On the one year anniversary of her passing, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak reflects on the life and service of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II:
The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Today, on the solemn anniversary of the passing of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, our thoughts are with His Majesty King Charles III and the whole Royal Family.
With the perspective of a year, the scale of Her Late Majesty’s service only seems greater. Her devotion to the nations of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth only seems deeper. And our gratitude for such an extraordinary life of duty and dedication, only continues to grow.
I treasure my memories of those occasions when I met Her Late Majesty, in particular the private audience I had with her at Buckingham Palace before presenting my first Budget as Chancellor. I was struck by her wisdom, by her incredible warmth and grace, but also her sharp wit.
People across the UK – whether they had the good fortune to meet Her Late Majesty or not – will be reflecting today on what she meant to them and the example she set for us all. We will cherish those memories.
The bond between country and monarch is sacred. It endures. So, while we continue to mourn Her Late Majesty’s passing, we should be proud that this remarkable legacy of service – and this remarkable bond – continues to grow today under the reign of His Majesty The King.”
Tribute to our Sovereign and Patron, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
The Royal British Legion Scotland is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our Sovereign and Patron, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Queen Elizabeth served as our Patron since her accession in 1952, taking over this role from her father, King George VI, and earlier her grandfather, King George V, who had been Patrons of Legion Scotland before her.
The Queen granted us the Royal title in 1971, the year of the Legion’s Golden Jubilee. Legion Scotland then led the organisation of the 20th Annual Conference of the British Commonwealth Ex Services League in Edinburgh in May 1977, where the Queen attended the reception.
In 1981 she carried out the Royal Review where she was joined by 3000 Legionnaires in Holyrood Park to mark our Diamond Jubilee. We have also been honoured annually to receive her greetings and well wishes to our members on the occasion of our Conference, as well as her congratulations last year when Legion Scotland marked our centenary.
Throughout her reign, the Queen has diligently served as Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces. Her relationship with the Armed Forces began before her accession when she joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1945. On doing so, she became the first female member of the Royal Family to serve as a full-time active member of the Armed Forces.
As Head of the Armed Forces, the Queen was also committed to honouring the service and sacrifice of the entire Armed Forces community, leading the nation in moments of Remembrance each November.
Her Majesty had a tireless devotion to our nation and has been an inspiration to us all. We are immensely thankful for her faithful lifetime of service. We join the entire Armed Forces community in mourning her loss and our sincere condolences are with the Royal Family at this time.
‘I speak to you today with feelings of profound sorrow. Throughout her life, Her Majesty The Queen – my beloved Mother – was an inspiration and example to me and to all my family, and we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example.
‘Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived; a promise with destiny kept and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.
‘Alongside the personal grief that all my family are feeling, we also share with so many of you in the United Kingdom, in all the countries where The Queen was Head of State, in the Commonwealth and across the world, a deep sense of gratitude for the more than 70 years in which my Mother, as Queen, served the people of so many nations.
‘In 1947, on her 21st birthday, she pledged in a broadcast from Cape Town to the Commonwealth to devote her life, whether it be short or long, to the service of her peoples.
‘That was more than a promise: it was a profound personal commitment which defined her whole life. She made sacrifices for duty.
‘Her dedication and devotion as Sovereign never waivered, through times of change and progress, through times of joy and celebration, and through times of sadness and loss.
‘In her life of service we saw that abiding love of tradition, together with that fearless embrace of progress, which make us great as Nations. The affection, admiration and respect she inspired became the hallmark of her reign.
‘And, as every member of my family can testify, she combined these qualities with warmth, humour and an unerring ability always to see the best in people.
‘I pay tribute to my Mother’s memory and I honour her life of service. I know that her death brings great sadness to so many of you and I share that sense of loss, beyond measure, with you all.
‘When The Queen came to the throne, Britain and the world were still coping with the privations and aftermath of the Second World War, and still living by the conventions of earlier times.
