On advice of His Majesty’s Government, and at the invitation of The President of the United States, The King and Queen will undertake a State Visit to the United States of America.
Their Majesties’ programme will celebrate the historic connections and the modern bilateral relationship between the UK and the US, marking the 250th anniversary of American Independence.
The King will continue to Bermuda to undertake His Majesty’s first Royal Visit as Monarch to a British Overseas Territory.
A further four males have been arrested and charged in connection with assault, possession of weapons and breach of the peace following a disturbance in the Jewel area.
The males, aged 20, 19, 18, and 15, are due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court at a later date.
Around 4.20pm on Wednesday, 25 February, 2026, officers were called to a report of males with weapons causing a disturbance. There were no reported injuries.
Two males, aged 18 and 17, were previously arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
Chief Inspector Alison Macdonald said: “I’d like to thank the public for their assistance during our enquiries.
“This type of violence is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Officers are committed to tackling crime and antisocial behaviour in the local community. Targeted patrols will continue to deter and detect any criminality.
“Anyone with any concerns should speak to local officers or contact us through 101.”
NATIONAL AUTISTIC SOCIETY
Thursday 2 April marks the start of World Autism Acceptance Month (WAAM). Every year, we come together to raise awareness of autism and this year will be no different. During April, hundreds of autistic people and families across Scotland will be walking 5k to celebrate WAAM, raise awareness and show solidarity with one another.
This year is especially important because it coincides with National Autistic Society Scotland’s Act Now for Autistic Rights campaign, which calls for urgent change ahead of the Holyrood election.
So far, almost 3,500 letters have been sent by autistic people and families calling on all party leaders to Act Now for Autistic Rights by committing to introduce the long overdue Learning Disability Autism and Neurodivergence Bill.
It is clear that in education, diagnosis, healthcare and employment, autistic people are being denied rights and opportunities which should be available to them:
The Learning Disability, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill can make a genuine difference.
Mandatory training in public services can ensure autistic people’s needs are identified and met at the earliest opportunity, rather than only getting support once a crisis point is reached.
Legally binding national and local strategies can also bring about the planning and resources needed to tackle the backlog for assessment and diagnosis, as well as making sure services are properly signposted in our communities.
WAAM leading into the upcoming election is a vital opportunity to ensure parties don’t just talk about the importance of improving outcomes and opportunities for autistic people this election, but that they also Act Now to affect real and meaningful change.
Rob Holland, Director of National Autistic Society Scotland, said: “World Autism Acceptance Month is a time for everyone to get involved, raise awareness and celebrate autism acceptance, and so it couldn’t come at a better time to join the calls for change as part of our Act Now for Autistic Rights campaign this election in May.”
“Now is the time to get involved by urging party leaders to Act Now for Autistic Rights and introduce the LDAN Bill, and to spread the word to your friends and families too. This is our chance to ensure the next Scottish Parliament takes overdue action to ensure autistic people’s rights are understood and respected. We cannot miss this opportunity”.
Becca, NAS Scotland Campaigner, said: ” I’ve spent my life feeling unsupported, invalidated and left out on account of my autism and I’ve known many who’ve felt the same. This has to change.
“The LDAN bill is urgent and will make a vital positive difference to many people, allowing us to lead fulfilling, purposeful and meaningful lives. It must come into effect as soon as possible”.
One small thing to do before Easter 
If you take regular medication, now’s a good time to check how much you have left.
GP practices and pharmacies may have changed opening hours over the Easter weekend, so ordering what you need in plenty of time can help avoid a last‑minute rush.
Following the successful trial of bridal and occasion wear at our Ocean Terminal charity shop, we’re delighted to announce that we are going to open a standalone bridalwear store, Ever After by St Columba’s, at Newhailes Musselburgh.
As we make the move to our new location we won’t have any bridal wear available to shop or try-on in store for a short period of time. Please bear with us during this transition – we promise it’ll be worth it, as we’ll have lots of space for even more beautiful gowns, occasion wear, and accessories in our new location!
