Category Archives: Scotland

UK weather: warnings remain in force across country as temperatures to fall as low as -20C

Posted on by

Snow, ice and fog yellow weather warnings remain in force across the UK as snow and sleet cause disruption to transport

It’s a very cold morning in Ireland with widespread frost and ice lingering, says the Irish meteorological service, Met Éireann.

In a post on X, Met Éireann said:

Sunny spells will develop later with just a scattering of cloud in a cold northerly breeze.

A few isolated wintry showers will drift in over Connacht and Ulster for a time but elsewhere should hold dry.”

Continue reading...

MPs call for greater criticism of Israel’s policies over Gaza – UK politics live

Posted on by

Palestinians trapped in a ‘doom loop of hell’, MPs told

At the end of last week Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary and runner-up in last year’s Tory leadership contest, said the child abuse grooming scandal started with “mass migration” and “importing hundreds of thousands of people from alien cultures, who possess medieval attitudes towards women”. In response Samuel Kasumu, a former Tory adviser on race issues, said that comments like that could lead to people being killed, while Kemi Badenoch defended her colleague.

In an inteview on the Today programme this morning, asked if Kasumu’s comments made him reconsider his views, Jenrick replied:

That’s complete nonsense. MPs have been killed in this country in recent times by a jihadist and by a neo-Nazi. They were killed because of the views of those individuals, not what anything an MP has said. We have to fight extremism in this country, wherever we find it, and you fight that by standing up to the extremists, you don’t fight it by shying away, by turning a blind eye, by looking the other way.

I’m not going to tiptoe around this issue. Millions of people in our country are listening to your programme this morning, and they are appalled by what is happening to young girls, and they are shocked that there might be girls in that situation today. We have to stop this.

I think some people who come from that country do. I’m not saying everybody.

NR: Did Sajid Javid’s family [the former Tory chancellor] come with a medieval culture to this county?

RJ: I’m saying some people do.

Robert Jenrick’s attempt to exploit this appalling scandal for his own political gain is completely shameless. He didn’t lift a finger to help the victims when a minister, now he’s jumping on the bandwagon and acting like a pound shop Farage.

Kemi Badenoch should sack him as shadow justice secretary and condemn his divisive comments, instead of letting him run a leadership campaign under her nose.

Continue reading...

Scottish man killed while serving as medic with Ukrainian army

Posted on by

Jordan Maclachlan, 26, died on Friday while serving on the frontline in Ukraine, his family says

A Scottish man has been killed while serving on the frontline with the Ukrainian army, his family has said.

Jordan Maclachlan, 26, from Ardnamurchan in the Scottish Highlands, died on Friday while serving as a medic with the Ukrainian army, his family told the BBC.

Continue reading...

Swinney to warn opposition of fuelling populism if Scottish budget not passed

Posted on by

Scottish Labour, Greens and Lib Dem MSPs accuse first minister of ‘creating false narrative’

John Swinney, Scotland’s first minister, will warn opposition parties that they will fuel populist forces if they prevent his budget from being passed this month.

In a keynote speech in Edinburgh on Monday to mark the new year, Swinney will say Scottish voters would be astonished and public services damaged if MSPs fail to allow the budget to go through.

Continue reading...

UK charity steps up campaign against child hygiene poverty

Posted on by

The Multibank, founded by Gordon Brown, receives boost with Amazon-led drive for 250,000 items this month

A charity founded by the former prime minister Gordon Brown is to increase its campaign efforts against child hygiene poverty this year.

The Multibank, which was founded by the former Labour leader, is working with a number of sports clubs across Britain and the Hygiene Bank charity. Over the Christmas and new year period it collected thousands of hygiene products at sporting fixtures.

Continue reading...

UK weather warnings in place as country hit by snow and freezing rain – live updates

Posted on by

Amber warnings for snow and freezing rain in place for much of Wales and England while second snow warning affects most of northern England

Some pictures of heavy snow from the Pennines

Heavy snow is threatening to postpone Manchester United’s Premier League game with Liverpool on Sunday.

Continue reading...

‘Eyewatering’ £100m spent on repairs in Scotland’s ‘ferry fiasco’ over past decade

Posted on by

Government plans for publicly funded operator CalMac have been mired in controversy, with replacement vessels delayed and costs spiralling

Almost £100m has been spent over the past decade on repairs for eight of the largest publicly owned ferries in Scotland.

The figure has been described as “eye-watering” by Sue Webber, transport spokesperson for the Scottish Conservatives, who obtained details of the repair bill from ferry operator CalMac.

Continue reading...

UK weather: power cuts, traffic chaos and cancelled flights due to heavy snow

Posted on by

Closed roads, multi-vehicle collisions and train problems reported as Met Office warnings remain in place

Homes were left without power, roads were closed, cars stranded, and flights and train services disrupted on Saturday as heavy snow and freezing rain hit much of the UK.

The National Grid said on Saturday night that power was cut to properties across the Midlands, south-west England and south Wales, including Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff, and that work was under way to get services restored.

Continue reading...

Man arrested over fatal alleged hit-and-run in Paisley

Posted on by

Police say 18-year-old released pending further inquiries over death of Elizabeth Kennedy, 70, on New Year’s Eve

An 18-year-old man has been arrested after a woman died during an alleged hit-and-run incident in Renfrewshire on New Year’s Eve.

Elizabeth Kennedy, 70, was pronounced dead at the scene after being struck by a car on Barrhead Road in Paisley at 7pm on Tuesday.

Continue reading...

Ice warning and travel alerts in UK as temperatures drop after flooding

Posted on by

Disruption expected as rain turns to snow, after major flooding incident declared in Greater Manchester

An ice warning is in force for much of the UK as temperatures have dropped, after a major incident was declared due to flooding.

