Communist Candidate Blasts Underfunding of Local Government ahead of Edinburgh By-Elections
.Richard Shillcock, the Communist Party of Britain candidate for the upcoming Southside/Newington ward by-election, has launched a fierce critique against central government accusing political leaders of prioritising military spending over critical public services.
Responding to voters questioning the link between local council services and military budgets, Shillcock outlined a direct connection between UK defence spending and the decline of local communities.
Skyrocketing Military Spending
Shillcock noted that since the 2022 Edinburgh Council elections, annual UK defence spending has surged from £48 billion to £62 billion, with further increases planned.
He highlighted that during this same period, the UK has committed over £25 billion in support to Ukraine—including £16 billion in weapons—alongside active arms deals with Israel totalling hundreds of millions of pounds.
Shillcock argued that the funds directed toward international conflicts are directly starving local councils of resources.
Richard Shillcock said: “The choice is simple: welfare or warfare. We can invest in people or waste money on war.
“My message to Edinburgh voters is clear—every cut to public services, every council tax rise, every waiting list, every crowded school, every substandard home, and even every pothole could be fixed if we stopped funding war.”
A Challenge to Rival Parties
In a direct challenge ahead of the 3 September by-elections, Shillcock called out rival political campaigns for offering superficial solutions to deep-seated systemic issues.
“Unlike others, the Communist Party of Britain is not going to pretend that performative tinkering with our political system will bring about substantive improvements for working-class people,” Shillcock ssaid.
“Voters should challenge every single candidate standing on whether they prioritise investing in people or wasting money on war.”
Workplace expert, Acas, has today launched a consultation on updates to its Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures to promote early and informal resolution of concerns at work.
The new Code will help employers and workers handle concerns in a fair, transparent and timely way. Employers and workers have rights and responsibilities and handling concerns that come up early and informally can save on costs and stress at work.
Acas research on the annual cost of conflict has found that managing formal disciplinary and grievance procedures is estimated to cost UK employers £2.36 billion a year, while the annual cost of informal resolution is around ten times lower at £250 million.
Acas Chair, Baroness Maggie Jones, said: “Acas research shows that formal processes can be very costly for everyone involved. Effective early intervention in conflict saves money and time as well as promoting staff wellbeing and productivity.
“Our new Code reflects the benefits of handling work issues early and informally. It will help employers and workers handle concerns in a way that’s fair, transparent and timely. I would encourage everyone to take part in the consultation.”
Acas statutory Code of Practice on disciplinary and grievance procedures was last fully revised in 2009. It currently applies where there is potential for disciplinary action to be taken against a worker or where a worker raises a formal concern or grievance with their employer.
The purpose of the Code is to provide employers, workers and representatives with guidance on handling disciplinary and grievance situations in the workplace.
Employment tribunals must take the Code into account in relevant cases and can increase or reduce an award by up to 25% for unreasonable failure to follow the Code by an employer or worker. Size and resources of the organisation are taken into account.
As well as promoting the benefits of informal and early resolution of conflict, the draft updated Code also seeks views on how to improve handling formal procedures.
Acas has also published a new YouGov poll today, which asked British businesses about what options best help their organisations to resolve workplace conflict informally. The top three picked were:
Having a good working relationship with the other person (58%);
A shared willingness to find a solution (53%); and
A workplace culture that supports open conversations (52%).
The consultation on the draft Code closes on 23 September 2026.
Based on the motion picture written and directed by Harry Macqueen and produced by Quiddity and The Bureau.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre production of the world première of Harry Macqueen’s stage adaptation of his acclaimed 2020 film Supernova which starred Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci.
Supernova will be the stage debut as a playwright for writer, filmmaker, and actor Harry Macqueen.
Cast to feature Tony, Olivier, BAFTA and Emmy award winner Alan Cumming (Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director; Host of Traitors US; soon to be appearing in Avengers: Doomsday) and Emmy and Golden Globe award winner Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting, Moulin Rouge, Star Wars and Black Hawk Down).
Directed by John Tiffany (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,Black Watch and Once) with Movement Directed by Steven Hoggett (Hamlet and Once) and Designs by Jamie Harrison (Stranger Things: The First Shadow)
Supernova isbased on the motion picture written and directed by Harry Macqueen and produced by Quiddity and The Bureau.
Production will run at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 24 July – 21 August 2027 and have its press performance on Friday 30 July 2027 at 6pm.
Alan Cumming and Ewan McGregor to star in the world première of the stage adaptation of the film Supernova
Pitlochry Festival Theatre today announces that the award-winning actors Alan Cumming and Ewan McGregor will lead the company of the world première of the spectacular new stage adaptation of Harry Macqueen’s beautiful, critically acclaimed 2020 film Supernova.
