Uncategorized – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Sunak: Stopping the Boats

PM Rishi Sunak’s press statement on the next stage of the plan to stop the boats

Last week – yet again – Peers in the House of Lords contrived to stop the Safety of Rwanda Bill.   

For almost two years our opponents have used every trick in the book to block flights and keep the boats coming.  

But enough is enough.

No more prevarication. No more delay.

Parliament will sit there tonight and vote no matter how late it goes.

No ifs, no buts. These flights are going to Rwanda.

We are going to deliver this indispensable deterrent so that we finally break the business model of the criminal gangs and save lives.

Starting from the moment that the Bill passes we will begin the process of removing those identified for the first flight.

We have prepared for this moment.

To detain people while we prepare to remove them, we’ve increased detention spaces to 2,200.

To quickly process claims, we’ve got 200 trained dedicated caseworkers ready and waiting.

To deal with any legal cases quickly and decisively, the judiciary have made available 25 courtrooms and identified 150 judges who could provide over 5,000 sitting days.

The Strasbourg Court have amended their Rule 39 procedures in line with the tests set out in our Illegal Migration Act and we’ve put beyond all doubt that Ministers can disregard these injunctions with clear guidance that if they decide to do so, civil servants must deliver that instruction.

And most importantly, once the processing is complete, we will physically remove people.

To do that, I can confirm that we’ve put an airfield on standby booked commercial charter planes for specific slots…

…and we have 500 highly trained individuals ready to escort illegal migrants all the way to Rwanda, with 300 more trained in the coming weeks.

This is one of the most complex operational endeavours the Home Office has carried out.

But we are ready. Plans are in place.

And these flights will go come what may.

No foreign court will stop us from getting flights off.

Rwanda is ready too.

And I would like to thank the government of Rwanda for their work in strengthening their asylum system, passing legislation, and setting up a new appeals tribunal.

The next few weeks will be about action.

But whilst I’m conscious people want deeds not words I’m not going to outline now exactly what will happen when.

There are good operational reasons for this.

There is a loud minority who will do anything to disrupt our plan so we will not be giving away sensitive operational detail which could hinder all the progress made to date.

Teams across government need to be able to get on and deliver without interference.

They are working flat out to deliver this genuine game changer.

The first flight will leave in 10 to 12 weeks.

Now of course, that is later than we wanted.

But we have always been clear that processing will take time and if Peers had not spent weeks holding up the Bill in the House of Lords to try to block flights altogether, we would have begun this process weeks ago.

And the success of this deterrent doesn’t rest on one flight alone.

It rests on the relentless, continual process of successfully and permanently removing people to Rwanda with a regular rhythm of multiple flights every month over the summer and beyond until the boats are stopped.

Now I know there are some who will hear all of this and accuse me of lacking compassion.

But the truth is the opposite.

We are in a battle with callous, sophisticated, and global criminal gangs who care nothing for the lives they risk in unseaworthy dinghies.

Nine people have died already attempting to cross the Channel just this year – including a seven-year-old girl.

That’s why we secured the largest ever deal with France to strengthen interceptions on the French coastline.

And because a third of all arrivals were coming from Albania we struck a deal that reduced illegal Albanian migrants by 90 per cent.

Taken together we’re doubling illegal working raids and returning 150 hotels back to our communities.

We got the number of small boat arrivals last year down by more than a third the first time they had fallen since this phenomenon began, and at a time when European countries were seeing numbers rise exponentially.  

But these sophisticated gangs are changing tactics once again.

As well as piling twice as many people into small dinghies and increasing violence against French police they have shifted their attentions towards vulnerable Vietnamese migrants.

Vietnamese arrivals have increased ten-fold and account for almost all of the increase in small boat numbers we have seen this year.

And just as we succeeded in reducing Albanian arrivals dramatically, so I’m confident we will do the same when it comes to the Vietnamese.

President Macron and I have agreed to work with European partners on closing loopholes to enter Europe in the first place.

The Home Office have signed a Joint Statement with the Vietnamese Government committing to deepen our already very strong migration relationship.

And just last week officials from the Government of Vietnam were at Western Jetfoil and Manston to observe Border Force operations on the front line as they continue to manage small boat arrivals.

But we can’t keep reacting to the changing tactics of these gangs. The truth is we need innovative solutions to address what is a global migration crisis to disrupt the business model of people smuggling gangs and save lives.

And that means a systematic deterrent.

The only way to stop the boats is to eliminate the incentive to come by making it clear that if you are here illegally, you will not be able to stay. 

