Over 530 pies compete for crowning glory – biggest turnout in awards’ history
Co-Head Judge Gordon Newlands, Quality Meat Scotland with Lesley Cameron, Chief Executive Scottish Bakers and Kyle Rodgers, Rainbow Dust.
A record-breaking number of entries for the 25th annual World Championship Scotch Pie Awards, organised by Scottish Bakers, were judged yesterday (Wednesday 26 March) at the Carnegie Conference Centre in Dunfermline.
With an astonishing 539 entries from 88 companies across multiple categories, this Silver Jubilee year marks the biggest turnout in the competition’s history – and perhaps its fiercest yet.
A panel of over 50 expert judges, representing every part of the industry – from field to fork – are tasting and assessing each entry. These include technical experts, NPD specialists, buyers, chefs, multiple retail representatives, and consumers, ensuring the judging reflects both the full supply chain and end customer.
This year also introduces two new head judges: butcher Gordon Newlands and baker Kyle Rodgers, making the competition more representative of both sectors. The diverse judging panel mirrors the dynamic and evolving nature of the industry.
The 2025 theme, “Pieoneers”, celebrates the passion, skill and dedication of the bakers, butchers, and pie makers who continue to push boundaries while staying true to tradition. The campaign recognises those leading innovation in the industry and shaping its future.
Lesley Cameron, Chief Executive of Scottish Bakers, said: “This is a milestone year for the World Championship Scotch Pie Awards, we are thrilled to see a record-breaking number of entries.
“The talent and innovation in the industry have never been stronger, and our Pieoneers continue to push the boundaries of excellence. Today’s judging is a testament to their incredible craftsmanship.”
Co-Head Judge Gordon Newlands, Brand Development and Scotch Butchers Club Manager at Quality Meat Scotland, added: “The standard of entries continues to rise year after year.
“With new categories and a more representative judging panel, we’re seeing even greater creativity and skill. It’s an honour to be part of it.”
Co-Head Judge Kyle Rodgers, UK Sales Manager for Rainbow Dust, agreed: “It’s incredible to see the innovation and passion that goes into every entry.
“Our Pieoneers are raising the bar yet again – it’s been a feast for the senses!”
Paul Long, Managing Director of BAKO, concluded: “We’re proud to continue to support the 25th World Championship Scotch Pie Awards as a strategic partner in this milestone year.
“To see a record number of entries from so many talented bakers, butchers and pie makers is a real testament to the strength and passion of our industry.
“The new Pieoneers campaign is a fantastic addition, helping to shine an even brighter spotlight on the people and skills behind the craft of pie-making – and we’re delighted to play our part in supporting the awards and industry talent.”
This year saw the introduction of two new categories: Retailer Pie Product of the Year, sponsored by Tracker (TRKR), and Lighter Options, co-sponsored by Reformul8 and Ulrick—reflecting changing consumer preferences while continuing to honour traditional excellence.
The competition is proudly supported by BAKO, this year’s Awards Partner, and Carr’s Flour, Diamond Sponsor, alongside other valued category sponsors.
The 2025 World Scotch Pie Champion will be crowned at a glittering awards ceremony at The Hilton in Glasgow on Saturday 10 May.
Funding to help local authorities restore biodiversity
Local authorities will directly receive £10 million to support new, or to enhance existing, approaches to restoring biodiversity through the Nature Restoration Fund (NRF).
More than £55 million has been awarded via the NRF since its launch in 2021 for projects delivering habitat and species restoration, coastal and marine initiatives and control of invasive non-native species.
Acting Minister for Climate Action, Dr Alasdair Allan said: “Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, and is essential for sustaining the ecosystems that provide us with food, fuel, health, wealth, and other vital services.
“We know there is an urgent need to act decisively to address the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change together.
“Just like climate change, the loss of species and degradation of our natural environment is an existential threat to humanity. We have a vision for a future where Scotland’s natural environment is restored and supports thriving communities and wildlife alike.
“The Nature Restoration Fund is a vital mechanism to support projects across Scotland on land and at sea – that address the twin crises and restore our natural environment and supports a whole-of society approach to achieving these goals.”
The Edinburgh Process strand of the NRF provides funding direct to Local Authorities to deliver nature restoration projects in their communities, sitting alongside the NRF strand administered by NatureScot.
This latest allocation will bring the total allocated to Local Authorities through the Edinburgh Process strand to £32 million, since 2021.
The NRF aims to help local authorities and their partners protect and restore Scotland’s biodiversity on land and sea.
The Fund has five strategic themes that will be delivered across all the funding streams:
Habitat and species restoration: Management for enhancement and connectivity
Freshwater restoration, including restoration of natural flows in rural catchments
Coastal and marine initiatives which promote restoration, recovery, enhancement or resilience
Control of invasive non-native species (INNS) impacting on nature
Urban: Enhancing and connecting nature across, and between, towns and cities
The Edinburgh Process strand seeks to deliver the five strategic priorities through sub-national delivery. This approach can deliver multiple benefits like supporting health and well-being, green jobs, air and water quality improvements in addition to supporting nature recovery.
NatureScot Chair Colin Galbraith said: “The Nature Restoration Fund is helping environmental groups, communities and local authorities across Scotland take vital action for Scotland’s nature now.
“It’s crucial that we do everything we can to respond to the twin crises of nature loss and climate change. With this kind of support, we can make a positive and lasting difference that will put our land, seas and wildlife back on the road to recovery. This is not only good for nature, but good for people too as we all benefit from a healthy and thriving natural world.”