‘In the course of the last 70 years we have seen our society become one of many cultures and many faiths.
‘The institutions of the State have changed in turn. But, through all changes and challenges, our nation and the wider family of Realms – of whose talents, traditions and achievements I am so inexpressibly proud – have prospered and flourished. Our values have remained, and must remain, constant.
‘The role and the duties of Monarchy also remain, as does the Sovereign’s particular relationship and responsibility towards the Church of England – the Church in which my own faith is so deeply rooted.
‘In that faith, and the values it inspires, I have been brought up to cherish a sense of duty to others, and to hold in the greatest respect the precious traditions, freedoms and responsibilities of our unique history and our system of parliamentary government.
‘As The Queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I too now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the Constitutional principles at the heart of our nation.
‘And wherever you may live in the United Kingdom, or in the Realms and territories across the world, and whatever may be your background or beliefs, I shall endeavour to serve you with loyalty, respect and love, as I have throughout my life.
‘My life will of course change as I take up my new responsibilities.
‘It will no longer be possible for me to give so much of my time and energies to the charities and issues for which I care so deeply. But I know this important work will go on in the trusted hands of others.
‘This is also a time of change for my family. I count on the loving help of my darling wife, Camilla.
‘In recognition of her own loyal public service since our marriage 17 years ago, she becomes my Queen Consort. I know she will bring to the demands of her new role the steadfast devotion to duty on which I have come to rely so much.
‘As my Heir, William now assumes the Scottish titles which have meant so much to me. He succeeds me as Duke of Cornwall and takes on the responsibilities for the Duchy of Cornwall which I have undertaken for more than five decades.
‘Today, I am proud to create him Prince of Wales, Tywysog Cymru, the country whose title I have been so greatly privileged to bear during so much of my life and duty.
‘With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the centre ground where vital help can be given.
‘I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.
‘In a little over a week’s time we will come together as a nation, as a Commonwealth and indeed a global community, to lay my beloved mother to rest. In our sorrow, let us remember and draw strength from the light of her example.
‘On behalf of all my family, I can only offer the most sincere and heartfelt thanks for your condolences and support. They mean more to me than I can ever possibly express.
‘And to my darling Mama, as you begin your last great journey to join my dear late Papa, I want simply to say this: thank you. Thank you for your love and devotion to our family and to the family of nations you have served so diligently all these years.
‘May “flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest”.’
King Charles III will be officially proclaimed monarch during an ancient Accession Council ceremony which will be televised for the first time this morning.
Charles automatically became King on the death of his mother, but the Accession Council, attended by Privy Counsellors, will confirm his new role at 10am today.
The world’s first gold sovereign coins to be minted using a gold and platinum alloy – created to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee – have sold out in record time.
Created by leading coin experts Hattons of London to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s incredible 70 year reign, the coins feature celebratory portraits of the Queen at landmark moments throughout her seven-decade reign.
And after selling out despite being launched less than three weeks ago, the collection has gone down as the fastest-ever selling product in Hattons of London’s history.
Minted with an exclusive blend of 22 carat gold enriched with 2 carats of platinum, the sovereigns were a world first.
Hattons of London MD, Simon Mellinger, said: “The Platinum Jubilee is a momentous occasion and by using an exclusive blend of 22 carat gold enriched with 2 carats of platinum, we have created a fitting tribute to the Queen’s 70 years of service to our country, that like Her Majesty, will stand the test of time.
“The demand for the product we’ve had has been phenomenal, and has far outstripped supply.
“We expected a lot of interest in the coins, but the speed at which the collection has sold out has been unbelievable. It seems that collectors have recognised the significance of this year’s Platinum Jubilee and have been keen to add a special piece of memorabilia to their collections.
“What’s been particularly interesting is that demand hasn’t just been from coin collectors – there’s been a much wider appeal from the general public, who also want them as a commemoration of this important, and maybe never-to-be repeated, Royal anniversary.”
