During this session we’ll be looking back at what the people of Edinburgh and the Lothians, have chosen to wear over the decades; following fads & fashions from the past and how we dressed to impress.
We’ll look at where people shopped for their clothing, whether buying traditional tartan, a Victorian corset on Princes Street, teen garb in Leith or flared denim on 1970s Cockburn Street.
Hourglass has welcomed a new inspection by His Majesty’s Crown Prosecution Service Inspectorate (HMCPSI), which finds that older victims of crime generally receive a good service from prosecutors, but warns that court delays and an overly complex policy framework risk leaving older people waiting too long for justice.
The inspection, published today, examined 168 cases and assessed how the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) supports older victims throughout the prosecution process. Inspectors found that prosecutors often identify vulnerability well in practice and make appropriate use of special measures to support older victims to give their best evidence.
Hourglass worked closely with HMCPSI throughout the inspection, providing written evidence, sharing frontline insight from its work supporting older victim-survivors, and contributing to the development of the inspection framework.
The charity welcomed the inspectorate’s commitment to centring victim experience and engaging meaningfully with specialist third sector organisations.
The report highlights serious concerns about delays in the court system, noting the disproportionate impact these have on older victims, whose health and circumstances may deteriorate while cases are repeatedly adjourned.
Inspectors also found that the current approach to identifying and monitoring crimes against older people is overly complex and prone to error, with around a third of cases incorrectly flagged.
Significantly, the inspection reflects a number of issues consistently raised by Hourglass, including the need to lower the age threshold used to identify older victims, move away from a quasi-hate-crime model, and improve the quality and transparency of data.
HMCPSI recommends that the CPS simplify its approach by recognising all victims aged 60 and over, focusing on vulnerability rather than rigid definitions, and strengthening monitoring.
Veronica Gray, Deputy CEO and Head of Policy at Hourglass, said: “We are grateful to HMCPSI for engaging closely with Hourglass throughout this inspection and for taking older victims’ lived experiences seriously.
“The report rightly recognises the commitment of prosecutors, while also being clear that the current framework is too complex and is producing inconsistent outcomes.
“We are particularly pleased to see our recommendations reflected in the inspectorate’s findings, including lowering the age threshold to 60 and simplifying the approach so that all older victims are consistently recognised and supported.
“We urge the CPS to adopt the recommendations in full and look forward to continuing to work constructively with them to support implementation.”
Hourglass, the only UK-wide charity dedicated to ending the abuse and neglect of older people, has long called for greater consistency in how older victims are identified, better data to understand the scale and nature of abuse, and a justice system that responds with urgency to the realities of ageing and vulnerability.
The report makes three recommendations for the CPS to implement by September 2026:
simplifying the definition of crimes against older people to include all victims aged 60 and over
removing the requirement to treat these cases as ‘quasi-hate crimes’ and focusing instead on individual vulnerability
strengthening monitoring and data quality to ensure older victims are properly recognised.
Hourglass said the inspection provides a strong foundation for reform and an important opportunity to strengthen confidence among older victim-survivors that they will be seen, supported, and treated with urgency by the justice system.
Baroness Hughes of Stretford, England Patron for Hourglass, said: “Older victims of crime face particular barriers in being heard and supported, especially when cases are delayed or systems are overly complex.
“I welcome moves to create a clearer, more consistent approach that focuses on vulnerability and ensures older people are not overlooked. This is an important moment to strengthen confidence in the justice system for older victims.”
Last night, a letter signed by dozens of cross-party MPs, celebrities including Dame Joanna Lumley and Amanda Holden, and animal organisations such as Animal Rising and PETA, was sent to the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood MP.
The letter calls for an immediate closure of MBR Acres, the only site in the UK breeding dogs for the animal testing industry, alongside the safe rehoming of all the beagles there.
This comes after years of campaigning against the site, with more than 170,000 people signing a petition to close it down.
MBR Acres is licensed to bleed healthy dogs to death, by directly inserting needles into their heart and surrounding blood vessels, and also to harvest their organs.
