Dissolution (Dis)honours

A final insult from the outgoing Tories – and Starmer’s Labour plays the game

AWARDS FOR ‘POLITICAL AND PUBLIC SERVICE’ … REALLY?

‘The King has been graciously pleased to signify His intention of conferring the following Honours’:

Damehood of the Order of the British Empire 

The Rt Hon Thérèse Coffey PC – Formerly Deputy Prime Minister, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. For political and public service. 

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath 

The Rt Hon Oliver Dowden CBE PC – Deputy Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Secretary of State for the Cabinet Office. Formerly Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, and Chairman of the Conservative Party. For political and public service. 

The Rt Hon Julian Smith CBE PC – Formerly Government Chief Whip and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. For political and public service.  

The Rt Hon Robert Ben Wallace PC – Formerly Secretary of State for Defence. For Political and public service.  

Knighthood of the Order of the British Empire

The Rt Hon Alister Jack DL – Formerly Secretary of State for Scotland. For political and public service.

All individuals nominated for honours have gone through probity checks by the Cabinet Office.

Dissolution Peerages 2024

The King has been graciously pleased to signify His intention of conferring Peerages of the United Kingdom for Life upon the undermentioned:

Nominations from the Leader of the Conservative Party

  1. The Rt Hon Sir Graham Brady PC – Lately Member of Parliament for Altrincham and Sale West, and Chairman of the 1922 Committee.
  2. The Rt Hon Chris Grayling PC – Lately Member of Parliament for Epsom and Ewell, and former Secretary of State for Transport, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice and Leader of the House of Commons.
  3. The Rt Hon Dame Eleanor Laing DBE PC – Lately Member of Parliament for Epping Forest, lately Deputy Speaker of the House of Commons.
  4. Craig Mackinley JP – Lately Member of Parliament for South Thanet.
  5. The Rt Hon Theresa May PC – Lately Member of Parliament for Maidenhead, former Prime Minister and Home Secretary.
  6. The Rt Hon Sir Alok Sharma KCMG PC – Lately Member of Parliament for Reading West and former Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Secretary of State for International Development and President for COP26.
  7. Liam Booth-Smith – Lately No10 Downing Street Chief of Staff.

Nominations from the Leader of the Labour Party

  1. The Rt Hon Dame Margaret Beckett GBE PC – Former Foreign Secretary and former Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.
  2. John Cryer – Lately Member of Parliament for Leyton and Wanstead.
  3. The Rt Hon Harriet Harman KC PC – Lately Member of Parliament for Camberwell and Peckham, and formerly Deputy Leader of the Labour Party.
  4. The Rt Hon Dame Margaret Hodge DBE PC – Lately Member of Parliament for Barking and former Minister of State for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
  5. The Rt Hon Kevan Jones PC – Lately Member of Parliament for North Durham and former Minister for Veterans at the Ministry of Defence.
  6. Barbara Keeley – Lately Member of Parliament for Worsley and Eccles South and formerly Shadow Minister for Music and Tourism.
  7. The Rt Hon John Spellar PC – Lately Member of Parliament for Warley and formerly Comptroller of the Household in the Whips’ Office.
  8. The Rt Hon Dame Rosie Winterton DBE PC – Lately Member of Parliament for Doncaster Central and former Deputy Speakers in the House of Commons.

Nominations from the Liberal Democrat Party

  1. Caroline Pidgeon MBE – Lately Leader of the Liberal Democrats in the London Assembly.

Nominations from the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)

  1. Thomas Elliott MLA – Member of the Legislative Assembly for Fermanagh and South Tyrone and former leader of the Ulster Unionist Party.

Nominations for Crossbench Peerages

  1. Minette Batters – Former President of the National Farmers’ Union of England and Wales.
  2. Dr Hilary Cass OBE FRCN FRCGP – Former president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

All individuals nominated for peerages have gone through vetting checks, and the Chair of the House of Lords Appointments Commission has confirmed to the Prime Minister that all individuals are supported by the Commission.

