Edinburgh North & Leith MP Deirdre Brock has called for the UK government to rethink the accelerated timetable for pension change. The local MP’s call comes as the SNP launch a report into the impact of state pension age changes on women born in the 1950s. Continue reading Brock calls for pension reforms rethink
North and Leith MP Deirdre Brock has been appointed to sit on Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee. Continue reading Brock joins Scottish Affairs committee
Prime Minister Theresa May will set out her ambition for the UK to become the global leader in free trade when she attends G20 summit
The Prime Minister will set out her ambition for the UK to become the global leader in free trade when she attends her first G20 Summit in China today. The Prime Minister intends to use the summit to robustly champion free trade while underlining the need to do more to spread the benefits and build a fairer economy for all.
Prime Minister: “We must make life easier for the majority of people in this country who just about manage”
The Prime Minister will today reaffirm her commitment to pursue a bold programme of social reform, chairing a new Cabinet committee focused on making Britain better for everyone, not just the privileged few. Continue reading Theresa May: Making Britain better for everyone
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has announced measures to support and stimulate the economy in the wake of the EU referendum.
Capital spending on projects to support and create employment will be accelerated, starting with an additional £100 million of funding in this financial year. The capital funding will be used to speed up delivery of health and other infrastructure projects.
Projects will be assessed for accelerated funding against a range of criteria including how quickly work can start, the number of jobs that will be supported or created, the likely impact on the supply chain and geographic spread.
The Scottish Government will also set up a new dedicated service to provide information and support to businesses affected by the EU referendum, while a new Post-Referendum Business Network will work closely with the main business bodies, the STUC and the Scotland Office.
The plans were announced at the Golden Jubilee which will receive an extra £5 million to bring expansion of its elective centre forward from 2018-19 to this year.
Further details of the Capital Acceleration Programme, including the projects to be supported by the initial £100 million of additional funding and details of funding for future years, will be announced in due course.
The First Minister also called on the UK Government to give early certainty about EU Structural Funds and to urgently announce its own economic stimulus package, which would enable the Scottish Government to do even more to accelerate capital spending.
The First Minister said: “As I have made clear since the EU referendum, the Scottish Government will pursue all possible options to protect Scotland’s relationship with the EU and ensure that our voice is heard.
“However, it is also important to act now to support and stimulate the economy.
“Scotland is and remains an attractive and stable place to do business – however, there is no doubt that the referendum outcome has created deep and widespread uncertainty, with the impact on jobs and investment already being felt.
“The UK Government has not yet taken any meaningful action to alleviate uncertainty or to boost confidence.
“Scotland is and remains an attractive and stable place to do business – however, there is no doubt that the referendum outcome has created deep and widespread uncertainty, with the impact on jobs and investment already being felt.
“The UK Government has not yet taken any meaningful action to alleviate uncertainty or to boost confidence, and there are very real concerns that the damage to the economy and to jobs will be severe and long lasting.
“It is against this background that the Scottish Government is announcing early action to boost confidence, stimulate economic activity and support business.
“Our Infrastructure Investment Plan is already delivering major infrastructure improvements, with projects worth almost £6 billion currently under construction – we will now inject a further £100 million of spending this year to accelerate planned projects.
“We will also provide business with wider support to help them navigate the uncertainty caused by the referendum result. Business organisations have asked for a single point of contact and we will shortly launch a new Business Information Service that will provide up-to-date information and advice, and answer questions from individual businesses, going some way to alleviate business concerns about the future.
“We will also establish a new Post-Referendum Business Network, to work more closely and collaboratively with the main business bodies, the STUC and the Scotland Office to help shape future policy and support for business.
“These three initial measures will help support new and existing jobs and alleviate business concerns at this difficult time.
“However, it is important that the UK government also acts and I am calling today for urgent action on two fronts – firstly, early assurance about EU Structural Funds and, second, a UK wide stimulus package which, through consequential funding, would enable the Scottish Government to do more to accelerate capital spending.”
The STUC has welcomed the announcement. STUC General Secretary Grahame Smith said: “The STUC strongly endorses the approach set out by the First Minister today. The Scottish economy, already weak due to the downturn in the oil and gas sector, risks falling into technical recession as a result of Brexit induced uncertainty. In this context it is important that the Scottish Government accelerates capital projects where feasible in order to support employment.