In the latest blow for animal testing in the UK, and more specifically the use of beagle dogs, public figures from across politics, television, academia, and more have united to call on the Government to “let Britain lead the world into a future without animal testing” and close the only site in the country breeding dogs for the industry.
Rose Patterson, Animal Rising Director, said: “Dozens of public figures have added their voices to the open letter, and over 170,000 people have signed the petition to shut down MBR Acres. The British public is united on this and expects change at the highest level.
“We call ourselves a nation of animal lovers, but MBR Acres holds a licence to bleed healthy dogs to death by inserting needles directly into their hearts. Those two things cannot coexist. The Government has a mandate to act, and shutting down MBR Acres is the easiest first step they could take.”
The letter is the latest in a series of escalating campaigns calling on the Government to take genuine steps towards phasing out animal testing in the UK, as per their manifesto pledge in the lead-up to the 2024 General Election. MPs from Labour, the Liberal Democrats, SNP, Green Party, and Your Party have all signed to show their support for the campaign.
Carla Denyer MP, Green Party Member of the House of Commons for Bristol Central, said: “Is this another Labour U-turn? On 22nd December, the government published its Animal Welfare Strategy, which recommitted to ‘phase out animal testing’, but on 11th February, the government redefined ‘Key National Infrastructure’ in the Public Order Act to include animal testing sites.
“The charitable interpretation is that the government’s left hand doesn’t know what its right hand is doing, or more concerningly, that they are trying to tell the people what they want to hear while quietly acting in the interest of big businesses instead.
“I hope the government sees that the route to regaining public support involves reversing this decision and closing down MBR Acres for good.”
MBR Acres and their parent company, Marshall BioResources, have been under intense scrutiny for decades. Most notably, in 2015, an Italian facility run by the company, Green Hill, was shut down, and 3,000 dogs were rehomed after undercover footage revealed horrific conditions at the site.
Three senior employees of the company were also jailed. Multiple instances of undercover footage showing the conditions at MBR Acres have also been released since 2021.
Currently, the fourth of five trials relating to two separate rescues of beagle puppies from MBR Acres is ongoing.
The previous three trials have returned one acquittal and two convictions, with sentences ranging from 18-month suspended sentences to conditional discharges.
A cross-government group has been established by the Scottish Government to consider the impacts of the ongoing conflict in Iran and the surrounding region for Scotland.
The group’s priorities include ensuring close co-ordination with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on consular support for any Scottish residents living, working or travelling through impacted countries.
It will also provide advice to Ministers on the potential economic impacts of the conflict for people and businesses in Scotland, as well as any steps to be taken to reassure different affected communities around the country.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “People across Scotland will be deeply concerned about the unfolding situation in Iran and the surrounding countries impacted by this conflict.
“At the First Minister’s request, officials across government are working at pace to understand and mitigate any impacts that this conflict may have for Scots at home and abroad. This also includes any steps which can be taken to reassure different affected communities around the country.
“The Scottish Government remains in close contact with the UK Government for updates on this situation as it unfolds. In the meantime it is important to monitor official updates and follow any advice from the FCDO, which has asked British nationals in Bahrain, Israel, Palestine, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to register their presence, to ensure they receive the latest updates.”
First Minister John Swinney has called for a diplomatic solution to help bring violence to an end amidst the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
The First Minister said before the meeting: “I am deeply concerned at the escalation of the conflict in the aftermath of the United States and Israel’s strikes on Iran.
“At what is a profoundly dangerous and uncertain moment for the region and the wider world, it is essential that all nations abide by the international rules-based system. The events of the last few days do not suggest to me that the United States and Israel have done this.
“This initial action gives rise to an inevitable escalation of the conflict, and the decision of the UK Prime Minister to allow UK military bases to be used by the United States in this operation creates further risks and dangers. It is a matter of real concern that the UK has now been drawn into this conflict and the Prime Minister needs to set out clearly how the risks we now face can be reduced.
