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The issue of immigration has been a contentious one in British politics for decades, especially after the Brexit referendum in 2016. The Conservative government led by Rishi Sunak has been pursuing a hardline approach, proposing to send asylum seekers to Rwanda for processing and refusing to accept any quota of migrants from the EU. The Labour party, under the leadership of Keir Starmer, has recently unveiled its own migration policy, which aims to strike a balance between humanitarianism and pragmatism. But is Labour’s policy a genuine alternative to the Tories’ “fruitcake” immigration policies, or is it a shift to the…

Israel orders mass evacuation of northern Gaza In October 2023, Israel launched a ground invasion of the Gaza Strip, following a surprise offensive by Hamas that killed more than 1,400 Israelis and took more than 200 hostages into Gaza. Israel ordered all residents in the northern Gaza Strip, including Gaza City, to evacuate southward within 24 hours, affecting more than 1.1 million people. The UN condemned the order as “impossible without devastating humanitarian consequences” and said it created “chaos”. Hamas instructed civilians not to evacuate, and there are reports that Hamas physically hindered Gazans from fleeing to the south. Israel…

The co-chair of the Scottish Greens executive committee, James Puchowski, has announced his resignation from the party’s governing body, citing “increased factionalism, hostility and toxicity” within the party. Puchowski, who was elected to the post in September 2022, said he had been “subjected to a campaign of harassment and intimidation” by some party members who disagreed with his views on various issues. Puchowski’s resignation letter In a letter to the party’s co-leaders, Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater, Puchowski said he had been “deeply disappointed” by the lack of support and solidarity he had received from the party leadership and staff.…

Alex Cole-Hamilton accused of breaking Covid rules and disrespecting democracy The leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Alex Cole-Hamilton, has been urged to explain why he voted from the Scottish Parliament bar during a debate on Covid-19 restrictions. He has been accused of breaking Covid rules and disrespecting democracy by his political opponents. According to The National, Cole-Hamilton used his laptop to cast his vote from the bar on Tuesday, while other MSPs were in the chamber or in their offices. The Scottish Parliament has a hybrid system that allows MSPs to vote remotely or in person, but they are…

From councillor to leader Stephen Flynn, the MP for Aberdeen South, has completed his first year as the leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) at Westminster. He took over the role from Ian Blackford, who stepped down in December 2022 amid rumours of a leadership challenge from Flynn. Flynn, who was born in Dundee and raised in Brechin, studied politics at Dundee University before moving to Aberdeen. He married his wife in 2014 and was elected to Aberdeen City Council in a by-election the following year. He became the SNP group leader on the council in 2016 and held…

A learner driver who failed the theory test 59 times before passing has been praised for their “amazing” commitment. The person, who has not been named, spent £1,380 and around 60 hours on the process at a test centre in Redditch, Worcestershire. The theory test The theory test is a computer-based test that consists of two parts: a multiple-choice section and a hazard perception section. The test taker has to answer 50 questions in 57 minutes and score at least 43 out of 50 to pass the multiple-choice section. The hazard perception section involves watching 14 video clips and clicking…