Tag: Politics

Ukraine invasion: Truss to tell G7 leaders ‘We must not waver one iota’

  • Prime Minister Liz Truss will join a virtual gathering of G7 leaders and President Zelenskyy today (Tuesday 11 October).
  • Meeting comes in the wake of Putin’s illegal annexation of four Ukrainian territories and a brutal assault on Ukrainian civilians in Kyiv and elsewhere.
  • The Prime Minister will ask countries to maintain biting sanctions and call for a full meeting of NATO leaders in the coming days.

G7 leaders will meet today (Tuesday 11 October) to reiterate the unity of opposition to Putin’s continued brutality in Ukraine.

In the last 24 hours Russia has stepped up its attacks on Ukrainian cities like Kyiv, killing civilians and cutting off electricity and communications. This follows Putin’s orchestration of sham referendums in an attempt to annex four Ukrainian regions.

Today’s video call, which will also be attended by President Zelenskyy, is the first gathering of all G7 leaders since Ukraine’s counter-offensive started to take hold in Ukraine.

The Prime Minister will use the call to urge fellow leaders to stay the course. She will point out that Ukraine’s military advances have been made possible thanks to the international support they are receiving – not just in terms of military aid, but also humanitarian assistance and the impact of western sanctions against Russia.

The Prime Minister is also calling for an urgent meeting of NATO leaders, ensuring allies remain united and resolute in their opposition to Putin’s behaviour.

Addressing fellow G7 leaders, the Prime Minister is expected to say: “The overwhelming international support for Ukraine’s struggle stands in stark opposition to the isolation of Russia on the international stage.

‘Their bravery in the face of the most brutal acts of violence has earned the people of Ukraine global admiration.

‘Nobody wants peace more than Ukraine. And for our part, we must not waver one iota in our resolve to help them win it.’

Yesterday the Prime Minister spoke to President Zelenskyy to condemn the recent attacks on Kyiv and the annexation of Ukrainian territories, and to reiterate the UK’s support.

This year the UK has committed £2.3 billion in military support to Ukraine, which has enabled the provision of Multiple Launch Rocket Systems, hundreds of rockets, thousands of rounds of ammunition, crucial defence vehicles and five air defence systems including Starstreak.

As the Ukrainian Armed Forces face a difficult winter, the UK is also providing critical cold weather gear and other forms of non-lethal support to bolster their resilience.

Later this week, all UN members will vote on Russia’s breach of the UN Charter with its annexation of Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia. 141 UN member states voted to condemn Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in March, and earlier this month the majority of UN Security Council members voted against the recent annexations.

In their call today, G7 leaders are also expected to discuss the global energy crisis precipitated by Putin’s actions. The group is currently working to finalise and implement an international cap on the price of Russian oil, which will further damage Putin’s revenue stream.

The Prime Minister will point to this action as evidence of what the G7 can do both to constrain Putin and act as an economic NATO, defending our countries’ interests.

The Prime Minister is working with fellow leaders to increase our energy independence and end the global reliance on malign states, such as Russia, in our critical resources.

Christmas Cheer: Extra cash for low-income families this winter

First Minister announces doubling of December Bridging Payment to £260

Families of an estimated 145,000 children will benefit from extra support this winter to help with cost of living pressures – backed by Scottish Government investment of £18.9 million.

Bridging Payments were introduced in 2021 ahead of the extension of the Scottish Child Payment to 6-15 year olds. The final quarterly Bridging Payment, due in December, will now be doubled to £260, meaning families will receive up to £650 per eligible child this year.

All children registered to receive free school meals on the basis of family low income are eligible and will receive this payment automatically.

Total Scottish Government funding for the Bridging Payments will increase to an estimated £169 million across 2021 and 2022.

This is in addition to the Scottish Child Payment which will be extended to all eligible under-16s from 14 November and will rise to £25 per child per week on the same date – a 150% increase in the benefit within eight months.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am proud of the work the Scottish Government is doing to tackle child poverty. The Scottish Child Payment is paid to eligible families and is unique in the United Kingdom.

“It started for under-6s at £10 per week per eligible child. In April we doubled it to £20.  Five weeks from today we will increase it again, to £25 and will also extend it to families with children up to age 16.

“That is vital financial help for well over 100,000 children, delivered in time for Christmas. That is the sign of a government with the right priorities.

“But we need to do more because we know this winter is going to be really tough. Rather than looking forward to Christmas, too many families will be dreading it because they don’t know if they can afford to heat their homes or even pay for food.

“As part of our help to the poorest families over last year and this, ahead of rolling out the Scottish Child Payment to under 16s, we have made quarterly bridging payments of £130 to children and young people in receipt of free school meals.

