Peace in Our Time?

Prime Minister travels to Germany today for the Munich Security Conference

  • Prime Minister will address Munich Security Conference on the importance of Western unity
  • While in Germany he will meet world leaders to discuss current tensions
  • Visit comes as allies warn that an invasion of Ukraine could take place at any moment

The Prime Minister will travel to Germany today (Saturday) for discussions with European allies amid increasing concern about the likelihood of a further Russian invasion of Ukraine.

This week the build-up of forces has continued despite Russian claims to the contrary, with 7,000 more troops arriving on Ukraine’s border in recent days. The UK and other allies have warned that military action could take place at any moment and without warning.

At the Munich Security Conference the Prime Minister will deliver a speech calling on allies to stay united in the face of Russian hostility. He will remind partners that, while there is still time to persuade President Putin to stand down Russian troops, the only prospect for this is if the western world speaks with one voice to dissuade and deter.

While in Munich, the Prime Minister will also meet a number of European partners to discuss the current response. In recent days the Prime Minister has spoken to the leaders of the United States, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Japan, Australia and elsewhere about the ongoing crisis.

The Prime Minister said: “There is still a chance to avoid unnecessary bloodshed, but it will require an overwhelming display of western solidarity beyond anything we have seen in recent history.

“Allies need to speak with one voice to stress to President Putin the high price he will pay for any further Russian invasion of Ukraine. Diplomacy can still prevail.

“That is the message I will take to Munich today as we redouble our efforts to prevent a grave miscalculation which would devastate Ukraine, Russia and the rest of Europe.”

The Munich Security Conference is the world’s largest annual gathering of international leaders and foreign policy experts. When the Prime Minister addressed the conference last year he warned that countries like Russia who seek to act with ‘reckless abandon’ to harm our people must be met with the ‘immovable rock of trans-Atlantic solidarity’.

One year on, the Prime Minister will reiterate that message both in his speech to the conference and in meetings with world leaders.

Storm Eunice HM Coastguard urges ‘Stay away from the coast’

Three die in severe storms

HM Coastguard issues plea for people to stay away from the coast

There have been multiple reports of people at the waterline taking pictures of the waves, and even of families standing by the surf line with their children. The Met Office has issued a red ‘danger to life’ weather warning and winds of 122mph have been recorded.

HM Coastguard Tactical Commander Ben Hambling said: “The reports we are receiving are absolutely terrifying. In these conditions all it takes is one wave.

“A dramatic photograph or selfie is not worth risking your life for and those who are going to the coast to take pictures are also putting our teams at risk.

“We are urging people in the strongest possible terms to stay away from the coast.”

If you do get into trouble or believe anybody to be in difficulty at the coast or at sea, please call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

https://youtu.be/wKjsrgUukGM

Following Storm Eunice’s departure out to the east late on Friday night, an unsettled weekend of weather is to come for many.

Yellow warnings have been issued through Saturday and Sunday, highlighting the ongoing risk of wind and rain, although much less impactful than Storm Eunice.  

Met Office Chief Meteorologist Steve Ramsdale said: “Winds will decrease from their exceptionally high levels on Friday, but there’s a continued wet and windy theme for many through the weekend.  

“The south will see wet and windy conditions on Saturday, before areas to the north and west, including Northern Ireland, see some more potentially disruptive conditions on Sunday. Weather warnings have been issued but should be checked throughout the weekend for any ongoing updates.” 

Saturday’s yellow warning for wind covers much of the southwest, southern Wales and coastal areas in the south of England, where gusts of around 60mph are possible on the coasts, and around 40-50mph further inland. This will be accompanied by some persistent rain for many in the south, which will move eastwards as the day progresses.  

Police appeal after woman assaulted in Sighthill

Police are appealing for information after being called to a report of a 36-year-old woman having been seriously assaulted in Sighthill.

The incident took place on Sunday, 13 February, 2022 between 1.40am and 2am, on Calder Road near the junction with Sighthill Avenue. The woman was attacked by a man leaving her with serious facial injuries.

