Tag: Politics

Communist Party candidates to stand as “a socialist alternative” for Edinburgh voters

The Communist Party of Britain has today (Friday 17 July 2026) officially launched its campaign for the upcoming Edinburgh City Council by-elections, announcing a slate of candidates running on a platform of peace, public ownership, tax justice and workers’ rights.

The party will stand candidates in both the Southside/Newington and Portobello/Craigmillar wards.

A Communist Party spokesperson said: “”Our candidates are standing to address the city’s growing housing crisis, its underfunded public services, and the rising cost of living. 

“We are offering voters a distinct socialist alternative to the mainstream political parties.”

Key Platform Priorities

Housing for Need, Not Profit: Immediate rent freezes, a cap on short-term holiday lets, and an expansion of high-quality, municipal council housing.

Funding Local Services: Reversing budget cuts to local services such as libraries, community centres, road maintenance and youth services by demanding a fairer funding model from national government and taxing the wealthiest in the city.

Investment in people not wars: Demand an end to funding genocide in Palestine and endless foreign wars and instead spend that money for the benefit of working class people.

Peter Olech, the Communist Party candidate in Portobello/Craigmillar ward, said: “Edinburgh is a city of vast wealth, yet working-class communities are being priced out of their own homes and left with crumbling public services.”

Richard Shillcock the Communist Party candidate for Southside/Newington ward, added: “We are standing in this election to give a voice to working class people and to fight for a city managed in the interests of the many, not the wealthy elite. 

“Edinburgh Council should have greater responsibility for local economic development, with increased investment in council housing and public services.”

Residents will go to the polls on Thursday 3 September to elect one new councillor in each ward. The current electorate is 24,304 for Southside/Newington and 27,347 for Portobello/Craigmillar.

PICTURED: Peter Olech (L) and Richard Shillcock (R) outside City of Edinburgh Council Chambers after declaring as candidates.

100,000 people ‘closer to work’ thanks to Government support

Around 100,000 disabled people and those with health conditions are closer to work thanks to a voluntary Government programme being delivered in every Jobcentre across the country, according to new figures

  • 100,000 disabled people and those with health conditions have been supported to move closer to the labour market by Pathways to Work advisers.
  • New figures show landmark Government employment scheme has reached a record milestone.
  • Part of the Government’s £3.5 billion plan to break down barriers to opportunity and offer disabled people and those with health conditions personalised employment support.

Pathways to Work advisers – first announced in March 2025 – offer free, voluntary, and personalised help for people assessed as having Limited Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity (LCWRA). 

Under the previous Government these claimants were left behind with no support, and denied the help the need to move into work and out of poverty.

Based in every Jobcentre across England, Scotland and Wales, the specialist advisers identify the barriers people face, provide skills training – such as IT upskilling – and signpost people to work-based training schemes in sectors including construction, hospitality and manufacturing. 

With 2.7 million people on Universal Credit assessed as too sick to work, over 170,000 of whom are aged 16 to 24, Pathways to Work advisers are making a real and lasting difference, helping people into good, secure jobs and boosting living standards across the country.

The achievement sits as part of a larger Government focus on supporting people up and down the country into good, secure work, with 920 thousand more people in employment under this government. 

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “Supporting someone instead of writing them off is life-changing, and I’ve seen firsthand how our Pathways to Work advisers are building people’s confidence and helping them achieve their ambitions. 

“The welfare system we inherited left too many people without the skills, support or hope they needed to get on in life and build a career.

“We were determined to change that, and we have. Now 100,000 people living with long-term conditions, disabilities and personal challenges who want to work, have taken crucial steps towards that.”

Previous analysis shows participants are 40% more likely than non-participants to be in work after two years – evidence that the programme is making a meaningful and lasting difference to people’s lives, prospects and helping get the wider economy firing on all cylinders. 

The Pathways to Work adviser programme is part of the Government’s wider £3.5 billion investment in personalised employment support for disabled people and those with health conditions.

This includes Connect to Work, which provides intensive, tailored job-search assistance, employer engagement and on- and off-the-job support, and WorkWell, which brings together health and employment support to help people stay in or return to work.

It also follows the launch of the £60 million Pathways to Work Innovation Fund, in which businesses, charities and organisations are invited to present bold ideas to help more people into work.

Deborah, who is deaf and manages several long-term health conditions, had been out of work for 16 years. After connecting with her local Pathways to Work adviser, she received tailored support including help with her CV and identifying her transferable skills.

