to attack their cyber infrastructure that provides vital services, from banking to energy supplies, to innocent Ukrainian people.
“This funding is critical to stopping those onslaughts, hardening Ukraine’s cyber defences and increasing the country’s ability to detect and disable the malware targeted at them.”
The UK-funded Ukraine Cyber Programme (UCP) uses world-leading expertise, from both the private and public sector, to protect Ukraine’s critical national infrastructure and vital public services.
The support, which builds on the Foreign Secretary’s announcement of £6.35 million for the programme last year, will also fund and provide forensic capabilities to enable Ukrainian cyber experts to analyse system compromises, attribute attackers and build better evidence to prosecute these indiscriminate attacks.
In addition to boosting cyber defences, the UK has also stepped up its military support to Ukraine.
This week, the UK contributed a further £250 million to the International Fund for Ukraine (IFU), which announced it would provide a major package of air defence, including radars, guns and ammunition to Kyiv to protect Ukrainian cities from indiscriminate Russian attacks.
That announcement followed the delivery of the UK’s long-range missile strike capability Storm Shadow last month, which has provided Ukraine with game-changing capability to defend itself from Russian attacks and degrade the capability of invading Russian forces.
Capturing and sharing emotional, dramatic, or everyday moments in life is the magic of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2022.
A truly global affair, the prize celebrates the very best in contemporary photography, drawing on over 4000 entries from 62 countries. Featuring work by celebrated professionals and enthusiastic amateurs alike, the images selected for the exhibition each tell their own story.
Organised by the National Portrait Gallery (London) and now in its sixteenth year of Taylor Wessing sponsorship, the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize makes a welcome return to the National Galleries of Scotland this June for the first time in seven years.
Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2022 comes to Edinburgh in style
Our wonderful model was Oskar Kirk Hansen AKA Mystika Glamoor.
Neil Hanna
www.neilhannaphotography.co.uk
07702 246823
With 51 portraits from 36 artists exhibited in the Portrait’s Robert Mapplethorpe Photography Gallery, this prestigious annual competition provides a vital platform for contemporary photographers; bringing the world as we know it, or perhaps don’t know it, to a multitude of audiences.
The Portrait is the only touring venue for the prize this year, offering Edinburgh locals and international visitors alike the only opportunity to see these remarkable works on display outside London.
This free exhibition, which has been generously supported thanks to funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, will also form a key part of the Edinburgh Art Festival; the UK’s largest festival dedicated to the visual arts.
This year’s prize-winning photographs examine a range of subjects – from queerness, transness and the concept of chosen family to socially distanced glimpses into daily lockdown life and identity and existence in former Soviet states.
The variety of themes explored throughout the exhibition is matched by the high-quality, contemporary portraiture that reflects the shifting world of today. Strength in diversity, pride in identity, wonder in the everyday, this exhibition highlights a shared human connection through the broad scope of humanity itself.
Visitors can expect a personal audience with well-known cultural figures, including renowned footballer and activist Marcus Rashford and popular star of Stranger Things Finn Wolfhard, along with discovering captivating moments in the more familiar of life’s pursuits. From the aspirational to the relatable, the finalists capture our rapidly changing world through their own individual lens.
The winner of the 2022 prize is Clémentine Schneidermann for the series Laundry Day.
The socially distanced portraits of the series were taken during times of quarantine, self-isolation, and national lockdowns. In the words of the artist, they ‘document micro events which deal with the passage of time through the small moments of our daily lives’.
Schneidermann’s portraits are close, but not too close, evoking the memory of socially distanced living, striving to seek pleasure in the mundane and monotonous and capturing small glimmers of light where possible; wholly relatable after enduring the collective experience of a global pandemic.
Interim Co-Director Collection & Research, National Galleries of Scotland, Anne Lyden said: “This is the first time since 2016 that the Portrait has hosted the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize.
“It forms a central part of our summer exhibition programme, showcasing world class photography and documenting impactful moments and individuals. The prize provides a crucial platform to celebrate, question, and highlight cultural identity in many forms.
“I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to this year’s finalists, we are delighted to bring their work to the people of Scotland.”
Shane Gleghorn, Managing Partner at Taylor Wessingsaid: “Works and artists featured in the 2022 Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize were exceptional. We are delighted to see the prize returning to the National Galleries of Scotland, enabling this impressive collection of photographs to be viewed by the people of Scotland and its visitors.
“The prize has enabled artists across the world to use their talent and creativity to raise awareness in respect of a number of key issues and that makes for a powerful exhibition.”
Director of the National Portrait Gallery, London, Dr Nicholas Cullinan said: “The entries to 2022’s Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize demonstrate the outstanding level at which photographers around the world are approaching the art of portraiture.
“The selected submissions are a remarkable collection of images that reflect the competition’s international reach and demonstrate an extraordinary variety of themes and styles within the parameters of photographic portraiture.”
Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery,said: “We’re pleased to be supporting the National Galleries of Scotland as they celebrate the finest examples of contemporary photography.
“Players across Britain have raised over £1.1 billion for thousands of charities and local good causes, and are one of the biggest supporters of arts, culture, and heritage initiatives. We hope visitors make new discoveries and find this experience inspiring.”
The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2022 opened to the public on Saturday 17 June until Sunday 10 September at the Portrait.
