Tag: Politics

Views sought on Bill which would recognise digital assets as property

Proposed legislation which aims to recognise digital assets as property in the eyes of the law will be scrutinised by a Holyrood Committee.

The Scottish Parliament’s Economy and Fair Work Committee has launched a call for views on the Scottish Government’s Digital Assets (Scotland) Bill.

The Bill is designed to incorporate the ownership and transfer of digital assets into Scots law.

In recent decades, the use and importance of digital assets has become widespread. There is, however, little case law relating to new forms of digital assets, including cryptocurrencies, to help individuals, businesses and legal practitioners in their dealings with such assets.

The Bill confirms that digital assets can be recognised as incorporeal moveable property. If passed, the Bill would confirm how ownership can be established and acquired, providing greater legal certainty for tech developers, digital asset owners and the legal profession.

As of 2025, approximately 10% of adults in Scotland – around 540,000 people – own some form of cryptocurrency.

Economy and Fair Work Convener, Daniel Johnson MSP, said: “Scotland’s financial technology (FinTech) sector contributes £14billion to the Scottish economy.

“This Bill could help provide the answers needed about digital assets as objects of property and support ongoing innovation and investment in the sector.

“We are keen to hear from legal practitioners, academics and anyone with an interest in digital assets about whether they support the provisions in the Bill. We also want to hear what other actions could be required to support businesses and individuals in their dealings with digital assets.”

Murdo Fraser comments ‘not racist’

A CALL FOR UNDERSTANDING AND UNITY

In my role as Chairman and President of the Indian Council of Scotland and United Kingdom, which also oversees the Buddhist Council, I have been asked to comment on recent remarks made by Murdo Fraser MSP, following the departure of Rangers FC manager, Russell Martin (writes NEIL LAL).

Mr Fraser’s post on social media – “No more vegans, Buddhists or Green Party members please @RangersFC” – sparked debate among Buddhists, vegans, and some environmentally conscious individuals.

As the lead organisation committed to representing and protecting diverse communities across Scotland and the UK, we felt it was important to independently assess the situation in a fair, measured and constructive manner.

Findings of Our Investigation:

After engaging with community leaders, interfaith representatives, and those mentioned in the comments, we undertook a thorough investigation to determine whether Murdo Fraser’s remarks constituted intentional racism, religious discrimination, or targeted exclusion.

We can now formally state the conclusion of our investigation:

⁠Murdo Fraser MSP has been CLEARED of any intentional racism or discrimination.

Our findings indicate the comment was not posted with malice or deliberate prejudice. It was a remark made in the emotionally charged context of a sports discussion – a space where passions often run high and words, which are intended to be humorous, can be misinterpreted. 

That does not remove the responsibility public figures carry, but it does offer context. We accept Mr Fraser’s remarks were not intended to target the Buddhist community, vegans, or supporters of the Green Party with hate or exclusion.

A Positive Way Forward:

Rather than fuelling division or prolonging misunderstanding, we believe this is a moment to encourage further dialogue.

To that end, we are extending a formal invitation to Murdo Fraser MSP to visit a Buddhist temple, where he will be welcomed by myself, as Chairman of the Indian Council, and by Mrs Warakant McLaughlin, Chair of the Buddhist Counciland Head Monk Samak.

Scotland is a proudly diverse and inclusive nation. At the Indian Council of Scotland and United Kingdom, we champion unity, understanding, and peaceful coexistence.

We believe in calling out intentional harm when it occurs, but we also believe in allowing space for reflection, conversation, and learning when offence is caused unintentionally. We also recognise that humour is also an important ingredient in public discourse.

From our perspective, this matter is concluded, and we look forward to a constructive and respectful engagement between Murdo Fraser MSP and the Buddhist community.

NEIL LAL

Chairman & President
Indian Council of Scotland and United Kingdom

£84 million injection to tackle homelessness in England

£84m cash boost to help prevent homelessness and support families this winter and immediate help for children and families in temporary accommodation

  • New £84m cash boost to help prevent homelessness and support families this winter
  • Immediate help for children and families in temporary accommodation at heart of new package
  • Announced on World Homeless Day, the funding builds on the record £1 billion investment this year to end homelessness and rough sleeping

Thousands of people facing homelessness will be supported by a new £84 million cash injection to councils up and down the country – ahead of winter.

Children and families in temporary accommodation will be prioritised – with the funding to go towards helping families to cover the essentials like food, school travel and laundry. The new funding, which will support children to remain in education, will be announced on World Homeless Day (10 October).