“It is unclear what the exit strategy is for this military action or that there has been appropriate planning to ensure stability in the region.
“The dangerous consequences of these strikes are already being felt by civilians, including many Scottish nationals, and underline the need to bring this conflict to a peaceful resolution. While that crucial work takes place, we will continue to engage with the UK Government on the support that can be provided to those in the region.
“There can be no doubt that the Iranian government is a brutal, repressive and undemocratic regime which must never have access to nuclear weapons. But the main victims of that regime have been the people of Iran, who are suffering terribly.
“The Iranian people must have democratic rights and should have the opportunity to decide their own future. But history shows us that this is rarely if ever achieved by external intervention – indeed this type of military intervention can often be wholly counterproductive.
“There must be a diplomatic solution to bring this violence to an end. The international community must now come together to ensure de-escalation, an end to hostilities and a return to negotiations. Peace must prevail.”
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer updated the House of Commons yesterday:
With permission, Mr Speaker, I will update the House on the situation in Iran, the wider region, and the United Kingdom’s response.
The United Kingdom was not involved in the initial US and Israeli strikes on Iran. That decision was deliberate. We believe that the best path for the region is through a negotiated settlement, one in which Iran agrees to abandon its aspiration to develop a nuclear weapon and ceases its destabilising activities across the Middle East. That has been the longstanding position of successive British governments.
President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to join the initial strikes. But it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest, and that is the judgement I made. I stand by it.
However, Mr Speaker, it is now clear that Iran’s outrageous response has become a threat to our partners, to our interests, and to our allies. Iran has lashed out across the region. It has launched hundreds of missiles and drones at countries which did not attack it, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Iraq, Bahrain and Oman. And overnight, Hezbollah, Iran’s proxy, carried out further attacks on Israel, seeking to escalate the conflict.
There are an estimated 300,000 British citizens across the region; residents, families, holidaymakers and others, many of whom are currently in airports and hotels where significant disruption is taking place. This is deeply concerning for the whole House and the whole country.
Our Armed Forces have also come under pressure. Last night, at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, an Iranian drone struck within 800 yards of British personnel. Thankfully, there were no casualties.
It is important for me to be clear: our bases in Cyprus have not been used by US forces for offensive strikes. A strike on RAF Akrotiri was not in response to any decision the UK has taken. Our assessment is that the drone was launched before our announcement. Iran’s hostility toward Britain and our interests is long‑standing, which is why our forces are always held at a high level of readiness.
Mr Speaker, it is very clear that the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader has not moderated the regime. In fact, their actions are becoming even more reckless, destabilising and ruthless, deliberately planned to cause destruction not only to military targets but to civilian ones, with no regard for human life. That is the situation we face, and to which we must respond.
I have spoken to our partners, many of whom feel utterly outraged by Iran’s attacks, particularly as they played no part in any strike against Iran. They have asked us to do more to help defend them.
And, Mr Speaker, my highest duty is to protect British lives. For several days now, British jets, Typhoons and F‑35s, have been deployed as part of coalition defensive operations. They have already successfully intercepted multiple threats, including drones heading toward a coalition base in Iraq housing UK personnel. I want to pay tribute to the bravery of our servicemen and women, who put themselves in harm’s way to keep others safe. The whole House will join me in expressing our gratitude.
But it is simply not possible to shoot down every Iranian missile and drone once they are launched. The only way to prevent these attacks is to destroy the missiles at source, in their storage depots or at their launchers.
The United States requested permission to use British bases for that specific, limited defensive purpose. They have the capabilities required to prevent Iranian missiles from killing civilians, British nationals, or our allies in countries that played no part in the initial strike.
To be clear: the use of British bases is strictly limited to agreed defensive purposes. The UK has not joined US offensive operations. Our action is rooted in the principle of collective self‑defence of longstanding friends and in the protection of British lives. We have published a summary of our legal position, which sets this out clearly. We will keep this decision under review.