With the help of a BSL interpreter at her appointments, Deborah went from feeling anxious about returning to work to securing a part-time role as a Support Worker with the Deaf Support Network –  a job she began at the start of February. She said: 

“I wanted to find work that would help my finances and give me more independence, but after 16 years I didn’t know where to start.

“The support changed everything- my adviser believed in me and helped me see what I could offer. 

“Now I’m starting a job supporting other deaf people, and it’s just the beginning. I’m already looking forward to building up my hours and earning more.”

The milestone comes as part of the Government’s broader drive to fix the broken welfare system it inherited, including:

  • Rebalancing Universal Credit to remove the perverse incentives that push people away from work.
  • Introducing a Right to Try Work Guarantee, giving everyone who can work the chance to do so without fear of losing their benefits.
  • Investing £3.5 billion in tailored employment support for sick or disabled people.
  • Increasing face-to-face assessments for health benefits.
  • Tackling fraud and error in the benefits system, saving £14.6 billion over this Parliament
  • Alan Milburn is due to bring his final recommendations later this year on tackling the barriers young people face, and the Timms review is looking at how to make sure PIP is fit and fair for the future.

Participants are 40% more likely than non-participants to be in work after 2 years (an increase from 8.1% to 11.4%).

Please see analysis here: The impact of Additional Work Coach Support on the employment outcomes of LCWRA participants: an ex…

New social media curfews and crackdown on addictive features to better protect 16- and 17-year-olds online

Default overnight curfews and addictive features to be switched off automatically to protect 16 and 17-year-olds on social media

  • Nighttime curfews to be set by default and features that get teens hooked onto social media to be automatically switched off for 16- and 17-year-olds
  • Measures look to protect the next generation, ensuring that when kids turn 16, they don’t face a cliff edge of being exposed to the most addictive features online 
  • Tech Secretary also looks at measures to strengthen protections for kids on AI services, including mandatory breaks for U-18s and restrictions on chatbots that offer mental health advice

Default overnight curfews from midnight to 6am will be switched on for 16 and 17-year-olds on social media apps, as the government takes further action to back parents and protect the next generation online.

Features that can keep users scrolling for longer – such as videos that automatically play one after another and feeds that continually serve up personalised content – will also be switched off by default for older teenagers.

Following the government’s once-in-a-generation ban on social media services for under-16s from Spring next year, these measures will help ensure there is no cliff edge in protections as young people move into their later teenage years.

The new protections strike a balance between giving older teenagers greater safeguards online while still allowing them to change their own settings if they wish.

Today’s measures follow a first-of-its-kind Government pilot involving more than 300 teenagers and parents across the UK, with families reporting that overnight curfews quickly became part of their routine and helped improve sleep and concentration.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:  “Our consultation provided a clear message from parents and teenagers alike – even as young people gain greater independence at 16, they should still be protected from the most addictive online features that can have a harmful impact on their wellbeing.

“These measures will be crucial in helping young people get the sleep they need, focus on school and college, and spend more quality time with family and friends, all of which are fundamental to building a happy, healthy and fulfilling adult life. 

“We want young people to enjoy the benefits of technology while having the tools to make the online world a place where they can thrive.”

Alongside the new protections for social media, the Technology Secretary intends to bring forward a package of measures to help children use AI chatbots safely. These will include:

  • Regular breaks for under-18s using chatbots, encouraging healthier online habits.
  • Working with regulators and across government to address services that provide dangerous, misleading or unverified mental health advice. Ministers will consider all options, including banning chatbots that pose a serious threat to children.

Alongside these protections, the Government will publish new guidance for children, parents and guardians on how to use AI safely and confidently by expanding the Kids Online Safety Hub.

Media literacy skills will also be bolstered in schools, through new RSHE (Relationships, Sex, and Health Education) classes and an updated National Curriculum, which will teach children to navigate new types of technology including artificial intelligence and AI chatbots, identify mis- and disinformation as well as violent and misogynistic content.

The first set of regulations on the social media restrictions will be laid before Parliament by the end of this year, with measures expected to come into force in spring 2027, alongside robust implementation and enforcement. 

£60 million fund launched to transform employment support

Businesses, charities and innovators are being invited to compete for a share of up to £60 million to transform how disabled people and those with health conditions are supported into work, the Government has announced today [14th July].