Edinburgh wakes up to three new MPs

LABOUR WINS THREE SEATS FROM SNP IN THE CAPITAL

The UK Parliamentary General Election results for Edinburgh’s five constituencies were announced at the Royal Highland Centre this morning (Friday 5 July).

The Members of Parliament for each constituency are:

Edinburgh East & Musselburgh: Chris Murray, Scottish Labour Party (majority 3,715) – LAB GAIN

Outgoing MP Tommy Sheppard said: “Thank you to everyone who supported me at this election and I’d like to congratulate Chris Murray and wish him well.

“It’s been the privilege of my life to represent East Edinburgh and I will continue to play a part in building a future as an independent Scotland.

Edinburgh North & Leith: Tracy Gilbert, Scottish Labour Party (majority 7,268) – LAB GAIN

Outgoing MP Deirdre Brock said: “Thank you to everyone who supported me and all the wonderful people I met over the last nine years representing the best constituency in the country.

“I wish its new MP well in her new role.”

Edinburgh South: Ian Murray, Scottish Labour Party (majority 17,251) – LAB HOLD

Edinburgh South West: Scott Arthur, Scottish Labour Party (majority 6,217) – LAB GAIN

Edinburgh West: Christine Anne Jardine, Scottish Liberal Democrats (majority 16,470)

The results were announced by the Returning Officer for Edinburgh, Paul Lawrence, who said: ’d like to sincerely thank our fantastic colleagues in the Elections team and across the Council for their hard work, dedication, and diligence in what has been a challenging election to deliver under tight timescales.

“This is truly public service at its very best and one of the most important duties that we’re bound to carry out. I’d also like to thank Police Scotland, the candidates, agents, and media for working alongside us to conduct proceedings properly and efficiently. 

“Our new MPs have my best wishes and I’m sure they will all be great representatives of our city and its people. 

“Finally, I’d like to thank our residents for making their voices heard and taking the time to cast their votes.”

In what was a historic night for Labour, Scottish leader Anas Sarwar said:

In a dreadful night for nationalists, Edinburgh finds itself with NO SNP MPs. Deirdre Brock, Joanna Cherry and Tommy Sheppard all lost their seats in the Labour landslide.

The party lost FORTY seats across the country – including all of their seats in Edinburgh and Glasgow -and has been reduced to just nine seats across Scotland.

SNP leader John Swinney acknowledged: “I am sorry for the valued colleagues who have lost their seats. We need to learn from this setback, listen to the public and pick ourselves back up.

“We have to do that because we want to do the best for Scotland.”

The sentiment was echoed by local SNP North and Leith MSP Ben Macpherson, who said on X (Twitter): “A difficult night for @theSNP. I’m particularly sad for my two excellent local colleagues @DeidreBrock & @TommySheppard, & their brilliant teams.

“Thank you to them & all of our great @snpenl activists.

“We will learn, reflect & respond. For me the work continues later. #Persevere.”

The SNP has just two years until the next Scottish Parliament elections.

Exit poll predicts Labour landslide

AN exit poll by IPSOS for BBC/ITV News/Sky News is predicting a Labour landslide.

Labour has enjoyed an average twenty percentage point for a long, long, time and it seems the widely predicted Tory party collapse has indeed come to pass.

Simply put, the country is pig sick of the Tories, and they have voted accordingly.

The Exit Poll predicts:

LABOUR 410

Conservative 131

Lib Dems 61

Reform Party 13

SNP 10

Plaid Cymru 4

Green 2

Others 19

Early indications are that it’s looking like a bruising night for the SNP who are facing a raft of losses, but a brighter one for the Lib Dems – it seems Ed Davey’s jolly japes during an otherwise dull general election campaign have paid dividends.

IT’s worth repeating that this is only a poll, and that no results have yet been declared.

Even at this stage though, with the Tories facing slaughter, you wonder how many potential Conservative leadership contenders will lose their seats tonight – and who will be left to replace Rishi Sunak who will surely resign before the weekend is out.