France and Germany are also prepared to support the US in preventing Iran’s ability to launch further missile and drone attacks. I have been in close contact with President Macron and Chancellor Merz, as well as leaders across the region.
Mr Speaker, the Iranian regime has long brought horror to the world. Its actions have destabilised the region for decades, sponsored terrorism worldwide, targeted British shipping in the Red Sea, and supported Russia’s attack on Ukraine.
Here in the UK, Iran has directed threats toward dissidents and the Jewish community. Over the last year alone, Iran-backed plots against people in the UK have been disrupted. We must be clear about the threat that Iran poses.
This is a dangerous moment. Our first thoughts are with British citizens in the region—friends, family members and constituents. I recognise the deep concern felt by those with loved ones caught up in these events.
We are asking all British nationals in the region to register their presence with the FCDO so we can provide them with the best possible support. Across much of the region, airspace remains severely restricted. Local authorities in several countries are advising individuals to shelter in place.
We are deploying rapid‑response teams to support British nationals. We are in close contact with our partners, including in the UAE, given the possibility of British nationals needing to leave from there. We are exploring all options for helping our citizens return home as swiftly and safely as possible. Ministers are also engaging directly with airlines.
We are also in touch with community groups across the UK, including Muslim and Jewish organisations, and we are ensuring that sensitive sites have appropriate security.
Mr Speaker, the situation in the region is evolving rapidly. I will continue to update the House.
We have learned from the mistakes of the past. We were not involved in the initial strikes, and we will not join offensive US strikes. But in the face of Iran’s dangerous escalation, we will defend British nationals and support the collective self‑defence of our allies. That is our duty to the British people.
It is the best way to prevent further escalation, to protect British interests and British lives. That is what this Government has done, and I commend this statement to the House.
Spending cut of £1,700 per pupil from 2014/15 for those identified with additional support needs (ASN) – 30.1 per cent cut over a decade.
The number of pupils identified with ASN has more than doubled (102 per cent increase) over the same period.
A cut of 240 in the number of specialist ASN teachers.
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, has warned of a potential lost generation of children and young people with ASN, and urged greater resourcing for this group.
ASN includes the likes of autism, dyslexia and mental health problems, and the coalition has urged provision of support for this to be a central issue in the forthcoming Scottish Parliamentary election campaign.
The call comes as new figures contained in a parliamentary answer to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Jenny Gilruth MSP, reveal that average additional support for learning (ASL) spend per pupil has been slashed by nearly a third (30.1 per cent) over the last decade.[1]This comes against a perfect storm of escalating numbers of pupils with ASN and cuts in support.
The SCSC is urging the Scottish Government to work with local authorities to increase funding to support the needs of vulnerable children and young people, including greater provision of specialist ASN teachers, educational psychologists, speech and language therapists, behaviour support staff and classroom assistants.
The figures highlight that average spending per pupil on ASL by local authorities in Scotland (primary, secondary and special education) has fallen from £5,504 in financial year 2014/15 to £3,804 in 2024/25 (based on 2024/5 prices). This amounts to an overall cut in spending of £1,700 per pupil, representing a 30.1 per cent drop.
This funding fall is against the backdrop of a 102 per cent increase over the same period in the number of pupils identified with ASN, from 140,501 to 284,448, amounting to 127,443 individuals. Those with ASNrepresent more than a third of all pupils (36.7 per cent).2
In parallel with this, there has been a cut of 240 in the number of specialists ASN teachers, from 3,077 in 2014 to 2,837 in 2024.3
A report from Audit Scotland has called on the Scottish Government and local authorities to fundamentally rethink how they plan, fund and staff additional support for learning as part of core school education in Scotland.4
In January 2026, the Scottish Government announced a national review into the provision of ASL, led by the former Chief Inspector of Education in Scotland, Janie McManus. This will look at how to strengthen delivery, including provision in schools, and how policy is translating into effective practice.5
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “It is deeply concerning to see cuts to spending that support children and young people with ASN. While there is a record amount of spending in support of those with ASN, this is offset by a dramatic increase in the number of pupils affected, meaning that spending per pupil has been slashed.
