Marking the start of Carers Week (6-12 June), Alison Johnstone MSP, Health & Social Security spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, has highlighted the findings of a survey showing that most carers in Scotland don’t feel valued by their community. Continue reading Carers Week: Johnstone calls for investment in respite
Tag: Politics
Be bolder, urge Greens
Scottish Green MSPs will use this afternoon’s (1 June) Holyrood debate on Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform to push the Scottish Government to be bolder on community energy, fracking and democratic ownership of land. Continue reading Be bolder, urge Greens
Scotland has the power …
Holyrood has new powers from today
New powers for the Scottish Parliament will be used to create a fairer country, Constitution Secretary Derek Mackay has pledged. From today, the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Government receive new powers through the Scotland Act 2016. Continue reading Scotland has the power …
The Great Divide
Queen’s Speech highlights ‘fundamental disagreements’
Yesterday’s Queen’s Speech set out the Conservative government’s agenda for the next session at Westminster, but Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says the statement ‘could not demonstrate more clearly the divergent priorities of the two governments.’ Continue reading The Great Divide
Greens criticise green light for green belt development
‘This scheme would unnecessarily chew up yet more of our precious greenbelt when we should be protecting it’ – Alison Johnstone MSP.
Alison Johnstone, Scottish Green MSP for Lothian, has urged Edinburgh city council to reject proposals for 1,320 homes on greenbelt land between the City Bypass and Gogar Station Road on the western outskirts of the city Continue reading Greens criticise green light for green belt development
Letters: EU be the judge
Dear Editor
In my many letters over many years I have always highlighted social injustices imposed by our own politicians against working people, and urged the need for ordinary people to work together in resisting further attacks.
We have helped, and have been helped, bu all people in the European Union in passing laws:
- A maximum 48 hours working week
- A minimum break at rest from work between shifts
- Four weeks paid annual leave
- Paternity Leave
- Health & Safety at Work rules
- Equal pay for men and women
- Making racial and disability discrimination illegal
- Clean water supplies and pollution controls
- The right to join a trade union or association
- And many other benefits
All of these laws were minimum requirements, but could be improved on by individual nations’ own parliaments. Bear in mind it was ALL the member states of the EU who cooperated and agreed these regulations, covering approximately 500 million people.
The main threat posed by those who advocate leaving the EU is to do away with all these laws on social justice and replace them with their own legislation. Why?
Two questions immediately arise:
First, why not improve the existing laws if their intention is to pass better laws – this can be done by any nation in the EU.
And second: Why did they not do it years ago?
When the world is crying out for more cooperation to tackle pressing problems of unemployment, climate change, energy supplies, water and food provision, the depletion of natural resources, those people who want to leave the EU represent the most backward step the UK could take. WHY? And WHO are they?
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
Ben Macpherson sworn in as Northern Leith MSP
First surgery details announced
New MSP Ben McPherson was sworn in as the new member for Edinburgh Northern & Leith MSP yesterday, one of five new Edinburgh constituency MSPs voted in last week. Continue reading Ben Macpherson sworn in as Northern Leith MSP
PPP school closures: There must be transparency, Greens warn
‘If the confidence of the public and school communities is to be restored this fiasco must be carefully examined’ – Cllr Melanie Main
Green city councillors have criticised an update report on the ongoing school closures and are warning Edinburgh’s Labour/SNP administration that there must be transparency as an inquiry into last month’s PPP1 school closures is announced. Continue reading PPP school closures: There must be transparency, Greens warn
Election results: Edinburgh
Edinburgh results in full:
EDINBURGH CENTRAL
RUTH DAVIDSON (CON) 10, 399
Alison Dickie (SNP) 9789
Sarah Boyack (LAB) 7546
Alison Johnstone (GRN) 4644
Hannah Bettswoth (LD) 1672
Tom Laird (SLD) 119
Majority 610
CONSERVATIVE GAIN
EDINBURGH EASTERN
ASH DENHAM (SNP) 16,760
Kezia Dugdale (LAB) 11 673
Nick Cook (CON) 5 700
Cospatric D’Inverno (LD) 1 264
Majority 5087
Turnout 56.3%
SNP HOLD
EDINBURGH NORTHERN & LEITH
BEN MacPHERSON (SNP) 17,322
Lesley Hinds (LAB) 10 576
Iain McGill (CON) 6 781
Martin Veart (LD) 1779
Jack Caldwell (IND) 1344
Majority 6746
Turnout 55.2%%
SNP GAIN
EDINBURGH PENTLANDS
GORDON MacDONALD (SNP) 13, 181
Gordon Lindhurst (CON) 10 725
Blair Heary (LAB) 7 811
Emma Farthing-Sykes (LD) 1 636
Majority 2456
Turnout 60.4%
SNP HOLD
EDINBURGH SOUTHERN
DANIEL JOHNSON (LAB) 13, 597
Jim Eadie (SNP) 12 474
Miles Briggs (CON) 9 972
Pramod Subbaraman (LD) 2 216
Majority 1123
Turnout 64.2%
LABOUR GAIN
EDINBURGH WESTERN
ALEX COLE-HAMILTON (LD) 16, 645
Toni Giugliano (SNP) 13 685
Sandy Batho (CON) 5 686
Cat Headley (LAB) 3 750
Majority 2960
Turnout 64.5%
LIB DEM GAIN
LOTHIAN LIST MSPs (7)
Jeremy Balfour (Con)
Miles Briggs (Con)
Kezia Dugdale (Lab)
Neil Findlay (Lab)
Alison Johnstone (Grn)
Gordon Lindhurst (Con)
Andy Wightman (Grn)
6am Election Update
State of the Parties at 6am
SNP 57 (+ 6)
CON 6 (+4)
LD 4 (+ 2)
LAB 3 (-12)
Three constituencies still to declare. SNP needs 65 seats for an absolute majority.
First of the List Votes counts to be declared shortly
MAIN POINTS
- SNP on course for historic third victory
- Absolute majority still in the balance
- Lib Dems take Edinburgh West
- Party leaders Willie Rennie, Nicola Sturgeon and Ruth Davidson win their constituency seats but Kezia Dugdale loses out in Edinburgh Eastern.
- Jackie Baillie and Iain Gray hold on to their seats and Daniel Johnstone wins Edinburgh Southern the only highlights on a bad night for Labour, who are wiped out in Glasgow