The Scottish Government’s Strategic Framework for biodiversity, including the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy to 2045 and Delivery Plan to 2030, published in November 2024, sets out our ambition and plans to halt the loss of nature by 2030 and make significant progress to restoring nature by 2045.
Green Party co-leader also joins 25 other politicians backing motion congratulating trade body on 125 years of fighting for the profession
Scotland’s largest construction trade association, SELECT, continues to draw cross-party support for its activities in its 125th year, with another prominent MSP publicly supporting its campaign for protection of title for electricians.
Scottish Green Party co-leader and former Minister for Green Skills, the Circular Economy and BiodiversityLorna Slater is the latest politician to add her name to the campaigning trade body’s Wall of Support.
Showing her support with a virtual ‘brick’, the MSP for Lothian Region said: “Currently within Scotland, due to a lack of regulation anyone can claim to be an electrician and carry out electrical work without proper qualification or oversight.
“The installation of electrical work by unqualified or inadequately trained individuals is a major safety concern and risks potential harm to people and businesses.
“I therefore welcome SELECT’s campaign for the regulation of the electrical industry and to make electrician a protected title to aid the protection of the people and the profession.”
Ms Slater – who was born in Canada and worked in Scotland as an engineer in the renewables sector – has also joined 25 MSPs from across the political divide who have backed the recent tabling of a special motion in the Scottish Parliament, congratulating SELECT on representing the electrical industry since 1900.
The motion was lodged by Monica Lennon, Labour MSP for Central Scotland, who also singled out the ongoing contribution of SELECT and its members to renewable technology and apprenticeships and training.
Other MSPs now backing it are the SNP’s Karen Adam, Clare Adamson, Colin Beattie, Stephanie Callaghan, Kenneth Gibson, Bill Kidd, Gordon MacDonald, Fulton MacGregor, Ruth Maguire, Stuart McMillan, Kevin Stewart, Michelle Thomson and David Torrance.
Conservatives Jeremy Balfour, Miles Briggs, Murdo Fraser, Craig Hoy, Edward Mountain, Annie Wells and Brian Whittle have also added their support, along with Labour’s Jackie Baillie, Foysol Choudhury, Alex Rowley, Paul Sweeney, Mercedes Villalba and Independent John Mason.
SELECT Managing Director Alan Wilson said: “As we celebrate our 125th anniversary as the world’s oldest electrical trade body, it is gratifying to see our ongoing work being supported by such a large cross-section of politicians.
“We very much welcome Ms Slater’s expression of solidarity for our campaign for regulation of the electrical industry. It has been a long, hard road but we will continue to focus all our efforts in bringing it to a successful conclusion.
“We are also very grateful to the MSPs who have backed Ms Lennon’s special motion highlighting just how much SELECT has done to promote the cause of public safety and the contribution the electrical sector makes to it.”
As well as a number of MSPs, other bodies that have contributed a brick to the Wall of Support include the Scottish Joint Industry Board, Unite the Union, Electrical Safety First, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Scottish Association of Landlords, the Specialist Engineering Contractors’ Group and the Energy Saving Trust.
SELECT has been campaigning for years with other leading industry bodies, such as the Scottish Electrical Charitable Training Trust and the SJIB to make sure that those who work in the industry do so in a safe and competent manner.
Crippling energy price rises has seen costs at the Home soar and funds are desperately needed to enable the cattery roof to be replaced
The Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home has today launched a crowdfunder to raise vital funds to replace their cattery roof which is in great need of repair. Rising energy prices has seen costs at the Home rocket and so they hope to install solar panels on their new roof which will make a saving of over £2,600 in energy costs every year.
The cattery roof is in urgent need of repair and the team at the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home hope to raise nearly £13,000 to fund a new one and install solar panels. Currently the outdoor section of the cat pen has a mesh area through which bird poo can fall, which is incredibly dangerous to the cats, putting them at risk of giardia infection.
The new roof will be solid to keep the cats safe, preventing bird droppings from falling through, which previously required a great deal of time to clean. The improvement means the cats will now have year-round access to the outdoor cattery.
Solar Panels on the new roof would effectively cover the electricity to the Home’s entire cattery and clinic, creating a more sustainable future for the Home and for the environment. With solar panels installed, over five years the Home would save £13,070 – enough to vaccinate 1,378 cats.
Many of the Home’s resident cats, like Mickey who had spent about 6 months with them, enjoyed spending time outside whatever the weather. Mickey loved to sit in his outdoor area, hoping that passing team members would stop to say hi to him (of course, they always would!) The outdoor pens provide important stimulation and enrichment for cats like Mickey, but at the moment they can’t be used year-round due to infection concerns.
Lindsay Fyffe Jardine, CEO of Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home, said: “Repairing the roof and installing the solar panels above this section of the cattery will provide much needed shelter and create a safer play area for the cats in our care.
“Not only will we benefit from much needed energy savings, we’ll also improve our carbon footprint. Installing these solar panels means that two tons of CO2 emissions will be avoided every year. Over the panels’ lifetime, this is the equivalent of 69,690 car kms avoided, 50 long haul flights avoided, or planting 448 trees.
“Installing solar panels will not only give essential cover to our cattery, but will generate enough green energy for all the electricity in our cattery and our clinic.