“I am delighted that the Scottish Government will double the December Payment from £130 to £260.

“That will help put food on the Christmas table for families of 145,000 children and young people. I don’t pretend it will make all of their worries go away – no government with our limited powers can ever do that. But I hope this investment of almost £20 million will bring a bit of Christmas cheer to those who need it most.”

Bridging Payments were introduced in 2021 ahead of the roll out of the Scottish Child Payment to under 16s. The £130 payments are paid quarterly by councils on behalf of the Scottish Government. Families received up to £520 per eligible child in 2021 and will receive up to £650 in 2022. Bridging Payments support around 145,000 school age children.

Povery campaigners have welcomed the announcement.

The Poverty Alliance tweeted: ‘We welcome @NicolaSturgeon announcement today that the @scotgov will double the final Scottish Child Payment bridging payment, up from £130 to £260.

‘This will put cash in the pockets of those who need it most. This is how we #ChallengePoverty‘

Pentlands MSP Gordon Macdonald backs calls for Chancellor to go

 INDEPENDENCE THE ONLY ROUTE TO ESCAPE TORY CUTS FOR GOOD

SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald has backed calls for Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng to resign or be sacked following his shambolic handling of the UK’s finances. 

It comes as the independent Office for Budget Responsibility confirmed they offered to provide a forecast to the Chancellor to go alongside his fiscal statement, but that it was not commissioned by the UK Government.

This was despite the OBR confirming it WAS able to produce an updated forecast that satisfied the legal requirements of the Charter for Budget Responsibility.

And the calls to quit have intensified after Prime Minister Liz Truss refused to rule out her Government slashing benefits and cutting £18billion from public services – which threatens Scotland’s budget and our NHS – to pay for Kwarteng’s staggering incompetence in mishandling the economy.

SNP MSP Gordon Macdonald said: “The fallout from the new Truss administration’s ‘mini-budget’ has been huge, taking a wrecking ball to the UK’s finances, endangering the pension funds of millions, causing banks to withdraw mortgages and leaving millions of families in Edinburgh deep distress.

“We now learn that despite the OBR publishing their forecast to the UK Government, the Treasury will delay the publication until November 23. This is simply unacceptable.

“It’s been a disastrous first few weeks of the Truss premiership but if the rhetoric from the Conservatives is to be believed, much worse is yet to come.

“Within days of taking office, we have once again seen the devastating consequences of Scotland being shackled to this outdated, corrupt Westminster system. Mortgages, pensions and savings of the people of Edinburgh are all being badly hit – and there is no plan to fix it.

“Instead of trying to dodge accountability or, as we now know, drinking champagne with hedge fund managers on the night of his budget, the Chancellor must do the honourable thing and resign or be sacked.

“And Truss’s plan to impose a new wave of Tory austerity cuts is utterly obscene. After 12 years of Tory mismanagement and Brexit damage, the UK already had the worst levels of poverty and inequality in north west Europe.

“The UK government should be reversing the damage it has caused, not doubling down on cuts and pushing more people into poverty.

“These actions underline the need for Scotland to become an independent country – so we can escape Westminster control and get rid of the Tories for good.”

NHS crisis: the faces behind the waiting lists

Responding to Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar raising his late constituent Anne Sinclair’s case at First Minister’s Questions this week, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “I am grateful to Anas Sarwar for raising the case of Anne Sinclair with the First Minister.

“I raised the case with the First Minister in February and was told that the seven months of delays she had faced in her cancer diagnosis were ‘not at all acceptable’. I agreed with that assessment.

“Unfortunately Anne passed away this summer. Throughout her journey with cancer she was determined that I raise her story in the Parliament, find answers for the delays she faced, and fight so that nobody else was left in the same position. Her sons, who were in the gallery of the Scottish Parliament for FMQs today, have kindly given me permission to continue that fight on their mother’s behalf.

“Anne’s case starkly demonstrates the real people behind the numbers we hear every week in the Scottish Parliament. There are faces behind all the waiting lists, the people waiting in ambulances, and the people who cannot get the care they need. These are not just statistics, they are human beings who deserve dignity in their healthcare.

“Unfortunately Anne was let down, and her sons deserve answers and an apology for the delays in their mother’s diagnosis.

“I want to thank my office staff for pursuing what has often been an emotional case. We all want to see that Anne’s family can be assured that lessons are learned and nobody else will be left in the same position.”

The family of Anne Sinclair, 64 from Edinburgh, said: “We are happy that Foysol Choudhury MSP and Scottish Labour have continued to raise our late mother’s case at the Scottish Parliament.

