Tag: Politics

Rosh Hashanah 2016

 

The Prime Minister sends her best wishes to everyone in Britain and around the world to mark this Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Prime Minister Theresa May said:

It gives me great pleasure to wish the Jewish community in Britain and around the world a very happy and peaceful New Year.

This is a special time, when Jewish families join together in celebration and prayer. It is also a time of remembrance and renewal.

We remember the tremendous contribution made by Britain’s Jewish community to this country, from those who have served in our armed forces to those leading in fields such as business, science and the arts. You have given so much over the years, while at the same time maintaining a sense of identity, religion and culture.

And in the spirit of renewal we think of the opportunities ahead not only for ourselves, but for our country: opportunities to forge a bold and positive new role for Britain in the world, to build a better, fairer society, and to bring people closer together.

I have seen for myself the inspirational work carried out by many Jewish charities and organisations in Britain: helping and supporting others and reaching out to people of different backgrounds and faiths.

I want to ensure that Britain is a place where all our communities can flourish, and that means stamping out sickening and shameful hatred, including anti-Semitism the like of which I never thought we would see again.

I am clear that such hatred has absolutely no place in our society. So,as the Jewish New Year begins, I want to renew my unshakeable vow to stand by our Jewish community now and for the years to come. And as Prime Minister, and working in partnership with you, I will do everything in my power to protect your community, and indeed all communities in Britain.

I am also proud to support the new National Holocaust Memorial which will be built at the heart of our democracy, next to Parliament, along with an associated learning centre. We owe it to everyone who endured the horrors of the Holocaust to remind future generations of the depths into which humanity can sink, so it is never repeated again.

So once again I want to wish the Jewish community all the very best this Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur.

Ahead of the Jewish New Year, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson also wishes all Jewish communities across the world a happy and peaceful Shana Tova.

The Foreign Secretary said: “As the Jewish High Holidays approach, I send my warmest wishes to all Jewish communities in the UK and around the world as they pause to reflect on the past year and to celebrate and make plans for the new year.

“At this time I want to provide assurances that we stand with you, in particular in the fight against antisemitism. There will never be a place for it in our society and we must work together to defeat it.

“The High Holidays hold a particular significance for Israel, a close friend of the UK. We will continue to work closely with them in the pursuit of peace in the region.

“I wish you all a happy and peaceful holiday period and a sweet new year. Shana Tova and Chatima Tova.”

Community groups welcome at Anti-Cuts event

Still time to register for Saturday’s conference
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Edinburgh Labour Anti Cuts Conference

Saturday 1 October, 9.15 am – 4.00 pm, St Thomas of Aquin’s High School, 2- 20 Chalmers Street, Edinburgh

Hi, a reminder that if you haven’t already done so you can still register here for Saturday’s event:
Full details of the event can be found here:
We’d really welcome your attendance and involvement.

A grand gesture!

Local MSP digs deep to support Leith CAB

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Leith Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) is appealing to the local community to help raise £20,000 for its new office on Dalmeny Street. Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP, Ben Macpherson, visited Leith CAB to pledge his support and made a personal donation of £1,000 to help the cause.

Leith CAB is an invaluable service for the local community and helps over 5,000 clients every year; with over 70 dedicated local volunteers offering their knowledge, skills and expertise free of charge, to help fellow citizens in need with essential, independent advice.

To help continue its vital service in Leith, Citizens Advice Edinburgh (CAE), a volunteer led independent charity, has launched a Crowdfunding campaign to fund Leith CAB’s move from its current office on Bernard Street to new premises on Dalmeny Street. Also supported by local musicians The Proclaimers, CAE aims to raise £20,000.

Yesterday Ben Macpherson MSP donated £1,000 to the campaign in response to CAE’s appeal to the local community to support the charity and help raise these vital funds.

The Edinburgh Northern and Leith MSP said: “The Citizens Advice Bureau in Leith provides vital support to many of my constituents as well as to residents right across Edinburgh. That is why I’m proud to support this appeal and to help raise awareness of this important fundraising campaign. Every donation, no matter how big or small, will make a meaningful difference.

