Tag: campaign

‘The Workers’ Inquiry’ launched as STUC announces campaign for worker-led public service improvements

Trade unions launch public sector improvement campaign against Scottish Government cuts and closures

Scotland’s largest trade union body has launched their campaign on the future of Scotland’s public services, as the STUC establishes their ‘Workers’ Inquiry: Public Services for the People of Scotland’ campaign.

The campaign, which will canvass and collate the views of public and private sector workers across Scotland, seeks to develop a set of worker-led demands for public service improvements as an alternative to the Scottish Government’s proposals.

The STUC has warned that the Scottish Government’s reform agenda could see “reckless” changes to the way public services are delivered, including the proposed abolition or restructuring of health boards and local authorities and, according to trade union analysis, the potential loss of up to 20,000 public sector jobs.

The Workers’ Inquiry will form the basis of public service improvements that invests in services, values the workers who deliver them and improves outcomes for communities – without using what trade unions have labelled as “barbarous programme of public sector cuts”.

Developed by the STUC and public sector trade unions, the consultation will close on 30th November, with the findings used to develop trade union demands and recommendations for the Scottish Government throughout the campaign.

The STUC is calling on the Scottish Government to engage meaningfully with the Workers’ Inquiry and to put worker experience and the needs of communities at the heart of its approach to public service reform.

The launch comes on day one of the SNP Conference in Aberdeen.

Commenting, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “We have been clear that trade unions will not allow 20,000 jobs to be thrown on the scrapheap in a barbarous programme of public sector cuts.

“The Workers’ Inquiry is our alternative.

“We are reaching out to workplaces and communities across Scotland to ask the people who deliver our public services every day what needs to change, what works and what doesn’t and what a better future for our public services should look like.

“We want to build a worker-led vision for public service improvements – one that values, not cuts, the people who deliver our services, strengthens provision and builds world-class public services for everyone in Scotland.

“The Scottish Government has said that trade unions must have a meaningful role in shaping its reform agenda. We intend to hold them to that commitment. If ministers are serious about improving public services, they should welcome this consultation and publicly commit to encouraging workers, employers and public sector agencies to take part in the campaign.

“We do not accept that the only way to reform public services is through job losses, cuts and closures. Investment, proper planning and using the experience of Scotland’s public service workers offer a better way forward.

“The clock is ticking. As SNP Conference gets underway in Aberdeen, trade unionists are mobilising across Scotland to show the party of government that investment, not cuts, is the way to build public services we can all be proud of.”

Richard Shillcock, the Communist Party of Britain candidate for the Southside/Newington ward, has officially declared that tackling the city’s housing crisis through municipal house building will be a core priority of the Communist Party campaign for the upcoming City of Edinburgh Council by-elections on 3 September 2026.

Richard Shillcock emphasised that the current market-driven approach has failed local residents, arguing that a massive return to publicly owned housing is the only viable solution.

“Edinburgh has a housing crisis and there is only one answer to it—build council houses,” he said. “We need the Council to build, own, maintain, and administer council housing and not leave such an important issue to the free market.”

The Communist Party campaign outline focuses heavily on local job creation and public investment, linking a housing strategy directly to local economic development and skills training.

Shillcock added: “We need to employ council staff and invest in a new generation of apprentices to learn the skills required to build and maintain the highest quality council housing.

“Large-scale council house building was the best answer to the postwar housing crisis. It worked. Since then, turning homes into commodities in a market has failed us.”

Addressing potential concerns regarding budgets, Shillcock pointed to historical precedents and called for a major shift in public spending priorities away from military conflict and toward domestic infrastructure.

“If the money could be found in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, it can be found now. “The Communist Party would spend on homes for people, not endless warfare,” Shillcock concluded.

The Southside/Newington and Craigmillar/Portobello by-elections will take place on Thursday, 3 September 2026.

Shillcock is standing alongside fellow Communist candidate Peter Olech, who is standing in the Portobello/Craigmillar ward, on a platform of peace, public ownership, tax justice and workers’ rights.

Edinburgh law firm joins forces with Age Scotland in Power of Attorney drive

  • Importance of legal documents highlighted as new partnership is announced
  • Lawyers will donate a percentage of their fees to charity to support its work with older people
Age Scotland Chief Executive Katherine Crawford and Grant Johnson, Partner and Head of Private Client Services at Lindsays, marking the organisations’ partnership promoting Powers of Attorney. Picture: Ryan McGoverne / Lindsays July 2026

A new partnership has been forged to encourage more people in Scotland to put a Power of Attorney in place.

