Tag: debate

Scottish politicians to clash over independence in inaugural debate of the Edinburgh Union

The Edinburgh Union will host its inaugural debate on Monday 22 September, with a panel of senior Scottish politicians debating the motion: This House Believes Scotland Should Be Independent.

The debate will feature Fergus Ewing MSP and Ben Macpherson MSP, representing the case for independence, opposite Baroness Annabel Goldie, former leader of the Scottish Conservatives, and Daniel Johnson MSP, representing the case against. 

Adding to the politicians, two student speakers will join the debate, taking opposing sides on the motion, and bringing the perspectives of Edinburgh’s student body directly into the discussion. 

The debate, taking place just months ahead of the 2026 Holyrood elections, promises to be a lively and timely discussion on one of the most contested questions in Scottish politics.

Founded in 2025, the Edinburgh Union, which is part of the Edinburgh Political Union, is the University of Edinburgh’s newest debating society.

It seeks to provide an apolitical platform dedicated to debate and open dialogue. With political and social conversations growing increasingly polarised, the Union’s mission is to develop an environment where ideas can be challenged constructively and where participants from all backgrounds feel empowered to engage in discussion.

This semester, the Union will host fortnightly debates in Edinburgh’s iconic Rainy Hall at New College, bringing together speakers from across the political spectrum. Upcoming motions include This House Welcomes the Legalisation of Assisted Dying and This House Believes Traditional Masculinity is Damaging to Men and Society.

Each debate will offer audience members, comprising students and academics from across Edinburgh with the opportunity to debate and challenge guest speakers from across the political spectrum. 

President Finn Tyson said: ““The Edinburgh Union seeks to spark open dialogue in the capital, in a way that is not seen anywhere else in Scotland.

“We want to give students and staff the chance to engage in-person with big ideas, challenge perspectives, and form their own views through reasoned debate – all in away that reflects the diversity and voice of Scotland’s student population.

“More than a decade after the Better Together campaign’s victory in 2014, public opinion on Scottish independence remains deeply divided. That’s why we’re bringing in outstanding speakers from across the political spectrum to debate the issue – and to give our students the chance to question them directly.” 

ECCAN: Free Ticket giveaway for A Citizen’s Assembly

Ready to explore what people power means in the face of nature breakdown? We’re giving away tickets to a powerful and FREE Fringe show, “A Citizen’s Assembly“!

This ECCAN outing is an opportunity to:

➡ Engage with a unique theatrical experience that puts you at the heart of the climate conversation.

➡Meet new people

➡ Discover what’s possible when we come together.

“A Citizen’s Assembly” is an immersive experience where we are the citizens, grappling with the climate emergency: What are we doing? What are we not doing?

What more could and should we be doing? Be prepared to join the debate and be part of the story!

How to claim your free ticket:

➡ Be a member of ECCAN (it’s free to join!).

➡ Email edinburgh@eccan.scot

Tickets will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis, so get in touch soon!

🧷 Check link in our bio for more info

#giveaway

#edinburghfringe

#freeticket

#edinburghcommunity

Hundreds of women advertised for prostitution in Edinburgh in one weekend as MP calls for action

Tracy Gilbert, Scottish Labour MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, yesterday (10/06/2025) led a parliamentary debate at Westminster calling for urgent government action to address the demand driving prostitution and sex trafficking across the UK.  

The debate, “That this House has considered the matter of tackling demand for prostitution and sex trafficking”, focused on the urgent need to adopt a demand-reduction approach to tackle the exploitation of women and girls who are coerced, trafficked, or driven by poverty into the sex trade.  

The speech highlighted the issue in Edinburgh, and some of the vulnerable women who have been affected by this, including Fiona Broadfoot who has spoken out about her treatment whilst working in an Edinburgh brothel.  

Ms Gilbert said: “In Edinburgh over the weekend (7th –8th June 2025), 142 women were being advertised for prostitution on one pimping website alone.

“Five of the top ten adverts are explicitly posted by so-called ‘agencies’ – so the site isn’t even tryingto hide the organised nature of this exploitation.”

Tracy Gilbert highligh2ted that current legislation fails to effectively deter those who purchase sex and called on the Government to explore legislative models that criminalise the buying, not the selling, of sex, as adopted in countries such as Sweden and Norway.  

In her speech, Tracy Gilbert gave examples of reviews made after the buying of sex some included:  

  • “Bad attitude. Everything was off limits.”   
  • “Finally got her to lay2 there but it’s like shagging a dead fish.”   
  • “No smile, her atrocious English made the interactions even more impossible.”   

