Category: Uncategorized

PM: ‘Britain will lead from the front’

Prime Minister Starmer’s statement to the House of Commons: 3 March 2025

Mr. Speaker 

Less than a week since I called on this House to show the courage of our predecessors we see clearly before us – the test of our times. A crossroads in our history.   

So with permission I will update the House on my efforts to secure a strong, just and lasting peace following Russia’s vile invasion of Ukraine. 

Mr. Speaker – it begins in this House where on Tuesday, I announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War.

A recognition of the fact that once again, we live in an era where peace in Europe depends upon strength and deterrence.

But also – a rediscovery of the old post-war argument long-held on these benches that economic security is national security. 

Because Mr. Speaker, the demands we now have to make of Britain must come alongside a new foundation of security for working people. 

The tough choices we made last week, they are not done. We must use the process of getting to 3% of our national income spent on defence to fundamentally rebuild British industry. 

Use our investment in military spending to create new jobs and apprenticeships in every part of our country. 

And that’s why, last night, I announced a deal that perfectly symbolises this new era. 

A partnership with Ukraine that allows them to use £1.6 billion of UK Export Finance to buy 5,000 air defence missiles, manufactured in Belfast. That means UK jobs, UK skills, UK finance , pulling together for our national interest.

Putting Ukraine in the strongest possible position for peace and protecting innocent civilians from the terror of Russian drones. 

Mr. Speaker, my efforts continued on Thursday when I met President Trump in the White House to strengthen our relationship with America. 

Now, what happened in his subsequent meeting with President Zelenskyy is something nobody in this House wants to see. 

But I do want to be crystal clear: we must strengthen our relationship with America for our security, for our technology, for our trade and investment. They are and always will be – indispensable. 

And we will never choose between either side of the Atlantic. In fact, Mr. Speaker, if anything, the past week has shown that that idea to be totally unserious. Because while some people may enjoy the simplicity of taking a side, this week has shown with total clarity that the US is vital in securing the peace we all want to see in Ukraine. 

So I welcome the opportunity for a new economic deal with the US, confirmed by the President last week, because it is an opportunity I am determined to pursue. 

I welcome the positive discussions we had on European security, including his clear support for Article 5 of NATO. I welcome the understanding, from our dialogue that our two nations will work together on security arrangements for a lasting peace in Ukraine. 

And I also welcome the President’s continued commitment to that peace which nobody in this House should doubt for a second – is sincere. 

Mr. Speaker, I now turn to events this weekend and the moving scenes that greeted President Zelenskyy as he arrived in London on Saturday. 

Mr. Speaker I saw for myself that he was taken aback when the crowd in Whitehall cheered at the top of their voices, and they were speaking for the whole of our country.

A reminder – that this Government, this House and this nation stand in unwavering support behind him and the people of Ukraine. 

Mr. Speaker, we resolved together to move forward the strong cause of just and lasting peace for Ukraine.  

And then on Sunday I hosted European leaders from across our continent, equally committed to this cause including President Macron, Prime Minister Meloni, the leaders of NATO, the European Commission and Council and the Prime Minister of Canada, a vital ally of this country, the Commonwealth and Ukraine responsible for training over 40,000 Ukrainian troops.  

I also had the privilege beforehand of speaking online to the leaders of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia – each of whom, as close as they are to the frontline with Russia, stressed the urgency of the moment. 

And Mr. Speaker, it was a productive summit. Together, we agreed a clear strategy. That the United Kingdom, France and our allies will work closely with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting, which we will then discuss directly with the United States. 

It is a plan that has four clear principles, which I will now share in full with the House:

First, that we must keep the military aid to Ukraine flowing, keep increasing the economic pressure on Russia. And to that end, alongside our partnership on air defence we are doubling-down on military aid. 

Already this year we have taken our support to record levels but on Saturday we also agreed a new £2.2 billion loan for Ukraine backed, not by the British taxpayer but by the profits from frozen Russian assets.

Second, we agreed that any lasting peace must guarantee the sovereignty and security of Ukraine. And that Ukraine must be at the table when negotiating their future. That is absolutely vital. 

Third, we agreed that in the event of a peace deal we will continue to boost Ukraine’s defences and Ukraine’s deterrence. 

