Yesterday I attended the Muslim Council of Scotland’s rally outside the Scottish Parliament, to call for an end to Islamophobia (writes FOYSUL CHOUDHURY MSP).
While freedom of expression must be protected, this should not be exercised in a way that incites hatred or acts of violence against others. It is unacceptable that anybody should be a victim of discrimination, prejudice or abuse based upon a protected characteristic.
I felt it important to attend the rally to firmly show that I believe we should actively oppose, and try to prevent, this kind of hate crime. Minority communities should be confident about reporting incidents of hate and abuse to the authorities and be assured of the support they deserve.
I believe that this starts with authorities and communities openly acknowledging the existence of hate crime and being dedicated to prevent and punish such crimes.
I hope to continue raising awareness of this important issue in Parliament throughout my time in office and I encourage the Scottish Government to bring forward its new hate crimes strategy as a matter of urgency.
The Scottish Government also needs to speak out against injustices that we witness against minority communities around the world. Similarly, acknowledgement of the lived experiences of minority communities and the effects of hate upon them should be taught and prioritised within the school curriculum and institutions such as Police Scotland.
I hope that diverse communities can come together to call out hate speech and hate crimes against their fellow citizens, supporting one another so that our ever-interconnected world can flourish through respect, tolerance and togetherness.
If you witness a hate crime, whether in-person or online, please report this to Police Scotland or a third-party reporting centre.
Stand against hate, both in Scotland and around the world.
The Prime Minister’s press conference remarks at the NATO Summit in Madrid:
This has been a highly successful and historic NATO Summit in which we have once again exceeded expectations in the unity and single mindedness with which this alliance is confronting Putin’s illegal and barbaric invasion of Ukraine.
After 127 days of war we in NATO are now more resolved than ever that Europe’s boundaries cannot be changed by force and that we must give the Ukrainians the means to protect themselves. And we are.
In the last few days virtually everyone around the table has agreed to give more to help.
And at the same we have to recognise the impacts that this brutal invasion are being felt around the world. In Africa, in Latin America, in Asia – there is not a country that is not being affected now by the surge in energy prices and the shortages of food and fertiliser.
And so just as we in the UK are focused on helping people next month, in July to the 8 million households with £1200 with more help to come, £400 for every family to help with the cost of living and energy. So too, the governments of the Commonwealth, of the G7 and NATO are determined to work together to ease the pressure around the world, whether that means getting the grain from Ukraine or encouraging moves to increase global energy supplies or helping countries to find alternative sources of fertiliser
And we must frankly recognise that not every country takes the same view of Putin’s invasion or sees it in the way that we do. And so we have agreed that we have to explode some myths.
We have to explode the myth that western sanctions are in some way responsible for these price spikes when of course it is the Russian invasion that has caused the shortages of food and Putin’s blockade that are stopping the grain leaving Ukrainian ports.
We need to explode the myth that NATO was in any way responsible for provoking the conflict. Nothing could be further from the truth. And if you want proof that this is a purely defensive alliance, you could have no more eloquent testimony than the accession of Finland and Sweden – quintessentially peace loving countries that have been neutral for decades.
The fact that these two paladins for peace have joined NATO tells you all you need to know about NATO and all you need to know about Putin.
We need to show the global south that we are the partners they need and that we NATO countries and that we’re there to help them as they make the transition to a green future and that they should beware the trap of running up huge debts to other countries that do not share our values and maybe do not have their best interests at heart.
And the final myth we need to debunk is that when it comes to crisis such as this, western democracies, because of the pressures that politicians face, do not have the same staying power.
And I think If Ukraine were to be crushed or forced into a bad peace, the consequences for freedom around the world would be appalling.
And that view is shared by everyone in NATO, so let us be absolutely clear, the best way for us to win the argument around the world about our values, what we stand for, about our opposition to the use of force to change boundaries, about international law. The best way to win that argument is for the Ukrainians to win and for Putin to fail in Ukraine.
That’s why I’m pleased today we have announced another billion pounds worth of military support. And if you wanted evidence of the amazing ability of the Ukrainians to fight back, to overcome adversity to repel the Russians, then then look at what has happened just today on Snake Island where Russia has had to cede ground.