Adapted for the stage by writer, actor and filmmaker Harry Macqueen and directed by John Tiffany (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Black Watch and Once) the production will open next year at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 24 July until 21 August 2027.
Sam and Tusker have been together for 20 years. But since Tusker’s early-onset dementia diagnosis their lives have changed forever. Now, the two are setting off on a road trip chasing the memories they’ve built, visiting the people they love and dodging the future they can’t outrun.
Macqueen’s profound, intimate story is given new scale by director John Tiffany and movement director Steven Hoggett, the duo behind some of the most visually stunning theatre of the last two decades (Once, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Black Watch).
Supernova is an unmissable, searing examination of what we are willing to do for the people we love.
Supernova’s exciting cast will be led by Tony, Olivier, BAFTA and Emmy award winner and Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Alan Cumming (The High Life – The Musical, Traitors US, X2,Avengers: Doomsday and Cabaret on Broadway) and Emmy and Golden Globe award winning film and stage actor Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting, Star Wars, Moulin Rouge and Black Hawk Down).
Further casting will be announced later in the year.
Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director Alan Cumming said: “I am so excited to welcome Ewan, a fellow Perthshire home boy, to Pitlochry Festival Theatre for this extraordinary theatre event.
“Harry Macqueen has adapted his beautiful film, and John Tiffany and Steven Hoggett (fresh from their Pitlochry Festival Theatre triumph with Once) join forces with the theatrical wizard Jamie Harrison to create an evening of true magic.
“A love story, a treatise on life and death itself and a visual feast – with two Scottish laddies at its heart. What more could you want?!”
Actor Ewan McGregor said: “I am so delighted to be working at Pitlochry Festival Theatre next summer on the beautiful ‘Supernova’ with my old friend Alan.
“I have been very moved by the work so far on the text by Harry Macqueen who is adapting his own screenplay.
“We are going to be discovering this story with the amazing team of John Tiffany, Jamie Harrison and Steven Hoggett and it’s going to be quite something to throw myself into this role with such an extraordinary group of visionaries.
“I can’t wait to get started and to bring this piece to the stage. I look forward to seeing you all there!”
Written and directed by Harry Macqueen and starring Colin Firth as Sam and Stanley Tucci as Tusker, Supernova had its world première in 2020 at both the San Sebastián Film Festival and the London Film Festival.
The film was short-listed for two BAFTA Awards including ‘Outstanding British Film’ and as ‘Best Film’ at the European Film Awards in 2021. In 2022 it was voted one of the ‘100 Best British Films of the 21st Century’ by critics.
On making his stage debut as a playwright Harry Macqueen said: “I’m beyond thrilled to be able to give this story and these characters new life on stage, and to be doing so alongside such incredible collaborators.
“Supernova engages with some of life’s most challenging questions. With debate about end-of-life choices still raging, perhaps these questions feel more prescient now than ever.”
Joining director John Tiffany in the creative team will be Designer Jamie Harrison (Stranger Things: The First Shadow), Movement Director Steven Hoggett (Hamlet and Once) and Associate Director Sam Hardie (Beautiful, The Carole King Story). Additional creatives will be announced in the coming months.
Director John Tiffany added: “Supernova broke my heart when I first watched it. Working with Alan and Ewan, and a creative team of this calibre, to translate this story to the stage is a dream come true.”
Supernova is based on the motion picture written and directed by Harry Macqueen and produced by Quiddity and The Bureau.
The Pitlochry Festival Theatre production of Supernova will run in the Auditorium from 24 July until 21 August 2027 with press night on Friday 30 July 2027.
Further productions for Alan Cumming’s second season as Artistic Director at Pitlochry Festival Theatre in 2027 will be announced later this year.
Priority booking for Patrons and Festival Circle Members opens from Wednesday 29 July, with Festival Friends Members on Wednesday 5 August and on general sale on Wednesday 12 August.
For tickets and further information visit pitlochryfestivaltheatre.com or call the box office team on 01796 484626.
HMRC will send Simple Assessment letters for the 2025 to 2026 tax year this summer.
The letters are sent to those who have tax to pay on income that has not been taxed through Pay As You Earn (PAYE) or Self Assessment.
HMRC is encouraging recipients to not ignore the letters.
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is encouraging people who receive a Simple Assessment letter this summer to not ignore it, and to check the details and pay any tax owed.
Every year HMRC writes to people who need to pay tax on income which has not been collected through PAYE or Self Assessment.
The letters – known officially as PA302 – set out exactly how much tax is owed and why.
