Scots European Movement general election social media campaign
The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS) has launched its Scottish Parliament election campaign with a call for voters to ask party leaders and candidates where they stand on Scotland and the EU.
EMiS urges voters “to do what Scotland wants.” A recent opinion survey that found 73% of Scottish voters want to reverse Brexit.
“Reversing Brexit is what the Scottish people want,” says David Clarke, chair of EMiS. “So do what Scotland wants and vote for pro-EU parties on 7th May.
“Voters and the media should check where the parties stand on Brexit. The economic damage is undeniable and is delivering a country in the doldrums, with young people in particular losing out.”
EMIS’ campaign will run mainly on social media. It focuses on a poll by Survation for the business consultancy True North Advisors, published in January. It found that 73% of voters in Scotland want to go back into the EU.
EMiS says the SNP, Scottish Greens, Scottish LibDems and Scottish Labour all favour closer ties with the EU. While favouring the UK reestablishing ties with the EU, the SNP and Scottish Greens want to see an independent Scotland inside the EU.
The poll found that 73% of Labour voters, 88% of SNP voters, 70% of Lib Dem voters and 89% of Scottish Greens voters want to rejoin. Eighty percent of under 35-year-olds want to return to the EU.
EMiS points out that it is only the minority parties of Reform and the Conservatives that favour Brexit. The Survation survey found that 34% of Reform voters want to reverse Brexit.
‘High harm’ procedures such as the liquid Brazilian butt lift (BBL) should be banned immediately without further consultation, a new report published today by the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC) has recommended.
The Westminster Government is ‘not moving quickly enough’ in introducing a licensing system for non-surgical cosmetic procedures and ‘should accelerate regulatory action’ MPs said, cautioning ‘this lack of timely action is fostering complacency in self-regulation’ within the industry.
The report warned of a ‘wild west’ in which procedures have reportedly taken place in Airbnbs, hotel rooms, garden sheds and public toilets. Individuals without any formal training can carry out potentially harmful interventions, placing the public at risk, MPs concluded.
Non-surgical cosmetic procedures
Liquid BBLs and liquid breast augmentations – procedures deemed high risk and which have already been shown to pose a serious threat to patient safety – should be restricted to appropriately qualified medical professionals immediately, the report recommended. Given the lack of appetite among medical professionals to carry out these procedures, this will act as a de facto ban in all but the most essential cases, it said.
A licensing system for ‘green’ and ‘amber’ lower risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures, in which only those suitably qualified can perform them, should be introduced within this Parliament, WEC recommended.
Currently, there is no regulation as to who can perform procedures that do not require incisions and are commonly used to refer to injectables, such as Botox or dermal fillers, laser therapy or chemical peels. What rules that that do exist, such as on the prescription of Botox, are being circumvented, are under enforced and under policed.
The absence of a legislative framework for training and qualifications in the non-surgical cosmetic sector has resulted in significant variability in standards, with justified concerns about short courses, online training, and the ease of entry into practice, the report warned.
The Government, it said, should bring forward consistent, enforceable standards for the non-surgical cosmetic sector that prioritise patient safety and competency, while ensuring training routes remain accessible and affordable for a predominantly female-led workforce.
The Government should work with the devolved administrations to ensure regulatory alignment across all UK nations on legislation governing non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
Cosmetic tourism
The increasing number of cases requiring medical treatment after cosmetic surgery abroad raises serious concerns for patient safety and places additional financial strain on the NHS, the report said.
It called on the Government to review the need for the NHS to systematically record data on complications arising from cosmetic procedures performed abroad. Publishing such data annually, it said, would enable a comprehensive assessment of the financial impact on the NHS and provide robust evidence to better inform and educate the public about the risks associated with cosmetic tourism. The data could include details of the clinic or practitioner that performed the original procedure to help further protect UK nationals.
Ministers should assess whether outlets in the UK that are recruiting patients for medical treatment overseas should be brought into a regulatory regime and be subject to investigation and, where necessary, sanction, the report added.