The woman was able to flag down a female driver for help.

Police Constable Mark McCreight said: “This woman has been seriously injured and therefore it is vital we establish exactly what happened here.

“We are looking to speak with the female driver who stopped to help as we believe she may be able to assist us with our enquiries. We would urge her to come forward.

“I would also ask anyone else who was in the area who has any further information to get in touch. Were you in the area in the early hours of Sunday morning? You may have dash-cam footage that can help us.”

Anyone with any information should contact Police via 101, quoting incident number 0444 of Sunday, 13 February, 2022. Alternatively you can contact CRIMESTOPPERS on 0800 555 111 where information can be given anonymously.

Further support for culture recovery

Culture and events sectors to benefit from £16 million

The Scottish government’s Omicron business support fund will help cultural organisations, events, museums and freelancers recover from the economic impact of coronavirus restrictions.

£16 million funding for this financial year is being allocated as follows:

  • £12 million to Creative Scotland towards support for a hardship fund for creative freelancers, a recovery fund for cultural organisations and for Edinburgh Festivals celebrating their 75th year. Details of these funds will be announced next week by Creative Scotland.
  • £2 million for EventScotland to increase the total support for EventScotland’s national and international events programmes.
  • £2 million additional support for the Museums Recovery Fund to support a wider range of museums to recover from the pandemic.   

Culture Minister Neil Gray said: “This further £16m in support for the culture events, heritage and creative industries recognises how much we value these sectors which have been among those hit hardest by the pandemic.

“As we embark on our recovery, cultural activity has a pivotal role to play in reinvigorating our economy and communities as well as promoting individual well-being.

“Since the beginning of the pandemic the government has announced more than £240 million for culture and events and we are continuing to work closely with these sectors as they rebuild audience confidence.”

Iain Munro, Creative Scotland’s Chief Executive said: “This additional funding from the Scottish Government is very welcome and will provide a lifeline for many in the culture sector who have lost income as a result of the ongoing pandemic. 

“We are working quickly to get this funding to those who need it most. Details of how creative freelancers and cultural organisations can apply for the funding will be communicated shortly.”

Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events said: “The additional £2 million in funding for Scotland’s events sector is welcome news as we continue to navigate through the impact of recent Covid-19 restrictions and look towards the future.

“It is vital that we continue to support the recovery of Scotland’s events sector by showcasing a wide-ranging event offering, whilst keeping Scotland top of mind and reinforcing its status and reputation as a world-class event destination.

“This additional funding will ensure we can continue to rebuild our vibrant events sector by developing a diverse portfolio of events that inspire both visitors and locals to attend, but which also deliver social and economic benefits to local communities across the country.”

Details of Creative Scotland’s funds will be available here:

Home | Creative Scotland

‘Grow How’ to Know How

Free demonstrations relaunch at Dobbies’ Edinburgh store

The UK’s leading garden centre retailer, Dobbies, relaunches its highly requested free in-store ‘Grow How’ demonstrations, taking place on the first Saturday of every month in its Edinburgh store.

Available in Edinburgh, Grow How offers customers an interactive opportunity to learn from Dobbies’ horticultural experts and finesse their gardening skills. Encouraging the nation to be more green, sessions will cover sustainability and growing your own, working with the seasons to maximise your outdoor space, no matter how big or small, and how to create sought-after landscapes.

Dobbies’ Grow How educational sessions are built to be flexible, fun and interactive, taking around 10-15 minutes. Customers in Edinburgh can look forward to a live demonstration with a Dobbies’ horticulture expert and an ask the expert section, where the floor will open to relevant questions.

Sarah Murray, Dobbies’ Partnership and Events Manager said: “We couldn’t be more excited that Grow How is relaunching in our Edinburgh store next month.

“We’d encourage customers to take advantage of our free expert advice in-store and hopefully learn something new about how to make their green space bloom.”

Marcus Eyles, Dobbies’ Horticultural Director said: “Our team of horticultural experts across the UK thoroughly enjoyed hosting these relaxed ‘how to’ sessions in previous years and we can’t wait to get our gardening gloves back on for this interactive and popular experience.