The coins feature portraits of Her Majesty which had never before featured on sovereign coins, including images of the Queen’s 1952 Coronation, her Silver and Diamond Jubilees, as well as a portrait of Her Majesty around the time of her becoming our longest reigning monarch in 2015.
The design on the smallest denomination in the range, the one-eighth sovereign, features the royal cypher of Elizabeth II with a celebratory garland of roses, thistles, leeks and shamrocks to represent the nations of the United Kingdom. This garlanded-cypher also features on each of the other coins in the series.
Mr Mellinger said there were plans for an additional Platinum Jubilee collection later this year.
“We normally only bring out one limited collection to celebrate a milestone event or anniversary, but given the interest and the significance of the occasion, we’re currently considering adding to our Platinum Jubilee range with a new collection this year,” he added.
Hattons of London is a leading expert in rare and exclusive coins with a vast collection which includes the Queen Victoria 200th anniversary range, featuring the first 24 carat gold twenty pound sovereign.
WWII veteran and long-time NEN supporter Tony Delahoy is 99 today.
Community stalwart Tony has shared his views by contributing letters to this community newspaper for more than fifty years.
We’ve witnessed so many changes over that period, put one thing that’s never changed is Tony’s unswerving commitment to the causes he holds most dear: social justice, public ownership and the National Health Service.
As our favourite Silverknowes socialist enters his 100th year, we publish below a selection of ten letters on Tony’s favourite themes; one for each decade of his long life.
Happy Birthday, Tony: long may you continue to fight the good fight. Hasta la victoria siempre!
MY TEARS
My tears are for all children, women and men who are suffering extreme poverty and starvation.
My tears are for all animals, birds and wildlife.
My tears are because of all the cruelty and the destruction of trees and natural habitat.
But my tears are not tears of despair, they are tears of knowing how different things could be.
We have allowed a relatively few powerful financial organisations to control and exploit – with unbelievable callousness – people, animals and the natural environment for their private profit.
These same people created the biggest financial mess ever seen worldwide and are now passing it on to everyone.
This “system” must be changed.
Wealth created by the work of people must be used for the benefit of all people; we would then be able to deal with all these terrible problems.
July 2012
THE AIR WE BREATHE
Financial organisations are operating heavily in ore mining, oil extraction, shale drilling, coal mining and – worst of all – they are active in the destruction of the world’s forests.
The rapid destruction has now reached 70% of our forests. Behind these ghastly figures stand the faceless multinational financial organisations.
The felling of the world’s trees reduces the ability of the forests to produce the oxygen that we humans need to breathe. The rate of oxygen decrease is destructive to humans, animals and sea stocks.
We have the knowledge of this terrible destruction being carried out by these exploiters. The oxygen cannot be replaced because the forest has been chopped down – it has gone!
We know who is doing this and they know who they are – causing catastrophe!
Our government – all governments – must immediately stop this destruction of the rain forests, the soil erosion and the terrifying population displacement.
November2021
EU’VE BEEN DUPED
The UK-wide confusion caused by the referendum resulted in an approximately 50-50 split. It is now obvious that many things told by the ‘Leave’ side were untrue and misleading.
It is always easy to blame others for misfortunes; the Leave side did this quite successfully in parts of the UK. It shows once again the power of publicity in shaping minds and attitudes.
It was not the EU that imposed tremendous cuts of all kinds on working people over the last six years, it was the Conservative Party government, in which most of the leaders of the ‘Leave’ campaign served and supported.
These same people have led 50% of the population to think the EU is to blame: and what is more, they have created a situation where further cuts on working people will be made.
At this most serious moment when the Labour movement must unite in resisting the imposition of further cuts and proposing an alternative programme of social progress, opponents of such a position have chosen to split the PArty by their actions of resignation. Why? This action can can only benefit the very people whey should be opposing: the Conservative government.