Body image
WEC’s report warned of a ‘gap in safeguarding mental health’ in the cosmetic procedures sector. It recommended training curricula required to obtain a licence to perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures should include mandatory modules on informed consent and psychological screening, with a specific focus on identifying Body Dysmorphic Disorder and other vulnerabilities.
Social media platforms and face-editing technologies are contributing to worsening body image and increasing demand for cosmetic procedures, particularly among young women and girls, the report concluded. The normalisation of high-risk procedures by online influencers and the shaping of beauty standards by algorithms which bombard users with posts on body image are particular concerns.
It is clear that social media platforms must take more responsibility for the content they promote, the report said, adding in response to the alarming increase in desire for cosmetic surgery among teenagers, the Department of Health and Social Care should work with the Department for Education to integrate evidence-based body image and social media literacy programmes into school curricula, including content on risks of cosmetic procedures.
Breast implants
The PIP implant scandal exposed failures that continue to affect women more than a decade later, the report said, recommending the NHS should remove PIP implants from women who wish to have them explanted.
Shortcomings on data collection and recording mean that the NHS does not know who received PIP implants and many women may not be aware they have them. The need for further research and improved data collection on implantation must be addressed, it added.
WEC called on the Government to introduce mandatory recording of breast implant and explant procedures and instances of adverse outcomes in the Breast and Cosmetic Implant Registry by the end of 2026. Data on adverse outcomes by implant type should be published annually to support informed consent and improve patient safety, the report recommended.
A mandatory cooling-off period of at least two weeks should be introduced between the initial consultation and surgery for breast implants, ensuring patients have sufficient time to consider risks and alternatives before making a commitment. The new post-surveillance regime for breast implants must include regular testing of approved implants to ensure continued compliance with safety standards, it added.
The Committee’s report called on the Government to commission research to better understand the health impacts of breast implants, including their potential impacts on women with pre-existing auto-immune conditions.
The research needs to be a mix of clinical research, including on the health impacts of siloxanes, and longitudinal, following a cohort of women over a period of time. Such studies are necessary to improve patient safety, diagnosis and treatment and for the purposes of informed consent, it said.
The Government should also require all practitioners performing invasive surgical cosmetic procedures to have specialist training and hold appropriate board certification in the procedures they undertake.
Chair of the Women and Equalities Committee and Labour MP Sarah Owen said: “Procedures that are deemed high risk such as liquid BBLs and liquid breast augmentations, which have already been shown to pose a serious threat to patient safety, should be banned immediately.
“There is no need for further consultation and delay. A licensing system for non-surgical cosmetic procedures should be introduced within this Parliament.
“The Government is not moving quickly enough in introducing a licensing scheme for non-surgical cosmetic procedures and should accelerate regulatory action. Currently, individuals without any formal training can carry out potentially very harmful interventions and often do so in unsafe environments. This ‘wild west’ of procedures is placing the public at risk.
“Regulation has not kept pace with the sector’s expansion. In 2013, the head of the NHS warned that a person having a non-surgical cosmetic intervention has no more protection than someone buying a toothbrush. Over a decade later the only thing that has changed is the number of people suffering life changing and life-threatening injuries.
“During our inquiry, the Committee heard a powerful and shocking testimony from a woman who developed sepsis after having a liquid BBL. Her experience and those of many others should act as an urgent wake-up call to Government for change.
“With the concerning rise in cosmetic tourism, there is a strong case for the NHS to systematically record data on complications arising from such procedures performed abroad. Publishing this data annually would enable a comprehensive assessment of the financial strain on the NHS and help raise awareness about the risks.
“Ministers should learn the lessons of the PIP breast implant scandal, and introduce mandatory recording of breast implant and explant procedures and instances of adverse outcomes and commission research to better understand the health impacts of breast implants so that women seeking this surgery can truly give informed consent.”
Douglas Alexander to visit Australia, New Zealand & Singapore
Trade opportunities and international security will be at the heart of Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander’s programme as he embarks on a week-long visit to the Indo-Pacific region.
Mr Alexander will meet government ministers and business leaders across Australia, Singapore and New Zealand. The visit will also see the Scottish Secretary attend two international performances of the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo – in Auckland and Brisbane – showcasing one of Scotland’s most important cultural exports.