The yellow Met Office warning indicates there could be some difficult travel conditions across Scotland, Northern Ireland and north Wales, and stretching down to the Midlands, until 10am on Thursday.

Continue reading...

Why Scottish students at Edinburgh University want more support to counter classism

Posted on by

Only 25% of institution’s students are from Scotland, and they are more likely to be from working-class backgrounds

From the first day Shanley Breese started her law degree at the University of Edinburgh, she encountered demeaning comments about her accent. She was told she was hard to understand and was asked to repeat herself in tutorials when she used words from the Scots language.

“It was just a little thing to differentiate us and point it out … It meant that I didn’t participate in my tutorials,” she says.

Continue reading...

UK weather: Storm Darragh to bring 80mph gusts as amber wind warning issued

Posted on by

Fourth named storm of the season follows concern over lack of flooding warnings for Storm Bert last week

An amber warning for wind has been issued for large parts of the UK, with power cuts and flying debris possible amid the arrival of the fourth named storm of the season.

Storm Darragh is expected to bring gusts of up to 80mph and heavy rain late on Friday and into Saturday.

Continue reading...

Two-child benefit cap ‘will be scrapped’ in Scotland, vows SNP

Posted on by

Scotland’s finance secretary, Shona Robison, reveals plans in budget to end ‘pernicious’ policy

The Scottish government has unveiled plans to scrap Westminster’s controversial two-child benefit cap to lift thousands of “children out of poverty”.

Scotland’s finance secretary, Shona Robison, said her budget for the coming year “offers hope for Scotland’s future”, announcing that the two-child cap on benefits would be scrapped in Scotland as she pledged record spending for both the NHS and councils.

Continue reading...

Letter from 1300 in support of Scottish hero William Wallace goes on display

Posted on by

Fragile, rarely seen artefact sent by the King of France was briefly available for public view on St Andrew's Day

An important letter in support of Scottish hero William Wallace has been put on display on St Andrew’s Day.

More than 250 people turned up on Saturday to see the fragile document, which was only on display for five hours to protect it from too much daylight.

Continue reading...

Russia imposes travel ban on cabinet ministers, calling it retaliation for ‘Russophobic’ policies – UK politics live

Posted on by

Kremlin bans UK cabinet ministers including Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Yveette Cooper from entering country

The Federation of Small Businesses applauds the ambition in the government’s Get Britain Working, but says that overcoming the “pervasive poverty of ambition” about employment in the public sector won’t be easy. This is from Tina McKenzie, the FSB’s policy chair.

This is a start – but only a start – in fixing the pervasive poverty of ambition in the Jobcentre, health and other state systems when it comes to getting people back into work. Increasing employment is ultimately the most sure-fire way to drive up living standards and economic growth.

Ministers have a huge job to persuade public institutions that work is good for health and that everyone who needs work should be helped to get a job or start-up in self-employment – not least getting rid of the idea that the only good work is in graduate jobs, the public sector or volunteering.

The ambition behind the 80 per cent employment target is both clear and important ..

To deliver on this policy agenda, government and small businesses must work in partnership to drive real change through the whole employment system and make sure the country is helping those who most need work.

It is right to ensure that young people who are seeking work are helped to find a job or training. Positive early experiences in the jobs market are vital for young people’s future life chances. They must be supported to take part, not faced with self-defeating sanctions.

Success will also depend on ministers making the investment that’s needed in health services and quality training. Jobcentre staff must have a central role in redesigning their services, and devolution must never come at the cost of staff terms and conditions.

Continue reading...

Several people killed amid ‘unprecedented’ flooding as Storm Bert batters Britain

Posted on by

Rhondda Cynon Taf declares emergency as at least four deaths reported across England and Wales

Several people have been killed as Storm Bert battered the UK, with a major incident declared in south Wales.

At least four deaths have been reported in England and Wales since the storm hit amid flooding brought by heavy rain and thawing snow. Thousands of homes have been left without power.

Continue reading...

Millions of tourists in UK could be asked to pay local visitor levy

Posted on by

Councils, politicians and campaigners hope a ‘tourist tax’ would raise money to fund services in areas affected by high visitor numbers

Millions of tourists to the UK could soon be asked to pay a local visitor levy as cash-strapped councils try to raise money to fund services.

Nearly half of Scotland’s local councils are considering a mandatory levy on overnight stays, known as a tourist tax, to help cope with a surge in visitors that has overwhelmed places such as Skye, the Callanish stones on Lewis and Orkney’s neolithic sites.

Continue reading...

Snow closes roads and railway lines as Storm Bert hits UK

Posted on by

Weather warnings for wind, rain and snow cover much of country, with 16 flood alerts in place

Storm Bert has hit the UK, with snow closing roads and strong rains and winds expected to cause further travel disruption and potential flooding.

Weather warnings and 13 flood alerts have come into effect across much of the country.

Continue reading...

UK weather: Met Office warnings as ‘multi-hazard’ Storm Bert approaches

Posted on by

Several weather warnings in place for weekend, with snow, wind, rain and ice predicted

Storm Bert is expected to bring wind, rain, ice and snow to much of the UK over the weekend in what forecasters have called a “multi-hazard event”.

The Met Office has issued several weather warnings – mostly yellow, but also including the more severe amber in Scotland – for Saturday and Sunday.

Continue reading...

Three men arrested after bomb squad called to bus station in Glasgow

Posted on by

Bus station closed after report of ‘potential suspicious item’ but Police Scotland say ‘nothing suspicious found’ after controlled explosion

Three men have been arrested and a controlled explosion was carried out after a bus station was closed for several hours after reports of a “potential suspicious item” found in the area.

Police Scotland said at about 9.40pm on Wednesday that nothing suspicious was found, despite the controlled explosion at Buchanan bus station.

Continue reading...