First students complete pioneering football coaching degree

The first group of students from a trailblazing football coaching degree – delivered by Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) and the Scottish Football Association – have celebrated their graduation.The first group of Football Coaching, Performance and Development graduates posing outside the Usher Hall

The first degree of its kind in Scotland, the Football Coaching, Performance and Development BSc Honours programme launched in 2020.

Following four years of study, which included teaching for UEFA and Scottish FA qualifications alongside skills such as performance analysis, sport science, and leadership, fifteen students have completed the course.

They joined fellow students from ENU’s School of Applied Sciences in collecting their degrees during a graduation ceremony at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall today.

New graduates from the course have spoken with pride on difference the course has made to their fledgling careers in the game.

Ewan McLevy, who is now working as an academy coach at Scottish Premiership side Kilmarnock, is among them.

The 24-year-old from Troon said: “I look at back at the course with fond memories, it was excellent.

“We came in in September 2020 and we were a brand new group. There was a bit of trial and error as we got used it.

“After a couple of months, I caught the bug and never looked back.Football Coaching, Performance and Development graduates outside the Usher Hall

“The beauty of the course is that it touched on the things you might not consider, like psychology, analysis and sports science. I think I speak for all the group when I say it was a real eye-opener.

“The lecturers were amazing and really helped us understand it all. They took examples from other sports, which helped it all come together.

“I couldn’t recommend the programme any higher. For someone starting on the pathway, given the links with the Scottish FA, it couldn’t give you a better opportunity.

“If football is your passion, it will open doors.”

Fellow graduate Aidan Spalding, who’s also 24 years old and from Glasgow, has recently started working as a first team analyst at Hamilton Academical. He said: “I’m gutted to leave to be honest! The four years have been unreal – I’ve loved it.

“Having that one interest of working in football all the time has made us really close as a group.

“It was very well rounded and gave us a chance to learn about other sides of the game.

“Without this I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to get a full-time analysis job – or have had experiences like going away with Scotland Women’s development teams.

“If you enjoy football, the course is for you. It will take your coaching to the next level.”

Dr Cedric English speaking to students in a gym hall at Edinburgh Napier University

Dr Cedric English, Programme Leader and Associate Professor at Edinburgh Napier University, said: “We were pretty excited to see the Scottish FA put out a tender for developing a degree programme that linked in a lot of their licences, so we put in an application and we were successful.

“That was the beginning of the process, six years ago, and it took us time to work out how we would incorporate the licences in because that’s the uniqueness of the collaboration. 

“It’s a great feeling to now see the hard work coming to fruition and I would echo the congratulations to the students who have worked incredibly hard to get to this point.”

Prospective students can find out more about the BSc (Hons) Football Coaching, Performance and Development, which offers a holistic view of coaching within a football setting, here.

Pictured top: Football Coaching graduates outside the Usher Hall with their degrees

Middle: The group with Ewan McLevy (left) and Aidan Spalding (right) in front

Bottom: Dr Cedric English speaking at the introduction to the programme in 2020

Get free soft play membership when you sign up your under 5s for coaching

Encourage your pre-school child to get active from an early age by signing them up for the under 5s coaching at Edinburgh Leisure and you will get one-month’s free soft play membership in August.  The offer also applies to existing soft play members.

The offer is valid for those signing up for under 5s coaching before 30th July 2024 and gives unlimited access to all three of Edinburgh Leisure’s soft play venues across the city at Tumbles at Portobello, Clambers at the Royal Commonwealth Pool or Scrambles at Edinburgh’s International Climbing Arena.

With designated baby, toddler, and junior zones, each soft play ensures fun and adventure for kids and a café for tasty treats and snacks for the adults and children.

Wherever you’re at on the map or in life, Edinburgh Leisure is here to help the people of Edinburgh enjoy a healthier, happier, and more active life. And it’s never too early to start.

And as the largest provider of sport and leisure facilities across the city, Edinburgh Leisure is well-placed to encourage your child to reach their full potential, help them build confidence, learn skills, and meet friends.