Strengthening defence partnerships
Australia and New Zealand remain among the UK’s closest defence allies at a time of heightened global instability. Australia is a key part of the AUKUS partnership, and in 2025 we signed a joint treaty with a 50-year commitment to deepening security cooperation in the region. Mr Alexander will hold discussions aimed at identifying further opportunities for collaboration, including in naval shipbuilding and advanced defence manufacturing where Scottish industry has world-leading expertise.
Boosting trade and investment
The Scottish Secretary will meet business leaders to discuss how Scottish companies can expand into new export markets across the region, while making the case for increased inward investment in Scotland. With our free trade agreements and UK membership of the CPTPP, the visit offers an opportunity to capitalise on strengthened trading relationships with all three nations. Boosting trade means well paid jobs and investment at home.
Speaking ahead of the visit, Mr Alexander said: “This visit is about speaking up for Scottish businesses and Scottish exporters. Scotland benefits from the strength, reach and connections that come from being part of the UK. The UK is a strong and committed partner — in security, in trade, and in the shared values that bind us to our friends in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
“At a time of significant global uncertainty, it has never been more important to stand shoulder to shoulder with our closest allies, and I look forward to discussing how we can deepen our defence cooperation and work together to keep people safe.
“I will also be banging the drum for Scottish business. From whisky and seafood to financial services and renewable energy technology, Scotland has world-class products and expertise that are in demand across Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. This visit is an opportunity to open doors for Scottish exporters, attract the investment that creates economic growth and well paid jobs back at home, and show that Scotland is open for business on the global stage.”
Scotland and New Zealand have deep historical links, and Mr Alexander will be the first Scottish Secretary to visit in recent times.
Scotland is in the absurd position of producing more electricity than we need, while families and firms here face some of the highest bills in Britain. Fuel poverty is rampant, reaching nearly 50% in the northernmost parts of the country, despite Scotland’s renewable capacity only set to grow, with projects like Berwick Bank expected to generate power for more households than exist in Scotland.
One practical approach is zonal pricing, setting electricity prices by geographic region so that areas with abundant local generation benefit from lower supply costs and reduced transmission costs.
In plain terms, power produced on and off Scotland’s shores should not cost Scottish households and businesses a premium once it reaches the meter.
Zonal pricing reflects local supply and demand, and recognises that the real expense lies in grid infrastructure, pylons, cabling, and reinforcement, rather than in “sending” electrons down the line.
Instead, we are currently being forced to accept a vast expansion of pylons across our land because the grid is inadequate for the volume of generation, with “curtailment” running into billions, paying wind operators to switch off while consumers still pay through the nose.
A new pylon network is planned from the north of Scotland down the east and through the Borders to supply demand further south, bringing long-term visual and environmental damage, disruption to arable land and watercourses, and little or no benefit to the communities affected.
As an ALBA Glasgow List Candidate, I, Dhruva Kumar, am calling for a fair deal, implement zonal pricing so Scots can finally share in the value of the energy we produce, cut fuel poverty in a cold country, and make Scotland competitive again for manufacturing, hospitality and the green supply chain.
If Westminster will not act, then Scotland’s councils and government should refuse consent for pylons that export our energy while leaving our people paying the price.
Foysol Choudhury has warned that rising business rates and limited government backing are placing increasing strain on small, community-driven businesses.
Following a visit to Time Twisters Edinburgh in Sighthill on Monday, Mr Choudhury met founder Andy Hixon and staff to see first-hand how the business supports young people, creates jobs, and brings learning to life for school pupils.
He praised the company’s work supporting young people and said more must be done to protect businesses that deliver real local impact.
Time Twisters delivers hands-on educational experiences linked to the Scottish Curriculum, giving students the opportunity to explore Ancient Egypt in an interactive and engaging way.
Founded 20 years ago, the business now employs 23 people and has helped hundreds of young people take their first steps into work, often offering their very first job opportunities.
Speaking after the visit, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “Time Twisters is a brilliant example of how small businesses can inspire young people, create local jobs, and strengthen communities. But right now, too many businesses like this are being pushed into survival mode.