This policy does exactly that.

I believe it should be this country and your government who decides who comes here, not criminal gangs. And I have the plan to deliver it.

So we will start the flights – and stop the boats.

Thank you.

Brits’ rate TEA BAGS as a top ‘Must-Pack’ item for their holidays

New research from Ambassador Cruise Line finds that over half (60%) of Brits take tea bags with them on holiday
For more than a third (41%), a good cup of tea is what holidaymakers miss most while away, beaten only by their ‘own bed’ (54%)
On National Tea Day on 21 April, Master Tea Blender for Tetley Tea, Sebastian Michaelis, reveals why we have an unmatched love affair with the nation’s favourite brew – and his thoughts on the perfect recipe for a great cup of tea

OUR love affair with tea goes beyond borders, it seems – new research from Ambassador Cruise Line has found tea to be an absolutely essential packing item for British holidaymakers, with over half (60%) admitting to having packed tea bags alongside their swimming costumes and sun cream when preparing for a holiday.

The survey of 2,000 respondents commissioned ahead of National Tea Day on 21 April by the UK’s leading premium-value, no-fly cruise line in partnership with its onboard tea supplier, Tetley, reveals the unshakable bond between Brits and their beloved brew.

As a nation that drinks 100 million cups of tea a day*, the fact we struggle to part with our favourite blends while away is understandable. It seems there is no substitute for a quality cuppa, even when abroad; our love of tea even trumps family bonds it seems!

The research found that, two in five (41%) of Brits miss English Breakfast tea most whilst on holiday, topped only by missing their ‘own bed’ (54%). Just 21% put ‘missing family’ on the home-sickness trigger list.

Despite the many variations of tea available today, Brits remain unwavering in their loyalty to a classic cup of English Breakfast tea, with over half (56%) stating that it is their preferred choice , followed by Earl Grey and Green tea (both at 8%).

The survey found that one in 10 (10%) drink more than five cups a day, with the average being two (23%) to three (18%) cups a day. For more than a third (36%), it is the first thing to be done in the morning, with 21% postponing breakfast until they have enjoyed their first cuppa. Just 5% seem to enjoy a tea after their evening meal or before bed.

So, how do we as a nation make our tea? Just 8% of us use a teapot these days, with the vast majority of Brits putting the tea bag directly into a mug (84%). 82% opt for water before milk, with only 14% championing milk first .

Most commonly, more than half (59%) brew their tea for less than two minutes; one in ten (10%) leave the bag in for five minutes; and 3% brew for over eight minutes.

The survey showed that people love a good cup or tea not only for its taste: it’s also about the familiarity and friendliness a good cuppa provides.

More than half of those surveyed (63%) say tea is the first thing they would offer when welcoming tradespeople to their home. Similarly, tea is the ‘go-to’ pick-me-up for friends or family that are feeling stressed (49%) or sad (43%), with females (50%) more inclined than males (36%) to offer comfort with a cuppa.

Commenting on the findings, Seb Michaelis, a Master Blender from Tetley, Ambassador Cruise Line’s onboard tea partner, says: “It’s no surprise that tea is right up there on the ‘must-have’ packing list – tea lovers know their teas and love their brands.

“Tea is a natural, comforting beverage, a social glue that delivers a perfect ‘me moment’ when needed. However, just as a holidaymaker seeks out new experiences, I would urge tea lovers to explore the wider world of tea also.

“Tea has come a long way since it first reached our shores, with different varieties and strengths available. From everyday black teas to flavoursome speciality teas, fruit and herbal infusions and decaf, there’s a tea to suit every mood and moment, from the first waking hour to the final wind-down time in the evening.”

Gordon Nardini, Ambassador Cruise Line spokesperson, adds: “Away from the business of our day-to-day lives, a holiday is a great chance to take time for a proper cuppa, brewed to perfection.

“Food and beverage plays an important part of the overall guest experience at Ambassador and we pay as much attention to the tea we serve as we do the outstanding cuisine our guests enjoy while onboard.

“With 2.7 million cups of tea expertly served onboard Ambassador’s two ships, Ambience and Ambition, last year, it looks like our guests’ own tea bags will stay firmly in their suitcases for many years to come!”

Making the Perfect Cup of Tea according to Tetley’s Master Blender, Seb Michaelis:

“I’m always asked how to make the perfect cup of tea! We in the tea buying and blending team are quite particular with how we make our tea, so much so that we’ve developed a formula for it!

