News

The Scottish Parliament has passed a motion calling on the UK government to support a ceasefire in Gaza and condemn the violence that has killed more than 200 people, mostly Palestinians, in the past week. The motion, which was backed by all parties except the Conservatives, also expressed solidarity with the Palestinian people and urged the UK to recognise Palestine as a state. Cross-party support for motion The motion was brought forward by the Scottish National Party (SNP), which leads the Scottish government, and was co-signed by the Scottish Greens, Labour and Liberal Democrats. It stated that the Parliament “unequivocally…

The Scottish Government has announced a new funding package of £5 million to help farmers and crofters who have been affected by recent flooding. The funding will be available from early 2024 and will cover up to 80% of the costs of restoring damaged agricultural land and infrastructure. Severe weather impacts agriculture Scotland has experienced several episodes of heavy rainfall and flooding in the past few months, which have caused significant damage to farmland, crops, livestock, buildings and roads. According to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), more than 100 flood warnings and alerts were issued across the country in…

Scottish National Party (SNP) MP Alyn Smith has called on the European Union (EU) to offer a “lifeboat” to the UK from the “wreckage” of Brexit, which he said has caused economic and social damage to the country. Smith, who is also the president of the European Free Alliance (EFA), a political group that represents regionalist and nationalist parties in Europe, made the remarks in an opinion piece published by The National, a Scottish pro-independence newspaper. Brexit has been a “nightmare” for the UK Smith argued that Brexit has been a “nightmare” for the UK, especially for Scotland, which voted…

A group of former Filmhouse staff and cinema enthusiasts have launched a fundraising campaign to revive the historic art house cinema on Lothian Road, which closed its doors last year after the collapse of its parent charity, the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI). Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd secures interim lease and major grant The newly formed charity, Filmhouse (Edinburgh) Ltd, has secured an interim lease with Caledonian Heritable, the owner of the building, to enable a period of fundraising for essential refurbishment works to the cinemas and public areas. Caledonian Heritable, who acquired the building in early 2023, are currently…

Labour leader Keir Starmer has pledged to make the UK a “clean energy superpower” by 2030, as he visited Aberdeen to meet with workers and businesses in the renewable energy sector. He said that a Labour government would invest in green jobs, infrastructure and innovation, and support the transition from fossil fuels to clean energy sources. Labour’s vision for a green economy Starmer said that Labour’s vision for a green economy was based on five principles: fairness, security, opportunity, innovation and leadership. He said that Labour would ensure that no one was left behind in the shift to a low-carbon…

Consumption is a key driver of economic growth, but it also has negative impacts on the environment and human well-being. How can we shift from a consumption-driven economy to a wellbeing economy that values people and planet over profit? This is the question that experts and activists explored in a recent webinar hosted by The National, Scotland’s pro-independence newspaper. What is a Wellbeing Economy? A wellbeing economy is an economic system that aims to deliver social justice, environmental sustainability, and human flourishing, rather than focusing on GDP growth as the main indicator of success. It is based on the recognition…

The Scottish National Party (SNP) has rejected the accusations from the UK government that its call for a Gaza ceasefire was a cynical political ploy to win votes from the Muslim community. The SNP said that its motion, which was passed by the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, was a humanitarian gesture to end the suffering of the Palestinian people and to support the efforts of the international community to broker a lasting peace. SNP motion condemns Israeli attacks on Gaza The motion, which was tabled by SNP MSP Humza Yousaf, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, condemned the…

The Scottish Labour Party has backed a motion by the Scottish Greens that calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the UK Government to support a ceasefire in Gaza and condemn the violence and human rights violations by Israel. The motion, which will be debated on Wednesday, also calls for an end to the blockade of Gaza, the recognition of Palestine as a state, and the suspension of arms sales to Israel. Scottish Labour leader supports the motion The Scottish Labour leader, Anas Sarwar, said that he supported the motion and that his party stands in solidarity with the Palestinian…