“The last two budgets have made it harder than ever for small businesses to thrive. Instead of investing, expanding, and creating more opportunities, many are simply trying to stay afloat.
“These pressures are hitting the hospitality and leisure sectors particularly hard, sectors that should be driving local regeneration and economic confidence, not being held back.”
Mr Choudhury reaffirmed his commitment to supporting local enterprises and called for policies that enable businesses like Time Twisters to continue contributing to the community and the local economy.
MPs on the cross-party committees will consider what mental health support is available to children and young people up to the age of 25 in community, health and education settings.
Through the inquiry, MPs will consider how this support is integrated with NHS services, such as specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMHS) services, and what support is available throughout the education system, including for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
They will explore how potential reforms to CAMHS could improve children and young people’s access to mental health care and whether support could be provided in the community, such as through the Government’s new Young Futures Hubs.
Around one in five children and young people aged 8 to 25 in the UK has a “probable mental disorder”, according to NHS statistics published in 2023, while the consultancy PwC says that mental health challenges are having a significant impact on young people’s career choices and wellbeing at work. The committees will investigate what factors are driving these changes to children and young people’s mental health.
The committees will also scrutinise the implementation and rollout of relevant government policies such as the commitment to expand Mental Health Support Teams to all schools in England by 2029/30.
MPs will also investigate how education staff can support children and young people’s mental health, and whether current Ofsted frameworks or DfE guidance help or hinder mental health provision.
Chair of the Education Committee, Helen Hayes MP, said: “Struggling with mental health should never obstruct a young person’s chance to learn and thrive. Yet for too many, especially those with SEND or experience of the care system, that’s still the reality.
“From the early years through to university, education staff are often being asked to step in where existing support has failed.
“Our inquiry will take a forensic look at the mental health services available to children and young people at every stage of their education, from ages zero to 25.
“We will consider the role teachers can play in supporting children and young people’s mental health and whether they are getting the training they need to do that properly.
“We’ll also look at the full range of government policies and plans affecting young people, from SEND reform to the National Youth Strategy, and ask: are ministers doing enough to protect young people’s mental health?”
Chair of the Health and Social Care Committee, Layla Moran MP said: “For parents and school leaders alike, trying to get mental health support for children can feel like navigating a spaghetti junction.
“Services are frequently overwhelmed and not joined up. Too often the help doesn’t come until a child’s needs are at crisis point. These fundamental problems sit alongside issues that the Health and Social Care Committee documented in 2021 – the need to increase emphasis on prevention and early intervention. We return to these themes now amid deepening concern about the scale of need and questions of how the system can be remade fit for purpose.
“We will try and show Government how it can untangle the knotty problems that stop children getting the help they need and point to where investment should be directed. We’ll see how silos can be broken down between two sectors that should be working hand in glove, because we know that children’s education and wellbeing are intrinsically linked.”
SCATHING REPORT ON THE STATE OF ENGLAND’s SOCIAL HOUSING
Raising the standard of social homes in England is essential given the progress at bringing homes up to a minimum standard has almost ground to a halt, says the cross-party Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee in a report published today (Monday).
While most social homes provide tenants with warm, safe and decent places to live, the report finds that too many people living in social housing suffer from appalling housing conditions and do not have their complaints treated seriously.
The report notes that the minimum standard of what is considered a decent home has not changed in twenty years and says, “it is not acceptable that just under 430,000 social homes still fail to meet even this basic standard”.
The Committee’s Housing conditions in the social rented sector report calls for the Government to use the delayed Long-term Housing Strategy to deliver an approach which addresses the twin objectives of building more social homes while ensuring conditions in existing housing stock are improved.
The report recommends the Government establish a new, modern Decent Homes Programme that supports social landlords to raise the standard of social homes, which includes a pooled fund for improvements to social homes and a single housing quality framework to consolidate the regulatory requirements on social landlords.
Florence Eshalomi MP, Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee said: “Whether it is residents living in poorly insulated homes, experiencing overcrowding, or enduring housing with damp or mould, it’s vital that Government measures, including Awaab’s Law and the New Decent Homes Standard, bring a meaningful improvement to social housing conditions.