Tracy Gilbert added: “Men who buy sex are reviewing women as if they are reviewing an Xbox game.

“These comments prove that men who pay for sex treat women as subordinate sex objects whose role is to service their sexual desires.” 

UK Youth Parliament annual session at Westminster today

TODAY (Friday 28 February), more than 300 elected Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) aged 11-18 will represent the views of their peers and hold debates on a range of topics.

Young people from across the UK, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies will return to the House of Commons Chamber today for the annual sitting of UK Youth Parliament.  

The debated motions will include:

  • 16- and 17-year-olds should be allowed to vote in all elections and referendums, accompanied with more political education throughout school.  
  • That the National Minimum Wage for every worker under 22 be raised, to match the National Living Wage for those over 22.  
  • All public transport should be free for young people. 
  • All young people in the UK must have access to a standardised level of political literacy and democratic education to improve engagement in politics on a local, national and international level to develop critical thinking skills.  
  • To establish period dignity, there should be free, accessible, good quality period products available in public spaces for everyone.  

The debate areas are part of the UK Youth Parliament Manifesto for 2024-2026 ‘Shaping Our Future, Today Not Tomorrow’ which was created by the MYP’s at their Annual Conference in October 2024, drawing on the views and issues raised by young people from across the UK. 

For the first time in the House of Commons, an MYP will use British Sign Language to deliver his speech. A BSL interpreter will communicate this via a microphone in the Commons Chamber. 

Speaker of the House of Commons, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, said that he is “very proud that this sitting of the UK Youth Parliament will be the most inclusive and exciting yet.

“I cannot wait to hear the thoughts and views of young people from across the UK, the British Overseas Territories, and the Crown Dependencies, on the issues that matter to them.”   

Leigh Middleton, OBE, CEO, National Youth Agency: “Youth voice is a central tenet of youth work and the UK Youth Parliament provides young people with a valuable opportunity to debate the issues which they have identified as being important whilst gaining first-hand experience of the political process. 

“The Annual Sitting really is the highlight of the UK Youth Parliament calendar when we get to see the young Members of Youth Parliament shine in the prestigious setting as they deliver their impassioned speeches and arguments for reform.”  

The debates will be streamed live (with an approximately 20-minute delay) on parliamentlive.tv and YouTube. 

Find more information about UK Youth Parliament from the House of Commons Library Research Briefing. 

MPs to hold a debate on the Third anniversary of the war in Ukraine

On Thursday 27th February, MPs will hold a debate on the Third anniversary of the war in Ukraine.

A full transcript of the debate which be available three hours after the debate on Commons Hansard. 

Backbench Business Committee 

The Backbench Business Committee meets weekly on Tuesdays to consider requests for debates from any backbench Members of Parliament on any subject. 

The Committee then has to decide how to allocate the limited Parliamentary time it has at its disposal.

Choudhury leads Holyrood debate on access to diabetes technology

“TYPE 1 DIABETES DOES NOT CHANGE ONCE YOU CROSS THE BORDER, WHY SHOULD TYPE 1s IN SCOTLAND MISS OUT AND RECEIVE WORSE CARE BASED ON WHERE THEY LIVE?”

Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian Region, Foysol Choudhury, led the Scottish Parliament’s first Member’s Business of 2025 on one of Scotland’s most pressing healthcare technology issues – access to medical technology for diabetic patients.

This debate comes after much campaigning from both in and outside of parliament, including groups like iPAG (Insulin Pump Awareness Group), Diabetes Scotland, and MSPs like Mr. Choudhury, fellow Lothian MSP Sarah Boyack and Labour’s health spokesperson, Jackie Baillie.

Access to diabetes technology is crucial for people with Type 1 diabetes (T1D), an incurable autoimmune condition that requires lifelong insulin therapy and constant management, including making up to 180 more daily decisions about their health to balance blood glucose levels.

Access to diabetes technologies is essential to reducing the physical and mental burden of type 1 diabetes and preventing serious complications like seizures, heart disease, blindness, kidney failure, and death.

The physical and mental toll of T1D is immense, often causing symptoms like lethargy, nausea, and anxiety, as well as diabetes distress, but tailored treatments and access to current technologies are critical to easing this burden and improving quality of life.