In the end it will prove impossible for Putin to hold down a country that will not accept his rule.
This has been a crucial summit in that we are resolved not just to support Ukraine, but we have agreed a new strategic concept, we are moving beyond the doctrine of tripwire deterrence on NATO’s eastern flank to a new approach of defence deterrence by denial. And countries around the table are also recognising that they must spend more.
And in our case that means meeting, and being prepared to exceed, the target we set for ourselves a decade ago of everybody spending 2% of our GDP on defence, goals which were then set for a very different era. What we are saying is that we want Jens Stoltenberg, the General Secretary to start work on that new target now and he has agreed to do that.
We need to invest for the long term, in vital capabilities like future combat air, while simultaneously adapting to a more dangerous and competitive world. The logical conclusion of the investments we propose to embark, of these decisions, is 2.5% of GDP on Defence by the end of the decade.
I want to say a big thank you to our Spanish hosts, and I think they have done an amazing job and thanks to Jens Stoltenberg, and say at the end of this Madrid Summit – the NATO alliance is plainly in robust health and getting stronger, with new members and a renewed purpose.
We can see that our work is cut out and we can see that there are billions of people around the world, swing voters, who need to hear and understand our arguments, but we have a huge advantage of knowing what we want, in believing in our ideas and having the means to do what we want to do, and above all we are united and, if history is any guide, then I believe that this great alliance will again be successful.
The next steps on securing a referendum on independence were outlined by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during a statement to Parliament yesterday.
She said: “Independence is about equipping ourselves to navigate the future, guided by our own values, aspirations and interests.
“Now is the time – at this critical moment in history – to debate and decide the future of our country. Now is the time to get Scotland on the right path – the path chosen by those who live here. Now is the time for independence.
“This parliament has a clear, democratic mandate to offer Scotland that choice. The UK government, regrettably however, is refusing to respect Scottish democracy.
“The UK and Scottish Governments should be sitting down together, responsibly agreeing a process, including a section 30 order, that allows the Scottish people to decide. That would be the democratic way to proceed.
“The issue of independence cannot be suppressed. It must be resolved democratically. And that must be through a process that is above reproach and commands confidence.
“That is why I am setting out today the actions the Scottish Government and the Lord Advocate will take, in the absence of a section 30 order, to secure Scotland’s right to choose.
“I can announce, first of all, that the Scottish Government is today publishing the ‘Scottish Independence Referendum Bill’.
“In common with the 2014 referendum – indeed, in common with the Brexit referendum and the referendum to establish this Parliament – the independence referendum proposed in the Bill will be consultative, not self-executing.
“The Bill states that the question on the ballot paper should be – just as it was in 2014 – ‘should Scotland be an independent country’.
“There has been much commentary in recent days to the effect that a consultative referendum would not have the same status as the vote in 2014.
“That is simply wrong, factually and legally.
“The status of the referendum proposed in this Bill is exactly the same as the referendums of 1997, 2014 and 2016.
“The Bill includes the proposed date on which the referendum should be held.
“I can announce that the Scottish Government is proposing that the independence referendum be held on 19 October 2023.
“We must seek now to accelerate to the point when we have legal clarity; legal fact. And crucially, in doing so establish and safeguard the ability of this Parliament to deliver a referendum on the date proposed.
“The Lord Advocate has agreed to make a reference of the provisions in the Bill to the Supreme Court.
“I can confirm that the reference will be filed with the Supreme Court this afternoon.
“Obviously, it is this government’s hope that the question in this Bill, proposing a referendum that is consultative, not self-executing, and which would seek to ascertain the views of the Scottish people for or against independence, will be deemed to be within the legislative competence of this Parliament.
“If that outcome is secured, there will be no doubt whatsoever that the referendum is lawful. And I can confirm that the government will then immediately introduce the Bill and ask Parliament to pass the it on a timescale that allows the referendum to proceed on 19 October 2023.
“It is, of course, possible that the Supreme Court will decide that the Scottish Parliament does not have power to legislate for even a consultative referendum. Obviously, that would not be the clarity we hope for.