From football, tennis, gymnastics, or swimming, you can even mix it up with their Jump into Sport, Gym and Jump or Athletics classes.

To find out more and to sign up for this offer, visit: 

https://www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/coaching-offer

St James Quarter Sessions back and bigger for 2024

St James Quarter Sessions will return this August for a second outing. Edinburgh’s free music festival will offer a diverse range of musical performances from over 80 incredible emerging artists.

St James Quarter Sessions, Edinburgh city centre’s much talked about free music festival, will be back for a second year and promises to be bigger with the addition of new venues and stages.

From Friday 16th August to Sunday 25th August, guests can get that festival feeling in the heart of the Capital – with not an inch of mud in sight!

This year’s St James Quarter Sessions will launch on August 2nd with a series of pop-up busking performances in partnership with SNACK Magazine. Running throughout August, musicians can apply for a paid performance slot with applications set to open on Friday 5th July.

After launching in 2023, St James Quarter Sessions will again take place during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, supporting some of Scotland’s unique up-and-coming musicians as well as bringing in more established performers from across the UK.

2024 also sees the addition of a rooftop stage with jaw-dropping views across Edinburgh to the castle, Arthur’s Seat and Calton Hill. The free music festival will fill all floors with more than 80 acts performing across the Galleria and 5 venues within the Quarter from pop-up live acoustic sets and DJs to full band performances with a diverse mix of artists from indie rock and alt-pop to jazz fusion and hip hop.

St James Quarter has also teamed up with Forth 1’s Boogie in the Morning to find the best of local talent who will win the chance to perform on one of the stages during the festival AND a day in the W Edinburgh recording studio.

With this unique addition to the Fringe Festival offerings, guests should expect the unexpected throughout the 10 days of Sessions, with a whole host of performances from impressive music talent.

Fans can anticipate the line-up to be filled with their favourite DJs, musicians, and rising artists. The Quarter’s stores, dining, and entertainment venues will also be joining in with the festival spirit including performances in Bonnie & Wild, Gordon Ramsay Street Burger, The Botanist, The Alchemist and Duck & Waffle.

Free tickets will be available on the St James Quarter app later this month, along with the full line-up announcement for St James Quarter Sessions 2024.

Susan Hewlett, Brand and Marketing Director, said: “2024 has been a tumultuous year for the music industry, specifically festivals, many of which have sadly been cancelled due to rising costs and consumers being more cash conscious.

“The success of the first St James Quarter Sessions allowed guests to experience emerging live music talent in the city centre for free, whilst also being able to take advantage of an exciting array of food and drink offerings and amenities.

“The month-long festival all under our glass canopy in the comfort of the Galleria allowed visitors to experience memorable, intimate performances with incredible talent with our retail and leisure partners commercially benefitting from the rise in footfall too.

“The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is a calendar highlight for many of our guests, and we cannot wait to be at the heart of the buzz, welcoming our guests to the second edition of St James Quarter Sessions.”

Guests can sign up for free tickets by downloading the St James Quarter App, which allows them to stay updated with events happening throughout the Quarter for Sessions and beyond.

For more information, please email: stjamesquarter@johndoehub.com  

Committee concerns over elements of Police Bill

The Criminal Justice Committee has backed the Police (Ethics, Conduct and Scrutiny) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1. However, they have concerns over whether the reforms will sufficiently improve the experience of officers and members of the public when it comes to dealing with police complaints.

In the Committee’s Stage 1 report they say the introduction of a statutory Code of ethics and a duty of candour send a clear message about the culture of Police Scotland and the behaviours that are expected of police officers and staff.

However, concerns are raised that these two proposals could be largely symbolic and not fundamentally improve the culture within policing and public confidence in its ability to deal effectively with police complaints.

Concerns are also raised that the Bill, in its current form, will have little impact on the length of time taken to consider and conclude police complaints. The Committee say this is a vital issue and one which the Bill leaves unresolved.

The Committee say they heard evidence of unacceptable behaviours and practices within Police Scotland and have questioned the robustness of the oversight mechanisms in place, including that of the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), and of whether the culture within police is changing.

