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8b7cf986cc8a201338f67ec031557d8b | Win a Pair of Tickets to the Scone Palace Garden Fair
We at Scottish Field endeavour to ensure that all our reports are fair and accurate and comply with the Editors’ Code of Practice set by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). We realise, however, that mistakes happen from time to time. If you think we have made a significant mistake and you wish to discuss this with us, please let us know as soon as possible by any of the three methods: emailing [email protected]; telephoning the editor on 0131 551 1000; writing to the Editor at Scottish Field, 496 Ferry Road, Edinburgh, EH5 2DL. We will attempt to resolve your issue in a timeous, reasonable and amicable manner. However, if you are unsatisfied with our response, you can contact IPSO, which will investigate the matter. You can either telephone IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or email [email protected]. IPSO is an independent body which deals with complaints from the public about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines. We will abide by the decision of IPSO. | {
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b103bcdc07adc6409d5b435bae1d358a | Win an Edinburgh Photoshoot with Moa Reynolds
We at Scottish Field endeavour to ensure that all our reports are fair and accurate and comply with the Editors’ Code of Practice set by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). We realise, however, that mistakes happen from time to time. If you think we have made a significant mistake and you wish to discuss this with us, please let us know as soon as possible by any of the three methods: emailing [email protected]; telephoning the editor on 0131 551 1000; writing to the Editor at Scottish Field, 496 Ferry Road, Edinburgh, EH5 2DL. We will attempt to resolve your issue in a timeous, reasonable and amicable manner. However, if you are unsatisfied with our response, you can contact IPSO, which will investigate the matter. You can either telephone IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or email [email protected]. IPSO is an independent body which deals with complaints from the public about the editorial content of newspapers and magazines. We will abide by the decision of IPSO. | {
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4fd9c5bf89ed225596e7e7ded71482fe | The Good Books, Gordon J. Brown: ‘Stephen King nearly got me fired from my job as a bar man because I couldn’t put his books down’
Founder of crime writing festival Bloody Scotland, Gordon J. Brown, talks about his love of Stephen King, why he could never finish Lord of the Rings, and the latest book from Denzil Meyrick after his death.
The first book I remember reading:
Although I read The Famous Five and The Secret Seven when I was young, the first book that really sticks in mind was The Hardy Boys – What Happened At Midnight. I loved the series. The idea that boys could get involved in grown up crime cases was magical. It was only in later life that I discovered that Franklin W. Dixon, the credited writer of the Hardy Boys, was fictional and that there was a series of ‘ghost’ writers over the years who penned the books. Of late a friend of mine discovered a whole pile of Hardy Boys on sale at a book fair, and I’m now reading them in between other books.
A book I recommend to everyone:
There are two books I’d recommend. The first, a leftfield choice, is Nightmare Blue by Gardner Dozois and George Alec Effinger. A story of aliens trying to conquer the world and the last hope for humanity lies with a German private detective and an alien slave that resembles an octopus. I’ve read it half a dozen times. The other is 11/22/63 by Stephen King – a time travelling piece of wonder revolving around the assassination of John F Kennedy. That was a true ‘can’t put down’ book.
The best book I have read in this year:
I loved The Secret by Lee and Andrew Child. I’ll admit to personally knowing Andrew but the Jack Reacher series was a favourite of mine long before I met him. The Secret is not your typical Reacher book, and that’s what appealed so much to me. For a start it’s set in 1982 when Jack was a recently demoted member of the Military Police, well before his days of wandering the backwaters of the United States. In addition, Reacher is not a loner in this one, but part of a team. I felt the book gave the series some real freshness, all be it the puzzle-solving, hard-fighting Reacher is still at the core of the novel.
The book I am most looking forward to:
Sadly, Denzil Meyrick died earlier this year. Denzil was a great writer, on the top of his form when he passed. He was also someone who helped me a lot. His Daley series was a real tour de force in Scottish crime writing but when he moved publishers he put Daley on hold for a few years. This summer Daley is returning in a book called Last Orders. It’s devastating to think that there will be no more of this wonderful series – but I’m sure Last Orders will be wonderful.
A book I didn’t finish:
I’ve attempted to read Lord of the Rings on a number of occasions and never got anywhere near the end. I flew through The Hobbit but there is something about Lord of the Rings that I can’t stick with. In truth there are quite a few books that I have never finished. With so many books to choose from and, as I get older, I’ve neither the patience, or spare time, to persevere with a book that I’m not enjoying.