  • Businesses, charities and organisations to bid for up to £60 million to fund innovative ideas to support disabled people move closer and into work.
  • Expert panel – including Paralympian Tanni Grey Thompson – to help design the fund and shortlist best ideas
  • Comes as part of £3.5 billion employment support package to knock down barriers to opportunity for disabled people and those with health conditions.

The Government’s Pathways to Work Innovation Fund is a ‘call to action’ for the private, voluntary and public sectors to come forward with the most ambitious, creative ideas to help disabled people and those with health conditions get into and on at work.

The Fund will open for bids in September, with organisations across the UK invited to compete for funding to test genuinely new approaches to employment support.

With 2.8 million people currently out of work due to ill-health, and the Keep Britain Working review estimating economic inactivity caused by health conditions costs the UK economy £212 billion a year, the Government is looking to work alongside business, charities, tech innovators and disabled people themselves to tackle the issue and improve employment support.

The Fund forms part of the Government’s commitment to break down barriers to opportunity for disabled people backed by £3.5 billion in tailored employment support. This includes intensive, one-to-one job help from specialist advisers in their own communities, meeting people where they are, alongside a joined-up work and health offer.

https://twitter.com/DWPgovuk/status/2075852621819064804/video/1

Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden said: “We inherited a welfare system which has locked too many disabled people and those with health conditions out of work.

“We’re determined to ensure no talent is left behind, and that people are given the support they need. Through our £3.5 billion Pathways to Work employment support offer, we’ve seen that personalised support can be life-changing.

“Now we’re calling on business, disabled people and charities to work with us, and bring forward their ideas to transform employment support.”

An expert panel – including Paralympian Tanni, Baroness Grey-Thompson – will help shape the fund’s design and advise on which bids should be funded, ensuring the voices and experience of disabled people are placed at the very heart of the process.

It comes as the Department is embracing innovation by using technologies including AI and machine learning to deliver more efficient services, modernise systems and support more people into work, including a new tool to help people into jobs.

Paralympian and Member of House of Lords, Tanni, Baroness Grey-Thompson, said: “I am delighted to be joining this expert panel at such an important moment. Finding and sustaining work matters enormously – not just for individual wellbeing and independence, but for society as a whole.

“We know that with the right support, disabled people can and do thrive in the workplace.

“The world is changing rapidly, and the systems that support disabled people must keep pace with that change. This Fund is a real opportunity to back the bold, creative ideas that can make that happen.”

To mark the launch, the Work and Pensions Secretary will today visit TechUK, the UK’s leading technology trade association, where he will meet with their members at a tech and innovation showcase to see cutting-edge innovation in action and discuss how technology can help transform people’s working lives.

The new approach comes alongside wider Government action to help people into work and fulfil their full potential, as part of reforms to the broken welfare system this government inherited, including:

  • Rebalancing Universal Credit to remove the perverse incentives that push people away from work.
  • Introducing a Right to Try Work Guarantee, giving everyone who can work the chance to do so without fear of losing their benefits.
  • Investing £3.5 billion in tailored employment support for sick or disabled people.
  • Increasing face-to-face assessments for health benefits.
  • Tackling fraud and error in the benefits system, saving £14.6 billion over this Parliament
  • Alan Milburn is due to bring his final recommendations later this year on tackling the barriers young people face, and the Timms review is looking at how to make sure PIP is fit and fair for the future.

Antony Walker, Deputy CEO of TechUK, said: “The announcement that the Department for Work and Pensions is investing into an Innovation Fund is very welcome. Thousands of disabled people and those with health conditions are locked out of the workforce, not for lack of talent, but because of barriers that persist across many careers.

“Our members are already developing and deploying innovative technologies that are breaking down those barriers, helping people to find work, stay in work and thrive in their careers.

“This investment has the potential to build on that success, accelerating the adoption of proven solutions and supporting even more disabled people to access rewarding employment while helping employers tap into a wider pool of talent.”

The Pathways to Work Innovation Fund will open for bids in September 2026. Full details on how to apply will be published in due course.

Festival of Politics

SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT – 27 & 28th AUGUST

From trust in public institutions to the impact of social media, democracy is facing new challenges and raising important questions about how we communicate and make decisions together.

This year’s Festival of Politics will bring together leading voices to explore some of the issues shaping public life today, including:

🗳️ ‘Brexit – ten years on’ – A look back at a decade of political and economic change, and where the UK’s relationship with Europe stands today.