Age Scotland has joined forces with independent Edinburgh-headquartered legal firm Lindsays to help people appoint someone they trust to manage their finances and make welfare decisions on their behalf, should they need extra help.

The move comes as new research by the charity reveals that more than one million over-50s in Scotland do not have a Power of Attorney – with its staff fielding high numbers of queries from older people and their families around the legal process.

They are now making referrals to Lindsays, whose headquarters are at Caledonian Exchange, who will help clients draw up Powers of Attorney.

Lindsays is making a donation from every referral to the charity, which supports people across the country to grow old securely, with a good quality of life.

A Power of Attorney is a document that an individual creates to set out who they would like to take decisions for them around critical issues such as money and care if they become incapacitated. They are relevant whatever someone’s age or personal circumstances.

Katherine Crawford, Chief Executive of Age Scotland, said: “One of the most common requests for support older people and their families make to our helpline and information service is for advice about Power of Attorney.

“Our research shows more than one million over-50s in Scotland do not have a Power of Attorney. If life takes an unexpected turn, it is important to know that the support you need will be available, but barely one in five people in their fifties have this important tool set up.

“Having a Power of Attorney in place can give you peace of mind, as you know you will have the support of someone you trust if you are unable to make decisions for yourself. It is an essential part of planning for the future and retaining control of how you wish to live your life.”

She added: “Our new partnership with Lindsays deepens the level of professional advice and legal support we are able to signpost people to, at the same time as helping to raise vital funds for the services we offer older people and their families. We’re grateful for their support and look forward to working closely with them on this important issue.”

Lindsays has been raising awareness about the importance of Powers of Attorney for a number of years.

Grant Johnson, a Partner and Head of Private Client Services at Lindsays, said: “Too few people have Powers of Attorney in place.

“Having one gives clarity, reduces uncertainty, and helps avoid difficult decisions and potentially additional delays and costs later on. It gives people and their loved ones peace of mind at what are challenging and stressful times.

“Age is not a factor. Any one of us can become unexpectedly incapacitated at any time, whether temporarily or permanently.

“For small business owners, having a Power of Attorney in place can ensure your company can continue should something unforeseen happen to impair your ability to work, or even if you are simply unavailable to manage things for an extended period of time.”

He added: “We are delighted to be working with Age Scotland not only to increase awareness in its network about the importance of having a Power of Attorney, but to also be able to directly support the charity’s critical work.”

Powers of Attorney are lodged with The Office of the Public Guardian (Scotland).

Age Scotland’s latest Big Survey questioned 4,400 over-50s across Scotland.

About half of respondents (49%) said they had yet to put a Power of Attorney in place. If translated to Scotland’s entire over-50s population, that would equate to more than one million people – a number the charity says needs to dramatically reduce.

Only 21% of those aged 59 and younger said they had a Power of Attorney.

More details about the Age Scotland and Lindsays partnership – and the importance of Powers of Attorney – are available at www.lindsays.co.uk/age-scotland/.

Autistic people risk being left behind without urgent Government action

Autistic people and their families across Scotland continue to face significant barriers, including long waiting times for diagnosis, a lack of support in schools and low employment rates.

Too often, children are missing out on education or are excluded from the classroom, while many people are left without support until they reach crisis point.

We and others have long campaigned for the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill – a Bill which the SNP committed to as far back as 2021. This would provide an opportunity to address the challenges facing autistic people and deliver real change.

Legally binding national and local strategies would improve support and accountability, while mandatory training across public services such as health, education and criminal justice would ensure autistic people’s needs are recognised and supported earlier.

Years of consultation have shaped these proposals, with many in the autistic community sharing difficult and traumatic experiences in the hope of having their voices heard.

As part of the Act Now for Autistic Rights campaign, our charity has launched a petition urging the First Minister, John Swinney, to include the LDAN Bill in September’s Programme for Government, which will set out the Scottish Government’s key priorities and legislative programme for the coming year.

In the lead up to the recent election in Scotland, more than 5,500 letters were sent by supporters urging party leaders to commit to this legislation. This momentum must now be matched with action. Without a clear commitment from the First Minister, autistic people risk being left behind.

You can add your voice and help push for real change by signing the petition today: https://act.autism.org.uk/page/191897/petition/1?mode

Rob Holland, Director of the National Autistic Society Scotland, said: “Our campaign had a fantastic response during the election period. Thousands of letters were sent urging all parties to commit to the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill, demonstrating a significant level of support for legislation long overdue in helping secure the rights of autistic people and their families.

The importance of the LDAN Bill in tackling the inequalities faced by autistic people and their families cannot be underestimated and this legislation is a vital opportunity to improve outcomes and recognise the rights of some of our most marginalised communities.