“We do not wish for any other families to go through what our mum and our family have gone through. Our mum was a fighter and she would want her questions about her late diagnosis to be answered.”

Choudhury: Justice and fairness for all

Responding to the report by the Institute of Race Relations “Citizenship: From Right to Privilege”, which finds that British Muslims have had their citizenship reduced to “second-class” status, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “I want to ensure all minority communities that I will continue my lifelong fight for freedom, justice and equality for all.

“As the report suggests, some groups are targeted more than others due to a mixture of unconscious biases and racist stereotypes and views within our institutions.

“We have seen through the Windrush scandal and the increasing use of the power to revoke citizenship from Muslims that minorities now cannot rely on British citizenship to guarantee their rights, and that the value of British citizenship is not equal for everyone.

“No one should be made to feel any less welcome in our society because of the colour of their skin, their culture or their religion, and every British citizen should be treated the same way. Unfortunately, this does not always happen and will always be a work in progress until every aspect of our society and institutions decolonise their mindsets and their practices.

“When the Home Office says they “make no apology for doing whatever is necessary to protect the UK from those who pose a threat to our security”, this is fine to the extent that it applies equally to every culture, race and religion living in the UK.

“Any security measures must also apply to, for example, the forces of the far-right, who have in recent years conspired to plot the murder of a sitting Member of Parliament and are responsible for almost two fifths of plots foiled by the security services. We do not, however, see their citizenship being in any way threatened, no matter how dangerous they may be.

“I am not asking for any special treatment for any particular ethnic or religious group, simply for justice and fairness for all.”

Deprivation-of-citizenship-Final-LRDownload

U-TURN: Chancellor scraps plan to cut top rate of tax

KWARTENG: ‘WE GET IT – WE HAVE LISTENED’

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has annnounced a humiliating U-Turn on plans to slash the 45p top rate of tax for highest earners.

He tweeted this morning:

UK mini-budget a “huge gamble on health of economy”

SWINNEY SEEKS URGENT MEETING WITH CHANCELLOR

Deputy First Minister John Swinney and his counterparts from other devolved governments are seeking an urgent meeting with Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng to discuss immediate actions needed to reverse the damaging effects of the UK Government’s tax proposals.

Mr Swinney and the Finance Ministers from Wales and Northern Ireland are highlighting the profound impact of “the largest set of unfunded tax cuts for the rich in over 50 years” warning that it is “a huge gamble on public finances and the health of our economy”.  

In a joint letter to Mr Kwarteng, they warn against being condemned to another decade of austerity and express deep concern over reports that UK Government departments will be asked to make spending cuts to balance the budget, which may have profound consequences for devolved budget settlements already eroded by inflation.

The Ministers also renew calls for the UK Government to provide targeted support for households and businesses, funded through a windfall tax on the energy sector. In addition, they call for Social Security benefits to be increased, and request additional resources for the devolved governments to protect public services and to fund public sector pay settlements.

Read the letter in full here.

Holyrood Committee launches call for evidence on female participation in sport and physical activity

An inquiry has been launched into female participation in sport and physical activity by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee.

The Committee is seeking views from individuals and organisations about female participation in sport at both a community and elite level and how female sport is supported, reported, and promoted.

The Committee is keen to understand what barriers limit female participation in sport and physical activity and what can be done to remove these. This will include investigating additional barriers to participation, such as ethnicity and disability.

Launching the inquiry, Gillian Martin MSP, Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, said: “During our inquiry into the health and wellbeing of children and young people, we heard evidence of a significant decline in participation in sport and physical activity by adolescent girls.

“This has prompted the Committee to launch a dedicated inquiry into barriers to female participation in sport and physical activity and how these might be overcome.

“Statistics show that female participation in sport and physical activity in Scotland is lower than that of males from the age of 11 years old, with typically a 10% gender gap in participation.

“This has clear negative repercussions on the long-term health and wellbeing of women and girls.

“Today, we are launching a call for views to find out more about the barriers women and girls of all ages face in participating in sport and physical activity. We are particularly keen to hear the experiences of those with a disability, from ethnic minority or economically deprived backgrounds or who may face other barriers to participation in sport and physical activity.

“Our aim is to identify actions that should be taken to help increase the numbers of women and girls participating in sport and physical activity, and crucially to make recommendations to ensure they are able to remain active throughout their lives.”

Let the Committee know your views

The inquiry’s call for views closes on 9th December.

Fraser of Allander Institute: The aftermath of the mini-budget

For some in Westminster, a week in politics will never have seemed longer. Financial markets are still reeling from the announcement of the £40bn of deficit-financed income tax cuts announced last week.