“The Government deserves credit for the steps taken to rebuild the sector’s financial capacity after years of underinvestment. However, we do have concerns about the resources available to social housing providers to meet the Government’s new social homes target while also raising standards over the decade.
“The Government’s Long-term Housing Strategy needs to set out a credible plan to tackle the need to improve existing housing stock while encouraging social landlords to build the new social homes the country needs.”
Too many people are living in dangerous, damp and mouldy homes.
This must stop.
Today Awaab’s law comes into force – social landlords must take urgent action to fix dangerous homes or face the full force of the law. pic.twitter.com/H8YeUeCoz3
The report agrees with the Government’s decision to rollout Awaab’s Law in phases, focusing on tackling the most dangerous hazards first, but warns that social landlords and tenants need a much clearer roadmap for when the remaining phases of Awaab’s Law will be introduced.
The report calls on the Government to urgently set and publish the timeline for extending Awaab’s Law to all remaining hazards, so that tenants and social landlords have clarity about when they can expect these new regulations to apply.
High energy prices, the report warns, mean households living in homes that comply with the Government’s new minimum energy efficiency standard may still be in fuel poverty, if they struggle to afford to heat their home sufficiently.
The Committee therefore recommends the Government revise the official definition of fuel poverty to reflect this in the forthcoming Fuel Poverty Strategy.
The Government’s proposed changes to the Decent Homes Standard are welcomed, with the report noting that the “current standard has been out-of-date for some time and is in urgent need of reform, given that it was last updated in 2006”.
To demonstrate to tenants and the public that progress is being made, the report recommends the Government put in place interim targets in homes upgrading to the revised Decent Homes Standard.
The report also calls on the Government to introduce a review to update the Decent Homes Standard at least every 10 years to ensure it “reflects the changing needs of the population, environmental pressures, scientific evidence of the hazards to health from poor housing and societal expectations of what a decent home consists of”.
Councillors in Edinburgh were not allowed to debate a Green motion at Thursday’s full council meeting due to concerns over the latest UK Government guidance around proscribed organisations.
Instead, Green Councillors withdrew the motion following pressure from other political parties who demanded that there should be no discussion – citing fear of arrest under anti-terror legislation.
The motion, prompted by people undertaking hunger strikes to protest their treatment in prison, stated that the Council “opposes the curtailing of human rights, intimidation, discrimination and victimisation of those currently imprisoned as a result of opposing genocide”, and “expresses concern for the health, wellbeing and human rights of prisoners who have undertaken hunger strikes”.
Due to concerns that being seen to provide moral support for a proscribed organisation – now classed as a terrorist offence – could open the entire Council to a criminal offence charge, the Lord Provost took the unusual step of changing the Council meeting process to remove the opportunity for debate.
However, both the Labour and Conservative groups proposed that the motion should instead be withdrawn, citing fear of risk of arrest from individual councillors.
Cllr Alys Mumford, who was due to move the motion, said: “If we needed any further proof that Labour’s obsession with cracking down on protest has gone too far, it is this.
“We’ve already seen countless protestors criminalised and arrested for peacefully holding pieces of paper, and now elected members of Scotland’s capital city are prevented from even discussing a motion highlighting important issues of human rights.”
Cllr Mumford continued: “Just yesterday we saw pro-Palestinian activists in Bristol being cleared of aggravated burglary, with lawyers instead comparing them to Suffragettes for their actions to protest UK involvement in the ongoing genocide in Palestine.
“This should highlight the ludicrous nature of anti-terror legislation being used in this way by the UK Government. For Councillors to be unable to discuss whether or not we agree with the UK Government is antithetical to everything we are supposed to uphold as a nation of free speech and democracy.”
In withdrawing the motion, co-convener of the Green Group Chas Booth said: ““Lord Provost, thank you, reluctantly our group has made the decision to withdraw the motion at 8.1 on the agenda.
“We understand from advice that the motion is competent as re-drafted and we have been advised the risk of considering the motion is very low. However, we appreciate that there are individual councillors in other parties who are uncomfortable with the situation, and we feel a duty of care towards our colleagues.