“We would encourage anyone in Edinburgh, no matter their gardening experience, to come along and give these sessions a go – we’ll provide tips and recommendations to ensure you can make the most of your outside space, whether you have a window sill or sprawling lawn.”

The demonstrations will take place in Dobbies’ Edinburgh store on the first Saturday of each month at 10:30am.

Topics for March – September are detailed below, but may be subject to change depending on customer feedback:

·         March: put the spring into your pots     

·         April: create an Alpine garden   

·         May: sustainable gardening       

·         June: caring for roses

·         July: instant summer colour and lawn care         

·         August: grow your Christmas dinner     

·         September: grow your own fruit bowl

Edinburgh drug dealer convicted

A man has been convicted for his involvement in drugs offences and serious and organised crime in Edinburgh.

Shaun McKinnon (35) pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow yesterday when he appeared alongside his co-accused Samantha McCafferty (35) who pled guilty at an earlier date.

It follows an intelligence-led operation targeting serious and organised crime and drug supply which involved months of investigation.

In July 2020, officers, acting under warrant, searched four addresses on Moredunvale Bank. A quantity of Heroin and Cocaine were seized from the properties, with a combined street value of £50,000.

Detective Inspector Bob Campbell said: “This case had a huge impact on the people of Moredun and the South of Edinburgh. These two ruled through fear and intimidation, thinking they were above the law.

Their arrests prove they are not untouchable and we welcome today’s conviction. “We are committed to disrupting the illegal and harmful supply of drugs in our communities. We will use every tool and tactic at our disposal to remove these illegal substances from our streets.

“We hope this sends a clear message to those involved in the supply of drugs that they can expect to be targeted by law enforcement. They certainly should not be making a profit off the misery and harm that drugs cause in our communities.

“If you have any information or concerns about drug misuse or wider criminality in your area, do not hesitate to contact us on 101 or report anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 where we will investigate thoroughly.”

Mitigating ‘vindictive Tory policies’ costs Edinburgh £57.3 million this year

Funds spent protecting Scots from Tories means less money available to fight cost of living crisis, says SNP

The SNP Scottish Government had to spend £57.3 million in Edinburgh to mitigate vindictive Tory UK Government policies in Scotland this financial year, meaning there is less money available to support hard-pressed Scots families through the deepening Tory cost of living crisis.

Across Scotland as a whole, the range of Scottish Government spending commitments to counter negligent Westminster policies is now an astronomical £594 million a year. And the figures do not include almost £3.5billion of social security benefits which, while devolved, are needed to support and supplement insufficient welfare benefits paid by the Tory UK Government.

The figures also do not include the £290m announcement by Finance Secretary Kate Forbes last week to give hard-pressed households £150 each.

SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald said: “To protect the people of Edinburgh, the SNP Government is having to commit an estimated £57.3 million – a substantial amount from its restricted budget – to mitigate vindictive and immoral Tory policies inflicted on our community.

“If these Tory policies – which bring misery to the country’s most vulnerable – did not exist, then it would free up Scottish Government cash to spend the equivalent of an extra £109 for every man, woman and child in Edinburgh to deal with the spiralling cost of living.

“Devolution was meant to provide Scotland with the opportunity to do things differently but, with Westminster holding the key economic levers like borrowing, the Scottish Government is severely constrained.

“That opportunity is even further restricted if it is continually having to commit eye-watering amounts simply to right the wrongs of the Tories’ underhand austerity agenda at Westminster which is targeted at ordinary people and families.

“It says something about their priorities that, while they cut funding to help ordinary people, they pursue a tax cut for banks that will benefit them by £4bn at the expense of public spending.

“Scotland’s opposition parties are constantly demanding the Scottish Government spends its limited budget on opposition priorities without ever identifying where the money is coming from. Well, this is many millions of pounds that could be diverted to these areas if it was not being used to protect Scots from the worst elements of Westminster control.