“The advice provided by the Citizens Advice Bureau in Leith is, unfortunately, crucial. At a time of continued economic austerity, UK government welfare reform, and significant uncertainty around Brexit, many people in Leith and across Edinburgh are reliant on the free, independent and impartial advice provided by Citizens Advice Bureaus. I will continue to support Citizens Advice Edinburgh and wish them every success with this important fundraising campaign.”

Benjamin Napier, CEO, Citizens Advice Edinburgh said: “We are delighted to have the support of local MSP Ben Macpherson and are grateful for his very generous personal donation.  Citizens Advice Edinburgh work closely with all elected members, to help ensure we are dealing with the issues that impact on people’s lives in Edinburgh.  Our bureau in Leith is a vital part of the network of support we provide and we hope that others will be encouraged by Ben’s donation to offer whatever they can to help keep this valuable service in Leith.”  

Further information and details for anyone wishing to donate can be found at www.crowdfunder.co.uk/cableithfundraiser

 

MSPs turn pink to support breast cancer campaign

Photocall, Scottish Parliament, Party Leaders

Edinburgh’s MSPs have shown support for women affected by breast cancer by dressing up in pink and encouraging everyone in Edinburgh to take part in the UK’s biggest, brightest and pinkest fundraiser, wear it pink, on Friday 21 October.

Wear it pink is back for its 15th year, calling on supporters across the country to add a flash of pink to their wardrobe for the day and raise money for Breast Cancer Now’s life-saving breast cancer research.

SNP MSPs Ben Macpherson (pictured), Ash Denham and Gordon MacDonald joined fellow parliamentarians in Holyrood to encourage people across Scotland to get involved and help support Breast Cancer Now’s efforts to ensure that, by 2050, everyone who develops breast cancer lives – an ambition shared by the Scottish Government and all party leaders in Scotland.

Wear it pink raises close to £2 million each year for world-class research into breast cancer, and this year it’s going to be pinker and more fun than ever before. Anyone can take part, whether at work, at home or at school. All you have to do is wear something pink and donate what you can.

Ash Denham MSP said: “Breast cancer still claims the lives of too many women in Scotland leaving their families devastated.  I’m glad to support the work of Breast Cancer Now in Scotland and the wear it pink campaign in order to highlight this important issue.”

Ben Macpherson MSP said: “It’s great to see all MSPs join forces to show their support for Breast Cancer Now. I am very proud to Wear It Pink to support the crucial work that Breast Cancer Now undertake and I hope everyone in the local community will join me by wearing it pink on Friday 21 October.”

Gordon MacDonald MSP added: “Every penny raised for research brings the day closer when we will have an effective treatment for breast cancer. By supporting the Wear it Pink campaign we can all play our part in making that aim a reality.”

Breast Cancer Now is the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, created in JUne last year by the merger of leading research charities Breast Cancer Campaign and Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Breast cancer is still the most common cancer in the UK. Nearly 700,000 people living in the UK have experienced a diagnosis and one in eight women will face it in their lifetime. This year alone, more than 50,000 women will be told they have the disease.

Mary Allison, Breast Cancer Now’s Director for Scotland said: “I’m delighted that MSPs are coming together again this year to support wear it pink.  Their continued support means a lot.

“More Scots are being diagnosed with breast cancer than a decade ago and it remains the most common cancer among women. We also know that while huge progress has been made in improving survival, almost 1,000 people a year in Scotland still die from this devastating disease.

“That’s why we need to continue to support research and find better ways to prevent, detect and treat breast cancer.”

Alex Salmond to address Saltire Society

Salmond Scotlands Future

Former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond will give a special lecture to celebrate the Saltire Society’s 80th anniversary at the Royal Society of Edinburgh tonight.

Entitled ‘Inspiring Scotland – 80 years of the Saltire Society’, Mr Salmond’s lecture will focus on the history of the Saltire Society and its varied contribution to Scotland’s public life, culture and society since being set up in 1936. As part of the lecture, Mr. Salmond will also consider what Scotland’s future might hold and its changing place in the world.

The event is open to the public and tickets are free but must be booked by emailing saltire@saltiresociety.org.uk. Tickets can also be booked through the Saltire Society website, www.saltiresociety.org.uk.

Ahead of the lecture, Mr Salmond said: “The Saltire Society is a superb collective where Scottish culture is preserved, nurtured and most importantly, enjoyed, across the globe. As we approach a century of their great work, I am thrilled to be able to host this event and look back on eighty years of Comann Crann na h-Alba. Long may their work – and celebrating everything it means to be Scottish – continue.”