“We urge all political parties to make provision for this group a central commitment in their election campaigns.
It is vital that the Scottish Government and local authorities increase resources to expand access to the likes of specialist ASN teachers, educational psychologists, and classroom assistants. Without this investment, we risk a lost generation of children with ASN missing out on the care and support they need, when they need.
“Additionally, proper resourcing is essential if we are to achieve genuine classroom inclusion and close the educational attainment gap. We therefore expect that the national review of ASL provision should address the critical issue of sufficient resourcing.
“The Scottish Government and local authorities must work together to ensure properly funded, consistent support across Scotland for children and young people with ASN — some of the most vulnerable members of our society.”
“The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose. We have taken the decision to accept this request“
STARMER STATEMENT 1st MARCH
Yesterday, I spoke to you about the situation in the Gulf and explained that the United Kingdom was not involved in the strikes on Iran. That remains the case.
Over the last two days Iran has launched sustained attacks across the region at countries who did not attack them.
They’ve hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying.
This is clearly a dangerous situation.
We have at least 200,000 British citizens in the region – residents, families on holiday, and those in transit.
I ask all our people in the region to please register your presence and follow Foreign Office travel advice.
I know this is a deeply worrying time and we will continue to do all we can to support you.
Our Armed Forces who are located across the region are also being put at risk by Iran’s actions.
Yesterday Iran hit a military base in Bahrain, narrowly missing British personnel.
The death of the Supreme Leader will not stop Iran from launching these strikes.
Their approach is becoming even more reckless – and more dangerous to civilians.
Our decision that the UK would not be involved with the strikes on Iran was deliberate.
Not least because we believe that the best way forward for the region and for the world is a negotiated settlement.
One in which Iran agrees to give up any aspirations to develop a nuclear weapon.
But Iran is striking British interests nonetheless, and putting British people at huge risk, along with our allies across the region.
Our partners in the Gulf have asked us to do more to defend them, and it is my duty to protect British lives.
We have British jets in the air as part of coordinated defensive operations which have already successfully intercepted Iranian strikes.
But the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source – in their storage depots or the launchers which used to fire the missiles.
The United States has requested permission to use British bases for that specific and limited defensive purpose.
We have taken the decision to accept this request – to prevent Iran firing missiles across the region, killing innocent civilians, putting British lives at risk, and hitting countries that have not been involved.
The basis of our decision is the collective self-defence of longstanding friends and allies, and protecting British lives.
That is in accordance with international law. And we are publishing a summary of our legal advice.
We are not joining these strikes, but we will continue with our defensive actions in the region.
And we will also bring experts from Ukraine together with our own experts to help Gulf partners shoot down Iranian drones attacking them.
I want to be very clear: we all remember the mistakes of Iraq.
And we have learned those lessons.
We were not involved in the initial strikes on Iran and we will not join offensive action now.
But Iran is pursuing a scorched earth strategy – so we are supporting the collective self-defence of our allies and our people in the region.
Because that is our duty to the British people.
It is the best way to eliminate the urgent threat and prevent the situation spiralling further.
This is the British government protecting British interests and British lives.
Vaccines continue to be the most effective way to protect people from serious, life-threatening diseases.
Thanks to vaccines, diseases like smallpox, polio, & tetanus, that were once responsible for millions of deaths and disabilities, have been eliminated or drastically reduced.
Heather Marshall is delighted to announce the incredible cast for Medusa, making its stage premiere at Summerhall this March, combining ancient myth with queer rave culture, Scots language and centuries of pathologised female rage.
Clare Nolan makes her professional debut as Medusa, following her training at Guilford Acting School, where her credits include Flying Ant Day, Jane Eyre and The Unimaginable Sisters. Long time Creative Electric collaborator Rosalind McAndrew joins as Athena. A neurodiverse, queer, working class performer whose stage credits include Burst and Dandelion (Creative Electric), Falling Star (Starcatchers) and Inside Pussy Riot (Les Enfants Terribles). TV Credits include Pineapple, Dinosaur and Casualty, BBC.