“The welfare of the animals in our care is always at the forefront of our operations. Operating sustainably is essential in our ability to continue to deliver on our mission.”
To make a donation to the Cattery Crowdfunder please visit:
YESTERDAY (Wednesday 26 March) we launched the first North Edinburgh Community Benefits Fund. This is a flexible fund aimed at local third sector organisations working in North Edinburgh to help support their services.
There is a total of £10,000 available which has been provided by Cruden Group as part of their contract to deliver the Silverlea development, which will see 143 new homes for social and mid-market rent built on a site off Muirhouse Parkway.
Northbound traffic will return to North Bridge from tomorrow (Friday 28 March) at 10am.
The northbound closure in mid-February has allowed for essential resurfacing works to be carried out on both the southbound approach to the bridge (both lanes outside Waverley Gate toward Princes Street) and the southbound departure of the bridge (both lanes from the entrance to the Hilton Edinburgh Carlton on North Bridge to the junction at High Street).
Work had been due to finish next week but the project team has completed the resurfacing ahead of schedule.
The wider work on the Category A Listed Structure in the heart of the city centre, has included structural steelwork repairs, installing cathodic protection and structural health monitoring systems to the reinforced concrete deck and fitting permanent platforms to improve access provisions for future inspection and minor maintenance. These are just a few of the host of other improvements.
Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Stephen Jenkinson said: “I’m pleased that we’ve been able to complete these works slightly ahead of schedule.
“I appreciate that this temporary closure will have been frustrating for our residents and businesses, and I want to thank them once again for their patience.
“We’re now in the final phase of the project and, while I acknowledge that it’s taken longer than we first anticipated, we’re preserving this majestic and hugely complex structure for future generations, and we owe it to them to make sure the job is completed to a high standard.”
Chancellor ‘delivers security and national renewal in a new era of global change’
Chancellor vows to bring about “new era of security and national renewal” as she delivered a Spring Statement to kickstart economic growth, protect working people and keep Britain safe.
People to be on average £500 a year better off by the end of this parliament compared to under the previous government, putting more money in people’s pockets.
OBR forecast concludes government’s landmark planning reforms will result in a £6.8 billion boost to the economy and housebuilding at its highest level in over 40 years by 2029-30
Growth at the heart of Plan for Change as £13 billion of additional capital spend allocated alongside £2.2 billion defence funding boost next year.
THE Labour government said people will be on average £500 better off from 2029, relative to OBR’s autumn forecast, helping to deliver the Plan for Change as the Chancellor yesterday (Wednesday 26 March) announced a Spring Statement to grasp the opportunities in a changing world.
THEY WON’T. From November 2026, 370,000 people who already get PIP will lose it and another 430, 000 who would qualify now no longer will. These people will lose £4500 a year each. And 150,000 carers who look after them will no longer receive their £83.30 a week Carer’s Allowance.
The OBR has also concluded that the government’s landmark planning reforms will result in UK housebuilding reaching its highest level in over 40 years, bringing the UK one step closer to its Plan for Change mission to build 1.5 million homes.
The government says economy will be 0.2% larger in 2029-30 because of the reforms – worth around £6.8 billion in today’s money – growing to 0.4% over the next ten years. This represents the biggest positive growth effect it has ever forecasted for a policy that comes at zero-cost to taxpayers. The reforms will secure over 170,000 new homes for hard working families and leave borrowing £3.4 billion lower in 2029-30.
The Chancellor also set out how the government is protecting national security and maximising the growth potential of the UK defence sector by confirming a £2.2 billion increase in the defence budget in 2025-26 while ensuring UK defence is on the cutting-edge of technology and innovation.
But growth is still not where it should be, so at this Spring Statement, this government has gone ‘further and faster’ to kickstart growth by training up to 60,000 young people to get Britain building again; increasing capital investment by £13 billion over this parliament; and fixing public services by tearing out waste from its roots.
Growth
Kickstarting economic growth is the number one mission of this government, putting more money in people’s pockets. The government has already made considerable progress; supporting a third runway at Heathrow; revitalising the Oxford Cambridge Growth Corridor, launching the National Wealth Fund and making the right choices on public investment to drive growth across the UK.
The actions of this government across the Autumn Budget and Spring Statement, if sustained, lead to a 0.6% rise in the level of real GDP by 2034-35, signalling the government’s growth plan is working.
The OBR concluded that the stability rule is met by £9.9 billion and the investment rule is met by £15.1 billion. Both rules are met two years early, meaning from 2027-28 the government is only borrowing for investment and net financial debt is falling.
The government is not satisfied with short-term growth figures, and is going further and faster today to improve this:
To go further and faster to get Britain building, the Chancellor has today announced a further £13 billion of capital investment over the Parliament to go further on growth, on top of the £100 billion uplift announced at Autumn Budget. This will deliver the projects needed to catalyse private investment, boost growth and drive forward the UK’s modern industrial strategy – unlocking the potential of the Oxford Cambridge Growth Corridor which could add up to £78 billion to the UK economy by 2035.
Taken together, this greater capital investment more than offsets the modest savings on day to day spending and means the total departmental spending will increase over the next five years, when compared with plans in the Autumn.
Over this Parliament, the government is funding a £625 million package to boost skills in the construction sector, which is expected to provide up to 60,000 more skilled construction workers to support the government’s plans to deliver 1.5 million homes in England over the parliament and progress vital infrastructure projects.