An author that has inspired me:
Stephen King, specifically, his book Christine – a novel that nearly got me fired from my job as a bar man because I couldn’t put the darn thing down. The other author is James Herbert, again a single book springs to mind – The Fog, a horror story about a mist that escapes from a crack in the earth and turns people insane. Why this book? Well as a kid my grandmother said she’d get me a new book from the library. For reasons that were never clear she brought back The Fog. For a teenager the content was more than a little eye opening.
The book I am reading now:
I’m on a JD Kirk binge at the moment, although I stopped to read An Ethical Guide to Murder by Jenny Morris for the new Bloody Scotland podcast I’m part hosting. As for JD Kirk I’m reading The Last Bloody Straw from his DI Logan series – the fourth of his books I’ve read in a row. His turn of phrase is a real treat. And can I put a shout in for Midnight and Blue by Ian Rankin.
Morgan Cry is the pseudonym of Gordon J. Brown, crime author and a founding director of the crime writing festival, Bloody Scotland. The Cost by Morgan Cry (Severn House) is out now.
Read more of The Good Books here.
Subscribe to read the latest issue of Scottish Field. | {
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5b930938cd458f60b2132008452888c9 | In a Nutshell, Tim Maddams at the Scottish Game Fair: ‘If I wasn’t a chef I’d be a gardener, I love growing stuff’
Tim Maddams, formerly Head Chef at the River Cottage Canteen, grew up in Wiltshire. He cooked in professional kitchens with Fergus Henderson, Alistair Little, Marco Pierre White and Mark Hix before moving to Moray in 2020 where he continues teaching, cooking and consulting on ethical, sustainable local food.
Tim will be attending this year’s Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Scottish Game Fair, which takes place from 4-6 July at Scone Palace in Perthshire.
Describe your style of cuisine in ten words:
Seasonal, rational, simple, tasty, approachable, realistic, friendly, enjoyable, thoughtful, different.
Best and/or most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten:
Mackerel, raw, on the boat.
Worst/weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten:
Fermented pilot whale.
Worst thing you’ve ever cooked:
Gooseberry cake – it went badly, it’s a long story…
What’s the dish that you’re most proud of having cooked:
Serving pigeon at the World Food Programme dinner in London a few years ago was certainly a high point!
Favourite ingredient:
Depends on the season, at the moment I’m loving radishes and cime di rappa.
Your favourite Scottish chef:
Ollie Wilson at Tulchan – though he’s not actually Scottish – he has been here a long while now, if were being strictly strict I’d say I’ve always been a fan of Nick Nairn.
Who taught you to cook or ignited your passion for food as a youngster:
My Mum, Monica.
Most important lesson a young chef can learn:
You are more important than you think you are, but work isn’t everything.
Culinary mentor – the most important person in your development as a professional chef:
There’s a bit of a list; Adam Clark, Tony Arbarno, Fergus Henderson…
Best thing about the industry:
The people.
Worst thing about the industry:
Food service industry suppliers.
What do you eat when you’re at home:
Mostly leftovers.
Celebrity guest or your perfect dinner party – who would you most like to cook for:
My friends, it’s always the best getting together with good mates and having a feast.
Tell me a something about you that virtually no-one knows:
I have size 10 feet.
What’s your favourite wine?
Montrachet for white, probably a good claret for a red – perhaps a chaval blanc.
Your spirit of choice?
That has to be a whisky right? I’m a huge fan of the Glen Rothes.
Do you play music in the kitchen and, if so, what’s your go-to track or artist:
I do, half of my kitchen at home is taken up with records and a big hi fi. Here’s some great new Scottish artists I’m listening to at the moment: Lewis McLaughiln, Beth Malcom, Rosie Sullivan.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be:
I’d probably be a gardener – I love growing stuff.
Read more Reviews here.
Subscribe to read the latest issue of Scottish Field. | {
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89130bccd7bdd6be314c53cf48216a60 | Methven Castle: Medieval castle once home Queen of Scotland Margaret Tudor hits the market
Methven Castle – once home to Margaret Tudor, the Queen of Scotland – is on the market.
Set in rural Perthshire, the medieval property is one of Scotland’s foremost royal castles and comes with a wealth of history.
From 1100 the castle was owned by the De-Mowbray Family who later sided with the English in the War of Independence.