Several provisions in the Bill are welcomed by the Committee, which they say will improve the accountability of police officers. This includes proposals that would enable gross misconduct proceedings for officers to commence or continue to a conclusion, regardless of whether an officer retires or resigns.

Changes that would allow the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner (PIRC) to consider allegations of gross misconduct that come to light over 12 months after an officer has left the force are also welcomed by the Committee. They recommend the SPA monitor this process to ensure that these cases are being dealt with timeously.

The Committee has welcomed increased powers for the PIRC and greater transparency around its work. They recommend that the SPA and Police Scotland should be under a duty to comply with the PIRC’s recommendations and that the PIRC publishes the responses to its recommendations, unless there are exceptional circumstances for not doing so.

 The introduction of barred and advisory lists for police officers, to ensure that those who are found guilty of gross misconduct cannot gain employment in another police force in Great Britain, are also supported by the Committee.

As the report was published, Criminal Justice Committee Convener, Audrey Nicoll MSP, said: “Our Committee is backing the general principles of this Bill as we believe the police complaints system must improve, both for those making a complaint and those who are the subject of a complaint.

“There are measures in the Bill which we support and believe will improve the robustness, accountability and transparency of the police complaints system. These include the commencement or conclusion of misconduct proceedings regardless of whether a person leaves the police service, and the introduction of Scottish advisory and barred lists.

“We also welcome greater powers for the PIRC and increased transparency around their investigations.

“However, we are unsure whether the provisions in the Bill will sufficiently improve the experience of officers and members of the public of the complaints system.

The Convener added: “We have concerns that the Bill has no impact on the length of time taken to consider and conclude police complaints, which is a key issue for those involved. Questions also remain about the robustness of the oversight mechanisms in place within policing and whether the culture within policing is changing for the better.

“We recognise that the vast majority of police officers and staff are dedicated, honest and do an incredibly difficult job in challenging circumstances.

“Our Committee believes an effective, fair, and transparent complaints system is essential to help strengthen public confidence in policing in Scotland and although we back the general principles of this Bill, we believe it could go further to achieving this.”

Vue venues to celebrate school summer holidays with fantastic family favourites

Family favourites and animated adventures are heading to the big screen this summer holidays in Scotland at Vue in Edinburgh – offering ample opportunity to spend quality time with the family now that the school year has finished.

Almost nine years since its enormously emotional debut warmed hearts and mini minds across the world, Inside Out 2 is now out on the big screen, inviting us back to the wonderful world of Riley’s mind and Emotions: Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust. Now, as Riley reaches her teenage years, our gang meets a whole new cast of unfamiliar emotions which set them off on another marvellous adventure across the teenager’s mind.

Joining Joy and friends, this summer welcomes Gru and the Minion crew back with Despicable Me 4, which sees our former villain turned family man face off against new nemesis Maxime Le Mal and his femme fatale girlfriend Valentina. Expect more Minion mayhem, criminal capers and plenty of laughs when Despicable Me 4arrives at Vue on 12 July

Some recent family favourites are returning to the big screen this summer as part of Vue’s new Mighty Morning screenings which sees Garfield, IF, Kung Fu Panda 4 and Little Monsters back this summer holiday from just £2.49 when tickets are booked online.

As part of Vue’s recently announced family offering, Vue’s Big Shorts will be bringing some favourite children’s characters from television shows and web series back to the big screen, including The Gruffalo’s Child & Zog and the Flying Doctors.

These short and sweets screenings offer a relaxed big screen environment with dimmed lights and reduced sound, tailor-made for younger film fans aged one to four.

Ian Chester, General Manager at Vue Edinburgh Ocean Terminal, said: “We’ve got a great selection of new films and big screen entertainment on show, offering a perfect way to enjoy quality family time while school is out for the summer. 

‘Even better, our Vue Mighty Mornings at 10am, will continue to show the latest kids’ films from just £2.49 a ticket if purchased online and £3.49 in venue. Parents and children can come along, immerse themselves in great stories and switch off.’