“With the election behind us and attention now turning to the first Programme for Government, we need everyone who wants to see urgent change to sign our petition and ensure this vital piece of legislation is introduced as early as possible in the new term.”

Becca, NAS Scotland Campaigner, said: “The LDAN bill is vital for the wellbeing, safety and equality of autistic and neurodivergent people in Scotland.

“Access must be granted, training must be given and voices must be heard to ensure that autistic and neurodivergent people have equal access and opportunity as anybody else. 

“The LDAN bill must be included in the Programme for Government to ensure this change happens and lives are improved. 

“As an autistic person, it is a struggle to ensure my voice is heard and my opinions are taken into account, so by committing to the inclusion of the LDAN Bill in the Programme for Government, I matter.

“My voice and many others across the country matter.“

You can call on the First Minister to Act Now for Autistic Rights by signing the petition here.

Crimestoppers: Speak out about Neighbourhood Crime

Neighbourhood crime “eroding community safety” as Crimestoppers urges public to speak up anonymously

Crimestoppers is launching a new campaign to highlight the growing impact of neighbourhood crime across the UK and empower people to share information anonymously to help protect communities.

From burglary and robbery to shoplifting and phone theft, neighbourhood crime is reshaping everyday life, affecting people’s sense of safety at home, their confidence on their streets and trust in local high streets and public spaces.

Latest figures show the scale of the issue with more than 509,000 shoplifting offences, 224,000 burglaries, and 129,000 thefts from the person recorded across the UK.

In addition, there were an estimated 590,000 incidents of retail violence and abuse, alongside 950,000 cases of verbal abuse in convenience stores*.

These are not just statistics, they represent real people experiencing fear, disruption, and lasting emotional impact.

Neighbourhood crime can have long-term consequences. Burglaries can damage a person’s sense of security in their own home. Robberies and phone theft can change how people travel, socialise and go about daily life. Retail crime continues to affect local businesses, workers and the overall confidence of many communities.

Despite this, many incidents go unreported. People may fear retaliation, not want direct involvement with police, or feel that speaking up will not make a difference. This silence can leave the door open for organised crime and criminal activity to continue, leaving communities feeling unsafe.

Crimestoppers is encouraging people to break this cycle by sharing what they know safely and anonymously.

Mick Duthie, Director of Operations from the charity Crimestoppers, said: “Neighbourhood crimes have the effect of eroding community safety which is why information we receive anonymously and pass on can help to keep us safe.

“We know that many people want to speak up but feel unable to. That’s why our charity exists. We provide a safe, trusted way for anyone to share information about crime completely anonymously.

“You don’t need proof, and you don’t need to give your name. Even a small piece of information can make a big difference in helping to protect others.”

Crimestoppers guarantees 100% anonymity. No information provided can be traced back to the individual to makes contact.

If a crime is happening now, always call 999.

Youth convicted for the murder of John McNab in Leith

A 17-year-old male youth has been convicted of the murder of John McNab that happened in Leith in September, 2025, and a further serious assault in Portobello in March, 2025.

The youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday (Wednesday, 6 May, 2026). He will be sentenced at a later date.

John McNab, aged, 22 was found injured on Great Junction Street at the corner of Bonnington Road in the Leith area around 2.10am on Tuesday, 2 September, 2025. He died at the scene.

A 17-year-old male youth was stabbed around 8.45pm on Friday, 21 March, 2025 at The Promenade in the Portobello area. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries.

Detective Inspector Kevin Tait, senior investigating officer, said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of John McNab at what is a very difficult time for them. And also with the victim seriously injured in the separate incident.

“An extreme level of violence was used in these incidents. This kind of behaviour is never acceptable and will not be tolerated. This conviction sends a message to anyone carrying knives that they will be apprehended and dealt with robustly.

“I would like to personally thank the officers who worked on these harrowing investigations and the public who significantly assisted my investigation team.”

Superintendent Neil Wilson said that proactive work is being carried out across Edinburgh to educate young people and tackle knife crime and violence.

“I can’t stress enough the devastating impact weapon carrying and use has on our communities and our thoughts go out to all who have been affected by this type of crime.

“Officers regularly carry out patrols in areas where knife crime is reported and we urge the public to support us and get in touch with any information or concerns that they have.

“While bringing offenders to justice is vital in keeping communities safe, education to prevent offending happening in the first place is key, along with promoting positive life choices.

“We have a number of new initiatives on violence prevention in Edinburgh involving partners and young people and details will be unveiled in the coming months. These will focus on raising awareness of the dangers of carrying weapons and the impact of violence.