As part of this, the government is providing further support to scale up existing construction skills pathway over this Parliament through £100 million for 35,000 additional training places in construction-focused Skills Bootcamps, supporting trainees, ‘returners’, and existing employees to succeed in the sector. Building on the £40 million investment in the new Growth and Skills Levy at Autumn Budget 2024, the government is also providing a further £40 million to support up to 10,000 more young people to access new construction Foundation Apprenticeships, which will provide a key entry route into a thriving industry.
The government is ensuring there are enough skilled construction workers in the system, with £100 million to deliver 10 Technical Excellence Colleges specialised in construction across every region in England, and £165 million to increase funding for training providers delivering construction courses for 16-19-year-olds and adults.
The government is committed to supporting employers to unlock further investment in training to deliver more skilled construction workers, and is providing £100 million, alongside a £32 million contribution from the Construction Industry Training Board to deliver up to 40,000 industry placements in construction each year.
Supported by the construction skills package, the government confirmed this week that there will be a £2 billion injection of new grant funding to deliver up to 18,000 new social and affordable homes. The new funding will only support developments on sites that will deliver in this Parliament, getting spades in the ground quickly to build homes in places such as Manchester and Liverpool.
Defence
The world is changing before our eyes, reshaped by global instability, including Russian aggression in Ukraine. Europe is facing a once-in-a-generation moment for its collective security, with conflicts overseas undermining security and prosperity at home.
A month ago, the PM announced the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War as a result of the changing global picture, now reaching 2.5% of GDP by April 2027, and with an ambition to reach 3% in the next Parliament subject to economic and fiscal conditions.
We are going further and faster to protect our national security and maximise the economic growth potential of the UK defence sector:
Increasing the defence budget by £2.2 billion in 2025-26, taking additional spending on defence to over £5 billion since the Autumn Budget.
This raises spending on defence to 2.36% next year and will be invested in fitting Royal Navy ships with Directed Energy Weapons five years earlier than planned, providing better homes for military families and modernising His Majesty’s Naval Base Portsmouth.
Setting a minimum 10 percent ringfence for equipment spending on emerging technologies like drones and autonomous systems, dual-use technology, and AI-powered capabilities, so that British troops have the tools they need to fight and win in modern warfare.
Getting this new tech into the hands of our armed forces quicker by cutting away bureaucracy, with a new UK Defence Innovation unit within the Ministry of Defence spearheading efforts to identify promising technology and ensure these get to the frontline at speed, while also bolstering the UK tech sector and crowding in private investment.
Creating bespoke procurement processes for different types of military equipment, learning lessons from our rapid support for Ukraine to drive faster timescale targets for operationalising new tanks, aircraft and other essential tools for modern warfare.
This government is determined to transform the defence sector into an engine for growth by focusing this investment on where it boosts the productive capacity of the economy such as investment in innovation and novel technologies. As a result of the increase in defence spending to 2.5%, the government estimates this could lead to around 0.3% higher GDP in the long run, equivalent to around £11 billion of GDP in today’s money.
The government’s investment in defence will also support its number one mission to deliver economic growth. UK citizens will be protected from threats at home whilst creating a stable environment in which businesses can thrive, and supporting highly skilled jobs and apprenticeships across the whole of the UK.
Reform
The government is determined to make the public sector more productive and to improve services for working people. But the changing world means we need to go further and faster to ensure we can deliver the public services that working people care most about.
The government has shown its commitment to taking the difficult decisions required to drive efficiencies and reform the state – including announcing that the world’s largest quango, NHS England, will be brought back into the Department for Health and Social Care, reducing bureaucratic inefficiencies and duplication; and driving out wasteful government spend through cancelling thousands of government credit cards.
Getting more people into jobs is also central to the government’s growth mission. This broken welfare system that is letting people down by asking them to prove what they can’t do, rather than focusing on what they could do with the right support – trapping people due to fear of trying work, lack of support and poor financial incentives.
The social security system will always protect those who can never work, that is why this government is proposing an additional premium that will safeguard their incomes. And will end reassessments for people with the most severe, life-long conditions to give them dignity and security.
Helping more people into work is a central aim of these reforms and which is why the government is tackling incentives to be inactive by abolishing the WCA, rebalancing Universal Credit, and investing more into employment support.
We will always support those with long term health conditions through the Personal Independence Payment, which will remain an important non-means tested benefit for disabled people and people with long term health conditions. But these reforms will make the system more targeted and sustainable to ensure the safety net is there for those who need it most.
The OBR have now set out their final assessment of costings and confirmed this welfare package will reduce welfare spending by £4.8 billion in 2029-/30.
The government will modernise the Civil Service into a more productive and agile organisation that can effectively deliver the Plan for Change, underpinned by a digital revolution, while cancelling thousands of government procurement cards.
Today, the Chancellor has gone further:
The Chancellor has confirmed the creation of a £3.25 billion Transformation Fund to support the fundamental reform of public services, seize the opportunities of digital technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI), and transform frontline delivery to release savings for taxpayers over the long-term.
The Fund will invest in vital public services and accelerate the modernisation of the state by taking the next step to reform the children’s social care system through an additional £25 million for the fostering system. This will include funding the recruitment of a further 400 new fostering households, providing children with stability and addressing cost pressures on local government.
The fund will also support the managing offenders in the community, by providing £8 million for new technology so probation officers can focus on reducing reoffending, rather than filling out forms.