“But if that is what the law establishing this Parliament really means, it is better to have that clarity sooner rather than later.
“Because what it will clarify is this: any notion of the UK as a voluntary union of nations is a fiction. Any suggestion that the UK is a partnership of equals is false.
“There would be few stronger or more powerful arguments for independence than that.
“And it would not be the end of the matter. Far from it. Democracy demands that people must have their say.
“I want the process set in train today to lead to a lawful, constitutional referendum and for that to take place on 19 October 2023.
“But if the law says that is not possible, the General Election will be a ‘de facto’ referendum.
“Either way, the people of Scotland will have their say.”
“To believe in Scottish independence is to believe in a better future. It involves an unashamedly optimistic view of the world. The belief that things can be better than they are now.
“The people of Scotland have told us that they want the right to decide.
“Today we have set out the path to deliver it.”
THERE HAS BEEN A PREDICTABLE RESPONSE FROM OPPOSITION PARTIES:
A letter to the Prime Minister has been sent to inform him of the content of the statement and make clear that the Scottish Government is ready and willing to negotiate the terms of a section 30 order.
UK will give £25 million to found a new World Bank fund to prevent, prepare for and respond to future devastating pandemics
Investment in preventing future pandemics can stop the devastating human and economic impact of COVID-19 happening again
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced £25 million of UK aid backing for a new fund to ensure the world is better prepared to defeat future pandemics.
Hosted by the World Bank, the ‘Financial Intermediary Fund’ for pandemic prevention, preparedness and response will provide funding to countries whose healthcare systems are dangerously unprepared for the challenges caused by large outbreaks of infectious diseases. It will ensure they can quickly respond to, and as far as possible contain, outbreaks before they spread across the world.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to at least 6.2 million deaths across the world and caused far-reaching economic devastation.
Stopping a pandemic like this ever happening again will require a concerted and coordinated international effort.
At the G7 Summit today (Monday), leaders will discuss the importance of helping countries manage Covid as an endemic disease and the pressing need to invest in preparedness and other measures to prevent history repeating itself.
The new fund will help fill some of the financing gaps exposed by COVID-19, particularly insufficient financing for preparedness in national health systems and disease surveillance at country, regional and global levels. Crucially, the fund can help catalyse countries’ own financing, so the world is as equipped as possible whenever and wherever a new public health risk emerges.
The Prime Minister said: “While the worst days of the coronavirus pandemic are, thankfully, behind us, we cannot be complacent. The next potential pandemic could emerge any moment and with it the devastating human and economic consequences we have experienced over the last two and a half years.
“We must ensure we learn the lessons of COVID-19 and are better prepared next time. We owe it to the people of the world to say, ‘never again’.”
The chance of a pandemic on the scale of COVID-19 occurring in the next 25 years could be as high as 50%, and a key lesson of the coronavirus pandemic is that even small investments in pandemic preparedness can have huge returns.
By contributing to preparedness in the short term, we can avoid huge economic damage in the long-term.
Under the UK’s G7 Presidency last year, the Prime Minister drove forward international work on pandemic preparedness under his ‘five point plan’ and the 100 Days Mission, work on which was led by Sir Patrick Vallance.
This included launching a worldwide network of zoonotic research hubs, increasing the global manufacturing capacity for treatment and vaccines, designing a new early warning system and agreeing global protocols for a future health emergency.
The UK also hosted a Global Pandemic Preparedness Summit in March, which raised over £1.2 billion to develop variant-proof coronavirus vaccines and speed up the process of developing vaccines against future health threats so this can be done in under 100 days.
David Malpass, President of the World Bank Group, said: “I welcome the UK’s support for the new Financial Intermediary Fund to strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response functions in developing countries.
“The fund will provide a dedicated stream of additional, long-term funding to complement the work of existing institutions and operate with high standards of transparency and accountability.
“COVID-19 highlighted the urgent need for coordinated action to build stronger health systems and mobilise additional resources to prepare for the next pandemic in countries, regions, and around the world.”