Alex Salmond was first elected as an SNP MP for Banff and Buchan in 1987 and first became leader of the SNP in 1990. He was elected First Minister of Scotland following the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections in which the SNP beat Labour into second place and became the largest single Parliamentary party. He then led a minority SNP administration until the 2011 Scottish Parliament elections, at which the SNP won an overall majority.

He led negotiations on the terms of the 2014 Referendum on Scottish Independence. On the day after the referendum vote, he announced his intention to resign as Leader of the SNP and as First Minister immediately following the SNP’s Annual Conference in November 2014, where he was succeeded as SNP Leader and First Minister by Nicola Sturgeon. He is currently MP for Gordon where he won 48% of the constituency vote at the 2015 UK General Election.

Jim Tough, Executive Director of the Saltire Society, said: “We are very excited to announce that former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond will be addressing the Saltire Society on its 80th anniversary. We are enjoying an extremely busy year of events, awards, and lectures to celebrate 80 years of the Saltire Society and I believe this will be another great highlight.

“I am very much looking forward to what I’m sure will be a fascinating and thought-provoking lecture and would encourage anyone interested to come along and join the audience for what is bound to be a very popular event.”

The lecture will take place at 6.30pm tonight at The Royal Society of Edinburgh, 22-26 George Street.

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Storm brewing: Greens concern over future of mountain weather forecasts

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Guarantees over the future of Scotland’s mountain weather forecasts were sought by Green MSP Andy Wightman at Holyrood yesterday.

Reports emerged over the weekend suggesting that SportScotland is to end funding of the Mountain Weather Information Service, and In spite of repeatedly asking the Minister for Public Health and Sport if SportScotland had told the Mountain Weather Information Service at a meeting on July 2016 that its funding would end, Ms Campbell was unable to provide an answer.

Andy Wightman MSP, the Scottish Greens’ housing & land reform spokesperson, said: “I’m glad that the minister shares my view that the forecast service is an essential service for climber and walker safety in Scotland and that conversations with the government and its agencies are ongoing. However, the public will be looking for more transparency over what the current funding set up is and how that has been communicated to the MWIS. I’ll continue to seek updates from the minister to guarantee the long-term future of mountain weather-forecasting.

“This is a service that has provided trusted detailed forecasting for mountain users for 13 years and SportScotland has funded it since 2007. It’s a service that is trusted and relied upon by hundreds of thousands of users of Scotland’s mountains every year and safety and enjoyment of those who use our mountains is dependent upon accurate reliable, and above all trusted sources of weather forecasts.”

Green MSPs offer support on welfare policies

AlisonJohnstoneMSP

Green MSP Alison Johnstone has written to the First Minister offering support for the Scottish Government to adopt progressive welfare policies using powers newly devolved to Holyrood.

Ms Johnstone has also asked for an update on the government’s implementation of the Scottish Greens’ policy pledge for a Young Carer Allowance.

Lothian MSP Alison Johnstone said: “As of this week, Holyrood will be able to create entirely new benefits and also to top-up the value of benefits that are reserved, such as Jobseeker’s Allowance. The Scottish Government has made a promising start, particularly in correcting some of the blind spots of the current system by pledging to create new benefits. Shortly after the election earlier this year, the First Minister pledged to consider the Scottish Green Party election pledge of a Young Carer Allowance.

“It’s important the Scottish Government continues to explore the possibilities of the new powers. Whilst these proposals for new benefits are very welcome, it is the benefit top-up powers that present one of the most exciting opportunities for Scotland to chart a different, fairer course in social security.

“For years, both the Scottish Government and the Scottish Greens have criticised the UK government for cutting support for those most in need. Up until now, that’s all that we’ve been able to do: criticise. But from today, we can do something about it.

“Whether by out-and-out cuts like the shameful impending £30 reduction to Employment Support Allowance, or by secretive changes to the way rates are calculated, we no longer have to accept that Scots will be worse off.”

In August, the Scottish Greens published a report showing that 13,000 people a year could soon face benefit sanctions through employment programmes devolved to Scotland. The party also launched a petition calling for a new welfare system in Scotland that eliminates the need for sanctions.