In addition, it will provide £42 million for three pioneering DSIT-led Frontier AI Exemplars. These Exemplars will test and deploy AI applications to make government operations more efficient and effective and improve outcomes for citizens by reducing unnecessary bureaucracy.
To create an agile and productive state we are also providing £150 million for government employee exit schemes. This will support a leaner and more efficient Civil Service, helping to reduce administration costs by 15% by the end of the decade. The Chancellor also announced a package of measures to close the tax gap, raising £1 billion per year by 2029-30. The UK tax gap was estimated to be around £40 billion in 2022-23.
The Spring Statement earmarks around £80 million in new money for third party debt collectors to bring in £1.3 billion over the next five years – a return of around £16 for every pound spent for UK public services and investment projects. HMRC will also receive £4 million in new funding to pilot a new test and learn programme with the private sector to improve the tax collection agency’s approach to recouping older unpaid tax debt. Ministers will decide whether to proceed with a larger exercise later this year based on the results of this test.
An additional 600 staff will also be recruited into HMRC’s debt management teams. This means that for every £1 spent on these staff, over £13 of debt is expected to be recovered. The staff will work with the private sector to make collecting tax debt more efficient including through automating admin processes.
The Spring Statement also announces £100 million in new funding for HMRC to recruit a further 500 compliance officers from April 2025. This will raise £241 million in unpaid tax over the next five years.
Late payment penalties for VAT and Making Tax Digital for income tax Self Assessment will increase to incentivise taxpayers to pay on time. This will be from 2% to 3% at 15 days, 2% to 3% at 30 days, and 4% to 10% from day 31. This will take effect from April 2025.
As announced in the autumn, Making Tax Digital for income tax Self Assessment will be extended to sole traders and landlords with income over £20,000. The Spring Statement confirms that this additional group will join Making Tax Digital from April 2028. This will build on the existing plan which will see sole traders and landlords with income above £50,000 joining from April 2026, and those with income above £30,000 joining from April 2027. Around 4 million businesses have an income below the £20,000 threshold.
Looking Forward
This Spring Statement builds on the Autumn Budget and the decisions taken since required to deliver stability to the British economy and kickstart economic growth.
The government will set out its plans for spending and key public sector reforms at the Spending Review which will conclude on 11 June 2025.
This will not be a business-as-usual Spending Review. The government has fundamentally reformed the process to make it zero-based, collaborative, and data-led, in order to ensure a laser-like focus on the biggest opportunities to rewire the state and deliver the Plan for Change.
At the Spending Review, the Budget in the autumn and across the Parliament, the government will continue to prioritise growing the economy to deliver change.
RESPONSES:
UK spending cuts ‘risk harm to most vulnerable’
Finance Secretary responds to Spring Statement
Spending cuts announced by the Chancellor risk harming some of the most vulnerable people in society, Finance Secretary Shona Robison has said.
Responding to the Spring Statement, Ms Robison said: “Today’s statement from the Chancellor will see austerity cuts being imposed on some of the most vulnerable people in our society. The UK Government appears to be trying to balance its books on the backs of disabled people.
“Not content with these cuts, the UK Government is still expected to short-change Scotland’s public services on additional employer National Insurance costs to the tune of hundreds of millions of pounds. This will be felt in public services that people rely on up and down the country – services such as our NHS, GPs, dentists, social care providers, and universities.
“The UK Government’s choice to increase defence investment is welcome, but its choices to shortchange public services and deliver austerity cuts to some of the most vulnerable are deplorable.”
TRUSSELL:
Trussell responds to ‘catastrophic’ Spring Statement
Cara Hilton, Senior Policy Manager at Trussell in Scotland, said: “Today’s announcement has incredibly worrying implications for disabled people in Scotland.
“The insistence by the Treasury on driving through record cuts to disabled people’s social security to balance the books is both shocking and appalling. People at food banks are telling us they are terrified how they’ll survive.
“These brutal cuts to already precarious incomes won’t help more disabled people find work, but they will risk forcing more people to skip meals and turn to food banks to get by.
“Cuts come at a cost. Driving up hunger and hardship means more spending on already struggling public services, with increased hospital and GP visits a very likely outcome of these actions.
“Disabled people are already three times more likely to face hunger, and over three quarters of people in receipt of Universal Credit and disability benefits are already struggling to afford the essentials like food. This will only get worse.
“These cruel cuts are out of touch with what voters want from this government. The government says people voted for change in Westminster, but we know that seven in ten voters across political parties agree the social security for disabled people should at least be enough to cover essential living costs. This is a change for the worse, and it is disabled people who will pay the price.”
David, 46, has a bone disease and is terrified by the prospect of cuts to his disability benefits. He has recently been forced to turn to a Trussell food bank for support.
He said: “I am terrified now that the Chancellor has confirmed that my disability benefits will be cut. The bone tumours in my hips cause me pain everyday and force me to use crutches, and in the cold weather my symptoms worsen but I already can’t afford to put the heating on.
” I don’t know how I’ll survive. It’s not my fault I’m disabled, and I shouldn’t be punished for it.
“Life costs more if you’re disabled. Things like specialist equipment and travel to healthcare appointments all add up. PIP – which the government is brutally cutting – is there to account for these extra costs. It is not a luxury, and I shouldn’t need to use a food bank or turn to charities like Trussell for support.
“Cutting my benefits won’t get me back to work – it will just push me deeper into poverty.”