At the G7 Summit last year, the UK galvanised international action to donate 870 million coronavirus vaccines to those who need them. This commitment, combined with UK and other investments to support the development and rapid manufacturing scale-up of COVID-19 vaccines, turned the tide on Covid around the world. Two-thirds of the global population have received at least one dose of the Covid vaccine.
The supply of coronavirus vaccines now outstrips demand and UK efforts are therefore focused on action to end the acute phase of the pandemic, help countries manage COVID-19 as an endemic disease and prepare for the next health threat.
Governments, NGOs and private donors have been encouraged to donate to the Financial Intermediary Fund, which was called for by G20 Finance Ministers in April.
The funding announced by the Prime Minister today will establish the UK as a founding donor to the fund, alongside the US, EU and others.
He will lead a high-level climate event to discuss progress on the Glasgow Climate Pact, and the importance of keeping the 1.5C goal alive
The COP26 President will also visit the Kigali hub of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain (ACES), spearheaded by UK experts and £16 million of DEFRA funding
COP President Alok Sharma will attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM 2022), this week, June 22-23, in Kigali, Rwanda, as part of a UK government delegation led by the Prime Minister.
Mr Sharma will co-host a high-level Commonwealth climate event on Thursday 23 June with the Government of Rwanda to underline the importance of limiting global temperature rises to 1.5C, reiterate the action that was committed at COP26, and set out the steps already being taken by Commonwealth members to achieve this.
This will feature the agreement to revisit, strengthen and implement their 2030 climate action plans and long-term strategies towards net-zero, providing a spotlight on the commitments made in Glasgow and the action that must be taken by COP27.
Mr Sharma will announce at the event that the UK has doubled its funding to £10 million for the NDC Partnership’s new Partnership Action Fund (PAF), as part of the UK’s drive to work with developing countries to implement and enhance their climate commitments outlined in their Nationally Determined Contributions.
Commonwealth leaders, United Nations organisations, civil society, the private sector and young people will also discuss progress on the Glasgow Climate Pact, accessing climate finance, the desired outcomes of COP27 in Egypt and how Commonwealth Member States can work together to achieve them.
Mr Sharma will then speak at the Commonwealth Business Forum at CHOGM to outline the ambitious trajectory set in Glasgow, and the need for businesses to continue the momentum on the road to global net zero.
Finally, the COP President will visit the Kigali hub of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain (ACES). Currently seven per cent of the world’s emissions come from cooling – anything from food and vaccine storage to air conditioning to high-tech innovation – and demand for cooling will only grow as global temperatures increase.
Spearheaded by UK experts and £16 million of DEFRA funding, ACES is dedicated to generating ideas, technology and capacity building to support sustainable cooling or all that need it using renewables, climate friendly refrigerants and energy efficient equipment.
As temperatures hit record highs globally, this work will support those most vulnerable to heatwaves, accelerating the transition in Africa and other developing markets to sustainable refrigeration and reducing food waste and improving vaccine supply chains.
Ahead of his visit to CHOGM 2022, COP President Alok Sharma said: “The Commonwealth has an important role to play in delivering the Glasgow Climate Pact, and keeping 1.5 degrees alive.
“It comprises both major emitters and some of the most climate vulnerable countries in the world. So, it is clearly in our collective interest to work together to take action and tackle the challenges we face.
“We should also recognise the economic growth opportunities the green transition has for job creation and sustainable development. Our collective voice can be a powerful force and it is time to honour the promises that we made in Glasgow, and turn commitments into action.”
“This is the most ambitious reform of public services since the creation of the NHS” – Humza Yousaf
Legislation to establish a National Care Service for Scotland (NCS) will ensure the best possible outcomes for people accessing care and support and end the ‘postcode lottery’ of care, says the Scottish Government.
The National Care Service Bill will make Scottish Ministers accountable for adult social care in Scotland – a change strongly supported by those responding to the recent consultation on the plans.
The Bill provides the foundation for the NCS, and enables the fine detail of the new service to be co-designed with people who have direct experience of social care services.
Plans have also been published to explain how that collaboration will work.