🏛️ ‘Trust in public institutions’ – How can confidence be rebuilt after major public scandals?

📱 ‘Why social media abuse towards women in politics is damaging democracy’ – Exploring how online abuse and misinformation can affect political participation and representation.

💬 ‘When does free speech become hate speech?’ – Where should the line be drawn, and what role do social media platforms play?

🏴 ‘The evolution of devolution’ – How has devolution changed decision-making across the UK, and what impact has it had over the years?

⚖️ ‘In conversation with Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond’ – Hear from one of the UK’s most influential legal figures as she reflects on her career and discusses her latest book, With the Law on Our Side.

Come along and join the conversation!

📅 27-28 August

🎟️ Browse the full programme and book tickets: https://ow.ly/oM8e50ZlaMr

ScotParl_FoP_Programme_2026_Web_AccessibleDownload

Local MSP questions Scottish Government over it’s commitment to heat networks in Edinburgh Northern

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP for Edinburgh Northern Sanne Dijkstra-Downie yesterday questioned the Scottish Government on its commitment to tackling issues affecting heat networks throughout the constituency.

Heat networks are a manner of heating buildings that use a central source of hot water which is then pumped to various different homes or buildings. 

The Liberal Democrat MSP has asked the Scottish Government to comment on when the Buildings (Heating and Energy Performance) Bill and any associated Heat Network legislation will be introduced, and how the proposals will differ from those previously consulted on.

Sanne has also questioned the government on if assessments have been carried out to properly document the benefits that heat networks can provide toward lowering fuel poverty, improving energy efficiency and lowering emissions.

The introduction of comprehensive legislation on heat networks will ensure that the people of Edinburgh Northern have better access to cheaper and more efficient energy methods.

However, for this to happen, the Scottish Government must be proactive in facilitating not only the deployment of heat networks, but also in engaging with local authorities and developers to ensure that any future heat networks are correctly implemented.

Commenting Sanne Dijkstra-Downie MSP said: “Heat networks have the potential to play an extremely important role in delivering cleaner, more secure and more affordable heating for communities across Edinburgh Northern.

“However, this success depends on providing certainty for local authorities, investors and the consumers of heat networks.

“The questions that I have asked aim to establish the Scottish Government’s timetable, funding commitments and legislative intentions regarding heat network deployment.

“This will allow both parliament, constituents and those in the industry to have a clear understanding of how heat network deployment will be taken forward.”

European Movement in Scotland writes to Scottish Labour politicians urging Andy Burnham to take the UK ever closer to the EU

“Closer EU links are critical to our economy and security and to protecting our way of life from political extremism,” says former senior Labour MEP, David Martin

The European Movement in Scotland (EMiS) has written to all Labour Party MPs and MSPs in Scotland urging them to put pressure on incoming Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, so that he continues Sir Keir Starmer’s policy of putting “Britain at the heart of Europe.”

In a speech in London on 10th May, Sir Keir said: “My Labour Government is delivering on our promise to reset our relationship and put Britain at the heart of Europe. Together we will tackle the cost of living, boost jobs and create opportunities for young people.”

EMiS says in its letter to MPs and MEPs, “Our view is that it is of the most fundamental importance that Mr Burnham not only continues the process of reengagement with the EU but also accelerates and deepens it.” 

David Martin, who was the longest serving Labour Member at the European Parliament, and who is President of the European Movement in Scotland, says Mr Burnham will become Prime Minister at a time of great global instability.

“Andy Burnham cannot afford to ignore the opportunities offered by ever-closer ties with the EU. There are simply no other options available.

“He must move quickly. The stronger the economy of our continent the more we will be able to raise standards of living, invest in public services and build our defences against the enemies of democracy, at home and abroad.

“Closer EU links are critical to our economy and security and to protecting our way of life from political extremism,” says David Martin.

In its letter to MPs and MEPs, EMiS says: “We are at a moment of enormous historical importance.

“A successful Burnham government is critical to our economy and stability and to holding off malign domestic and foreign forces that threaten our way of life. Success will come sooner by increasingly embedding the UK with the economic and political powerhouse that is the EU.

“May we encourage you to let Mr Burnham know that support in Scotland for ever-closer ties with the EU currently stands at over 70%. We hope Mr Burnham listens to Scotland and that his government continues the Starmer administration’s approach to the EU, in words and action.”