Customers may receive a Simple Assessment tax calculation letter if they have tax to pay that HMRC cannot collect automatically, for example:
there is tax to pay on interest on savings or dividends
a second income has not been taxed
tax is due on pension income
received more tax-free allowance than they were entitled to
the tax cannot be collected through a tax code (for example, larger amounts owed, typically £3,000 or more)
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Chief Customer Officer, said:“If you receive a Simple Assessment letter and have tax to pay, please don’t ignore it. It is quick and easy to pay any tax owed via the HMRC app.
“If you need extra support, or want to find out more, search ‘Simple Assessment’ on GOV.UK.”
HMRC will issue around 1.8 million Simple Assessment letters. People should check the figures in their letter against their own records and pay any tax owed by 31 January 2027, unless a different date is shown. Payments can be made in full or in instalments before the deadline and do not require a tax return.
Detailed guidance on Simple Assessment – including a dedicated guide for pensioners – is available on GOV.UK. HMRC’s new Tax Confident website also offers clear, simple resources to help people understand their tax affairs with confidence.
The letters are official and arrive by post or appear in a customer’s Personal Tax Account online. Customers can check if a letter from HMRC is genuine on GOV.UK.
Following the escalation of anti-immigration protests in Glasgow’s city centre on Saturday, a food delivery driver was attacked by a group of protesters and subjected to racist insults and threats.
Chief superintendent Emma Croft stated that “The level of disorder, violence and intimidation we saw in Glasgow on Saturday was nothing short of disgraceful.”
We cannot agree more. The aggression directed at people within our communities, that leave people worried for their own and their family’s safety and prevent them from going after their work and their daily lives is despicable, inexcusable, and deeply concerning.
In a society that grows and thrives on diversity, there is no space for spreading fear, hate, and violence.
We stand for an inclusive, open, and safe Scotland for all and we stand with the people affected by the racism displayed at the protests in Glasgow.
If you experienced or witnessed harassment of any sort, please know that you can report this to authorities and can seek support.
Community Consultation: Wellington Place Meanwhile Site
Come and have your say on the future of our new site at Wellington Place!
Thursday 6th August
6.00 – 7.30pm
Meet at the Meanwhile Site, then a short walk to Croft Populus Café
We’ll share where things are up to in the site’s clearance phase, walk you through what’s next, and then head to the café for refreshments and a relaxed chat about:
what matters to you about the site right now
how you’d like to see it used
how you might want to get involved
Everyone welcome! Come along, bring a friend, and help shape what happens next at Wellington Place!
This autumn, customers can enjoy a packed calendar of seasonal events at Dobbies Edinburgh store, with experiences designed for children, families, dog owners and those looking to enjoy a relaxing autumn-themed Crafternoon Tea.
September Crafternoon Tea
Enjoy a relaxing afternoon of creativity at Dobbies’ Crafternoon Tea, where customers will enjoy a delicious three-tiered afternoon tea, and start to create a unique glass mosaic to take home and complete.
The three-tiered afternoon tea will include an excellent selection of freshly made finger sandwiches, Dobbies’ famous scones with plain and fruit options, served with Cornish clotted cream and a mini pot of jam and a delicious selection of sweet treats to top it off. Customers will also get a pot of tea or coffee with unlimited refills. Customers can also upgrade to a prosecco afternoon tea when booking.
Tickets for Dobbies’ Crafternoon Tea are £40 per person, and advance booking is required at www.dobbies.com.
Little Scare-lings
This spooky season, come along to a spellbinding Halloween Tea Party filled with witchy magic and tasty treats at the Dobbies’ Little Scare-lings event. Little ones can take part in some hands-on fun with a spooktacular session of potion making, creating their own glow-in-the-dark slime, and decorating a trick or treat bag to take home and fill with Halloween sweets.
There will be lots of ghoulish games and activities to take part in, and a Halloween themed afternoon tea brimming with sand-witches, scarily good scones and spooky sweet treats.
Tickets to the Little Scare-lings event are £15 per child and from £7.50 per adult (including tea or coffee with a choice of cake or add on afternoon tea for £17.50). Advance booking is required at dobbies.com
Pup-kin Patch
Dobbies’ popular Pup-kin Patch will return to the Edinburgh store this autumn for lots of tail-wagging fun for dogs. Bring your furry friend along to the dog-friendly event, where they can sniff, explore and choose their very own autumn toy from the playful patch.
With activities from a doggy obstacle course, and a sniff or treat game, to enjoying a puppuccino from the restaurant, furry friends are bound to have a paw-some outing. The event will also include a free digital photo opportunity for dogs to pose in front of an autumnal backdrop, for a beautiful pet ‘paw-trait’.
Tickets to the event are £13.50 per dog (owners go free) and will also include money-off vouchers to enjoy in store and one free hot drink for humans with the purchase of any cake or breakfast roll from the restaurant.