“The First Minister is also entirely justified in calling on the UK Government to act swiftly to help minimise the economic consequences of their calamitous handling of the referendum and its aftermath. With borrowing costs at a historic low, now is the time to invest to support jobs in the present and increase the economy’s capacity to grow sustainably in the future.
“The STUC looks forward to making a positive contribution as a member of the new Post Referendum Business Network.”
Employers organisation CBI Scotland also welcomed the infrastructure investment. Hugh Aitken, CBI Scotland Director, said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to boosting growth through infrastructure spending and look forward to seeing more details.
“Progress on the Glasgow airport link, together with improvements to the A82, A96 and A9 are projects previously identified by businesses as vital, alongside advances in digital infrastructure.
“Firms will also be encouraged by the Scottish Government’s pledge to work closely with the Scotland Office as it engages with firms following the EU Referendum.
“Our members stand ready to work alongside both the Scottish and the UK Governments as companies seek clarity on trade, regulation, access to talent and protection for the economic and social benefits of EU funded projects.
“As options for the future take shape, it will be more important than ever for both governments to partner with businesses in navigating their approach.”
Opposition parties do not believe the stimulus is enough, however. Scotland Secretary David Mundell said Ms Sturgeon should rule out a second independence referendum to restore business confidence, while Labour’s Jackie Baillie said the £100 million commitment ‘feels like a drop in the ocean‘.
Scottish Labour Economy spokesperson Jackie Baillie said: “It is welcome that the First Minister has agreed with Labour’s calls to bring forward infrastructure spending to stimulate the economy, although the SNP could be much bolder with this investment.
“For context the SNP announced £100 million today – the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow cost £850 million and the Queensferry Crossing will cost over £1 billion. Any investment is welcome but this feels like a drop in the ocean.
“Labour outlined a series of policies in our Brexit Action Plan two weeks ago including the establishment of a Brexit support fund for at risk sectors. The SNP Government should adopt this Labour policy to give support to key industries.
“Today’s announcement must be only the start of the increased investment. Nicola Sturgeon must stop the cuts her government is imposing on public services in Scotland. The SNP Government is cutting hundreds of millions of pounds from schools and local services, our police force is facing cuts and our health boards are tens of millions in the red. It is not sustainable. Any post-Brexit stimulus from both the SNP and Tory Governments must include an end to austerity.
“Labour will continue to make the case to use the new tax powers of the Scottish Parliament to invest in our economy and stop the cuts to public services. The recent interventions from senior SNP figures like Kenny MacAskill show that a debate about tax is very much back on the agenda.”
You can read Labour’s Post Brexit Action Plan here
A Nigerian woman has been sentenced to 22 years in prison for attempting to traffic Nigerian girls through Heathrow Airport to work as sex workers in brothels across Europe. Continue reading Gang leader jailed over trafficked girls
Our political leaders have been quick off the blocks to support British athletes taking part in the Olympic Games.
Continue reading Political leaders in race to support Team GB in Rio
Charities and campaigners at the forefront of efforts to end modern slavery in the UK and overseas took part in a roundtable hosted by the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, and the UK’s Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner Kevin Hyland on Monday.
The meeting, also attended by Minister for Vulnerability, Safeguarding and Countering Extremism, Sarah Newton, highlighted the UK’s commitment to ending slavery and to set out new measures and support announced by the Prime Minister including:
The new support comes one year on from the introduction of the Modern Slavery Act which increased penalties for offenders, protected victims from criminalisation, and created the role of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner.
As well as the new measures announced, an independent report by barrister Caroline Haughey highlights good progress in the first year of the act – 289 modern slavery offences were prosecuted in 2015 and there was a 40% rise in the number of victims referred for support – and identifies opportunities to do more.
Following the roundtable, the Home Secretary had the opportunity to meet a survivor of modern slavery: ‘J’ who was trafficked from Asia to the UK and held for 2 years by her captors.
Home Secretary Amber Rudd said: “While we can never truly understand the suffering experienced by victims of modern slavery, we will continue to take action to end this abhorrent crime.