As the recent referendum has shown, Divide and Rule is a long-tried Tory policy and it is still working for them.
July 2016
THE TORIES’ COMING ATTACK
For most people the recent years have been very hard. It has also showed a determination in volunteering for so many organisations, particularly the NHS.
As a whole, the foresight shown in establishing the NHS in 1948 has kept us in it’s care since that time.
This public service must be protected at all times from those who voted against it’s formation in 1948: namely, the Conservatives.
The reason this letter is headed ‘The Tories’ Coming Attack‘ is that the Conservatives are now moving to reorganise the NHS and care sector, letting private bodies have control over the running of the organisation in a major step towards a Private Health Service.
This must NOT be allowed to happen!
October 2021
SOMETHING BETTER CHANGE
For too long the working population has been told that decision-making on investment is the province of the wealthy and very well off, and it is they who create the nation’s wealth. The arrogance and stupidity of such a claim shows the value they place on the working population’s contribution to that wealth.
Listed below are a few respective contributions:
Investors: It takes minimum effort and little time of one day to move money around through financial markets seeking a higher rate of profit.
Workers: If employed full-time, spend the best part of one whole day working and getting to and from work.
Investors: Their investment is usually short-term, then switching to maximise profit.
Workers: Their investment is life-long commitment to work.
Investors: Having the power of decision-making to hire and fire and even closing down places of work, showing no responsibility for workers or country.
Workers: Have lifetime commitment to home and provision for the family in all respects.
Investors: Employ tax lawyers to seek ways of reducing amounts due; alternatively hide their money in offshore tax havens avoiding tax altogether.
Workers: Income tax is taken from their wage packets, VAT on products and services.
Further, the political representatives of the wealthy have continued to starve local councils of funds to maintain community life, forcing savage cuts to all services. They now have the audacity to tell local councils to sell public assets of all kinds, buildings and land. This is where investors will step in to make a killing out of the people who created and paid for their public services, buildings and land, maintenance of parks, gardens, sports areas and open spaces.
Can all this be justified? The answer can only be NO, the way things are done must change, because if not there will be no end to the endless cycle of unemployment, hardship and unhappiness.
December 2015
NORMANDY AND THE LESSONS LEARNED
So many important anniversaries occur in 2014, being recalled with differing emotions. As a Normandy veteran I hope the following words will contribute to a peaceful world…
To remember and celebrate is not to glorify militarism but to show the united will of people for a peaceful world.
It is so important that the events of the 1930s and 1940s are told to each generation so they can avoid the mistakes made during that period: the mistake of tolerating discrimination, the mistake of letting vested interests ignore the aspiration of Fascism to expand their domination over all, leading to World War.
It was the ordinary people of all lands who finally defeated evil: it is the ordinary people of all lands, armed with the knowledge of the past, that will safeguard our futures.
July 2014
AUSTERITY: NEVER AGAIN!
When the banks crashed through mismanagement and greed most were bailed out by the government, using public money to do so.
People were told that everyone was ‘in it together’.
But as we know from thise years, the government embarked onn what they called Austerity, in whih wages were frozen for years; prices were rising; major cuts were made in services of all kinds;unemployment and zero hours contracts grew.
The years of tremendous sacrifices made by the people in their lives have now been forgotten by employers and government alike.
In fact there is an indication that both of these are preparing the repeat of austerity, more severe than the last – and that will last much longer.
The people must not allow this to happen again!
The investors and financial institutions are intent to make everyone pay and once again decimate the lives of all people.
May 2021
PUBLIC SERVICES MORE VITAL THAN EVER
The National Health Service has always been valued as a people’s organisation. This value has always been appreciated – but never more so than today.
This lesson on the importance of people’s services shows the way our society must be run. If the NHS is vital, so are gas, electricity and water. As are the railways, buses and trams. Make them public services, too – serving the people.
The value of the NHS to the people is immense: a publicly funded service, available ever day.