It comes as record levels of households are in temporary accommodation, including nearly 170,000 children. Levels of rough sleeping have more than doubled since 2010.

Areas with the highest pressures, such as London, will be in line for the additional funding to tackle homelessness this year. This comes on top of the government’s almost £1 billion investment to tackle homelessness this year and includes the largest ever investment in prevention services, helping councils intervene early and stop homelessness before it happens.

The investment provides tailored services for those experiencing long-term rough sleeping – including mental health support, drug and alcohol treatment and sustainable accommodation – ensuring people get the help they need to rebuild their lives.

Housing Secretary, Steve Reed said: “Homelessness is a moral stain on our society. Growing numbers of people have been abandoned to sleep rough on the streets and children left in squalid, overcrowded conditions.  

“This government will not stand idly by and allow that to continue. We will make different choices. That’s why we are investing £1 billion to give homeless people the security of a roof over their heads and get back on track to end homelessness for good.”

Yesterday’s investment supports delivery of the Plan for Change, in addition to: 

  • £950 million to increase the supply of good temporary accommodation. 
  • Abolishing ‘no fault’ evictions through the landmark Renters’ Rights Bill. 
  • £39 billion investment to deliver the biggest increase in social and affordable housing in a generation. 

Homelessness Minister, Alison McGovern said: “You can’t have a decent life without a decent home. Whether it’s rough sleeping or sofa surfing or, at its worst, children stuck in B&Bs, homelessness in the UK has been too high for too long.  

“This has to stop. Through our Plan for Change, the UK will build homes and get help to those who need it to put a roof over their head.

“We’re providing extra cash now to address a crisis made over the past decade.  Both the government’s £39bn to build social and affordable homes and the Child Poverty Strategy to come will tackle the root causes of this problem, but we need action now to stop homelessness getting any worse.”

Matt Downie, Chief Executive of Crisis, said: “This funding is very welcome, especially as winter approaches and with homelessness rising. More people are likely to face the prospect of sleeping on cold streets and need support urgently. More parents will be working out how to help their children do homework from cramped and draughty temporary accommodation.

“We know that targeted support can make a big difference and help people take their first steps out of homelessness.

“We hope this announcement marks another step towards an ambitious homelessness strategy. Alongside a concerted effort to build social housing at scale, and ensuring all parts of Government make their contribution to ending homelessness, we can create a safer and more prosperous future for people and families across the country.”

The £84m cash injection includes:  

  • Nearly £70 million for the Rough Sleeping Prevention and Recovery Grant. This is flexible funding for 62 local authorities to prevent people sleeping rough and help them stay off the streets. This could mean strengthening local services on offer, partnering with charities and community organisations, providing sustainable accommodation to help people sleeping rough and specialist physical and mental health support workers and treatment.  
      
  • Nearly £11 million to help families with children living in temporary accommodation access basic facilities like Wi-Fi, laundry, travel passes for school and uniform, and help pay for food and leisure activities. While the number of children and families living in B&Bs continues to fall under this government, more must be done to get those that need it into safe, secure homes. This funding will be directed to 61 areas with the highest numbers of children in temporary accommodation to make sure that they can have access to facilities they need and support with costs while they are there.  
       
  • £3 million increase for the Rough Sleeping Drug and Alcohol Treatment element of the wider Drug and Alcohol Treatment, Recovery and Improvement Grant. This funding will be directed to 83 local authorities and a pan-London project, targeted at lifesaving support to people with drug or alcohol related issues who are sleeping rough and at risk of homelessness, including those with co-occurring mental health needs.   
  • An uplift of £200,000 for the Voluntary, Community and Frontline Sector Grant which supports innovative faith and community-led initiatives such as night shelters to reduce the number of people experiencing repeat homelessness.    

This funding is supporting the government’s Plan for Change to drive long-term improvements to health and education, ensuring both families and children can truly thrive and forms part of the government’s forthcoming homelessness and child poverty strategies.     