And finally, fourth.we agreed to develop a “coalition of the willing” ready to defend a deal in Ukraine and guarantee the peace. 

After all, the Ukrainian position is completely understandable. For them, the war did not begin three years ago. That was merely the latest and most brutal escalation.  

They have signed agreements with Putin, before. They have experienced the nature of his diplomacy and the calibre of his word.  

We can’t accept a weak deal like Minsk again, No, we must proceed with strength and that does now require – urgently – a coalition of the willing. 

Mr. Speaker – we agreed on Sunday that those willing to play a role in this will intensify planning now.  And as this House would expect Britain will play a leading role. With, if necessary and together with others, boots on the ground and planes in the air. 

Mr. Speaker, it is right that Europe do the heavy lifting to support peace on our continent. But to succeed, this effort must also have strong US backing. 

I want to assure the House I take none of this lightly. I visited British troops in Estonia and no aspect of my role weighs more heavily than the deployment of British troops in the service of the defence and security in Europe.

And yet I do feel very strongly that the future of Ukraine is vital for our national security. 

Russia is a menace in our waters and skies, They have launched cyber-attacks on our NHS, assassination attempts in our streets.  

In this House, we stand by Ukraine because it is the right thing to do but we also stand by them because it is in our interest to do so. Because if we do not achieve a lasting peace then the instability and insecurity that has hit the living standards of working people in Britain that will only get worse. 

And Putin’s appetite for conflict and chaos that will only grow. 

So a strong peace, a just peace, a lasting peace, that has now to be our goal.  

It is vital, it is in our interest and its pursuit – Britain will lead from the front. 

For the security of our continent, the security of our country and the security of the British people we must now win the peace. 

And I commend this statement to the House.

UPDATE

Stakes have been raised since Starmer’s announcement to Westminster yesterday. A spokesman for the Trump government announced overnight that the USA is is to ‘pause’ military aid to Ukraine.

Trump’s USA is by far the biggest contributor to Ukraine’s military effort and this latest statement of American intent, if carried out, deals a grevious blow to Ukraine’s ability to defend itself against Russian invaders.

Europe’s ‘coalition of the willing’ may have to come up with a revised plan – and quickly.

Scottish Apprenticeship Week – New data from BAE Systems

NEW RESEARCH REVEALS GROWING APPEAL OF APPRENTICESHIPS AMONG NEXT GENERATION OF WORKERS IN SCOTLAND

As one of the UK’s largest apprenticeship providers, BAE Systems has investigated the latest attitudes towards career paths amongst young people to coincide with Scottish Apprenticeship Week (3 – 7 March).

The findings are part of a newly launched Apprenticeship Barometer, which surveyed 2,000 young people (16-24 year olds) to identify views on education, training and pathways to career success.

Main attractions

The survey revealed a growing interest in apprenticeships, with more than 74% of Scottish respondents willing to relocate to a different part of the UK to seize an apprenticeship opportunity and 6 in 10 preferring it as an alternative to university.

The findings highlight a significant shift toward flexibility and apprenticeships being increasingly recognised as a pathway to secure and rewarding careers, with respondents citing job security (31%), high starting salaries (25%) and hands-on training (21%) as the most appealing features.

An overwhelming 85% of respondents agreed that apprenticeships enhance social mobility, offer significant potential to support disadvantaged groups and provide alternatives to traditional higher education routes.

Barriers to access

Despite their appeal, responses suggest barriers such as limited opportunities (30%) and lack of information (41%) continue to hinder access to apprenticeships, highlighting the need for greater awareness and more accessible pathways.

Over half (53%) of the young people surveyed in Scotland said they felt uninformed about apprenticeship opportunities in their field of interest and 85% believed employers should expand apprenticeship programmes alongside graduate schemes to meet rising demand.

STEM leads the way

Industries linked to careers in science, technology engineering and mathematics (STEM) ranked highly in apprenticeship preferences, with over 1 in 4 (28%) of the young people surveyed expressing interest. They also ranked in the top three careers that respondents associated with the greatest job security.

Money matters

More than half (55%) of respondents identified earning while learning as the main reason for choosing an apprenticeship over university, while 25% cited avoiding student debt as a key motivator, reflecting a perceived growing financial awareness.