Tickets are available, along with more information on Big Shorts and Mighty Mornings, at www.myvue.com/family

Ageing Well The Nordic Way

Ageing Well is looking for participants interested in joining a new 6-week Beginner Introductory Nordic Walking course, which they will be introducing in August. 

The Ageing Well Project is run by Edinburgh Leisure in partnership with NHS Lothian and delivers a range of city-wide activities which support people to become, and remain, active in later life. The emphasis is on meeting new people whilst making physical activity accessible and enjoyable.

The six-week course will start in August on a date to be decided, depending on interest and is delivered by a Nordic Walking UK trained instructor.  It is likely the sessions will take place every Wednesday, starting at 10.00 am.

Participants will meet at Saughton Park and would be expected to attend the first four sessions which introduces the use of Nordic poles and covering the skills and techniques of Nordic walking. Each session will last 1-hour, and poles will be provided if people do not already have their own.

The final two weeks of the 6-week course, participants will put into practice their newfound skills by going out on a walk in the local area turning a walk into a workout. Nordic Walking can help aid recovery if the participant has had an injury or prevent injury by improving strength and fitness and it’s a great way to meet new people and make friends.

Ageing Well activities have been developed to cater for a wide range of tastes and abilities and all activities are either led by or supported by fully trained volunteers, who are all older adults themselves.

Cat Wilson, Active Communities Project Officer at Edinburgh Leisure said: “This new course will complement our already popular regular walks which take place in different locations around the city each week. It’s for anyone who would like to try a new activity, meet some like-minded people, and get physically active.”

“Nordic walking origins are Finnish with more than 10 million people globally enjoying this outdoor activity. The evidence shows that you can burn around 20% more calories compared to conventional walking. The use of poles means the effort is divided across the upper and lower body, so it feels easier, particularly when walking uphill.”

Ageing Well relies on external funding and donations to deliver its programmes across Edinburgh. A donation of £3 per week is therefore appreciated for this activity. This can be paid online in one go or each week. People’s generous support means Edinburgh Leisure can provide a range of activities to reach more older adults in need of their support, protecting their health and wellbeing and improving their quality of life. 

In 2018 the Ageing Well programme was awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service (QAVS), which is the highest award given to UK volunteer groups and is the equivalent of an MBE. The award reflects the tremendous contribution of Edinburgh Leisure’s Ageing Well volunteers and the positive difference they make to the lives of participants. 

To find out more and/or to register your interest in joining the initial 4-week introductory course, contact active@edinburghleisure.co.uk or call 0131 458 2260

For more information:  www.edinburghleisure.co.uk/activities/be-active/ageing-well

Holyrood committee invites public to share views on Residential Outdoor Education proposals

Proposals to ensure that every school pupil in local authority or grant-aided schools can attend a course of residential outdoor education are to be scrutinised by the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee.

If passed, the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill would give all state school pupils the chance to have four nights and five days residential outdoor education. The Scottish Government would be expected to fund the proposals.

The Committee is now asking for views on the proposal to see whether this would work in practice. It is also keen to hear views on the school year during which pupils should be entitled to residential outdoor education, and whether this should be specified in the Bill, and the requirement for the Scottish Government to fund the programme.

The Bill was introduced by Liz Smith MSP, who has stated the importance of outdoor education as being one of the most valuable and rewarding learning experiences that a young person can have access to.

Sue Webber MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, said: “This Bill would enshrine in law that all state school pupils must have the chance to attend residential outdoor education during their school careers.

“According to the documents presented alongside the Bill, many pupils do not have access to this.

“Our Committee is really keen to hear what the public, and particularly young people, think of the proposal in general and some of the specific ideas within it, before we embark on detailed public scrutiny.

“Please share your views with us by visiting the Scottish Parliament’s website.”

The call for views is now open and will run until 4 September 2024:

https://yourviews.parliament.scot/ecyp/schools-residential-outdoor-education-bill