We’ll share opening dates and times as soon as we can – look out for updates in the next few weeks!
Please also note that from 1 April we’re updating our OT shop opening hours.
We’ll be open Friday to Sunday each week, and closed Monday to Thursday.
Scottish Government benefits delivered by Social Security Scotland are being increased by 3.8%, in line with inflation as measured by the annual rate of September 2025 Consumer Prices Index.
The earnings limit for Carer Support Payment will also be increased to £204 per week.
These increases will take effect from tomorrow – 1 April 2026.
More information is available on the Scottish Government website.
Police are increasingly concerned for the welfare of Anthony Duffy, last seen in the Stevenson Drive area on 17th March 2026.
Anthony is 25 years old, white, bald head with a beard, slim build. If you have seen or heard from him please call 101 and quote incident number 1728 of 25/03/26. Thank you.
‘Sensational’ Opinion Poll Predicts Alliance to Liberate Scotland Party Breakthrough in May – Tommy Sheridan and Craig Murray set for election to the Scottish Parliament?
Find Out Now is a reputable opinion polling organisation belonging to the British Opinion Polling Council. They were commissioned by former MEP Hugh Kerr to add three specific questions to their monthly poll of Scottish opinion regarding the forthcoming election of May 7th – and the results are outstanding for the new Alliance to Liberate Scotland Party which was only officially registered with the Electoral Commission in February.
Find Out Now specifically asked voters in the Glasgow Region, the Lothians East Region and across Scotland if they would consider voting for the Scottish independence party at May’s election. Around 500 voters were polled in Glasgow and Lothians East and 1,000 voters were polled nationally.
In Glasgow former MSP and well-known independence campaigner Tommy Sheridan is the lead candidate for the Alliance to Liberate Scotland Party.
In the critical ‘Definitely’ of ‘Very Likely’ category 7% of voters said they would vote for the Alliance Party and Sheridan which would mean Sheridan’s re-election to Holyrood. In past elections 5% of the regional list vote has been enough to be elected and last time in 2021 the 7th list seat in Glasgow was won by the Tories on 6.1%. This opinion poll predicts Sheridan will replace a Tory to represent the Glasgow Region.
The poll across Lothians East where former British Ambassador and outspoken champion of Scottish independence Craig Murray is leading the Alliance to Liberate Scotland election challenge the result is even better.
A ‘very encouraging’ 8% of voters say they are definite or very likely Alliance voters, and that level of support will see Craig Murray elected in place of another Tory.
At a national level the level of support is also extremely encouraging for the new Alliance Party. Across 1,000 voters polled a significant8% say they will vote for the single-issue party on May 7th.
The Alliance to Liberate Scotland Party are promoting only one issue and that issue is Scottish independence. If the support for the Alliance stays as high as 8% or increases the new party will send 8 MSPs to the Scottish Parliament on a mission to pursue Scottish independence as the priority issue.
In most of the regional list seats around 6% of the list votes is enough to secure election and win one of the seven regional seats. With the Alliance to Liberate Scotland Party running at 8% it seems an electoral breakthrough is certain.
Alliance for Liberate Scotland has four candidates in Glasgow, Tommy Sheridan, Dhruva Kumar, Gail Sheridan and Hilda McMahon.
Lead Alliance candidate in Glasgow Tommy Sheridan said: “This opinion poll is sensational for the Alliance to Liberate Scotland Party. We were only registered in February and are not yet widely known but our determination to make Scottish independence the primary issue is clearly attracting votes from those sick and tired of Westminster corruption and the constant exploitation of Scotland.
“Independence supporters in Glasgow know list votes for SNP don’t count for them because they win the constituency seats. This poll shows I will take a list seat from a unionist Tory. That is good news for Glasgow and Scotland.
“I will demand our independence from Westminster is front and centre of the agenda after May’s election”.
Responding to the polling which suggests he is in line for election to the Scottish Parliament Craig Murray said: “More and more independence voters realise the utter folly of giving Regional List votes to the SNP. They simply don’t count because the voting system penalises parties that do well in constituency votes. The SNP will win most constituencies which is why they win no List seats.