The ramifications through the financial system are myriad but stem from the decisions of UKG heaping more uncertainty onto markets that were already bracing themselves for a difficult few months.

Our budget response last week referred to the decisions made by UKG as being a gamble. Tax cuts do not necessarily lead to growth, and the additional tax revenues and lower debt/deficit:GDP ratios that would come with that growth. The absence of an OBR forecast, which may have helped reassure the markets that the plans were credible, did not help (and of course, the OBR could have been less supportive of the plans than the Chancellor would have hoped for).

The upshot is that the risk that the UKG will have permanently higher borrowing has increased, leading to a fall in the value of government bonds. Inflation has become even harder to predict and with that the future path for interest rates. All this has real implications for markets that we all come into contact with, including most notably pensions and mortgages.

The tax cuts announced last week were part of a plan for growth that the Chancellor and the PM are holding firm on. The hope is that it will boost the labour supply by incentivising people to work more.

By abolishing the additional rate, it is hoped more high earners people will want to work in the UK. Whether or not it works depends on whether people change their behaviour in light of the tax cuts, or whether other factors override the increased financial incentive.

For example, for basic rate tax payers, there may be structural barriers that constrain their ability to work – the availability of childcare being an obvious example. Additional rate tax payers may not see the tax cut as being substantial enough to make them relocate, or they may not be able to due to visa restrictions.

There are promises of further supply side reforms in the coming months, including on childcare and visas, that may increase confidence that the plan is credible, but at the moment, only a notable few appear to believe it is guaranteed to succeed.

Some of the trailed reforms will apply UK wide, and changes to rules around immigration will be keenly anticipated by many businesses in Scotland.

Others, such as reform in childcare, may not apply in Scotland as provision of publicly funded childcare falls under devolved competence. Increased spending on childcare by Westminster could lead to additional consequentials to Scotland.

However, in terms of the Scottish budget, there is always the risk that additional consequentials from one area are offset by decisions to cut spending in other departments.

That appears increasingly likely. This week, UKG departments have been asked to look for savings in departmental spending, which looks like an attempt to sure up fiscal credibility from the other side of the ledger.

This leaves the Scottish Government, along with everyone else, dealing with more uncertainty than they expected just over a week ago. The Emergency Budget Response from John Swinney has been pushed back to late October, but it will be difficult for the Scottish Government to act decisively until more is known about what the UKG will do next. For that we may have to wait until late November, when we also expect to see OBR’s assessment of the UKG’s plans.

Next week, we will be publishing our quarterly Economic Commentary which will provide insight and analysis on the pressures that were already facing the Scottish Economy.

The events of the last week are having ramifications on the real economy, but there were of course multiple issues that businesses and households were already trying to deal with. Look out for our report on Tuesday 4th October.

Tory MSP calls for increased funding for Public Services across Lothian

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, has spoken about the need to increase investment in public services across the South East of Scotland to meet growing demand – while at the same time his party is urging the Scottish Government to cut the highest rates of tax in line with England!

During a debate at Holyrood yesterday on Scotland’s Population – Meeting the Needs of our Communities, Economy and Public Services – the Conservative MSP said that “Edinburgh and the South East continues to be a resilient region and the only part of the Scottish economy which has seen continued economic growth.”

Mr Briggs went on to say that this should not “mask the huge pressures which are facing our public services.”

Scottish Government funding for NHS Lothian as well as Edinburgh City Council are at their “lowest level” according to Mr Briggs, while the region is projected to have a growing population, leading to greater demands on services.

Local authorities in Lothian have the fastest growing populations in Scotland. 

Midlothian is predicted to have the fastest growing population in Scotland, 13.8%, East Lothian the second fastest at 7.2%, City of Edinburgh sixth fastest, 6.6% and West Lothian seventh fastest, 5.9%. These local authorities all have much faster predicted population growth than the Scottish average of 3.5%.

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has previously campaigned for a change to the formula which determines funding for NHS Boards, saying that NHS Lothian has not been receiving their fair share over the last ten years.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “The financial sustainability of delivering public services is becoming more difficult to deliver here in Lothian and it is time for SNP-Green Ministers to recognise this.

“The fact that levels of homelessness and children living in temporary accommodation are at their highest anywhere in Scotland is a direct consequence of not being able to deliver on local housing outcomes.    

“NHS Lothian is seeing an unprecedented demand on services and waiting times for treatments are unacceptably long.”

If only there was a magic money tree …

Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund has rebuked the UK Tory Government’s reckless ‘growth plan’ …