I will work with the Prime Minister and all those campaigners and charities at the roundtable to ensure this government delivers for every victim both here and overseas. The harrowing experiences of victims like J will only intensify the government’s actions to end modern slavery.”
Those charities that attended the roundtable included Barnados, the Salvation Army, Medaille Trust, Human Trafficking Foundation, Anti-Slavery International, Hestia and End Child Prostitution, Child Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes (ECPAT UK).
J decided to come to the UK to study and to have a better future and was exploited by a woman from her own community.
Once in London, J wanted to improve her language skills and decided to do so by volunteering in a store-café owned by a woman from her own community within London. J had met this woman at the temple, and she trusted her dearly. For 2 years she was forced to work for 14 hours a day with only 2 toilet breaks and no lunch or dinner time. She was not paid and was forced to miss days at college in order to staff the store.
The owner of the store used to mistreat her and the other ‘employees’, threatening them and their families to ensure that they did not report it to the police. Furthermore, the lady withheld the use of heating during the winter and did not allow the ‘employees’ to eat or drink during ‘working’ hours.
In August 2014, a police officer from the British Transport Police managed to befriend J. The police referred the case to the Salvation Army, who then referred the case to Hestia. J was then welcomed into Hestia’s safe-house accommodation and feels she has finally found some peace.
The Prime Minister has written an article explaining how her government will lead the way in defeating modern slavery.
A year ago the Modern Slavery Act that I brought forward as Home Secretary came into force. Continue reading PM Theresa May: Defeating modern slavery
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon held ‘constructive talks’ with the Prime Minister Theresa May at Bute House on Friday. The First Minister welcomed the Prime Minister to Edinburgh on what was her first official visit since coming into office.
Following the meeting, the First Minister said: “It was a constructive and very good discussion.
“The Prime Minister and I have big political disagreements but we are both women who approach business in a similar way, so I think we can have a good working relationship not withstanding those political differences.
“I was very pleased that Theresa May said that she was absolutely willing to consider any options that the Scottish Government now brings forward to secure Scotland’s relationship with the European Union. The process that is now taken forward by the UK Government will be open and flexible and the Scottish Government will be fully involved in that.
“These negotiations have yet to take shape and the UK Government don’t yet know exactly how they will proceed from here, but there is an agreement that Scottish Government officials will be very closely involved in discussions to give shape to this process and will be involved in that process. Crucially, and this is the most important point from my point of view, is that that process will be open to considering options that the Scottish Government brings forward.”
The First Minister reiterated to the Prime Minister that she will make sure Scotland’s interests are protected and she will continue to examine every option possible, including a second independence referendum. She added:
“I’ve said previously that if we want to protect our relationship with the European Union then Scotland may have to consider becoming an independent member. If it proves not to be possible to fully protect Scotland’s interests through the UK process then the Prime Minister knows that a second independence referendum is of course on the table.
“However, I’ve also been consistently clear that I want to examine all options for protecting Scotland’s position, protecting our interests, protecting our relationship with the EU. That’s why I’ve assembled a team of experts that will advise me on the options that might exist, and it was very important today to get a commitment from the Prime Minister to listen to options that the Scottish Government will bring forward.”
The Prime Ministers’s visit, coming less than 48 hours after being invited by Her Majesty The Queen to form a government, emphasised Mrs May’s ‘strong personal support’ for the Union in talks with the First Minister at Bute House.
The Prime Minister also affirmed the government’s commitment to fully engaging with the Scottish Government in the forthcoming negotiations about the UK’s exit from the European Union.
Speaking ahead of the visit, the Prime Minister said: “I believe with all my heart in the United Kingdom – the precious bond between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This visit to Scotland is my first as Prime Minister and I’m coming here to show my commitment to preserving this special union that has endured for centuries.
“And I want to say something else to the people of Scotland too: the government I lead will always be on your side. Every decision we take, every policy we take forward, we will stand up for you and your family – not the rich, the mighty or the powerful.
“That’s because I believe in a union, not just between the nations of the United Kingdom, but between all of our citizens. Whether it’s reforming the economy or strengthening our society, we are going to build a better Britain and a nation that works for everyone – not just the privileged few.”