Also ever day, 30 million people travel to and from their places of work using rail, bus and tram.
Work, in order to live, is a necessity. These transport industries must also become part of a fully funded, publically owned service with the NHS. It can be arranged and organised as a public service.
The NHS has been our lifeline. People have always guarded the principle of a service of the people.
How right that is!
May 2020
WINNERS AND LOSERS OF THE GLOBAL RACE
The repeated use of certain words and phrases, for example ‘let me be clear’, ‘openness and transparency’, ‘hub’, ‘flat-lining’ are very irritating; and ‘we must win the global race’, often repeated by David Cameron and most Tory politicians, is both annoying and dangerous.
Dangerous; when the state of the world needs nations to work together to solve problems of food production, fuel and energy supplies, diseases, protection of the world’s forests and climate change.
Dangerous; because ‘winning the global race’ means there are losers, creating disastrous unemployment, poverty and health problems.
There are many examples of companies engaged in the ‘global race’, making vast profits in one country, closing industries in others, showing little concern for people’s’ lives and wellbeing. The ‘global race’ does not exclude the working people of the UK from this exploitation.
July 2013
SAVING OUR PUBLIC SERVICES
Local authorities are elected to operate a wide variety of services in their areas, services that keep the community functioning. The trend now is to cut back on what is thought not to be necessary, to offload some to private contractors or to get the community itself to be the provider.
The provision of services that enhance the community are as necessary as the basic ones: for example parks and gardens should have keepers to look after them, schools should have resident caretakers to do the same.
The policy of a continual cuts in services can only lead to more divided and run-down areas, where once again it will be te poorest who suffer the most. This divisive policy has been in fashion nationally since the time of Thatcher; now it has spread to local policies too.
One of the worst aspects of this is the breaking down of communities into individuals: exactly what Thatcher wanted when she said ‘there is no such thing as society’.
If more and more services are run by private companies – whose aim is to make a profit from doing so. It is a dangerous policy for the provision of permanent services – and for those who are unable to pay for them.
There has to be a change from the policy of cut after cut; it is not in the short or long term interest of the community to keep doing so. It is better to promote and work for public services than to give in!
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay presents a fantastic Torchlight Moment pyro show as part of this year’s online celebrations
The dazzling Torchlight Moment is a stand-alone tribute to thank all of Scotland’s NHS and key workers who have worked so tirelessly and selflessly in 2020
The Torchlight Moment will be followed by Fare Well, the UK’s largest ever swarm drone show , narrated by an array of Scottish voices including David Tennant
After an unprecedented year, in which Covid-19 has impacted every part of society in Scotland, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay kicks off the celebrations with a heartfelt thank you from Scotland’s capital city to NHS staff and key workers throughout the country.
Opening this year’s series of virtual celebrations, the stunning multi-coloured flare display was ignited on the Esplanade at Edinburgh Castle. Historically the launchpad for thousands of fireworks lighting up the sky at midnight on Hogmanay, this year pyrotechnics came to life in a flaming tribute to NHS staff and key workers for their continued efforts throughout 2020 in keeping everyone safe and well.
Each letter depicts a different rainbow colour, taking inspiration from the rainbows Scotland the rest of the UK placed in windows and homes across the country during the past year to show support for NHS and key workers.
Over 193 custom-made flares were used to create the moment, which was facilitated by Titanium Fireworks, who have historically delivered Edinburgh’s Hogmanay firework midnight moment.
Forming part of a week-long programme of remarkable online celebrations, the Torchlight Moment will be followed by a three-part film, titled Fare Well, to be released in the three days leading up to Hogmanay.
Fare Well brings together the words of Scots Makar Jackie Kay, the music of NiteWorks from the Isle of Skye, the voices of acclaimed Scottish talent including David Tennant and the pioneering drone technology and filming of Celestial to create the UK’s largest swarm drone display.