Richard Hamer, HR Director of Education and Skills at BAE Systems, said: “The Apprenticeship Barometer gives a real insight into the aspirations and values of the next generation of the UK workforce.

“It’s clear there’s a huge appetite for high quality vocational training that provides a clear career pathway, whilst offering financial security.

“I’d encourage anyone interested in apprenticeships to have a look at the thousands of highly valuable opportunities available across the country.”

BAE Systems is recruiting for more than 2,400 new apprentice, undergraduate and graduate roles in 2025,which will result in around 6,500 in training, making up approximately 15% of its UK workforce.

Witness appeal following road collision on Craigmillar Park

PEDESTRIAN STRUCK BY HGV

POLICE are appealing for information following a collision involving a pedestrian and an HGV in South Edinburgh.

Around 6.15pm last night (Sunday, 2 March, 2025), the 55-year-old man was struck by the Volvo lorry on the A701, Craigmillar Park, near the junction with Lygon Road.

He was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where medical staff describe his condition as critical.

The HGV did not stop at the scene but was later traced, as was the 37-year-old male driver.

The A701 was closed while crash investigations were carried out and reopened around 10.15pm.

Enquires are ongoing to establish the full circumstances.

Edinburgh Road Policing Constable Mhairi Deuchar said: “I’m appealing to anyone who witnessed this incident, or who has any information about what happened, to contact us.

“I’d also ask drivers with dashcams who were in the area at the time to please review your footage and bring anything you think may be significant to our attention.”

Anyone with information is urged to call Police Scotland on 101 quoting reference 2676 of 2 March.

The Scottish Colourists: Radical Perspectives

The creation of a new language of colour in European art

Dovecot Studios, 10 Infirmary Street, Edinburgh, EH1 1LT

Friday 7th February – Saturday 28th June 2025 

In this breakthrough exhibition, Edinburgh’s Dovecot Studios, in partnership with the Fleming  Collection, will for the first time place the Scottish Colourists in the context of their European  and UK contemporaries, interrogating how this international generation of radical painters  forged a new language of colour in Paris in the early 20th Century. 

The Scottish Colourists – SJ Peploe (1871-1935), JD Fergusson (1874-1961), GL Hunter (1877- 1931) and FCB Cadell (1883-1937) – are widely recognised as Scotland’s most talented,  experimental and distinctive artists of the early 20th Century.

Often exhibited as a quartet, in  isolation from their contemporaries, their work will now be shown alongside Fauve painters, such as Matisse and Derain, who sparked the colour revolution, spotlighted in the exhibition by  Derain’s renowned Fauvist work, Pool of London, lent by Tate.

Other major institutional loans  include key works by Bloomsbury Group innovators Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant, as well as  major examples from Walter Sickert’s more nuanced Camden Town Group.

The exhibition will  also investigate a possible ‘Celtic’ connection in the primal response to colour by Welsh artists,  Augustus John and James Dickson Innes, and Ireland’s Roderick O’Conor, suggesting a continuity  between the approach taken by these artists and that of the Scots.  

This exciting exhibition will offer an unparalleled opportunity to challenge conventions around who, among the avant-garde pack of UK artists inspired by French innovation, should be  considered the leading radical painters from 1905 to the outbreak of war in 1914.

The  exhibition’s timeline will also cover the impact of Cubism and Vorticism on this group of artists  immediately before and after the outbreak of war.

The culmination of the show will celebrate the coming together of the Scottish Colourists as a distinct group in the 1920s and 1930s,  marked out by the continuing influence of both French colour and Scottish light upon their work  as painters of landscape, still life, and interiors.

Appropriately, their dedicated group show was  held in Paris in 1924, followed by a 1925 London show, making Dovecot’s 2025 exhibition a most  timely centenary celebration.  

James Knox, Curator of the Fleming Collection, says: “This momentous exhibition will, for the very  first time, shine the spotlight on the radical Scots and their contemporaries, allowing us to truly  assess their achievements and place in the history of early European modernism.

“I am immensely  grateful to the national institutions and private collectors who have enabled this story to be told  alongside the Fleming Collection’s outstanding Scottish Colourists.”

Celia Joicey, Director of Dovecot Studios says: “Presenting the Scottish Colourists at the vanguard  of the creative avant-garde in the UK is an opportunity to recast Scotland’s pivotal role in the  history of early 20th century art.