The aims are to:
support people in their own homes or among family, friends and community wherever possible, with seamless transitions between services;
create a charter of rights and responsibilities for social care, with a robust complaints and redress process;
introduce rights to breaks for unpaid carers
introduce visiting rights for residents living in adult care homes, giving legal force to Anne’s Law
ensure fair employment practices and national pay bargaining for the social care workforce;
focus on prevention and early intervention before people’s needs escalate;
create a new National Social Work Agency to promote training and development, provide national leadership and set and monitor standards in social work.
On a visit to Aberdeen-based charity VSA, which supports people with a wide range of social care needs, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Humza Yousaf said: “This is the most ambitious reform of public services since the creation of the NHS.
“People have told us they want a National Care Service, accountable to Scottish Ministers, with services designed and delivered locally. That’s exactly what we are going to deliver.
“The design of the NCS will have human rights embedded throughout, and the actual shape and detail of how the NCS works will be designed with those who have direct experience of accessing and providing social care.
“We are going to end the postcode lottery of care in Scotland. Through the National Care Service we’re going to ensure everyone has access to consistently high-quality care and support so they can live a full life. This is our ambitious goal and while it will not be easy to achieve it is vital that we do.”
Social Care Minister Kevin Stewart said: “One of the key benefits of a National Care Service will be to ensure our social care and social work workforce are valued, and that unpaid carers get the recognition they deserve.
“When this Bill passes we will be able to have the new National Care Service established by the end of this parliament. In the interim we will continue to take steps to improve outcomes for people accessing care – working with key partners, including local government, and investing in the people who deliver community health and social care and support.”
Chief Operating Officer of VSA Aberdeen John Booth, said: “We welcome the announcement that the National Care Service Bill has been published. With this being the biggest reform since the creation of the NHS we will now take the time to properly review the bill to understand the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.
“We look forward to working with the Scottish Government to co-design the NCS to ensure the voices and needs of the vulnerable people who rely on our vital services are heard.”
Local government umbrella body COSLA has issued a statement:
A massive restructuring project, limited resources, local government opposition … Now, what could possibly go wrong?
Setting out the fresh case for Scotland to become an independent country began today as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon declared ‘It’s time’ and published new analysis showing the prize of independence is a wealthier, fairer Scotland.
The Scottish Government analysis – Independence in the Modern World. Wealthier, Happier, Fairer: Why Not Scotland? – details how neighbouring countries such as Sweden, Ireland, Denmark and Finland use their powers of independence to achieve economic success, business dynamism and fairer societies.
The evidence shows that:
the comparator countries are all wealthier – some a lot wealthier – than the UK
income inequality is lower in all the comparator countries
poverty rates are lower in all the comparator countries
there are fewer children living in poverty in all the comparator countries
the comparator countries all have higher productivity – often significantly higher – than the UK
business investment tends to be higher in all the comparator countries
It is the first in a series of papers called Building a New Scotland that will together form a prospectus for an independent Scotland to enable people to make an informed choice about Scotland’s future before any referendum takes place.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “Today, Scotland – like countries across the world – faces significant challenges. But we also have huge advantages and immense potential. The refreshed case for independence is about how we equip ourselves to navigate the challenges and fulfil that potential, now and in future.
“In their day to day lives, people across Scotland are suffering the impacts of the soaring cost of living, low growth and increasing inequality, constrained public finances and the many implications of a Brexit we did not vote for. These problems have all been made worse or, most obviously in the case of Brexit, directly caused by the fact we are not independent.
“So at this critical juncture we face a fundamental question. Do we stay tied to a UK economic model that consigns us to relatively poor economic and social outcomes which are likely to get worse, not better, outside the EU? Or do we lift our eyes, with hope and optimism, and take inspiration from comparable countries across Europe?
“Comparable neighbouring countries with different characteristics. Countries that, in many cases, lack the abundance of resources that Scotland is blessed with. But all of them independent and, as we show today, wealthier and fairer than the UK.
“Today’s paper – and those that will follow in the weeks and months ahead – is about substance. That is what really matters. The strength of the substantive case will determine the decision people reach when the choice is offered – as it will be – and it is time now to set out and debate that case.