Hailing from Edinburgh, Conrad Williamson joins the cast as Poseidon, with screen credits in Tetralogue (Valdesiga Productions), The Outrun (Brock Media / Arcade Pictures) and Fear (Wild Mercury Production / Prime Video. On Stage, credits include Trainspotting Live (Seabright Live), Home is Where The Heart Is (Birds of Paradise / Creative Electric) and Brecht: Fragments (Raven Row).
Queer, mixed heritage circus artist and performance maker Sadiq Ali joins as Sthenno, fresh from a UK tour of the Sadiq Ali Company’s Tell Me. Other works include The Chosen Haram and Stuntman (Superfan). Completing the cast from Cumbernauld is Olivia Caw as Euryale. Stage credits include Common Tongue by Fraser Young, PALS by Mirren Wilson and Trainspotting Live (Seabright Live).
With access at its heart, Medusa is for everyone – from theatre lover, to raver, to someone searching for queer, disabled community – and will offer a variety of ways to experience the show.
Four performances from Friday 6 – Sunday 8 March, across varied time slots, will feature integrated BSL, with a sign interpreter moving alongside the cast through the space, acting as a type of Greek chorus.
Each performance is relaxed with the opportunity to take time out in a quiet space, utilise ear defenders or sunglasses while still following the show. For audiences who experience chronic pain, they will be able to lie down.
If you need to move around you can do that too. The Saturday matinee performance will be low sensory for those who experience acute sensory overwhelm, with lower light and sound and smaller audience numbers in the space.
A powerful new piece of theatre that breaks open the mythical Medusa – an ancient woman never given a myth of her own, whose whole existence is rooted in misogyny. This contemporary Scots reimagining explores the impact of hormones on the body, and the pathologisation of the menstrual cycle and its effects on mental and physical health and trauma response, through one of mythology’s most notable figures of “female rage”.
Evolving from Heather’s own personal experience, Medusa invites us under the prescription pad of Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD), and the way it ravages both the physical and mental health of those it affects, all under a banging electropop soundtrack, blending queer rave culture, mythology and performance into one transformational theatrical experience.
Created by writer Heather Marshall and directed by Jen McGregor,the creative team is completed by costume designer Chanel O’Conor aka Conor Macdonald (Drag Race UK Season 6); choreographer Sula Castle; sound design and operation from Parasol Wu and Jack Oldcorn respectively, and lighting design and operation from Jamie Heseltine. They are supported by production manager Lee Davis and stage manager Judy Stewart. Medusa is presented by a predominately Queer, Disabled and Neurodiverse group of creatives, and produced by Andrew Eaton-Lewis (Scottish Mental Health Arts Festival).
Last Wednesday, during Portfolio Questions on Culture in the Scottish Parliament, Foysol Choudhury MSP raised an urgent supplementary question regarding reports of violence against library workers in Edinburgh.
Mr Choudhury asked: “Following recent reports of violence against Edinburgh library staff, can I ask the Cabinet Secretary what discussions the Scottish Government is having with Police Scotland and local authorities to ensure library workers can provide services to the community in a safe and protected environment?”
Speaking after the session, Mr Choudhury said library staff are a vital part of local communities and must be able to work without fear: “Libraries are essential community spaces that provide education, support and connection for people of all ages.
“It is deeply concerning to hear reports of violence against staff who are simply doing their jobs. We must ensure they are properly supported and protected.”
Mr Choudhury is calling on the Scottish Government to work closely with Police Scotland, local councils and unions to assess risks, improve security measures where needed, and ensure staff receive appropriate support and training.
He added, “Library workers deserve to feel safe at work, and communities deserve safe, welcoming library spaces. I will continue to press for answers and action on this issue.”
ALBA Continuation Group has written to the party leadership calling for an emergency all‑members ballot on whether ALBA contests the May Holyrood regional lists or de‑registers altogether.