“As a tapestry studio founded in 1912, it is exciting for Dovecot  to show these important paintings which set our work and world-class reputation in a  compelling new context.”

The exhibition will be supported from March 2025 by a series of displays on the Dovecot  Balcony Gallery of contemporary Scottish artists working with colour in creative and challenging  ways in media including watercolour, acrylic, oil, wood and textile.

Edinburgh Remakery looking for volunteer quilters

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS

We are calling on volunteers to help create stunning quilts that will be showcased at the National Museum of Scotland.

This special project aims to raise awareness about climate change through art, and we need your help to bring it to life.

Sessions at Edinburgh Remakery: March 4th, 5th, 6th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 20th
10am-5pm (half-day options: 10am-1pm or 2pm-5pm)

A basic level of hand sewing is required, so make sure you are comfortable with needle and thread 

🧵

Interested? Contact katie.mcghee@edinburghremakery.org.uk for more details 

🙌

Lothian named Large Business of the Year at Chamber of Commerce Awards

Lothian was named ‘Large Business of the Year’ at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards on Thursday.

The award, which was open to all Edinburgh businesses that employ over 100 people, celebrates the strong performance of Lothian in the city over the last 12 months.

Sarah Boyd, Managing Director at Lothian said: “I am absolutely delighted that Lothian has been recognised as the Large Business of the Year at the Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce Business Awards.

“To be recognised in this way by the Edinburgh business community is testament to the hard work and devotion of our 2,600+ strong workforce who deliver for our customers every day across Edinburgh and the Lothians.

“From our colleagues on the frontline to those who work behind the scenes, Lothian is built on its people. This award is for them, and I would like to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to each and every one of them for their continued loyalty and dedication to Lothian.”

Throughout 2024, Lothian delivered reliable and accessible public transport across Edinburgh and the Lothians for 116 million customers, representing an increase of 5% on 2023. The company also scooped the award for UK Bus Operator of the Year at the National Transport Awards in London last October.

The Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce judging panel commented: “The winner has shown an outstanding commitment to both its people and business growth, playing a vital role in the communities it serves.

“Their dedication to employee engagement has been nationally acknowledged, reflecting a strong and positive workplace culture.

“Innovation has also been at the heart of their success, with continuous improvements in digital services and a strong focus on sustainability. Their investment in maintaining an award winning, world-class, future-focused offering truly sets them apart.”

In addition, the business trained over 450 drivers at their dedicated training school with a pass rate of 94.6%, compared to the industry average of 61.5%. At the UK Bus Driver of the Year Finals in Blackpool, Lothian was a delighted that one of its drivers, Thomas Gilhooley, won first place.

Prime Minister to host leaders summit on Ukraine

The Prime Minister will intensify his efforts in pursuit of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine by convening international leaders at a summit in London today

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will intensify his efforts in pursuit of a just and lasting peace in Ukraine by convening international leaders at a summit in London today. 

The Prime Minister has this weekend reiterated his unwavering support for Ukraine and is determined to find a way forward that brings an end to Russia’s illegal war and guarantees Ukraine a lasting peace based on sovereignty and security. 

The summit rounds off a week of intense diplomacy for the Prime Minister, which has seen him raise UK defence spending and travel to Washington D.C. for productive talks with President Trump in support of UK and European security. The Prime Minister spoke again with both President Trump and President Zelenskyy on Friday evening following the events of yesterday at the Presidents’ meeting in Washington D.C. 

The Prime Minister will welcome Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to Downing Street this morning, before being joined at the summit in central London by the leaders of Ukraine, France, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Spain, Canada, Finland, Sweden, Czechia and Romania. The Turkish Foreign Minister, NATO Secretary General and the Presidents of the European Commission and European Council will also attend. 

The Prime Minister has been clear that there can be no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine, a determination he reiterated when he warmly welcomed President Zelenskyy to Downing Street on Saturday evening ahead of the summit. 

Discussions at the summit will focus on: 

  • Strengthening Ukraine’s position now – including ongoing military support and increased economic pressure on Russia. 
  • The need for a strong lasting deal that delivers a permanent peace in Ukraine and ensures that Ukraine is able to deter and defend against future Russian attack. 
  • Next steps on planning for strong security guarantees. 

