‘It’s important we send a strong message of support to them’
Alison Johnstone, Scottish Green MSP for Lothian, has lodged a motion at the Scottish Parliament calling for financial support for the 200 tenants of Lorne Street in Leith who face being evicted from their homes by the charity that owns their flats. The Agnes Hunter Trust wants to sell the properties, saying maintenance costs are too high. Continue reading Johnstone lodges motion supporting Lorne Street residents
Muirhouse Community Centre
Next week sees the monthly return of our M.S.P (Colin Keir) and M.P.(Michelle Thomson) for their local Surgeries here at the Centre (writes James McGinty).
Colin starts the week on Monday 2 November from 4 – 5pm and Michelle on Friday 6 November from 10.30 -11.30 am.
For more info on both parliamentarians click go to muirhousecommunitycentre.co.uk
Alison Johnstone will ‘wear it pink’ on Friday
Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, has shown her support for women with breast cancer by dressing up in pink and encouraging her constituents to take part in Breast Cancer Now’s flagship fundraiser, wear it pink, this Friday (23 October).
wear it pink, the UK’s biggest pink fundraiser, is calling on supporters across the country to ditch the day-to-day colours and pull on some pink to raise money for Breast Cancer Now’s life-saving breast cancer research.
Alison joined fellow parliamentarians in wearing it pink in Holyrood to encourage people across Scotland to get involved. Now in its 14th year, wear it pink raises over £2 million each year for world-class research into breast cancer, and this year it is back and bigger, brighter and bolder than ever before.
Anyone can take part, whether in school, at work or at home. All you have to do is wear something pink and donate whatever you can.
Alison Johnstone said: “Breast cancer is at a tipping point. Every year around 4,600 women in Scotland are diagnosed with the disease, and sadly nearly 1,000 people still lose their lives.
“Due to incredible research by organisations like Breast Cancer Now, more people are surviving breast cancer than ever before. I’m proud to support this brilliant work by wearing it pink – it’s a fun way for people to get involved in the fight against cancer.
“Together, we can make a huge difference for women living with breast cancer. I hope everyone in my community will join me in wearing it pink on Friday 23 October and show their support for Breast Cancer Now.”
Launched in June 2015 with the ambition of ensuring that no one dies from the disease by 2050, Breast Cancer Now is the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, created by the merger of Breast Cancer Campaign and Breakthrough Breast Cancer.
This is a day when we stand out, stand together and stand for something: wear it pink on Friday 23 October to support Breast Cancer Now’s life-saving research.
For more information or to register for wear it pink visit
‘ … not only are these cuts ideologically driven, they are also unnecessary’ – First Minister Nicola Sturgeon
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has set out an alternative option for a UK wide fiscal mandate that would ensure sustainable UK public finances while releasing additional investment in public services and infrastructure compared to the UK Government’s planned cuts.
The illustrative figures show that the austerity proposed by the UK Government is not required to secure a current budget balance.
Under an alternative fiscal plan, the UK’s current budget could be balanced from 2019-20, with public sector net investment increased to 2 per cent of GDP over the same period.
As an illustration of the scale of unnecessary reductions being pursued by the UK Government, this would allow an additional £150 billion in cumulative investment in public services across the UK between 2016-17 and 2019-20 compared to the UK Government’s current plans – which could see Scotland receive around £12 billion.
In contrast, the fiscal targets set out by the UK Government in its summer budget require a significant reduction in public spending, with cuts of £12 billion to welfare and potential cuts of around £20 billion to public services expected by 2019-20. UK Government reductions in spending go beyond what is necessary to balance the budget.
The work, published by the Scottish Government yesterday, shows that UK Government plans, which would see a significant reduction in public spending, with cuts of £12 billion to welfare and potential cuts of around £20 billion to public services expected by 2019-20 are not required.
The Scottish Government example would ensure that public sector debt and borrowing were on a downward path every year from 2016-17 to 2019-20. Net borrowing would continue to fall each year from 4.9 per cent in 2014-15 to 2 per cent in 2019-20 – below the average deficit of 3.6 per cent seen in the UK over the past 40 years.
The First Minister said: “This week, the UK Parliament will vote on the Chancellor’s proposals for what are unnecessary and ideological cuts to public spending.
“The pain of the UK Government’s austerity agenda is already having an impact on some of the poorest and most vulnerable in our society, and is beginning to bite across the country. But the UK Government’s latest fiscal targets mean even more painful austerity is ahead for people across the UK, with further cuts to public services and welfare planned over the next four years.
“As our alternative proposals demonstrate not only are these cuts ideologically driven, they are also unnecessary.
“Our paper published today – which updates our fiscal mandate proposals following the UK Government’s summer budget – outlines an alternative to ensure the debt and deficit are put on a downward path while allowing up to an additional cumulative £150 billion of investment across the UK by 2019-20 – with around £12 billion in Scotland.
“The Scottish Government has consistently demonstrated that the deficit and debt can be brought down without the need for the huge public spending reductions that have been set out.
“As this alternative option shows, not only could we maintain investment in public services and protect the poorest and most vulnerable in society, the UK current budget would be balanced by 2020, with limited borrowing set aside for capital investment to increase the country’s productive capacity.
“There is a different path to austerity available – as our alternative option shows, it is a viable path and it is an opportunity that the UK Government should grasp.”
The alternative options are set out in the paper –http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Economy/Publications/Options-for-the-UK-Fiscal-Mandate
It really doesn’t seem like a year since the last consultation, but here we are again …
Edinburgh residents are being asked for their views on how the Council spends and saves money as part of public engagement on proposals for the 2016-20 budget.
This year people will also get the chance to contribute ideas of their own on how city services are provided, using the online ‘Your City, Your Say’ dialogue page.