International charity Street Child has launched a campaign called ‘Education Is Her Right’ which aims to fund primary school education for girls in Afghanistan.
The country faces an unprecedented humanitarian crisis and the gains made over the past two decades, particularly in advancing women’s rights, are now in jeopardy.
The children’s charity Street Child’s has made an unwavering commitment to continue working with local organisations in Afghanistan despite the monumental challenges.
The charity’s campaign will highlight that just £100 will fund a girl’s primary education for a whole year – that’s just 27p per day!
The reduction of international development assistance, which once played a pivotal role in maintaining public health and education systems, has dealt a severe blow to the ability to implement vital programmes. T
he economic downturn, skyrocketing hunger, malnutrition, and inflation triggered by global commodity shocks have further compounded the challenges faced by the Afghan people.
In July, as part of Street Child’s ‘Education is Her Right’ campaign, Street Child is delighted to announce they have an appeal on BBC Radio 4 in which will highlight the need for funding to support the charity’s work in girls’ primary education in Afghanistan.
The appeal will be presented by Christina Lamb OBE, a British journalist and bestselling author of books such as ‘I am Malala’, ‘Farewell Kabul’, and ‘Our Bodies, Their Battlefield; What War Does to Women’. The funds raised will be channelled to our local Afghan partners who are on the ground and working hard to use every pound as effectively as possible to deliver education for young boys and girls.
Outside of the radio appeal, Street Child’s campaign showcases its wider mission to operate in the hardest to reach areas of the world, educating girls across 25 countries. The charity’s dedicated local partners in Afghanistan are striving relentlessly to improve the lives of vulnerable communities – driven by a shared mission to provide education, protection, and livelihood support to children, women, and families caught in the grips of the longstanding conflict and recurrent natural disasters.
Tom Dannatt, CEO and Founder of Street Child, said: “Our view, is that if you can read, write, add up and take away you have a chance in this world. If you can’t do those things, then you really don’t.
However, feeding minds is tough to think about if you haven’t put food in your mouth and you’re hungry, so every dimension of an Afghan child is under threat.
“We’re really calling on the international community, in all its manifestations to play its part in dramatically increasing quantities of aid, and for members of the public to consider how they can help. Charities like Street Child are on the ground in Afghanistan with Afghan staff and donations can and do make a difference.
“Keeping children and their families safe is the centre pillar of Street Child’s work: all children have a right to be safe and safeguarded from risks, especially those which impact their ability to attend school.”
An inquiry seeking to find out the key issues facing healthcare services in Scotland’s remote and rural areas has been launched by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee.
The Committee wants to hear from members of the public and staff about their experiences of remote and rural healthcare services. They are keen to find out what specific challenges people in these areas face and what can be done to improve services in these areas.
National Records of Scotland data has revealed that the areas with the greatest population growth over the last decade were accessible rural areas. 10.6% more people lived in these areas in mid-2021 than in mid-2011.
Rural areas also tend to have specific demographic challenges when it comes to demand for healthcare, with often a lower proportion of people aged 16 to 44 but a higher proportion of people aged 45 and over (particularly those 65 and above).
Launching the inquiry, Clare Haughey MSP, Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, said:“Scotland’s geography means much of its healthcare is accessed and delivered in remote and rural areas and that’s why the Committee is keen to hear of the specific issues impacting healthcare services in these locales.
“We want to hear the experiences’ of individuals and representatives from remote and rural areas, and from those who work or have worked in remote and rural healthcare, on what they think the particular challenges facing the sector are.
“Our inquiry aims to provide a platform for the views of those in remote and rural areas to be heard and our Committee is keen to hear from as wide a range of organisations and individuals as possible.
“Sharing your views will help the Committee better understand the varied and particular issues facing rural and remote healthcare services and help our scrutiny of the Scottish Government and other key stakeholders in their approach to delivering healthcare in these areas.”
Detectives in Edinburgh are appealing for information after a man was assaulted in the city.
The incident happened around 3.10pm on Saturday (17 June, 2023) on Leamington Walk in the Meadows area and involved a cyclist and another member of the public.
A 40-year-old man was taken to hospital and released after treatment.
Detective Constable Michael Campbell said: “Our enquiries are ongoing and we are appealing for anyone with information or who witnessed the incident to come forward.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 quoting incident 2617 of 17 June, 2023. Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.”
In 2022, the cost of living continued to rise, while household incomes fell behind. Rates of priority debt went up, and more people struggled to pay household bills. We saw higher demand for emergency food shops, fuel vouchers and help with essentials.
A big concern found in our latest client report is that over half of CAP clients’ budgets were unsustainable due to low income. More people are being driven to extreme poverty and destitution, and one in two CAP clients have considered or attempted suicide before seeking help.
As a society, we have a severe problem on our hands and we cannot allow it to continue. At CAP, we’re pushing our 27 years of expertise to the limits and doing everything we can. Last year, we helped 9,168 people with their debts, delivered emergency support to 1,831 homes, and played a part in encouraging over 4,000 local churches to open Warm Welcome Spaces during the winter.
Now is the time to come together and fight back. Because poverty isn’t going anywhere unless we do something about it. Read our latest client report and find out how, together, we can take on UK poverty.