Autumn Terrarium Workshop
Dobbies Edinburgh store is hosting the ultimate autumn activity with a themed planting experience, where the Green Team will show customers how to create their own autumn terrarium.
There will be the chance to create a miniature indoor landscape that captures the rich colours and textures of the season, with plants carefully selected by Dobbies’ Senior Plant Buyer, and RHS judge, Claire Bishop.
The workshop will start with a guided demonstration where attendees can learn some expert tips on care and design, then customers will have the chance to get hands-on and create a beautiful terrarium to take home and care for.
There is the option to add a Gardeners’ Afternoon Tea for £17.50, featuring a delicious selection of savoury and sweet treats and unlimited tea and coffee refills. Tickets for the Autumn Terrarium Workshop at the Edinburgh store are £37.50 per person and must be booked in advance at www.dobbies.com.
Dobbies’ Events Programme Manager, Hannah Stephen, is looking forward to welcoming families, dogs and planting enthusiasts to the excellent line-up of autumn events taking place in store this year.
Hannah said: “Dobbies are excited to offer a variety of seasonal events, with fun for all ages and every member of the family.
“The Autumn Terrarium Workshop is the perfect afternoon out for couples and friends who love to be creative, and our brand-new autumn Crafternoon Tea is an excellent opportunity for customers to enjoy crafting, conversation and a change of pace.
“Our Little Scare-lings event is a firm favourite for families, with plenty of action-packed activities, and the Pup-kin Patch is back by popular demand for all the dogs looking to get involved in the autumn fun. We can’t wait to celebrate autumn and Halloween by welcoming our customers into stores.”
For more information on Autumn events at the Edinburgh store and to book tickets, visit Dobbies.com/events.
Lottery funding worth millions to power community energy projects across Scotland
Community groups across Scotland are to receive further help to cut their energy bills and reduce carbon emissions, thanks to a £10 million investment over five years from the largest community funder in the UK.
The National Lottery Community Fund investment will help to fund the installation of renewable technologies like heat pumps and solar panels, as well as energy efficiency measures through the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) Community Buildings Fund.
CARES provides advice and funding to communities looking to develop renewable energy, heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency projects. It is administered by Local Energy Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government.
The investment was announced by Energy Minister Stephen Gethins during a visit to Shetland, where he saw how CARES funding helped Scalloway Youth and Community Project install a heat pump, solar panels and a battery.
The Minister said: “Scotland’s communities are at the heart of our transition to more affordable energy, and this £10 million investment over five years from The National Lottery Community Fund will help even more of them benefit from it.
“By supporting the installation of renewable technologies and energy efficiency measures, we can cut costs for organisations serving some of our most vulnerable people, reduce emissions from community buildings, and strengthen local supply chains.
“CARES has already delivered over £83 million to communities across Scotland, supporting more than 1,200 projects and 75MW of renewable energy capacity.
“This new funding will enable more communities to build on that progress in the places that matter to them, and I would encourage any organisations who have not already applied to speak with Local Energy Scotland to see what help they may be eligible for.”
Kate Still, Chair or The National Lottery Community Fund Scotland, said: “We’re delighted to have established this partnership with the Scottish Government and Local Energy Scotland.
“Supporting communities to be environmentally sustainable is one of our key missions at The National Lottery Community Fund. That’s why we are investing £10 million in the CARES Community Buildings Fund. It significantly increases CARES funding while keeping access to support and funding straightforward for community groups.
“Community buildings are often at the heart of local communities across Scotland, bringing people together to connect and support one another.
“Thanks to National Lottery players, this funding will help organisations invest in renewable and carbon-saving technologies, making these valued local spaces greener, more sustainable and more resilient.
“We know communities want to play a leading role in responding to climate change, and this investment will enable organisations of all sizes to take meaningful action while creating lasting benefits for both people and the environment.”
Laura McGadie, Operations Director at the Energy Saving Trust, said: ““We’re incredibly proud of everything CARES has achieved so far in supporting communities across Scotland.
This funding from The National Lottery Community Fund will help us build on that success, enabling us to reach even more communities and support them on their journey towards a more sustainable future.”
We’re looking for an enthusiastic and creative Community Heritage Officer to join our regeneration team and help bring our area’s rich heritage to life.
As Community Heritage Officer, you’ll develop and deliver activities that encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to explore, share and celebrate their local heritage. From organising community events and workshops, to collecting oral histories and supporting exhibitions, you’ll create opportunities for people to engage with the past while helping shape the future of the area.
This role is part of our Heritage & Place Programme project funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Historic Environment Scotland.
Community Consultation: Wellington Place Meanwhile Site 
Thursday 6th August
6.00 – 7.30pm
Meet at the Meanwhile Site, then a short walk to Croft Populus Café
what matters to you about the site right now