  • World Homeless Day takes place every year on 10 October, raising awareness of the need to prevent and end homelessness and alleviate the suffering of those experiencing it. World Mental Health Day also takes place on 10 October every year – another important topic in homelessness and rough sleeping prevention.   
  • Regional breakdown for total funding being allocated to local authorities is as follows:  
  • London:  £36.5m  
  • South East: £9.6m  
  • South West: £9.1m  
  • East of England: £4m  
  • East Midlands:   £5.3m  
  • West Midlands:  £4.4m  
  • North East:  £1.5m  
  • North West:  £8.2m  
  • Yorkshire & Humber: £5.2m  
  • Total: £83.8m (to note, £200k is allocated to VCFS organisations and is therefore not included in the above regional breakdown as this is for local authority funding only)  
  • The latest government figures show positive signs of fewer people needing help from the homelessness system across the last year. Between January and March 2025, 83,450 households were assessed as owed a duty to prevent or relieve homelessness, which is lower compared to the record high in the same period in 2024.    
  • The number of households with children in B&B has continued to fall since June 2024 when it was 5,910 – at the end of March 2025 it was 3,870.    
  • There is also a continued drop in households with children in B&Bs for more than the statutory 6 weeks – at the end of June 2024 there were 3,770 households compared to the end of March 2025 where there were 2,300.   
  • The government also confirmed it will repeal the outdated Vagrancy Act 1824 by Spring next year, to ensure rough sleeping is no longer a criminal offence: Rough sleeping to be decriminalised after 200 years  – GOV.UK 

OOR BILLY

BILLY FITZPATRICK HAS DIED AFTER A PERIOD OF ILL HEALTH

Billy’s family posted this very sad news on Facebook yesterday:

This morning he passed away at the Western General surrounded by loves ones.

He asked that friends, family, acquaintances, people from his beloved North Edinburgh, and old comrades were given the news when the time came, and in his own words he had a good kick at the baw.

When funeral arrangements are made we’ll update again, thanks x

A proud trade unionist and a popular local councillor who fought for his community, Billy went on to share his negotiating skills and vast experience when he retired from front-line party politics.

Billy supported a number of important community projects, including Granton Information Centre, Royston Wardieburn Community Centre (he chaired both of these long-established community organisations) and North Edinburgh Arts.

Proud ‘Roystoner’ Billy featured in the recent ‘Quiet Heroes‘ exhibition at Madelvic House granton:hub.

Billy wasn’t always so quiet – it’s fair to say that oor Billy could be passionate, fiery even, and he had his fair share of brushes with the Labour Party hierarchy! – but Royston’s very own Quiet Hero fought North Edinburgh’s corner loyally for over forty years.

A genuine working class community stalwart, they just don’t make politicians like Billy Fitzpatrick any more. And our communities, our cities and our country are all the poorer for that.

Farewell, Billy, my dear old Comrade. We shared many good times together, and some dreadful ones too. Throughout all that time, you never changed: loyal, steadfast and honest to the very end.

How we will miss you.

John Swinney: A Fresh Start with Independence

FM: Scots should make choices that best serve Scotland’s interests

Independence would give the people of Scotland new opportunities to improve their standards of living, according to a new paper published by First Minister John Swinney.

‘A Fresh Start with Independence’ examines how an independent Scotland would be able to improve the economy and the NHS, and tackle issues such as household finances, pensions, social security, migration, energy and defence.

The paper states that the Scottish Government has worked hard to improve the lives of people living in Scotland using devolved powers but it would only be able to fully capitalise on the nation’s potential with independence.

The First Minister said: “I firmly believe that the people who live in Scotland are best placed to make decisions about Scotland. That is the fundamental democratic and practical argument underpinning the case that we make.

“Too many people in Scotland today do not have a decent standard of living and are finding it difficult to make ends meet. That is because standards of living in the UK have improved little in over 10 years, due to a failing economic system and Westminster decisions such as austerity and the disastrous decision to leave the European Union. Scotland did not support austerity and it did not support Brexit. The reality is Westminster is not working for Scotland.

“The Scottish Government works tirelessly to use the powers of devolution to deliver the very best for Scotland. Much good has been achieved through the expansion of early learning and childcare, the introduction of free university tuition, the expansion of the rail network, the introduction of Minimum Unit Pricing of alcohol, the creation of the Scottish Child Payment and many other measures.

“But Scotland needs to be able to improve the opportunities available to our people, our communities and our businesses. Scotland needs to build a stronger, more inclusive economy that works for all. Those possibilities would only be available to Scotland with the fresh start of independence.

“We have shown that when we have the power to decide for ourselves, we find solutions and make choices that best serve Scotland’s interests. I believe Scotland can and will become a successful independent country, with a more dynamic economy and a fairer society.”

The Scottish Conservatives don’t agree, oddly enough:

A Fresh Start with Independence – gov.scot

Holyrood Committee agrees general principles of Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill

The introduction of the Community Wealth Building (Scotland) Bill has been welcomed by the Economy and Fair Work Committee, who believe it has the potential to play a vital role in improving the lives of people across Scotland.