“But in all honesty the right way to make tea is the way you like it and enjoy it best. However you like it, my top tip for getting the richest brew at home is to use freshly drawn water from the tap and to pour it as soon as it’s boiled; don’t let it cool down.”

Sunak vows to tackle Britain’s ‘sick note culture’

TORIES TO OVERHAUL BENEFITS SYSTEM

THE Prime Minister has unveiled a package of welfare reform measures to tackle the unprecedented rise in economic inactivity and ensure the benefits system is ‘better targeted at those who need it most’.

PM to announce plans to overhaul benefits system to ensure people who are fit to work aren’t left behind on benefits
Fit note system to be reviewed after 11 million fit notes issued last year with 94% written off as unfit to work
Comes amid unprecedented rise in inactivity due to long term sickness with latest figures showing almost a third of working age adults are inactive

The Prime Minister’s new plan for welfare will end Britain’s “sick note culture”, which has resulted in a significant rise in people being unnecessarily written off work and parked on welfare.

It comes amid concerns that the fit note system has opened the floodgates for millions of people to be written off work and into welfare without getting the right support and treatment they might need to help them stay in work.

Data recently published by the NHS shows almost 11 million fit notes were issued last year, with an overwhelming 94% of those signed “not fit for work”. A large proportion of these are repeat fit notes which are issued without any advice, resulting in a missed opportunity to help people get the appropriate support they may need to remain in work.

To address this, the Prime Minister yesterday announced a review of the fit note system to stop people being written off as “not fit for work” by default and instead design a new system where each fit note conversation focuses on what people can do with the right support in place, rather than what they can’t do.

As part of this, the government will consider shifting the responsibility for issuing the fit note away from already stretched GPs, towards specialist work and health professionals who have the dedicated time and expertise to provide an objective assessment of someone’s ability to work and the tailored support they may need.

A call for evidence will be published later today to seek responses from a diverse range of perspectives, including those with lived experiences, healthcare professionals and employers, both on how the current process works and how it can better support people with health conditions to start, stay, and succeed in work.

The Prime Minister said: “We don’t just need to change the sick note, we need to change the sick note culture so the default becomes what work you can do – not what you can’t.

“Building on the pilots we’ve already started we’re going to design a new system where people have easy and rapid access to specialised work and health support to help them back to work from the very first Fit Note conversation.

“We’re also going to test shifting the responsibility for assessment from GPs and giving it to specialist work and health professionals who have the dedicated time to provide an objective assessment of someone’s ability to work and the tailored support they need to do so.”

Setting out his vision for a “new welfare settlement for Britain”, the Prime Minister outlined the new challenges that have emerged since the pandemic particularly the unprecedented rise in inactivity and how the government plans to tackle them.

Before the pandemic, we had the second lowest inactivity rate in the G7, lower than France, Germany, Italy, USA and Canada. But since the pandemic, a significant number of working aged people have become inactive due to long term sickness which has in large part been driven by mental health conditions.

Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics suggest there are currently 2.8 million people who are ‘economically inactive’ due to long-term sickness, a near-record high. Of those inactive due to long term sickness at the start of last year, 53% reported that they had depression, bad nerves or anxiety.

This is also driving an unsustainable increase in welfare spending as more people claiming disability benefits are now assessed as having anxiety or depression as their main condition.

Since the pandemic, total spending on working age disability and ill-health benefits increased by almost two-thirds from £42.3 billion to £69 billion and we now spend more on these benefits than our core schools’ budget or on policing.

The fit note process is often the first step to someone falling out of work and acts as a gateway towards some ill health and disability benefit assessments. There is also clear evidence that the longer someone is out of work, the lower the likelihood that they return to work – further exacerbating the rise in inactivity.

The Prime Minister made the case that we need to be more ambitious about how we help people, particularly with mental health conditions, back into work and ensure they are not left behind on the benefits system.

The Prime Minister added: “We should see it as a sign of progress that people can talk openly about mental health conditions in a way that only a few years ago would’ve been unthinkable, and I will never dismiss or downplay the illnesses people have.

“But just as it would be wrong to dismiss this growing trend, so it would be wrong merely to sit back and accept it because it’s too hard; or too controversial; or for fear of causing offence. Doing so, would let down many of the people our welfare system was designed to help.

“Because if you believe as I do, that work gives you the chance not just to earn but to contribute, to belong, to overcome feelings of loneliness and social isolation and if you believe, as I do, the growing body of evidence that good work can actually improve mental and physical health…

“…then it becomes clear: we need to be more ambitious about helping people back to work and more honest about the risk of over-medicalising the everyday challenges and worries of life.”