The web page will form part of a ten-week engagement period, beginning today, allowing the public to feed back on proposals for the Council’s 2016-20 budget, which aim to address an overall shortfall of £126m.
People will be able to submit suggestions and views on topical issues, creating solutions to challenges and ideas for better serving the public and saving money. Users can also rate and comment on others’ posts, helping the Council to gather opinion on where it should invest in future.
If successful, the resource will be extended after the budget is set, crowdsourcing public opinions on different matters on an ongoing basis.
A new online planner will also seek views on how the Council should deliver services, including the way parking is charged and how the Council works with voluntary and third party organisations.
By prioritising some services using the planner, the public can see how this impacts on other services, and how saving in one area can allow additional spending in another.
Councillor Alasdair Rankin, Finance Convener, said: “We really want to hear how people want the Council to invest and save money – your views will always help us to deliver services in a way that will benefit and improve lives.
“By doing things differently and introducing our new online engagement tools, we’re making it easier than ever for people to contribute their views and ideas, and to understand the different challenges there are in setting the budget.”
Councillor Bill Cook, Finance Vice Convener, added: “Everything you say will be taken into account when we draw up the final budget proposals to be put to the Council in early 2016, so we are extremely interested in hearing your views. Whether it’s via the planner, ideas forum, survey, phone, letter, email or social media we welcome all feedback.”
At a meeting of the Finance & Resources Committee on Thursday 24 September, councillors approved a report on the draft budget, along with a set of budget proposals for public engagement over the coming months.
The full budget proposals, the budget planner and forum tools can be accessed at www.edinburgh.gov.uk/budget.
You can have your say by:
You can do this by:
Edinburgh West MP Michelle Thomson has withdrawn from the SNP whip and been suspended by the party after police launched an investigation into property deals conducted by her lawyer Christopher Hales.
News of the police investigation follows revelations which first appeared in a Sunday Times article on 19 September.
Mrs Thomson’s solicitor, Christopher Hales, was struck off in May last year after being found guilty of professional misconduct in relation to 13 property deals – all of which involved Ms Thomson or her company M&F Property Solutions.
There is no suggestion Michelle Thomson is personally being investigated by police, and the Edinburgh West MP – who was also the SNP’s spokeswoman for business, innovation and skills at Westminster – said she will ‘cooperate fully’ with any investigation.
She said yesterday: “I am aware of the police investigation and will cooperate fully if required to do so. I have always acted within the law and look forward to being cleared of any wrong doing.
“I have this afternoon decided to withdraw from the party whip whilst an investigation takes place. Once the investigation is concluded I look forward to returning to play a full role in party activities. I will be making no further comment on this matter.”
While investigations are ongoing Ms Thomson, who was elected in May, will sit as an independent MP at Westminster.
Next week sees the return of Colin Keir MSP and Michelle Thomson MP for their surgeries (writes James McGinty). Both attract large amounts of people with their general inquiries.
Colin is on the first Monday of the month whilst Michelle is on the first Friday of the month. We would encourage people to use these services.
To visit their websites click HERE for Colin and HERE for Michelle
Dear Editor
We work through a Parliament or a Council to change things, so it is crucial to know whom the Members represent and why.
Throughout history there have been many changes in how society works – but not without struggle. Those resisting change stood to benefit from the old system: it is the same today.
The system of Capitalism under which we live is not a stable one; it exists in crisis, followed by a mini-boom, followed by another crisis. The result is unemployment, restricted wages for most people and cuts in public services of all kinds.
The system cannot be stable if the main aim of the owners of industries is private profit making; Capitalism as a system can no longer cope and poses a danger to all. It is time to be replaced by a Socialist sytem, where increasingly industry will operate for the benefit of all, not the few.
This means a struggle, as in the past, with those resisting change. The areas of struggle must be decided by the needs of the people. This will arouse the wrath of the resisters, taking many forms: diverting attention in various ways, pitting one section of people against another to disrupt unity of purpose nationally and internationally.
Throughout history there have been many changes in how society operates: the present society of Capitalism will change but must be replaced by a fairer system called Socialism – that operates for the benefit of ALL.
A.Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
‘More Scots voted to keep our kingdom united than have ever voted for any party in any election in Scottish history’ – Prime Minister David Cameron
Speaking one year after the people of Scotland voted to remain part of the United Kingdom, the Prime Minister today said he is focussed on delivering devolution so that the debate can move on from what powers the Scottish Parliament should have, to how they are used to better the lives of the people of Scotland.
He added that the UK government will shortly table an amendment to the Scotland Bill to put beyond doubt that Holyrood is here to stay.
The Prime Minister said:
One year ago Scotland’s majority spoke.
More Scots voted to keep our kingdom united than have ever voted for any party in any election in Scottish history.
They voted decisively for a powerful Scottish Parliament within a strong and secure United Kingdom. We listened.
So let me be crystal clear: Scottish devolution is woven into the very fabric of our United Kingdom.
We will table an amendment to the Scotland Bill so there is absolutely no doubt: Holyrood is here to stay.
Alex Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon and I signed the Edinburgh Agreement which pledged we would all respect the outcome of last year’s momentous vote.
We all agreed – as do the Scottish public – that the independence referendum should be a ‘once in a generation’ or a ‘once in a lifetime’ event.
So now it is time to move on.
Some may want to obsess about separation.
But I am focussed on delivering devolution so that the debate can move on from what powers the Scottish Parliament should have, to how they are used to better the lives of the people of Scotland.
And today, on the anniversary of that historic vote, let me repeat: we are delivering a new, accountable and permanent Scottish Parliament. Holyrood will be one of the most powerful devolved Parliaments in the world.