Following the announcement earlier this week that the UK will spend 2.5% of its GDP on defence by 2027, the Prime Minister will be clear on the need for Europe to play its part on defence and step up for the good of collective security. 

The UK has already been clear it is willing to support Ukraine’s future security with troops on the ground. 

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Three years on from Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, we are at a turning point.

“Today I will reaffirm my unwavering support for Ukraine and double down on my commitment to provide capacity, training and aid to Ukraine, putting it in the strongest possible position. 

“In partnership with our allies, we must intensify our preparations for the European element of security guarantees, alongside continued discussions with the United States.   

“We have an opportunity to come together to ensure a just and lasting peace in Ukraine that secures their sovereignty and security.   

“Now is the time for us to unite in order to guarantee the best outcome for Ukraine, protect European security, and secure our collective future.”

UK reinforces support for Ukraine with £2.26 billion loan

  • The £2.26 billion loan will bolster Ukrainian military capability, and will be paid back using profits generated on sanctioned Russian sovereign assets.
  • Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Ukrainian Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko signed the formal loan agreement yesterday (Saturday 1 March), with the first tranche of funding expected to reach Ukraine later next week.
  • The loan demonstrates the UK’s commitment to Ukrainian defence. A strong Ukraine is vital to UK national security – the first duty of any government and central to the Plan for Change.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Ukraine’s Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko have signed the UK-Ukraine Bilateral agreement.

This agreement will deliver £2.26 billion in funding to Ukraine, which will be paid back using the extraordinary profits generated on sanctioned Russian sovereign assets held in the EU.

This is the UK’s contribution to the G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration (ERA) Loans to Ukraine scheme, through which G7 countries will collectively provide $50 billion to support Ukraine.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “A safe and secure Ukraine is a safe and secure United Kingdom. This funding will bolster Ukraine’s armed forces and will put Ukraine in the strongest possible position at a critical juncture in the war.

“It comes as we have increased our defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, which will deliver the stability required to keep us safe and underpin economic growth.”

The loan will be fully earmarked for military procurement to bolster Ukraine’s defences, with the first tranche of funding expected to be disbursed to Ukraine next week.

Russia’s obligation under international law to pay for the damage it has caused to Ukraine is clear and this G7 agreement, backed by the profits generated on sanctioned Russian sovereign assets, is an important step to ensuring this happens.

The funding will be delivered in three equal annual payments of £752m.

The announcement of the loan agreement is on top of the £3 billion a year commitment by the UK to provide military aid for Ukraine. The Prime Minister has been clear that a strong Ukraine is vital to UK national security.

This loan follows the announcement by the Prime Minister committing the Government to increase UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027, with an ambition to spend 3% of GDP on defence in the next parliament as economic and fiscal conditions allow.

This represents the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War, safeguarding our collective security and funding the capabilities, technology and industrial capacity needed to keep the UK and our allies safe for generations to come.

As set out in the Plan for Change, national security is the first duty of the government, and investment in defence will protect UK citizens from threats at home while also creating a secure and stable environment for economic growth.

Cyclists encouraged to Sign Up for 10th year of popular Sportive

Cyclists are being urged to saddle up and support Poppyscotland’s upcoming Sportive, as the charity celebrates 10 years of the popular event.

Not only is this the tenth anniversary, but the Wee Yin route will also become a permanent feature after a successful trial of the scenic course in 2024.

The Sportive is Poppyscotland’s flagship fundraising cycling event, featuring four routes designed for different ability levels. It is split into two distinct types – the Classic (46, 68 and 102 miles) and the Wee Yin (22 miles).

As in previous years, riders will line up at the starting point in Prestonpans, East Lothian, then head along the historic coastal route to North Berwick where Classic route participants will face a timed hill climb before reaching the first feed station at East Linton.

From there, the short route continues to Gifford while medium and long routes head towards Garvel before splitting at Whiteadder Reservoir, with the longer challenge heading to Duns and medium returning to Gifford. All routes finish in Musselburgh.

The Wee Yin route will take cyclists inland to Gullane before heading back towards Aberlady and then on to the coastal path. 