Yesterday’s fit note review builds on the significant steps the UK Government has taken so far to break down barriers to work and tackle inactivity.

This includes through our £2.5 billion Back to Work Plan which is already helping over a million people, including those with mental health conditions, break down barriers to work by expanding access to mental health services and putting an additional 384,000 people through NHS Talking Therapies.

The new WorkWell pilot is also being rolled out and will support almost 60,000 long-term sick or disabled people to start, stay and succeed in work once it has gone live in approximately 15 areas across England.

The WorkWell services provides a single, joined-up assessment and gateway into local employment support services, to help people manage their health conditions and get back to work sooner. This is part of an ambitious programme to support disabled people and people with health conditions to start, stay and succeed in work.

DWP are also testing reforms of the fit note process to integrate it more closely with WorkWell, enabling the people who need it to have a work and health conversation, with a single, joined-up assessment and gateway into local employment support services.

It will also complement the role of Occupational Health in ensuring employers understand and benefit from more expert work and health support to retain and support those in work.

The fit note call for evidence is part of five key reforms the Prime Minister outlined in his speech to put work at the heart of welfare and modernise the welfare system to ensure it is fit for the future.

Strut Your Stuff at a Super Saturday Fitness Festival

Edinburgh Leisure is pumping up the volume with their first festival of fitness classes at Meadowbank Sports Centre on Saturday, 4^th May 2024.

The Super Saturday Fitness Class Festival will be an opportunity to try over 15 different fitness classes on a Super Saturday Workout like no other.

You can work up a sweat with the crowds at popular high-octane favourites like Bodypump and Zumba or try out some new acts like Shapes. And if you prefer life in the slower lane, their relaxation stage will be offering more peaceful Yoga and Pilates sessions.

With activities starting from 9am across four different stages, there will be something for everyone. Spaces are limited so make sure to book your classes now online or on the app.

Entry is free for Edinburgh Leisure members and just £5 per class for non-members. All classes must be pre-booked.

Edinburgh Leisure offers more classes across the city than any other provider and they have recently unlocked their Fitness Class Membership to ensure customers have access to all the classes they want, wherever they’re at, in the city or in life.

Their Fitness Class Membership now offers full access to more than 750 fitness classes a week across all their venues.

And if you sign up before 31 May 2024, you can take advantage of their No Joining Fee Offer – available for a limited time only.

To join now, https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/join

To find out more about Super Saturday and to pre-book the fitness classes on offer, visit: https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/super-saturday.

If you’re on the Edinburgh Leisure app, click the Fitness Class Bookings or the Super Saturday Tile on the Meadowbank Sports Centre’s tile.

MPs to vote on landmark Bill to create Smokefree generation

MPs to vote on legislation to create first smoke-free generation, protecting young people turning 15 this year or younger from harms of smoking

MPs will vote today (16th April 2024) on world-leading legislation to protect future generations across the UK from the harmful effects of smoking.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would make it an offence to sell tobacco products to anyone born after 1 January 2009 – children aged 15 or younger today. Smoking itself would not be criminalised and anyone who can legally buy tobacco today will never be prevented from doing so in the future by the legislation.

If passed, the Bill will progress to the next stage, bringing the UK closer to creating the first smoke-free generation.

Responsible for around 80,000 deaths annually, smoking is the UK’s single biggest preventable killer and costs the NHS and economy an estimated £17 billion a year—far more than the £10 billion annual revenue from tobacco taxation.

It is also highly addictive – 4 in 5 smokers start before the age of 20 and remain addicted for the rest of their lives despite most smokers having tried to quit.

The legislation will cover all tobacco products, recognising that tobacco kills two-thirds of long-term users. In England alone, almost every minute someone with a smoking-related condition is admitted to hospital.

The Bill will help deliver the Prime Minister’s commitment of creating a smokefree generation which could prevent over 470,000 cases of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and other deadly diseases by the turn of the century.

Alongside action to prevent creating future smokers, the government has already announced significant additional funding for stop smoking services over the next five years, effectively doubling the money available for local initiatives that can help existing smokers to quit. The government is also rolling out an innovative financial incentives scheme to help all pregnant smokers to quit.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said: “Too many people know someone whose life has been tragically cut short or irreversibly changed because of smoking, which despite significant progress remains the UK’s biggest preventable killer.

“The truth is that there is no safe level of tobacco consumption. It is uniquely harmful and that is why we are taking this important action today to protect the next generation.