“Edinburgh is a safe place to live, work and visit but we will not be complacent. We know that violence remains a concern in our communities and we’re determined to do everything we can to reduce harm and keep people safe.”

Since her son’s murder Lisa Petrie has tirelessly campaigned to address knife crime and has embarked on a mission to increase access to blood kits across the city:

My name is Lisa Petrie. On 2nd September 2025 my son, John McNab, was fatally stabbed on a street in Leith, Edinburgh. He was 22.

We were best pals, we were inseparable at times, and now it feels like I’ve lost my right arm and my left leg.

No family should ever get that phone call.

I’m determined that John’s death will not be in vain, and one simple change could help stop other families going through this.

Right now in the UK you often need ID and staff checks to buy alcohol, razors or even energy drinks. But in many supermarkets, kitchen knives sit openly on shelves, easy to steal or buy with minimal challenge.

We’re calling on major supermarkets and retailers – including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Aldi, Lidl and others – to:

  • Put all kitchen knives in locked cabinets or behind customer service counters
  • Fit security tags to knife packaging so alarms trigger if someone walks out with them
  • Only allow knives to be brought to the till by staff, with strict over-18 ID checks

We’re also asking the UK Government and Scottish Government to work with retailers and Trading Standards so secure storage and display of knives becomes the norm, building on existing laws that already restrict knife sales to under-18s.

This won’t end knife crime on its own and it won’t stop online sales. But letting lethal weapons sit unsecured on supermarket shelves is an obvious weak point we can fix now – just as we already do for alcohol and razors. It’s a basic safety measure, not a ban.

Please add your name. I will deliver this petition, and John’s story, to the CEOs of the major supermarkets, the Scottish Government and the Home Office.

The more signatures we have, the harder it is for them to ignore us. I don’t want any other family to live with the pain we do.

Please consider signing Lisa’s petition (below):

https://www.change.org/…/lock-away-knives-in…

More than fifty MPs, Celebrities and Organisations call for immediate closure Of MBR Acres

  • Last night, a letter signed by dozens of cross-party MPs, celebrities including Dame Joanna Lumley and Amanda Holden, and animal organisations such as Animal Rising and PETA, was sent to the Home Secretary, Shabana Mahmood MP.
  • The letter calls for an immediate closure of MBR Acres, the only site in the UK breeding dogs for the animal testing industry, alongside the safe rehoming of all the beagles there.
  • This comes after years of campaigning against the site, with more than 170,000 people signing a petition to close it down.
  • MBR Acres is licensed to bleed healthy dogs to death, by directly inserting needles into their heart and surrounding blood vessels, and also to harvest their organs.

In the latest blow for animal testing in the UK, and more specifically the use of beagle dogs, public figures from across politics, television, academia, and more have united to call on the Government to “let Britain lead the world into a future without animal testing” and close the only site in the country breeding dogs for the industry.

Rose Patterson, Animal Rising Director, said: “Dozens of public figures have added their voices to the open letter, and over 170,000 people have signed the petition to shut down MBR Acres. The British public is united on this and expects change at the highest level. 

“We call ourselves a nation of animal lovers, but MBR Acres holds a licence to bleed healthy dogs to death by inserting needles directly into their hearts. Those two things cannot coexist. The Government has a mandate to act, and shutting down MBR Acres is the easiest first step they could take.”

The letter is the latest in a series of escalating campaigns calling on the Government to take genuine steps towards phasing out animal testing in the UK, as per their manifesto pledge in the lead-up to the 2024 General Election. MPs from Labour, the Liberal Democrats, SNP, Green Party, and Your Party have all signed to show their support for the campaign.

Carla Denyer MP, Green Party Member of the House of Commons for Bristol Central, said: “Is this another Labour U-turn? On 22nd December, the government published its Animal Welfare Strategy, which recommitted to ‘phase out animal testing’, but on 11th February, the government redefined ‘Key National Infrastructure’ in the Public Order Act to include animal testing sites. 

“The charitable interpretation is that the government’s left hand doesn’t know what its right hand is doing, or more concerningly, that they are trying to tell the people what they want to hear while quietly acting in the interest of big businesses instead. 

“I hope the government sees that the route to regaining public support involves reversing this decision and closing down MBR Acres for good.”

MBR Acres and their parent company, Marshall BioResources, have been under intense scrutiny for decades. Most notably, in 2015, an Italian facility run by the company, Green Hill, was shut down, and 3,000 dogs were rehomed after undercover footage revealed horrific conditions at the site.

Three senior employees of the company were also jailed. Multiple instances of undercover footage showing the conditions at MBR Acres have also been released since 2021.