JOSEPH ROWNTREE FOUNDATION
“The Chancellor said today that she would not do anything to put household finances in danger Yet the government’s own assessment shows their cuts to health related benefits risk pushing 250,000 people into poverty, including 50,000 children.
“Their assessment also found:
800,000 will lose PIP according to the OBR
3m will lose money from changes to the main health element of UC, £500 a year for existing claimants, and £3000 for new claimants
£500m will come out of the carers benefits bill as 150,000 lose carers allowance or UC care element.
“The Chancellor said the world has changed, and today’s announcements places the burden of that changing world on the shoulders of those least able to bear the load. These cuts will harm people, deepening the hardship they already face.”
CHILD POVERTY ACTION GROUP:
Responding to today’s Spring Statement, chief executive of Child Poverty Action Group Alison Garnham said: “Stealth social security cuts bring neither stability nor security to struggling families and will push child poverty even higher.
“Growth and better living standards are not achieved by taking money from families with the least.
“Government must invest in social security support – not cut it – for the most vulnerable, or risk being remembered as the Labour administration under whose watch child poverty continued to rise.”
CARERS UK:
STUC:
INDEPENDENT ALLIANCE MPs:
KIM JOHNSON MP:
OCTOPUS ENERGY:
Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy, said: “It’s good to see the focus on planning and other reforms that can unlock investment to help make Britain more productive and drive growth.
“We were also pleased to see the receipts from the Government’s sale of Bulb to Octopus funding 36,000 homes for armed forces families. It’s a sign of how business and Government can work together for the good of the country.”
FRONT PAGES:
MOMENTUM:
NEW ECONOMICS FOUNDATION:
JEREMY CORBYN:
PRIME MINISTER KEIR STARMER:
THE NATIONAL:
TRADES UNION CONGRESS (TUC):
Responding to today’s (Wednesday) Spring Statement, TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Labour inherited a toxic economic legacy from the Conservatives. But at the Budget the Chancellor took the right call to invest in repairing our public services and infrastructure.
“To rebuild Britain this approach must continue long-term. In the face of strong global headwinds, we need to keep building stronger foundations at home. That must include protecting the most vulnerable.
“As the last 14 years have shown us – you cannot cut your way to growth. UK taxes are low as a share of GDP. Those with the broadest shoulders must continue to contribute more through a fairer tax system.
“And the Tories’ botched Brexit deal must be improved to boost growth and trade.”
On the government’s social security reforms, Paul said:“Ministers need to rethink their plans. Decisions that affect millions of people’s lives must be made with care – not as a last-minute response to changed fiscal forecasts.
“These changes mean many disabled people – whether they are in work or not – will be pushed into hardship.
“And removing support could even make it harder for some people to stay in their jobs.
“Disabled people need timely access to high quality healthcare, and accessible jobs – particularly in the towns and communities where there are fewest opportunities.”
On the public sector workforce, Paul added:“Public sector workers are key deliverers of national renewal.
“But after 14 years of Tory chaos and ruin, many feel burnt out and demoralised.
“It’s vital the government invests in these workers and recognises the key role they play in improving the services we all rely on.
“Any approach to transforming our public services must include clear workforce plans for every part of our public sector, developed in partnership with staff and unions.”
On the OBR’s growth forecasts, Paul said: “It is time to review both the role of the OBR and how it models the long-term impacts of public investment. Short-term changes in forecasts should not be driving long-term government decision-making.”
UNITE THE UNION:
UK FINANCE:
David Postings, Chief Executive Officer, UK Finance said: “The chancellor’s Spring Statement focused on stability and growth in the UK. We welcome the government’s continued commitment to growing the economy and the financial services sector is committed to playing its part in support.
“Building on recent positive regulatory reform plans, we now look forward to the upcoming Industrial Strategy, which will be key to unlocking further investment and delivering growth through various sectors, including financial services.”
MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION:
LLOYDS BANKING GROUP:
Charlie Nunn, Chief Executive Officer, Lloyds Banking Group said: “A safe and lasting home is the foundation for good lives and livelihoods, and we welcome this boost to building much-needed social and affordable homes.
“As the UK’s biggest commercial supporter of social housing, we’re working across the private, public and community sectors to help increase provision of good quality, genuinely affordable housing for those in need.”
UNITE HOSPITALITY:
DAILY MIRROR:
POVERTY ALLIANCE:
Responding to the Spring Statement, Poverty Alliance chief executive Peter Kelly said: “People in the UK voted for change at the last election because they were desperate for a government that delivers a just and compassionate country. Today’s announcements undermine that ambition.
“It is completely unjust to, once again, balance the books on the backs of the those on the lowest incomes. Today’s statement layered additional cuts to our social security system on top of those announced last week. That will have a devastating impact for households across the country.
“The Government’s own analysis shows that these changes will push at least 250,000 people, including 50,000 children into poverty, undermining the forthcoming child poverty strategy before it’s even published.
“These cuts will push people into debt and destitution. They will continue the need for food banks. They will stop people heating their homes, or charging essential medical and support equipment.
“People know that there is no justification for these cuts. It does not have to be like this. The Chancellor could scrap her self-imposed fiscal rules or use our taxation system to raise the revenue needed for the better future we all want to see.
“The UK Government is re-running a failed experiment – austerity will not deliver economic growth. And it certainly won’t deliver a just and compassionate society.”