“This Bill will save thousands of lives, ease the strain on our NHS, and improve the UK’s productivity.”

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill would also give the government new powers to tackle youth vaping by restricting flavours and regulating the way that vapes are sold and packaged to make them less appealing to children.

While vaping can play a useful role in helping adult smokers to quit, non-smokers and children should never vape. The long-term health impacts of vaping are unknown and the nicotine contained within them can be highly addictive.

To ensure compliance with the new rules, trading standards officers will be given new powers to issue on-the-spot fines (fixed penalty notices) to retailers unlawfully selling tobacco or vapes to children. All the money raised would be used to fund further enforcement action.

The Bill follows the government’s previously stated commitment to ban the sale and supply of disposable vapes under existing environmental legislation, which have been a key factor behind the rise in youth vaping. The ban is planned to take effect from April 2025.

Public Health Minister, Andrea Leadsom, said: “Smoking is the number one preventable cause of disability, ill health and death in this country. Once it becomes a habit, its addictive nature means that it is extremely difficult to stop.

“Because the case against these harmful products is so strong, it’s not surprising that the majority of the British public—including those who smoke and those who sell tobacco—support plans to protect the next generation from the misery of smoking.

“Our plan will save lives, ease the strain on our NHS, and ensure a brighter future for our children.”

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England said: “Smoking kills and causes harm at all stages of life from stillbirths, asthma in children, stroke, cancer to heart attacks and dementia.

“This Bill, if passed, will have a substantial impact – preventing disease, disability and premature deaths long into the future.”

Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health, said: “The Tobacco and Vapes Bill being voted on today is radical but, hard as it is now to believe, so were the smokefree laws when they were put before parliament. Parliamentarians can be reassured that the public they represent back the Bill.

“New research just published by ASH shows that the majority of tobacco retailers and the public, including smokers, support the legislation and the smokefree generation ambition it is designed to deliver. This historic legislation will consign smoking to the “ash heap of history.”

Dr Charmaine Griffiths, Chief Executive at the British Heart Foundation said: “Smoking continues to devastate the nation’s health, taking 15,000 UK lives every single year due to cardiovascular disease alone.

“Raising the age of sale for tobacco each year will be a game changer, meaning that future generations are protected from serious disease and death caused by smoking.

“Decisive action is needed to end this ongoing public health tragedy – we urge every MP to vote for this landmark legislation at the Bill’s Second Reading.”

Professor Steve Turner, Royal College for Paediatrics and Child Health President, said: “Without a doubt the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill will save lives.

“By stopping children and young people from becoming addicted to nicotine and tobacco we decrease their chances of developing preventable diseases later in life, and will protect children from the harms of nicotine addiction.

“As paediatricians, we strongly urge MPs to use the important responsibility they have and support this Bill to protect children’s and our nation’s current and future health.”

Dr Ian Walker, Executive Director of Policy at Cancer Research UK, said: “Today’s vote is a critical step towards the UK becoming a world leader in tobacco control. By voting in favour of the age of sale legislation, MPs will be putting us on the right side of history, and helping to create the first ever smokefree generation.

“Smoking is still the leading cause of cancer in the UK. Now is the time to take action, end cancers caused by smoking and save lives.”

Keep Scotland Beautiful’s National Award for Environmental Excellence

KEEP Scotland Beautiful have recently awarded @NetworkRailSCOT‘s Central and Waverley stations and @brittaniayacht with a National Award for Environmental Excellence, which recognises the best practice in environmental and carbon management.

Find out more about the award: https://ow.ly/6KlT50Re7C1

Amazon supports Children’s Charity

A children’s charity in Dumfries has received a donation of 1,300 educational books from the team at Amazon’s fulfilment centre in Dunfermline.

Aberlour Children’s Charity supports disadvantaged children and families across Scotland. The charity offers tailored services such as addiction recovery, disability care and residential and foster care for children who are unable to live with their families.

The team from Amazon in Dunfermline visited the charity’s hub in Dumfries to deliver 1,300 educational books. The books will be used in Aberlour’s community library in its Dumfries, Annan and Stranraer hubs as well as being gifted to children and young people Aberlour support across Dumfries and Galloway

Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon in Dunfermline, said: “At Amazon, supporting people in need is an essential part of our work with the community.

“The care and compassion that the staff and volunteers at Aberlour Children’s Charity have for the people they meet is truly admirable, and we’re glad to play a small part in their outreach. We hope this donation of books can make a positive change.”

