Tag: Politics

The end is nigh: Government paves the way for orderly EU withdrawal

EU referendum

Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis has announced that the Government plans to repeal the 1972 European Communities Act (ECA). The Act gives direct effect to all EU law and the introduction of a new Bill to repeal it will mean the Act ceases to apply from the day of exit.

At the same time the new Bill will convert existing EU law into domestic law, while allowing Parliament to amend, repeal or improve any law after appropriate scrutiny and debate.

Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union David Davis said: “We will follow the process to leave the EU which is set out in Article 50.

“The Prime Minister has been clear that she won’t start the formal negotiations about our exit before the end of the year. As we prepare for those negotiations in Europe, we also need to prepare for the impact of Brexit on domestic law. It’s very simple. At the moment we leave, Britain must be back in control. And that means EU law must cease to apply.

“To ensure continuity, we will take a simple approach. EU law will be transposed into domestic law, wherever practical, on exit day. It will be for elected politicians here to make the changes to reflect the outcome of our negotiation and our exit. That is what people voted for: power and authority residing once again with the sovereign institutions of our own country.”

Mr Davis also dismissed any suggestion that the Government intends to use Brexit to roll back workers’ rights – pointing out that in many areas, including annual and parental leave, UK law goes further than minimum standards offered under EU law.

He added: “To those who are trying to frighten British workers, saying “When we leave, employment rights will be eroded”, I say firmly and unequivocally “no they won’t”.

“The European Communities Act has meant that if there is a clash between an act of the British Parliament and EU law, EU law prevails. The European Court of Justice (ECJ) has interpreted EU law and delivered judgments that were binding on the UK and other member states. The repeal Bill will end ECJ jurisdiction in the UK.”

Mr Davis said the move demonstrates the Government’s determination to deliver the will of the British people, expressed in the EU referendum result, to ensure that Britain makes its own decisions about how it wants the country to be run.

The Repeal Bill will include powers for ministers to make some changes by secondary legislation, giving the Government the flexibility to take account of the negotiations with the EU as they proceed.

It will also ensure that the Government can establish new domestic regimes in areas where regulation and licensing is currently done at an EU level, and amendments are required to ensure the law operates effectively at a domestic level. The ECA created a power which currently exists for Ministers to make secondary legislation to give effect to EU law.

Legislation resulting from the UK’s exit must work for the whole of the United Kingdom, so the Government will work closely with the devolved administrations to get the best possible deal for all parts of the United Kingdom as we leave the EU. They will have opportunities to have their say and we will look at any suggestions they put forward.

The Prime Minister has stated that she intends to trigger Article 50, the formal process for starting a two-year negotiation over exit from the EU, by next March. In order for the UK to withdraw in an orderly way, ECA repeal will ensure that legislation is passed in advance so that EU law ceases to apply and domestic law can take its place on the day of exit.

Continue reading The end is nigh: Government paves the way for orderly EU withdrawal

Green support for tenant farmer in Old Pentland campaign

Greens say Damhead is wrong location for new film studio

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Scottish Green MSPs joined campaigners who handed in a petition to the Scottish Parliament in protest at the imminent eviction of a farmer from his family’s home of 100 years.

82-year-old tenant farmer Jim Telfer faces from eviction from Old Pentland Farm near Straiton in Midlothian as the landowners want to sell to developers behind a proposed film studio. Planning permission rests with the Scottish Government after Midlothian Council failed to make a ruling on the application within a 16-week deadline.

Midlothian Green councillor Ian Baxter has previously proposed Shawfair as a better location for such a development.

Alison Johnstone and Andy Wightman, Green MSPs for Lothian, were joined at Thursday’s protest by Green co-convener Patrick Harvie MSP.

Andy Wightman MSP said: “The film studio may be a good idea but it’s the wrong location, and the stress this is placing on Jim, his family and the wider community is simply unacceptable. The site is good-quality farmland and should be protected, especially when there are other locations more appropriate for commercial developments.

“The residents of Damhead and Old Pentland are due credit for galvanising support in this campaign, and the Green MSPs were delighted to welcome them to Parliament today. Let’s hope Scottish Ministers heed the strength of local feeling on this issue.”

 

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.”