SCOTTISH HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION:
Deep concern about impact of UK Government’s Spring Statement
The Scottish Human Rights Commission (SHRC) is deeply concerned about the impact of announcements on the future of the UK welfare system in the UK Government’s Spring Statement, especially for disabled people and their families and communities.
Plans to cut the health element of Universal Credit will have a direct effect on the human rights of those disabled people in Scotland who are unable to work. Although payments to support people with the additional costs of disability are devolved in Scotland, the UK Government’s proposals will have negative consequences for the Scottish Budget.
Severe economic hardship
Earlier this month, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which holds governments around the world to account for their record on human rights, warned that changes to the UK welfare system introduced since 2012 have “eroded the rights to social security and to an adequate standard of living, disproportionally affecting persons with disabilities, low-income families and workers in precarious employment” and warned that these changes have resulted in “severe economic hardship”.
Last year, the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities reiterated its position that the UK welfare system is leading to ‘grave and systematic’ violations of disabled people’s rights. Over the past week many disabled people, Disabled People’s Organisations and civil society organisations have expressed shock and fear about what further changes to the system could mean for people.
Professor Angela O’Hagan, Chair of the SHRC, says: “With these announcements, the UK Government is not only disregarding the expert findings and recommendations of human rights bodies, but actively pursuing regressive changes that further deteriorate the rights of disabled people in Scotland.
“Indeed, these steps may potentially represent a breach of the UK’s obligations under international human rights law, particularly its duty to progressively realise the rights to social security, an adequate standard of living, and non-discrimination.
“Social security, an adequate standard of living, and non-discrimination are not optional benefits — they are binding human rights that the UK is required to respect, protect, and fulfil for everyone.
“These proposals fly in the face of both the letter and the spirit of the UK’s human rights obligations.”
VOLUNTEER SCOTLAND:
We share the concerns voiced by many third sector organisations regarding the Chancellor’s Spring Statement on Wednesday (writes Volunteer Sotland’s SARAH LATTO).
The significant cuts to health-related benefits have the potential to push more people into financial difficulty. This would create significant additional demand for third sector services and the volunteers that support them.
This comes at a time when the third sector is facing unprecedented pressures, and volunteer participation is in significant decline. Given the reported challenges many organisations are experiencing in recruiting new volunteers, this could add considerable pressure to existing volunteers who give their time to support people in crisis. This is not sustainable and could contribute to a further decline in volunteer participation.
This same research also found that the effect of volunteering on mental wellbeing for people with a disability or long-term health condition was seven times larger than for people without.
Despite these clear benefits, we are concerned that the announced reduction in welfare spend will prevent many people in receipt of benefits from pursuing volunteering.
This is because of competing demands on their time and rising stress or anxiety regarding their finances. The planned changes to welfare spend will likely exacerbate this situation further, meaning many people in receipt of health-related benefits may feel unable to participate in an activity that is likely to improve their health and wellbeing.
As a result, we join many voices from the third sector in urging the Chancellor to rethink her plans around welfare spend.
City Art Centre announces exciting programme of events to accompany upcoming John Bellany exhibition
John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture – a major exhibition celebrating the life and art of one of Scotland’s most significant modern painters – opens on Saturday 31 May 2025.
The programme includes exclusive tours, talks and workshops with those closest to the artist. Booking for events is now open.
The exhibition will showcase over 80 works, including paintings, drawings, prints, and sketchbooks, spanning from the 1960s until 2013. This remarkable exhibition invites visitors into Bellany’s world through the lens of his own self-exploration.
John Bellany was one of the most prolific and fearless self-portraitists in art history, obsessively documenting his own image through a variety of mediums.
From his early student studies in the 1960s to the epic pictorial narratives of his later years, Bellany’s works reveal the artist’s complex relationship with himself, his identity, and the world around him.
Throughout his life, he explored self-portraiture not just as an artistic exercise but as a means of delving into personal and universal themes—often disguising himself as mythical figures or fantastical characters.
This exhibition will present a diverse collection of works, many of which have never been seen publicly before, and are on loan from public and private collections across the UK, including the artist’s own estate. The works span Bellany’s entire career, providing a vivid and evocative portrayal of his life as he saw it.
The exhibition is accompanied by a publication featuring a foreword by Helen Bellany and essays by curators Bill Hare and Sandy Moffat.
In addition to the exhibition, a rich programme of events has been developed to offer deeper insights into the artist’s work, his personal life, and his ongoing legacy.
Event Programme Highlights
Lectures:
Thursday 31 July, 2pm – 3pm: A Life-Long Friendship A reflection on the enduring friendship between John Bellany and Sandy Moffat. Sandy will discuss Bellany’s boyhood in Port Seton, their time together at Edinburgh College of Art, his turbulent London years and final years in Italy will all be explored.
Thursday 14 August, 2pm – 3pm: ‘I don’t borrow – I steal’: John Bellany and the Art of Visual Quotation Bill Hare will explore Bellany’s technique of incorporating visual references from European art history into his own distinctive style, creating rich, multi-layered works.
Thursday 21 August, 2pm – 3pm: Time Will Tell Reading from her critically acclaimed memoir, The Restless Wave, Helen Bellany will talk about her enduring relationship with John Bellany.
Wednesday 24 September, 2pm – 3pm: The Bellany Sketchbooks Helen Bellany will lead exclusive exploration of Bellany’s private sketchbooks, which reveal the raw, personal side of his creative process.