This push for access to technology comes not only from campaign groups and politicians but also from those suffering long wait times to access HCL systems, with Scottish Labour figures showing about 3,000 patients waiting across Scottish health boards. Nearly 1,000 are waiting in Lothian alone, with some in Scotland waiting over five years for an insulin pump.

In June 2024, the Scottish Government announced “up to” £8.8 million to improve access to diabetes technology, including pumps and continuous glucose monitors. Yet health boards are still facing significant pressures to fund diabetes technology with the ongoing cost of managing and replacing these devices.

Some have stated that patients outside the identified priority groups will not have access to this technology for the foreseeable future. As of November, NHS Lothian has stated that there has been no additional funding for dieticians, diabetes nursing, and administrative costs from the Scottish Government.

As a result, these constraints are driving a shift toward less suitable options, such as systems that prevent carers from monitoring glucose levels remotely. Families report being offered Freestyle Libre 2+ or Freestyle Libre 3 as standard, with little consideration for individual needs.

This approach poses significant safety risks, particularly for young children and individuals unable to manage their own systems. This goes against SIGN 170, a toolkit published by NHS Health Improvement Scotland and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network.

During the debate, MSP Choudhury emphasised: “Type 1 diabetes does not change once you cross the border, why should type 1s in Scotland miss out and receive worse care based on where they live?

“Diabetes technology is genuinely preventative care which will save the NHS money in the long term.”

Mr. Choudhury concluded: ““I want to finish by asking members to place themselves in the shoes of a type 1. Knowing the technology to change your life is available, but there is no political will to ensure you get it soon. Imagine the frustration you would feel day by day. We cannot just tell people to wait.”

Online activist and T1 diabetic, Lesley Ross, contributed online: “We shouldn’t have to fight for the best possible care when we are struggling to manage our condition.”

Chair of iPAG Scotland, Mary Moody contributed online: “We know that diabetes teams across Scotland want to do the best for their patients but are restricted by administrative and budgetary constraints.

A toolkit to assist decision-making is published by NHS Health Improvement Scotland and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network,

(SIGN 170 – https://www.sign.ac.uk/our-guidelines/optimising-glycaemic-controlin-people-with-type-1-diabetes/)

but may be disregarded with people being given equipment that does not meet their exact needs and may put them at risk. This has got to improve. Patient safety has to come first.”

Following the debate, MSP Choudhury concluded: ““I want to thank the campaigners and type 1s who have been advocating and contributing to this discussion and thank them for their hard work.”

Independence or Union? Former Labour and SNP MEPs to debate Scotland’s best route back into the EU

Two constitutional paths — one European future

In an online event, two former Members of the European Parliament (MEP) will debate whether Scottish independence or remaining in the UK is the best route to seeing Scotland regain its EU membership.

Entitled “Common Ground” the discussion, between former Labour MEP David Martin and Alyn Smith, who was an SNP MEP, will see the politicians analyse how best to achieve Scotland’s return to the EU. They will also talk about the importance of cross-party working and why each believes their own preferred constitutional route is best for the country.

In the 2016 referendum that resulted in the UK leaving the European Union, Scotland voted 62% Remain. Every local authority district in Scotland recorded a Remain majority. Polls since then have shown that Scotland continues to be strongly pro-EU membership.

The Common Ground online debate is on Tuesday 5th December at 7pm.

Tickets for the event, which is free, can be booked at Eventbrite:

 https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/common-ground-scotlands-european-path-tickets-1088642702629

Common Ground is being hosted by the European Movement in Scotland (EMiS), the leading all-party group campaigning for a return to European Union membership. David Martin is president of EMiS and Alyn Smith a vice-president.

David Clarke, chair of EMiS says: “Alyn and David are passionate Europeans who share similar views about building an unstoppable momentum that sees us eventually rejoin the EU.

“They will discuss how that momentum is built and the competing claims of independence or union as the most likely route back to Europe.”

The European Movement is Scotland says the debate is “must see” event for everyone interested in Scotland’s European future and how pro-EU politicians from across the party divide can work together to achieve ever-stronger ties of trade, education, culture and friendship with our EU friends.

Responsible Tourism: Join the Debate

Join The Cockburn Association and panellists for an engaging afternoon discussion on tourism, sustainability and capacity in Edinburgh and beyond. An in-person and online event.

Here is the link for the IN-PERSON tickets https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1000629258047…

And here is the link for the ONLINE tickets https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1000640581917…

Edinburgh International Book Festival event: Clean Money: Can fundraising ever be ethical?