Foreign Affairs Committee: “unanswered questions” over Mandelson vetting

Report:  The appointment of Peter Mandelson as British Ambassador to the United States

Read the report [HTML]

Despite hours of testimony and the unprecedented release of over 1,500 pages of documents through the Humble Address, unanswered questions remain over how Peter Mandelson’s appointment as British Ambassador to the United States of America was allowed to go ahead, a report by the Foreign Affairs Committee finds.

It concludes that it is “difficult to understand how Peter Mandelson was appointed if he were a perceived risk to national security” with the Committee finding “no evidence” of what the mitigations in place were.

Process was not followed and the usual checks and balances were not made, the report concludes. The Committee calls for no public appointments to be announced or made without the appropriate security clearance first being granted. 

Today’s report calls for a Foreign Affairs Committee veto on political appointments to Heads of Mission posts, and a compulsory pre-appointment hearing with the Committee.

Messages published as part of the Humble Address show the dismissive view held about the need for security clearance for Peter Mandelson to take up this post, as though officials were looking for reasons not to bother with vetting.

The report finds that record keeping throughout this process has been appalling and there is no audit trail of the decision-making which led to this appointment. The Committee concludes that the Civil Service Code has been failed.

The report sets out reforms to security vetting and due diligence:

  • When a Prime Minister wishes to make a specific appointment, they should always build in time to consult the Head of Diplomatic Service and the Foreign Secretary.
  • The Cabinet Office, in consultation with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, should set out a process for political appointments
  • The due diligence report must be shared with the hiring department, and the department must be given the opportunity to contribute fully to the due diligence. 

Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Dame Emily Thornberry MP, said: “Despite my Committee’s extensive scrutiny and evidence gathering, and the thousands of pages published via the Humble Address, there are still unanswered questions as to how someone so clearly unfit was appointed British Ambassador to the United States.

“Processes were rushed or simply not followed. The usual checks and balances were not made. Vital security checks, integral to our national security, seemed to be viewed as a nuisance.

“Mandelson’s appointment was an unmitigated disaster for the country. It should never have been allowed to happen, and it cannot ever be repeated. To prevent anything similar from happening again, no public appointments should be made without security vetting having already taken place.

“With the appointment announced, Mandelson on the payroll, and constant pressure from No. 10, it is no wonder that some civil servants in the Foreign Office felt the appointment was a forgone conclusion.

“But when our nation’s security is at stake, there can be no exceptions made, regardless of the individual’s public profile or sense of pressure. The lack of record keeping in particular is utterly astounding and a clear failure to abide by the Civil Service Code.”

“We are where we are, in part, because decisions were taken behind closed doors, with little to no external scrutiny. High-stakes political appointments to diplomatic positions need closer examination than internal ones.

On the rare occasion political appointments do occur, the Foreign Affairs Committee should be granted public pre-appointment hearings and an unconditional veto, to ensure an open and transparent process.

“Peter Mandelson’s appointment has been highly damaging for the Government, painful and offensive to the victims of Jeffrey Epstein and it has diminished our country in the eyes of the world.”

mandelson-appointment-reportDownload

Mansion tax rates consultation

Two new council tax bands for homes worth more than £1 million – have your say

Views are being sought on plans to introduce two new council tax bands for properties worth more than £1 million and £2 million respectively to help fund local public services across Scotland.

A public consultation seeks responses on possible increases of around £720 and £3,600 above the current highest Band H council tax charges.

The final proposed rates for new Band I and Band J properties – expected to apply to fewer than 1% of properties – will be laid in Parliament for MSPs’ consideration following analysis of consultation responses and engagement with local government. Existing council tax protections, such as discounts, exemptions and the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, will continue to apply across all bands.  

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance Jenny Gilruth said: “Our approach to tax is based on fairness – asking the wealthiest among us to contribute a bit more.

“As it stands, some multi-million pound properties have council tax bills that are not materially different from those faced by people living in far more modest homes.

“Our progressive approach to taxation helps to target investment in economic growth, deliver public services and support cost of living measures not available elsewhere in the UK, such as free tuition, free prescriptions and our plans for a £2 bus fare cap across Scotland.

“Additional revenue raised through these new council tax bands will be retained in full by local government to support the local services communities rely on – unlike the UK Government’s proposals for a similar scheme that are set to be returned to the Treasury.

“In launching this public consultation, we are keen to hear the views of people and communities right across Scotland.”

Consultation: Council Tax High-Value Property Bands (Mansion Tax)

The consultation will run until 24 August 2026.