Taking inspiration from Scotland’s land and air, the new work takes viewers on a breath-taking visual journey with the help of 150 individual drones from the Scottish Highlands to the capital city, Edinburgh – a journey that closes the year on 2020 and looks forward to a more hopeful year of 2021.
We swing aroon and turn tae the day.
We give thanks fir solidarity; Drap parcels tae food banks. Clap oor haunds frae balconies
fir the gift o’ nurses.
Jackie Kay, Fare Well, Edinburgh’s Hogmanay 2020
Charlie Wood & Ed Bartlam, Directors of Underbelly who produce Edinburgh’s Hogmanay, commented: “At the end of a year no one could have imagined, it was important that we started our week of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay celebrations with a heartfelt thank you to those across the UK who have worked so tirelessly to keep us safe during 2020.
“The NHS and our key workers have provided an immeasurable level of help and support and this Torchlight Moment sings Scotland’s gratitude with flaming torches in front one of our greatest national monuments, Edinburgh Castle.”
City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Councillor Adam McVey, said: “Edinburgh is the home of Hogmanay and this year’s digital celebrations will continue, albeit very differently.
“This is a fantastic and innovative way to pay tribute to all of our front-line workers – both in Scotland and across the globe – that have done so much to support us and keep us safe throughout this year.
“To our NHS staff and key workers – for those in the labs working on vaccines, those in food preparation and delivery, for our refuse collectors, postal workers, supermarket workers, police and so many more – we thank you all from the bottom of our hearts and hope that 2021 brings with it positive change as we battle to suppress and eradicate this virus.
Depute Leader, Councillor Cammy Day said: “We all clapped for carers and put up rainbows in our windows over the summer and now we light rainbow torches to show our enormous gratitude at the end of this year of tremendous strain on all of our communities.
“It’s wonderful to see this excellent online programme coming to life so that the undisputed Home of Hogmanay can still reach so many people around the world. It will serve as a virtual invitation for everyone to look forward to visiting us again when we’re all able to travel and live more freely in the future.”
Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “Scotland is the world-renowned home of Hogmanay and every year thousands of people, right across the globe, look forward to the spectacular of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay to welcome in the New Year.
“Although we’re not able to come together physically to bring in the bells this year, we can enjoy a fully digital programme that continues the tradition of celebrating Hogmanay with poetry, music and performance. I encourage everyone to take part in this year’s series of virtual events and celebrate Hogmanay safely at home.”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “The Torchlight Moment is the perfect way to kick off Edinburgh’s week-long programme of online Hogmanay celebrations while also recognising the incredibly work of our NHS and frontline workers in keeping us safe and well this year.
“By taking this year’s celebrations online, audiences around the world will still be able to enjoy the magic of Edinburgh’s Hogmanay while staying safe at home.”
Harry Cairney, Scotmid President and John Brodie, Chief Executive paid tribute to former employee and Director, John (Ian) Miller.
It is with deep sadness that we pay tribute to the passing of John (Ian) Miller, former employee, Director and East Regional Committee member. John passed away suddenly, aged 72.
Known as John to his friends and colleagues at Scotmid, he served the Society both as an employee and as a democratically elected member. He was Manager at our Penicuik non-food branch for 15 years before starting his own carpet business and went on to serve on the democratic side of the Society, representing Members in our East Region for 17 years and then the Board for 9 years.
It is very sad that John passed away so soon after retiring from our Board and East Regional Committee at the Society’s AGM in September.
John was widely known and respected within the co-operative movement and in his local community. It is difficult to quantify the contribution which he made both to Scotmid and the cooperative movement over many years.
He represented the Society on a wide range of Boards and Committees over the years and was a fouder member of Fairtrade Midlothian. He was a true gentlemen with a firm belief in co-operation and the benefits of the co-operative movement and would champion these at every occasion.
John will be sorely missed by all at Scotmid and our thoughts are with John’s family and friends at this very sad time.