Jonathan McClean, an employee at Amazon in Dunfermline who helped deliver the books, added: “The support Aberlour Children’s Charity provides to the community is transformative.

“I had the pleasure of seeing how happy the staff were to see our donation and recognise the impact this will have for children across Scotland. The charity is creating brighter futures for those in need and I feel very grateful that we are able to support them to achieve this.”

Amanda McAllister, Service Manager from Aberlour Children’s Charity, added: “We really appreciate Amazon’s support with this donation of books.

“Their contribution to our work will directly impact the lives of children and families we support across Dumfries and Galloway, which is priceless to us. Thank you, Jamie and team!”

Community donations and employee volunteering are just two of the ways Amazon supports the communities where it operates. Amazon co-founded the Multibank initiative with former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to support families in poverty.

The first Multibank, ‘The Big Hoose’, opened in Fife providing surplus essentials like nappies, toilet rolls, toothpaste and school uniforms, donated by Amazon and others, directly to those in need. The initiative has gone on to donate more than 2 million goods to over 200,000 families across Scotland and Greater Manchester.

Amazon also helps community organisations transport meals and other essentials to families in need through its pro bono logistics programme, Amazon Local Good, including more than seven million healthy breakfasts to children at risk of hunger in partnership with Magic Breakfast.

Amazon partners with Comic Relief to help people tackle poverty and is the official home of the charity’s iconic Red Nose.

Last year, together with its employees, customers, and partners, Amazon raised over £4.8 million to fund projects that support people struggling with the cost-of-living crisis and tackle issues such as homelessness, mental health problems, and food insecurity across the UK, and around the world.

Man arrested following drugs warrants in Wester Hailes and Stenhouse

Following information from the public, Police executed warrants at three addresses in the Wester Hailes and Stenhouse areas yesterday (Friday, 12 April, 2024).

Drugs with an estimated value of around £38,000, a significant amount of cash and other valuable items were recovered.

A 44-year-old man was arrested in connection and enquiries are ongoing.

Police would like to thank the local community for their support.

First Minister’s concerns over UK decision to continue to arm Israel

Noting that the Prime Minister did not agree to his call to end the license of arms exports to Israel, the First Minister has written to Lord Ahmad to warn that the UK Government is in danger of being complicit in the killing of innocent civilians.

The full text of the letter: UK arms sales to Israel: letter to Lord Ahmad:

Dear Lord Ahmad,

Thank you for your letter of 8 April replying to mine to the Prime Minister of 23 February and 3 April.

I welcome the UK Government’s stated commitment to International Humanitarian Law, our diplomats’ contribution to finally achieving a UN Security Council Resolution, and the UK’s wider efforts to bring an end to the tragedy befalling the people of the Middle East.

I share with you the grief at the killing of three British aid workers, along with every other innocent man, woman and child killed in Gaza and Israel since Hamas’s terrorist attacks of 7 October and Israel’s response, which has gone far beyond any legitimate response.

In spite of everything contained in your comprehensive reply, I note that you have not agreed to my call to end the license of arms exports to Israel, which means that the UK will continue to arm Israel’s war in Gaza. A war that has left tens of thousands dead, the majority reported to be women and children.

As I said in my letter of 3 April, by continuing to arm Israel, the United Kingdom Government is in danger of being complicit in the killing of innocent civilians.

I find it difficult to comprehend that this continues to be the United Kingdom’s position against the backdrop of the ICJ ruling; UN Security Council, General Assembly and Human Rights Council Resolutions; countless UN officials’ statements about the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Gaza; and the recent open letter signed by over 600 legal professionals warning of potential UK complicity in grave breaches of international law, including violations of the Genocide Convention.

If this, alongside the killing of British nationals among at least 35,000 dead – the majority of whom are innocent women and children – is insufficient to change your policy, what more will it take?

Cash for Kids support for Edinburgh School Uniform Bank

More good news!

A £3,000 grant provided by Cash for Kids to Edinburgh School Uniform Bank marks a significant contribution towards supporting families in need within the city.

This generous donation will make a considerable difference by easing the financial burden on families when it comes to purchasing school uniforms for their children.

School uniforms are an essential part of educational life, promoting a sense of belonging and equality among students. However, the cost can be a barrier for many families, especially those experiencing financial hardships.

ESUB plays a crucial role in this context, ensuring that all children have access to the necessary attire without the stigma of financial strain. This grant from Cash for Kids not only highlights the importance of community support but also reinforces the idea that education should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their economic background.

Thank you