“We regret that the council is facing this situation, and we remain concerned about the impact on democracy and freedom of speech message.”
Speaking about the withdrawal, Cllr Mumford said: “This motion was simply meant to be a way to express our support for human rights, and for the ongoing plight of people being mistreated in UK prisons.Instead, it has descended into a surreal conversation about what we can and cannot say within the City Chambers.
“We hope that – despite being unable to say what we want to during the meeting – this situation will serve to highlight the fight of the hunger strikers for humane treatment, and make people think twice about the ramifications of restricting the rights to protest in the UK.”
Following reports that the Scottish Government’s proposed spending plans will cut funding to community organisations doing vital work across Edinburgh, Ian Murray, the MP for Edinburgh South, wrote to the Shona Robinson, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, at the end of January to urge her to reverse the decision.
A reply from Kate Forbes, Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, confirmed that the Scottish Government have now agreed to transitional funding of up to a year for affected groups (as reported by NEN last week– Ed.).
Ian Murray, MP for Edinburgh South, said:“While this transitional funding is welcome, it’s not enough – all it really does is delay the financial cliff edge facing local organisations who are supporting some of our most vulnerable communities.
“The financial pressures Kate Forbes mentions in her reply are completely of the SNP’s own making – a result of their mismanagement of the public finances over the last 19 years.
“The UK Labour government has provided the Scottish Government with an additional £10.3 billion in resources since coming to power. Where has the money gone?
“I am in touch with those affected by this locally and will continue to do all I can to support them.”
The Eric Liddell Community’s manifesto sets out five crucial priorities to support the estimated 90,000 people living with dementia in Scotland
Edinburgh based care and specialist dementia charity, The Eric Liddell Community, has launched its 2026 Manifesto, ‘Priorities and evidence-based recommendations for the next Scottish Parliament’, setting out five urgent priorities to better support people living with dementia, unpaid carers, volunteers, and the communities that rely on them.
With an estimated 90,000 people living with dementia in Scotland, The Eric Liddell Community says the gap between the vision and commitments made in policy are very different from reality. There are rising costs, reduced statutory funding and an increase in demand for these services due to an ageing population, putting immense pressure on charities.
Founded over 45 years ago, The Eric Liddell Community has long supported people living with dementia and their carers, and is now calling on political parties, candidates and policymakers to recognise voluntary organisations as essential partners in addressing societal challenges and delivering services that communities rely on.
“We ask to be recognised, not as a ‘nice to have’, but as a lifeline for many.”
Irene Adams OBE, Chair of The Eric Liddell Community, comments:“Every day we see the difference that care, compassion, and community make to people living with dementia and also to the unpaid carers volunteering their time.
“This means we also see the consequences when we are underfunded and under supported. We urge all Scottish parties to listen to their communities and work with the third sector by turning policy into reality for people who most need the support.”
While Scotland is recognised for its progression with dementia policy, The Eric Liddell Community states that not enough people are able to access these dementia services and support. In addition, 37% of the Scottish adult population (1.7 million people) have provided unpaid care at some point in their lives. The value of this support totals £15.9 billion each year.
The manifesto is built upon 5 urgent priorities for the next Scottish Government, turn policy dementia into reality, take immediate action to address the third sector funding crisis, deliver unpaid carers a legal right to breaks in practice, ensure social care reform improves real experiences and value the importance of volunteers.
To read the full Eric Liddell Community Manifesto for 2026, please visit:Manifesto.
John MacMillan MBE, CEO of The Eric Liddell Community, added:“Our work shows the powerful impact that care and strong community support can make on the growing dementia challenge in Scotland.
“We see the real struggle caused by underfunding and lack of support and hope the Scottish parties will work with the third sector to deliver support where it is most needed.”
The Eric Liddell Community supports thousands of people each year with befriending services, carer’s programmes and a community filled with volunteer-led activities. Their mission is to bring people together in their local communities and have a positive impact on their lives.
To find out more about The Eric Liddell Community please visit: ericliddell.org