“After everything that has happened it is time to set out a different and better vision. It is time to talk about making Scotland wealthier and fairer. It is time to talk about independence – and then to make the choice.”
Scottish Government Minister and Scottish Green Party Co-Leader Patrick Harvie said: “This paper sets out a detailed, evidence-based assessment of how the UK performs in comparison to a group of European countries.
“It shows how we are being held back environmentally, socially and economically by a UK Government that does not have the interests of the people of Scotland in mind. And it shows that with the powers of independence we could make different decisions than those made by the UK government, and build a more prosperous, equal and greener Scotland.
“As we seek to deliver the transition to a net-zero economy and address a cost of living crisis that is being turbo-charged by Brexit, there could not be a more important time to give the people of Scotland a choice over our future.
The Building a New Scotland papers will help ensure that choice is an informed one, and I hope that everyone will join us in a positive and constructive national debate about Scotland’s future.”
Edinburgh Pentlands MSP Gordon Macdonald has welcomed the planned introduction of the new Low Income Winter Heating Assistance benefit to help households both across the Edinburgh Pentlands constituency and the wider city pay their energy bills.
The support is being introduced by the SNP Scottish Government and will guarantee an annual payment of £50 to around 400,000 low income households from February 2023.
It replaces the UK government’s Cold Weather payments which were only triggered during a ‘cold spell’ of seven consecutive days below zero degrees, whilst the new payment from the Scottish Government will provide a reliable, stable guaranteed payment in winter, no matter the weather.
It will be the thirteenth social security payment introduced by the SNP Scottish Government and will be only available in Scotland.
Commenting, Gordon Macdonald said: “The SNP Scottish Government is providing a guaranteed payment of £50 to low-income households across Edinburgh to help pay their energy bills every winter, starting in February 2023.
“Once again the SNP Scottish Government is stepping up to support households within its limited budget, and despite the majority of powers lying with the Tories at Westminster.
“The Scottish Government’s annual £20m investment will mean households will get an automatic payment. The UK Cold Weather payments only reached 11,000 households in 2021/22.
“As the Scottish Government continues to step up and provide support to households across Scotland, it does so with one hand tied behind its back by the UK Tory government.
“That is why it is only with the full powers of independence can we start to build a fairer, more equal country.”
Prime Minister vows to ‘continue delivering on what matters to the British public’
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will bring together his Cabinet today and pledge to continue delivering on what matters to the British people – despite a significant revolt that saw 148 Tory MPs vote against him in a vote of confidence at Westminster last night.
He will call on Ministers to drive forward progress on the government’s priorities – easing financial pressures on families, making access to NHS care quicker and easier, making the streets safer and levelling up and uniting the country.
Speaking at Cabinet, he will set out his vision for the coming weeks, which will see government deliver new policy commitments that will continue to make a real difference to people’s lives. This will include measures to reduce childcare costs for parents and a renewed drive to get more people onto the housing ladder.
The Prime Minister will also thank dedicated NHS staff as he highlights the progress made by the biggest catch-up programme in the health service’s history.
The Health and Social Care Levy, announced by the government last year, promised £39 billion of investment over the next three years so the NHS has the funding it needs to recover from the pandemic, treat patients quickly and end spiralling social care costs.
This represents more funding for health and social care than any government has ever invested before.
This money is already making a difference, with the NHS confirming yesterday that 90 Community Diagnostic Centres (CDCs) are now open across the country and have delivered 1 million checks and tests on patients so far.
These centres are vital to clearing the Covid backlogs because by identifying and diagnosing problems as early as possible, patients can progress to treatment and care more quickly, which will reduce waiting lists.
Speaking ahead of Cabinet, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “This is a government that delivers on what the people of this country care about most.
“We have pledged £37 billion to support households with their finances, made our communities safer through hiring 13,500 more police officers, and tackled the Covid backlogs in the NHS by opening nearly 100 Community Diagnostic Centres so people can access care closer to home.
“Today, I pledge to continue delivering on these priorities. We are on the side of hard-working British people, and we are going to get on with the job.”