Poppyscotland’s Head of Fundraising and Learning, Gordon Michie, is encouraging both individuals and families to take part in this year’s Sportive, and said: “2025 marks the 10th anniversary of this event, and we have been working so hard to create something really special for all of our riders.

“With the Wee Yin route proving so popular last year we are delighted to be able to bring it back on a permanent basis, opening up the Sportive to even more participants who may want to take part. The Wee Yin is perfect for those leisure cyclists and families too.

“Please sign up today and be a part in one of the best cycle rides in Scotland with amazing scenery, all while supporting our Armed Forces veterans and their families.”

Avid cyclist Ally Mallinson took part in last year’s trial run of the Wee Yin route and encouraged his daughter, Amy, to partake in it also. Ally highly recommends it to others. He said: “It’s a great idea and it would be good to see more families out doing it as that’s what it’s all about.

“The Wee Yin route is a good way of staying fit, healthy and raising money for a great cause and it’s a good family activity. Cycling on roads is safer than many people think and if you follow the highway code, cycle properly, you should not have an issue.

“I’ll be back this year with Amy and my son!”

Gordon added: “We’re really excited to celebrate the 10th edition of the Sportive and our goal is to raise as much as possible to support the Armed Forces community at times of need, including help with housing, debt, mental health, and mobility.

“If you’d like to help us make an even bigger impact, please consider adding a £10 donation per rider. It’s a small gesture that can make a big difference!”

Entry for our Classic routes is £40 per rider (minimum age: 16). The Wee Yin route is £25 per rider or £40 per family (2 adults & 2 children). Minimum age is 12 and entry is free for riders under 16.

Entry Includes: Electronic timing; mechanical support; food and water stations; coffee at the start; Tea & Toast at the finish; ‘King and Queen of The Heugh’ timed hill climb; sweeper service and a finishers gift.

To sign up today, please visit poppyscotland.org.uk/sportive

Chief Constable meets family of Sheku Bayoh

Chief Constable Jo Farrell today met with the family of Sheku Bayoh to underline Police Scotland’s support for his relatives and the wider Public Inquiry into his death.

The Chief Constable pledged that Police Scotland remained fully committed to assisting the Chair to discharge the Inquiry’s terms of reference and that the Service would address any recommendations made.

The private meeting in Glasgow was also a chance for the Chief Constable to build on Police Scotland’s relationship with the Bayoh family and highlight the anti-racism work being carried out to improve policing in Scotland.

Chief Constable Farrell said: “I very much welcomed the opportunity to meet with the family of Sheku Bayoh and listen to their concerns.

“I took the opportunity to express my personal condolences and reiterated those of the service. I am very aware of the significant impact his death had on his family, friends, the wider community of Kirkcaldy and beyond, and serving and retired officers.

“This meeting also allowed me to underline Police Scotland’s commitment to participate in every aspect of the Public Inquiry and to positively assist the Chair in discharging the terms of reference.

“Meeting directly with the family also allowed me the opportunity to highlight the extensive work ongoing under the Policing Together programme to drive a culture change towards becoming an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory service which better reflects and represents the communities we serve.”

“I repeated the assurances that both myself and the senior leadership of Police Scotland are absolutely committed to driving this work forward with a very clear determination to address any recommendations made by the Inquiry.”

New quotes to feature on the Scottish Parliament building to be chosen by people across Scotland

People in Scotland are being asked to choose which three quotes, from some of the nation’s most well-known poets, should feature on the Scottish Parliament’s Canongate Wall, to commemorate the building’s 20th year.

Liz Lochhead, Jackie Kay and Kathleen Jamie, who have all held the role of Scots Makar or National Poet of Scotland, have two quotes from their work for people to choose between.  Each Makar’s quote which receives the most public votes will then be featured on a new letter-cut stone on the Wall.

Designed by artist Soraya Smithson with architects EMBT, the Canongate Wall, which is on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, was partly conceived of as a tribute to the design ideas of Enric Miralles. Soraya’s designs also incorporated the idea to feature quotations from Scottish writers and thinkers as well as popular proverbs and poems, letter-cut into stones sourced from across Scotland.  These new additions will take the total number of quotations from 26 to 29 and there is currently only one woman writer represented – Mary Brooksbank.