“And it’s not just the Tories to blame. Labour and the LibDems, through their support for Westminster control, perpetuate vindictive Tory governance on the people of Scotland. In 2014 those parties promised that Westminster would be better at tackling those problems for Scotland. The sad fact is that those promises of Westminster support were empty.

“Almost £600million is a vast amount. If the Tories at Westminster would only properly fund the areas in which the SNP Scottish Government must spend to mitigate and protect people, jobs and businesses, this cash could be redirected to make transformational changes in other areas of Scottish life.

“Sadly, the direction of travel of this Westminster Government means things will only get worse. It is why the people of Scotland will have the opportunity to choose a different path with a post-pandemic independence referendum once the crisis has passed.”

Scottish Government staff lacks diversity, report finds

A new report published by the Scottish Government shows that not enough is being done to recruit and retain ethnic minorities inGovernment.  

‘The Scottish Government’s ‘Race, Recruitment and Retention Action Plan: Equality Impact Assessment Results‘, highlights several disparities within government staffing such as:

• Falling short of the 5% of minority ethnic groups visible in the Scottish population 

• Highlighting an ethnicity pay gap 

• Revealing poorer appraisal markings for ethnic minorities compared to white colleagues

Commenting on the report, Lothian MSP Foysol Choudhury, Labour’s Shadow Minister for Culture, said: “These figures are very disappointing and shine a light on the inequalities that remain within employment practices, and in our society. It confirms that people of colour are treated less favourably, which has nothing to do with their skills or talent – it’s simply racist.

“We need to eradicate the culture of bullying, racism and discrimination and only then will we see a true representation of our population in the workplace. 

“Race has nothing to do with an employee’s talent. Every employee should be treated fairly based only on their abilities. Sometimes our personal biases and opinions of people, race or culture can deter our judgements, that’s why workplace managers need to be properly trained in both diversity and managing people well. 

“The results give a true reflection of diversity in the workplace and Holyrood is no exception. The number of BAME staff in Holyrood is very few and for them also to receive less favourable treatment is disappointing to say the least. 

“I strongly agree with the findings and recommendations the Scottish Government have laid out in its recruitment and retention plan. The government needs to be the leading force in promoting and accepting diversity in the workplace.  

“It should provide all staff with equal opportunities and ensure there is zero bullying and discrimination culture. The Scottish Government must take action now if they are to get anywhere near its 2025 ambition”.

scottish-government-race-recruitment-retention-action-plan-equality-impact-assessment-results-1Download

Healthy Tip: Getting Active

Regular physical activity is strongly associated with a reduced risk of chronic conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes as well as improving mental health. Even small increases in physical activity can positively impact on health. Heart Research UK have some tips to help you keep active. 

  • Avoid long periods of inactivity
    Set a timer to go off at specific times throughout the day to prompt you to do ten (or more) minutes of physical activity. Any activity is better than none. You can include a variety of light, moderate and vigorous activities. E.g. a brisk walk, sit-ups, weight-lifting, gardening or housework.
  • Reduce screen time for kids
    It is common for children and young people to spend too much time sitting in front of a screen. Why not talk to your children about the importance of staying active and agree on a set amount of screen time each day/week and schedule in some time for getting active.
  • Don’t be a couch potato
    Rather than spending your evenings sitting on the sofa without moving much, why not try a few gentle exercises, such as leg raises, while watching your favourite TV show. Try opening YouTube and searching for a quick 10- or 20-minute workout video.
  • Change your daily commute
    Now that many of us are heading back to the workplace, try not to jump straight for the car as the main choice of travel. If you do need to drive to work, then why not park a little further away once you arrive in order to get some valuable steps in.

For more tips on how to stay healthy, sign up for our weekly healthy tips at www.heartresearch.org.uk/healthy-tips

To help keep your heart healthy, why not try out some of our Healthy Heart recipes from our website: https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-recipes-2/

Or have a look through our Healthy Heart cookbook filled with recipes from top chefs, celebrities and food bloggers:
https://heartresearch.org.uk/heart-research-uk-cookbook/