“By giving their List votes to the Alliance to Liberate Scotland Party the independence community is blocking unionists from Labour and the Tories and racists like Reform from getting elected. They understand a List vote for the Alliance helps the independence cause”.
The Alliance to Liberate Scotland Party is standing in all eight of the regional list seats with over 32 candidates. They are also fielding candidates in several constituency seats in protest at the lack of progress by the SNP in advancing the cause of Scottish independence.
The Electoral Commission is calling for the Scottish Parliament Election on May 7 to be free of abuse and intimidation.
In recent elections, candidates have faced unacceptable behaviour while campaigning, including harassment, threats and physical intimidation. Following the UK Parliament General Election in 2024, Commission research found over half (55%) of candidates felt that they had some kind of problem with harassment, intimidation, or abuse, with one in ten (13%) reporting it as a serious issue.
This led to more than half (56%) of respondents avoiding some kind of campaign activity due to fear of abuse. Women were also found to be twice as likely, and ethnic minorities three times more likely, to report serious abuse.
With the poll still six weeks away, the Electoral Commission is acting now to tackle the issue alongside partners including the Electoral Management Board for Scotland and Police Scotland. This includes supporting electoral administrators to ensure the safe and effective delivery of the election, including through providing guidance on their powers at polling stations and the count, so everyone can participate freely and without intimidation.
The Commission has published a set of principles to guide campaigning at the May elections, with a focus on maintaining respect, safety and honesty during robust debate. Created in response to recommendations made by the Speaker’s Conference on the security of MPs, candidates and elections, the principles build on common themes across parties existing codes of conducts, and aim to put in place a common, minimum standard of behaviour, to make sure that campaigners feel supported and protected.
Education also plays a critical role in tackling abuse by preparing young people to participate in democracy. The Commission is delivering democratic education for young people and New Scots to support media literacy and improve understanding of the role of the Scottish Parliament and its politicians.
Cahir Hughes, Acting Head of the Electoral Commission Scotland, said: “Abuse and intimidation should not be seen as part of the job for candidates , elected officials or electoral staff. This behaviour is unacceptable and harms democracy.
“Clear principles to help people take part in respectful campaigning are available, and we would encourage all parties and candidates to engage with the safety resources and briefings provided by Police Scotland.
“We will also continue to speak out against online harassment and threats directed at those taking part in elections and have made recommendations to social media companies to strengthen their response to abusive content.”
Malcolm Burr, Convener of the Electoral Management Board for Scotland, said: “Returning Officers and their staff will not hesitate to exclude anyone from polling places or the count if they disrupt proceedings.
“Any poor behaviour from candidates and agents undermines trust in the whole system. Voters must have confidence that the election will be run in a free, fair and safe manner for all.”
Chief Superintendent Neil MacDougall, Police Scotland, said: “Advice and briefings are being provided by Police Scotland to maximise the safety of candidates, minimise any risk of disruption and ensure a peaceful democratic process. All reports of criminality will be subject to an investigation.
“We continue to work with partners, including the Electoral Commission, and will liaise closely with local authority returning officers across Scotland regarding security at polling places.”
NO such problems at the Edinburgh Northern Hustings organised by Drylaw Telford Community Council at Drylaw Neighbourhood Centre last night.
It was all very civilised – we even had a Conservative candidate agreeing with his Communist opponent! – Ed.
Millions of motor finance customers will receive compensation this year under an FCA scheme for those treated unfairly by firms who broke the law by failing to disclose important information.
Consumers were denied the chance to seek a better deal and, in some instances, paid more for their loan.
The FCA has made several changes to the free to use scheme in response to conflicting feedback from consumers, their representatives, firms, manufacturers and industry bodies.
This ensures it is fair for consumers and proportionate for firms. The eligibility criteria have been tightened, average compensation increased for older agreements and a minimum 3% compensatory interest rate per annum added. Payouts will be capped in around 1 in 3 cases to ensure no one is put in a better position than had they been treated fairly.