The Bill would place a duty on all local authorities to work with public bodies to adopt a community wealth building (CWB) partnership approach. According to the Bill, this would help communities to generate and retain wealth locally and give communities a greater stake in Scotland’s economy.

However, the Committee’s Stage 1 report says that, although the Bill creates an obligation to act, it may not, on its own, enable or necessarily drive implementation.

Success will depend on the strength of the accompanying statement by Scottish Ministers that clearly sets out the intended policy outcomes, and the provision of clear and consistent Scottish Government guidance that helps CWB partnerships to produce action plans.

Under the Bill, CWB partnerships will be required to publish and report on the measures being taken, or which will be taken, to empower communities and strengthen local economies. Examples include buying locally, supporting job opportunities, and including fair work criteria in procurement contracts.

Complementary legislative and policy reforms to shift economic power to local communities will also be crucial, such as compulsory purchase orders to support the acquisition of land or property for community use.

As part of the Committee’s scrutiny, members visited Alloa and Irvine to observe different local CWB approaches in practice. MSPs heard about the many benefits, including safer and more vibrant neighbourhoods, improved facilities and transport links, increased employment opportunities, and a stronger sense of community pride and wellbeing.

Committee Convener, Daniel Johnson MSP said: “Our Committee recognises the transformative potential of community wealth building, when supported by local authorities and other public bodies.

“The Bill is a significant step toward empowering communities and promoting inclusive economic development across Scotland.

“But an obligation to act imposed by the legislation may not, on its own, drive implementation. Quality guidance to support action plans, and a clear policy statement from Scottish Ministers will help to support that.”

Further legislative and policy changes will also be essential to fully realise the Bill’s aims, the Committee heard. During evidence, stakeholders consistently highlighted the importance of reforms in areas such as compulsory sale orders, procurement practices, community empowerment and asset transfer.

The Convener added: “The Committee agrees these changes are vital and asks the Scottish Government to outline how the broader policy landscape will be adapted to support the Bill’s success.”

cwb-billDownload

Students to Join Politicians and Medical Experts in Sold Out Debate on Assisted Dying

The Edinburgh Union will host its second debate on Monday (6 October), with a panel of politicians and medical experts debating the motion: This House Welcomes the Legalisation of Assisted Dying.

The debate will feature Kenneth Gibson MSP representing the case for assisted dying. He will be opposite Dr Fiona MacCormick, the Scotland Representative for the Association for Palliative Medicine of Great Britain and Ireland (APM) and Dr Gordon Macdonald, CEO of Care Not Killing, representing the case against. 

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

This second event follows the success of the Edinburgh Union’s first debate on Scottish Independence last month, in which a panel of senior Scottish politicians debated to a full audience. This week’s debate is set to be a similar hit, with all 100 tickets selling out in just 4 hours. 

The debate takes place just months after the Scottish assisted dying bill passed its first vote in Holyrood in May this year.

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 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 Regrets Brexit 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. 

As stated by Founder Finn Tyson: “The Edinburgh Union seeks to spark open dialogue in the capital city of 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 a way that reflects the diversity and voice of Scotland’s student population.

“ One of modern Britain’s most profound ethical, legal and personal questions is the legalisation of assisted dying. Despite fierce opposition Scotland, England and Wales stand on the brink of legalisation. This highly controversial issue is rooted in decades of public discourse, poignant personal stories, and evolving legislative efforts. 

Holyrood Committee backs proposals to set the first legally-binding biodiversity targets in Scotland

Scotland’s first legally-binding targets to improve biodiversity must be accompanied by meaningful actions and reinforced by sufficient public resources, says Holyrood’s Rural Affairs and Islands Committee in a new report.

Read the Stage 1 report on the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill

The Committee’s Stage 1 report on the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill, sets out its recommendations as to how statutory targets should be set, monitored, reviewed and reported on.

In its report, the Committee also calls for a clear timetable for introducing the statutory targets and for clarity on how the Scottish Government would respond to instances where they are not achieved or are significantly off-track.

The Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill places a duty on Ministers to set the first legally-binding biodiversity targets in Scotland, recognising that previous non-statutory approaches have failed to halt nature decline.

The Bill also provides Scottish Ministers with powers to amend environmental impact assessment legislation and the habitats regulations; make changes to National Parks legislation to modernise how they are managed; and make detailed changes to wild deer legislation, to reduce the impacts of deer on Scotland’s natural environment.