Presiding Officer Rt Hon Alison Johnstone MSP said: “The Canongate Wall is a piece of living public sculpture which celebrates different parts of Scotland – our people, our land and our rich cultural heritage. 

“It is both a celebration and reminder of the powerful words of some of Scotland’s most talented writers, thinkers and poets.

“It’s an honour to have the words of these three incredible women writers carved onto our building as a permanent reminder of their contribution to public life in Scotland.

“As always, when it comes to the Scottish Parliament, I strongly encourage people to vote!”

People can make their selection on our website and via our social media channels using www.parliament.scot/canongate. 

The winning options will then be sent to Perthshire-based stone carver Gillian Forbes, who will carry out the letter-cutting process assisted by Cameron Wallace.  The new quotations will be unveiled later in the year.

Liz Lochhead, Makar from 2011 to 2016, said: “I can’t believe it, my words are going to be, not graffiti on a wall, but in stone on the wall of the Parliament. 

“It is something that has meant a great deal to me in my lifetime, that we have a Parliament in Scotland. 

“Speaking poetry out loud is very important to me and if someone stands outside the wall of the Parliament and mouths these words out loud to themselves, that’s a great thing to feel that I’ve been the innocent originator of these things.”

Jackie Kay, Makar from 2016 to 2021, said: “It’s a huge honour and so extraordinary to be carved into stone. 

“It’s so strange to think of your words surviving you – but in a sense, that’s every writer’s dream.”

Kathleen Jamie, Makar from 2021 to 2024, said: “The fact that words of mine will be joining those that are already there and adding to this wreathing of poetry around the Parliament building, that wall of truth, that wall of integrity that surrounds us here. 

“That words of mine, whichever are chosen, will be inscribed there also. That’s okay, I can go out with that!”

The quotations that will form part of the public vote are as follows:

Liz Lochhead

Option 1

this
our one small country… 
our one, wondrous, spinning, dear green place. 
What shall we build of it, together 
in this our one small time and space? 
– from Grace, A Handsel, New & Collected Poems, 2012

Option 2

Love surprises us. It’s like when sunlight flings 
A sudden shaft that lights up glamourous the rain 
Across a Glasgow street
– from Epithalamium, A Handsel, New & Collected Poems

Jackie Kay

Option 1

The dead don’t go till you do, loved ones. 
The dead are still here, holding our hands. 
– from Darling, the title poem in Darling: New & Selected Poems, 2007

Option 2

Where do you come from? 
‘Here,’ I said, ‘Here. These parts.’
– from In my country, Darling: New & Selected Poems, 2007

Kathleen Jamie

Option 1

Be brave: 
by the weird-song in the dark you’ll find your way. 
– from The Storm, The Bonniest Companie, 2015

Option 2

And the wild ways we think we walk 
Just bring us here again. 
– from The Tradition, The Bonniest Companie, 2015

A brief history of the Canongate Wall

The Canongate Wall was designed by artist Soraya Smithson, working with architects EMBT.  The wall contains a range of Scottish stones, letter-cut by Gillian Forbes and Martin Reilly, with a variety of quotations. The design pays tribute to the creative ideas and imagination of the Scottish Parliament’s lead architect, Enric Miralles.

At the lower end of the wall is a townscape based around sketches by Miralles of Edinburgh’s Old Town, as viewed from the Balmoral Hotel.

The 26 quotations, of relevance to Scotland and the Parliament, range from well-loved pieces of poetry to proverbs and psalms.  There are quotations in English, Gaelic and Scots and many of Scotland’s leading writers are represented.

The original 24 quotations were chosen from a selection of material made available to an Art Steering Group, including previous MSPs – Jamie Stone, Kenneth Macintosh and Michael Russell.  The material considered included submissions from members of the public.

To mark the tenth anniversary of the Scottish Parliament and ten years of devolution, the SPCB agreed that two new quotations should be added to the Canongate Wall. 

Public suggestions were invited via the Parliament website and via postcards distributed to book festivals and libraries across Scotland, and almost 300 suggestions were received. 

A panel of MSPs and external experts met to consider these suggestions. 

The panel selected two new quotations, one by Mary Brooksbank, the first woman to be represented on the Wall, and Norman MacCaig, bringing the total number of quotations to 26.

See the full list of quotations and images