12.1 million agreements made between 2007 and 2024 are now eligible for compensation, fewer than under the FCA’s original proposals. The average payout has increased to around £830 per agreement. The FCA estimates that 75% of eligible consumers will make a claim. If so, total redress paid would be £7.5bn.
Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the FCA, said: ‘We’ve listened to feedback to make sure the scheme is fair for consumers and proportionate for firms. It will put £7.5 billion back into people’s pockets.
‘Now we need everyone to get behind it and ensure millions get their money this year. Payouts should not be delayed any longer, especially as household bills come under greater pressure.
“Delivering compensation promptly also gives lenders the chance to rebuild trust, and means we can draw a line under the past and support a healthy motor finance market for the future.’
An industry-wide scheme is the most efficient way of compensating affected consumers while supporting the ongoing availability of competitively priced motor finance for millions who rely on it. Without such a scheme, the cost to lenders of dealing with complaints through the Ombudsman or courts is estimated to be over £6bn higher.
Motor finance loans taken out between 6 April 2007 to 1 November 2024 are covered.
There will be a short implementation period so firms can prepare. This will be up to:
Lenders will have 3 months from the end of the implementation period to inform complainants whether they’re owed compensation and how much. This means that people who have already complained or who complain before the end of the relevant implementation period will be compensated sooner.
Lenders will only contact people who haven’t complained if they are likely to be owed money. They have 6 months from the end of the relevant implementation period to do so. This avoids unnecessary and potentially confusing communication with people who won’t get compensation. Anyone not contacted has until 31 August 2027 to make a claim.
Claims for high value loans – amounts higher than 99.5% of other loans that year – are not covered by the scheme, which is designed for the mass market. These consumers can still complain to firms and the Financial Ombudsman Service.
People will only be compensated if they were not told clearly that either:
There will be some exceptions, with cases considered fair, if:
Where the commission was very high (50% of the total cost of credit and 22.5% of the loan) and another relevant factor of unfairness existed, consumers will receive the commission paid.
For most people compensation will be made up of 2 parts, the average of:
Consumers should not be put back in a better position than they would have been had they been treated fairly or than those who suffered the most unfairness, so in around 1 in 3 cases, compensation will be capped.
Interest will be paid on compensation, based on the annual average Bank of England base rate per year plus 1%, at a minimum of 3% in any year.
The FCA has established a dedicated supervisory team, led by a Director, to monitor if firms are meeting the scheme’s rules and act if they’re not. If people disagree with their firm’s decision, the Financial Ombudsman will be able to assess whether the scheme rules have been followed.
The FCA has also joined with the Solicitors Regulation Authority, Information Commissioner’s Office and Advertising Standards Authority to launch a taskforce to tackle poor handling of motor finance claims by some claims management companies (CMCs) and law firms.
The taskforce is the latest measure by regulators to improve standards. The FCA has already removed or amended 800 misleading adverts, over 28,000 consumers have been able to exit contracts free of charge, and 3 CMCs reduced their high fees, protecting over 500,000 consumers.
Consumers can choose not to take part in the FCA’s compensation scheme and instead go to court, where they may get more or less compensation, based on the facts of their case. However, the outcome of a court claim is uncertain and accounting for legal fees they may pay, many consumers could end up with less. The FCA’s scheme is also likely to be faster and simpler.
Aidan Rushby, CEO and founder of car finance organisation Carmoola, said: “Millions of drivers could receive compensation after not being fully informed about how broker incentives affected the cost of their finance. The FCA has now confirmed a framework for putting that right.
“What matters now is whether drivers actually receive compensation quickly, clearly and without hassle.
“Redress must reflect genuine harm. But it must also be applied proportionately and consistently. Restoring confidence depends on delivering compensation clearly, consistently and as quickly as possible.
“Our research shows 73% of drivers say access to fair and affordable finance is crucial to owning a car, and 61% worry it could become harder to access. That balance is critical.
“We believe car finance should be simple to understand, transparent in how it works, and fair in how it treats people. Trust now has to be earned. That is a healthy shift for the market.”