In Conversation: Thursday 10 July, 2pm: John Bellany: In Conversation with Bill Hare and Sandy Moffat Join the curators for a conversation about Bellany’s artistic journey, his impact on Scottish art, and the special connection they had with him.
Gallery Tours:
Monday 11 August, 2pm – 3pm: Gallery Tour with Curators Bill Hare and Sandy Moffat An intimate guided tour of the exhibition with the curators, offering expert insight into Bellany’s work and career.
Saturday 23 August, 2pm – 3pm: Gallery Tour with Curators Bill Hare and Sandy Moffat Another opportunity to experience the exhibition with the curators, who will discuss the life and art of John Bellany in detail.
Described Tours and BSL Tours:
Friday 15 August, 11am – 12pm: BSL Interpreted Tour of ‘John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture’ A British Sign Language (BSL) interpreted tour, offering a deeper understanding of Bellany’s artistic journey for the Deaf community.
Friday 15 August, 2pm – 3pm: Described Tour for the Visually Impaired of ‘John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture’ A guided tour specifically designed for visitors with visual impairments, offering detailed descriptions of the artworks on display.
Adult Creative Workshops:
Saturday 12 July, 10.30am – 3.30pm: Self-Portraiture in Ink and Watercolour A hands-on workshop exploring Bellany’s techniques, encouraging participants to create their own self-portraits using ink and watercolour.
Saturday 9 August, 10.30am – 3.30pm: From Sketchbook to Masterpiece A workshop that delves into the process behind Bellany’s iconic works, guiding participants through transforming initial sketches into finished art.
Culture and Communities Convener Val Walker said:“John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture offers not only an extraordinary exhibition of the artist’s work but also a comprehensive programme of events designed to enhance the visitor experience and provide new perspectives on Bellany’s life and legacy.
“It’s fantastic to have such personal insight into his life and works. Whether through lectures, gallery tours with curators, or hands-on creative workshops, these events offer something for every visitor to engage with Bellany’s art on a deeper level.”
In this exhibition I share oil paintings that are part of getting to ‘know my place’, Granton, after moving here in November 2023. Its harbour, seascapes, and community mean a lot to me. Touch me deep in a place called ‘home’.
Home to gusty winds ruffling waters, to wild swimming in Wardie bay whatever the weather, to boats rowing or sailing on the Firth of Forth, to bonfires on the beach under a full moon, to romantic strolls to Cramond, to families and folks playing, smiling, taking dogs out, meeting friends, working, and much more.
I hope these depictions of Granton, seen through my eyes, heart, and brush, are ones in which you recognize parts of the place and community that touch you too. Or, if you are not local, that they convey their particular beauty and energy.
(half of proceeds to be shared between Medical Aid for Palestine and Granton Hub)
(Short term parking beside and beyond Granton Hub)
Three for the sea: dance performance and workshop
Sunday 30 March: 1.30 – 4pm
This event forms part of an ongoing movement inquiry into local coastal environments, and the emotions, histories, futures, stories, bodies, and ecosytems they create. It will be led and performed by Monica de Ioanni, Alena Ageeva and Juliet Henderson.
Decline in the number of specialist ASN teachers to a record low
More than doubling in the number of pupils with additional support needs since 2014
The Scottish Children’s Services Coalition (SCSC), an alliance of leading providers of specialist care and education to vulnerable children and young people, has raised concerns over cuts in specialist support being provided to those with additional support needs (ASN).
The call comes as new figures from the Scottish Government’s annual teacher census indicate that the number of specialist ASN teachers has fallen to a record low of 2,837 in 2024.1
In contrast, the number of those pupils with ASN has soared to a record high, now amounting to 40.5 per cent of the pupil population. 2 This includes those with mental health problems, learning disability, autism and dyslexia.
These numbers have been increasing for years. Indeed, more than doubling(102.4 per cent) over the last decade to 284,448 pupils, a rise from 140,501 in 2014, when those with ASN represented 20.8 per cent of all pupils.
Between 2014 and 2024 the number of ASN teachers (publicly funded primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) has fallen from 3,077 to 2,837, a record low and a decrease of 240 teachers.
In 2014, while each ASN teacher was supporting 40 pupils with ASN, by 2024 this figure had risen to each teacher now supporting 100 such pupils.
Against a background of spending cuts and reduction in specialist support, the SCSC has called for greater resourcing from both the Scottish Government and local authorities to ensure that those with ASN, who are disproportionately drawn from poorer neighbourhoods, are getting the care and support that they need.
The coalition has also raised concerns about the effectiveness of a presumption of mainstreaming, meaning that all pupils are educated in a mainstream educational environment unless exceptional circumstances apply, without the necessary support.
A spokesperson for the SCSC commented: “It is vital that those with ASN get the care and support they need. This is also key if we are to genuinely close the educational attainment gap as we know that those with ASN are disproportionately drawn from poorer neighbourhoods.
“With cuts in support, including in the number of specialist teachers, it is going to be extremely challenging to reduce the current inequalities faced by those with ASN.
“While we also support the presumption of mainstreaming, which means that all children and young people are educated in a mainstream educational environment unless exceptional circumstances apply, it is clearly difficult to see how this is functioning properly given the fall in specialist support and increase in the number of those with ASN.
“The Scottish Government and local authorities need to work together to provide the necessary resourcing to address the needs of those children and young people with ASN, who represent some of the most vulnerable individuals in our society. “