Currently, the fourth of five trials relating to two separate rescues of beagle puppies from MBR Acres is ongoing.

The previous three trials have returned one acquittal and two convictions, with sentences ranging from 18-month suspended sentences to conditional discharges.

Hospitality Group launches campaign to STOP hospitality rates hike

A campaign to halt the planned rise in hospitality rates, organised by the Scottish Hospitality Group, aims to amplify the voice of Scotland’s family-run restaurants, bars, pubs, and hotels, by calling on the Scottish Government to halt the current non-domestic rates revaluation for hospitality properties until after the Gill Review, a government examination of how licensed premises are valued for rates purposes.

Visible on giant advertising sites throughout the Central Belt from today (25th February)  the campaign comes ahead of the Scottish Budget being rubber-stamped today. SHG says the Scottish Government can and should still act to stop the rates hikes before they come into force in April.

The initiative highlights the devastating impact of rising non-domestic rates on Scotland’s hospitality sector – effecting premises including local and long-established family-run restaurants and hotels.

The Gill Review, commissioned to examine the valuation methodology for licensed premises, seeks to ensure the system is fair. Currently, hospitality is effectively rated on turnover, a methodology SHG says is no longer fit for purpose. Until the review concludes, it is unfair for businesses – especially those with higher turnovers – to face dramatic rate hikes in April, even with new relief measures for smaller premises.

“Hospitality businesses are being taxed on turnover,” said a spokesperson for the Scottish Hospitality Group. “Revenue growth is swallowed by wages, energy, food costs, and regulatory pressures, so even successful businesses are being punished simply for growing.

“There should be a pause on the current revaluation increases until after the Gill Review. Even after the Budget is rubber-stamped, the government can still act – to protect jobs, sustain communities, and safeguard the future of Scotland’s hospitality sector.”

Many SHG members, and other hospitality businesses – including Signature Group, DRG Group, Buzzworks Eusebi Deli, Lisini Group, McGintys Group, Scoop Restaurants and Rusk & Rusk, fall outside the thresholds for existing relief schemes and face crippling cost pressures.

Established businesses that have invested heavily over decades report that development and expansion projects are being mothballed, shifting operators from growth into survival mode.

Said Susan Young, Editor of trade publication, DRAM, “The Scottish Government knows that the current methodology is flawed and has commissioned the Gill Review. Despite this, it has not halted the planned, unprecedented rates increases for hospitality businesses due to come into force in April. It is time for it to reconsider.

“The people I have spoken to across the country are disheartened and dismayed. They are cutting staff and shelving development plans.

“Having looked at the increases on the rates assessors’ websites, I have been dismayed at some of the exorbitant rises. It is time a decision was made to STOP the rates increases until the methodology is fit for purpose.”

Support for Mossmorran workers

£9 million to boost skills and job opportunities

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes has set out that Scottish Government funding will be deployed to boost skills and employment opportunities for workers facing redundancy at ExxonMobil’s ethylene plant at Mossmorran.

Options being considered include apprenticeships, a college-led training programme and investing in new employment opportunities at the plant.

A taskforce led by Fife Council meets for the first time today in response to the planned closure. The Scottish Government will use the meeting to further understand the needs of the workforce and local community to inform its decisions regarding the deployment of the £9 million investment.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “This is a worrying time for the workforce at Mossmorran and they rightly expect urgent action. I met worker representatives earlier this month to assure them that we are doing all we can to support them and the wider community.  

“We have allocated £9 million over three years in our draft Budget to help staff and communities affected by the plant’s closure. Today’s meeting is an opportunity to engage with the UK Government, Fife Council, unions and local partners to agree how we best support individuals impacted by ExxonMobil’s decision.

“In the meantime, our Partnership Action for Continuing Employment initiative is providing skills and employability support for workers.”

#Education Needs Youth Work

Find out how you can get involved in YouthLink Scotland’s #EducationNeedsYouthWork campaign happening next week (1st to 5th December)

“Alongside schools, youth work improves the wellbeing, readiness to learn and educational outcomes of children and young people.”   PEF National Guidance, Scottish Government                

Next week, YouthLink Scotland’s #EducationNeedsYouthWork campaign will spotlight the role of youth work in:

  • Nurturing health and wellbeing
  • Tackling the poverty-related attainment gap
  • Enabling learner engagement – in communities and in primary school and secondary school settings
  • Supporting employability

Please join the campaign by posting examples and evidence from your local practice that demonstrate the impact that youth work can have in building skills, improving young people’s experiences and outcomes in education.

Use the #EducationNeedsYouthWork hashtag and tag YouthLink Scotland and we will share more widely across our social media channels.

Thank you!