This August, in direct response to the debate on ethical fundraising in the arts, a topic impacting many organisations across the UK and further afield, the Festival will host a brand new event aimed at expanding the conversation from a place of polarisation to one of positivity and possibility.

Entitled Clean Money: Can fundraising ever be ethical? the event will be fully interactive in nature and groups of participants will be handed questions, based on real or possible situations, to discuss alongside a range of expert facilitators.

Encouraging audiences to step outside their viewpoints, and consider these important topics from another angle, participants of the event will be required to argue from or for a particular point of view, as opposed to their personal perspective, based on a prompt courtesy of the facilitators.

The event will be guided by Alisha Fernandez Miranda, author and Chair of the award-winning social impact advisory firm I.G. Advisors, and will feature nine other industry peers including Harriette Tillott, Advisor at I.G., and Joni O’Sullivan, trustee at Hastings Contemporary Gallery. Further facilitators will be confirmed nearer the time.

Jenny Niven, Director at Edinburgh International Book Festival, said: “We’re excited to be able to curate this vital conversation at the Book Festival.

“In a climate where it can feel harder than ever to have meaningful discussion, and with a vanishingly small number of platforms that truly allow for the exchange of views or tolerance for viewpoints which don’t align with our own, the Book Festival is an unique forum for this type of learning and debate.

“The question of ‘clean money’ brings in everything: climate, conflict, ethics, politics, the role of government, the state of the arts and charitable sector, societal change, and allows us to wrestle with the really thorny questions underpinning the debates recent months. 

“The level of public engagement in the topic at the moment is unprecedented and the strength of feeling from many different perspectives has been evident throughout.  We hope people with a range of perspectives will join this conversation and help further everyone’s understanding of the issues and the contexts at hand, and help us bring this topic offline and into the daylight.”

Held in the spirit of open dialogue and constructive debate, each participant will be required to only share a first name – no other identifying information can be shared until after the debate, and then only with explicit permission – and the event will follow Chatham House rules, meaning that while information gathered during the event can be shared, it cannot be linked to any individual participant.

Those who do not wish to be quoted, even anonymously are under no obligation and will be invited to sign to this effect.

Future Tense is the first Edinburgh International Book Festival programme from Director Jenny Niven and will unfold for the first time at the Festival’s new home at Edinburgh Futures Institute.

The full programme can be found here: 

https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/whats-on

Choudhury: “Strengthen Bill to provide a true Circular Economy”

Labour MSP Foysol Choudhury has rang alarm bells that the Scottish Government’s Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill does not go far enough to tackle overconsumption and create a true circular economy, to meet climate change targets.

Mr Choudhury spoke in the debate in the Scottish Parliament’s Chamber yesterday (20th March 2024), to highlight the need for a more thorough and detailed plan. 

MSP Choudhury said: “The current Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill does not go far enough and seems more like a recycling bill, rather than a full circular economy bill.

“It does not provide a thorough enough framework for action for the Bill’s aims to be successfully implemented, monitored and evaluated across all areas of a Circular Economy, in particular on carbon consumption reduction targets, to ensure Scotland meets important climate targets.

“The Scottish Government also needs to show it has embedded climate justice approaches into its circular economy plan, upskill workers with reuse skills to create more sustainable economic opportunities and enable more robust monitoring of exported materials to ensure that Scotland doesn’t simply move its waste to other countries, shifting the climate burden in its mission to meet its own waste targets.”

Mr Choudhury pointed out in particular the need to work with businesses and local authorities on the Bill to avoid the mistakes of the failed Deposit Return Scheme.

He said: “If we have learnt anything from the Deposit Return Scheme debacle, it is that the Scottish Government must create thorough, actionable policies which have been thought out in partnership with businesses and local authorities and do not place significant bureaucratic burdens on small and medium enterprises.

“Some sectors have already been able to take steps to re-use materials and the Scottish Government should build on that by helping local businesses improve their reuse/recycle processes.

“The Scottish Government will also need to work alongside, and properly resource, local authorities.

“Instead, there has so far been a significant underestimation of funding needed to enable our local authorities to deliver on a Circular Economy-leaving our local authorities with yet another funding crisis they will have to precariously juggle.”

Mr Choudhury says he will continue to scrutinise the Bill as it progresses through Parliament, to ensure that Scotland’s commitment to climate action is progressed and a more sustainable planet can be built for all.

Foysol Choudhury MSP speech on 20/03/24 on the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/DgEJp04Uu5Q