Committee Convener Finlay Carson MSP said: “The rate of nature loss in Scotland over recent decades is deeply concerning and it’s clear that the current approach being taken to halt or reverse biodiversity declines has failed.

“Following our detailed scrutiny of this Bill, we support the introduction of statutory targets as a means of galvanising action on the societal-wide changes needed to improve biodiversity and tackle the nature emergency.

“But we are also clear that statutory targets will not have the success we want to see unless they are underpinned by action and investment, via both finance and expertise, to make sure their aspirations are delivered.”

Part 2 of the Bill gives Scottish Ministers powers to amend environmental impact assessment legislation and the habitats regulations. Following widespread concerns from stakeholders about the broad scope of the proposed powers and the lack of sufficient safeguards in place, there were mixed views within the Committee regarding whether Part 2 in its current form is required or whether it should be revised.

In relation to National Parks (Part 3), the Committee says it is in broad agreement with the proposals set out in the bill to make changes to National Parks legislation to modernise how they are managed. This includes public bodies taking account of National Park Plans and giving Scottish Ministers the power to set up a fixed penalty notice regime to enforce park byelaws.

On deer management (Part 4), the report agrees it would be helpful for NatureScot to have additional ‘intervention’ powers ‘in its toolkit’, to address nature degradation on land as a result of wild deer populations.

But the Committee was clear this should not be at the expense of voluntary deer management and called on the Scottish Government to make sure it “does not erode the trust and consensus that has been carefully built within the deer management sector in recent years”.

Furthermore, the Committee encourages the Scottish Government to continue to support the wild venison sector, especially by exploring opportunities to expand consumption through local supply chains and public procurement.

The Convener continued: “Notwithstanding the recommendations in our report about how some of the Bill’s provisions could be strengthened and improved, we support the general principles of this Bill.

“Having sought to hear from a diverse range of stakeholders throughout our inquiry, I’d like to thank everyone who took the time to consider and support our scrutiny.”

Holyrood Committee: Public bodies failing to promote equality

Public bodies are failing to deliver on their duties of advancing equality of opportunity and fostering good relations between different groups, according to a new report from Holyrood’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.

The Public Sector Equality Duty is a legal requirement for public bodies and organisations that was issued following the passing of the UK Equality Act in 2010. It aims to make sure that these bodies and organisations think about how they can improve society and promote equality. 

In its report, the Committee finds that fundamental reform to Scotland’s approach to the Duty is required so that it can have the impact that it was intended to have.  

Evidence heard by the Committee demonstrated that public authorities lack the genuine understanding of the protected characteristics and the interrelationship between them that can improve people’s lives.

One issue was that understanding of the duty is not being cascaded down from senior staff to those on the front line. The Equality and Human Rights Commission told the Committee that this meant that delivering the Duty effectively could be more “hit and miss”. 

In response, the report calls for the Scottish Government to provide leadership, direction and investment to embed the Duty; to deliver significant societal and economic benefits; and to improve outcomes for people with protected characteristics. 

As part of its inquiry, the Committee also considered reforms proposed by the Scottish Government, but found these would not deliver enough change to improve outcomes. Instead of waiting for reforms, which should be accelerated, the Committee’s report calls on public bodies to act now, with Ministerial direction on priorities, to implement the duty fully. 



Karen Adam MSP, Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, said: “This is a time of significant funding challenges for public authorities. We recognise that this means that capacity to focus on delivering the Public Sector Equality Duty can be severely restricted. 

“However, our view is that this makes it even more vital that this is a priority, not an add on or tick box exercise, for public authorities. 

“We ask that the Scottish Government provide leadership, direction and continuing investment to ensure that the Public Sector Equality Duty can deliver on its aims and effectively promote equality in Scotland.” 

Prime Minister welcomes Trump’s Middle East peace plan

Starmer statement on the new US initiative to deliver an end to the war in Gaza:

‘The new US initiative to deliver an end to the war in Gaza is profoundly welcome and I am grateful for President Trump’s leadership.

‘We strongly support his efforts to end the fighting, release the hostages and ensure the provision of urgent humanitarian assistance for the people of Gaza. This is our top priority and should happen immediately.

‘We call on all sides to come together and to work with the US Administration to finalise this agreement and bring it into reality. Hamas should now agree to the plan and end the misery, by laying down their arms and releasing all remaining hostages. 

‘Together with our partners, we will continue work to build consensus to put into place a permanent ceasefire. We are all committed to a collective effort to end the war in Gaza and deliver a sustainable peace, where Palestinians and Israelis can live side by side in safety and security.’