After the battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Robert the Bruce confiscated it and gave the castle to his daughter, Marjorie Bruce.
Marjorie married the 6th High Stewart of Scotland and her first son, Robert II, was the start of the Stewart dynasty.
In 1437, the second son of Robert II, Walter Stuart, Earl of Atholl was executed for his complicity in the murder of James I of Scotland and Methven Castle reverted to the Crown. It is rumoured that Walter Stuart was buried at Methven Castle.
In 1503 Margaret, the daughter of Henry VII and sister of the infamous Tudor King, Henry VIII, married James IV of Scotland.
Queen Margaret’s father Henry VII, gave Methven Castle to Margaret as part of the lands of the Queen Dowager of Scotland. She died there in 1541.
The castle dates to 1664 in its current form and has been owned by only 11 families, having undergone several restoration projects over the years.
Now, it’s a modern six-bedroom home set across four floors, but the castle has retained its period charm.
On the ground floor there is a library, an office, a hall, a boot room and a utility room, while the first floor hosts a main living area, a drawing room, a kitchen and dining room, a double bedroom and a bathroom.
The second floor has a great hall and two double bedrooms while the top floor features a gallery and two double bedrooms.
Throughout the castle, turrets house a wine cellar, a walk-in wardrobe and a games room.
The former royal home, complete with an escape tunnel and its own separate cottage, is set over 1.1 acres. It’s on the market with Rettie & Co for £1,050,000.
The property listing reads: ‘The ancestral home of Margaret Tudor, Methven Castle is an A-Listed and sympathetically restored former royal castle, presenting a rare opportunity to acquire a piece of Scotland’s Late Medieval history, wherein a wealth of atmospheric accommodation allows for most comfortable modern living, in a dramatic period setting.’
Read more Homes & Garden stories here.
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8e5e1842a8ddb1a074b9f31bcd065f8d | In the frame, Douglas Roulston: Renowned artist and extreme sports enthusiast unveils his largest solo exhibition
Renowned artist and extreme sports enthusiast, Douglas Roulston, has unveiled his largest solo exhibition to date – inspired by his adventures around some of Scotland’s most remote landscapes.
The Odyssey Within is the most extensive exhibition Scottish landscape artist Douglas has put together and will be on show at Strathearn Gallery, in Crieff this month.
Opening on 12 April, the highly anticipated collection highlights his exceptional ability to capture the mystical and emotive beauty of Scotland’s highlands and islands.
Increasingly recognised as one of Scotland’s most exciting contemporary landscape painters, Douglas has gained a reputation for his dramatic and atmospheric depictions of the country’s rugged terrain.
His distinctive style—merging realism with romanticism—combines vivid colour, expressive energy, and a masterful command of light and weather, immersing viewers in the splendour of the Scottish wilderness.
Also an avid outdoorsman and extreme sports enthusiast, Douglas draws inspiration from his own adventures, often exploring Scotland’s most remote landscapes by mountain bike so his paintings can then reflect the raw, untamed spirit of the places he’s just experienced.
Douglas is also heavily committed to using his creativity to support charitable causes and his widely-seen painted sculptures—including Oor Wullie’s Big Bucket Trail, Storm the Scotty Dog, and Ossian the Highland Coo—have collectively raised thousands for charity.
These community-driven projects, along with others, bring Dougie immense fulfilment and he hopes to inspire others to give back through creativity.
The Odyssey Within is more personal to Douglas and explores places holding a strong personal significance for Douglas – childhood memories, cherished holidays, and moments of quiet reflection.
Each painting is infused with nostalgia and emotional depth, inviting viewers to experience the artist’s profound connection to Scotland’s natural world.
The Odyssey Within by Douglas Roulston opens at 10am on 12 April running until 11 May. The collection will be available to view online on the Strathearn Gallery website.
Douglas will be in the gallery on April 12th to meet visitors and discuss his work.
Read more Culture stories here.
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b04da1061e3ad2e6c1704ba54227758b | Battle of Culloden: The story of Jacobite officer John Roy Stuart who led the final charge in 1746
The ghost of Jacobite Colonel John Roy Stuart returns to Scotland on the anniversary of the Battle of Culloden to recall what happened
April 16th 1746: the Battle of Culloden, the last battle fought on British soil.
April 16th 2025: the ghost of John Roy Stuart, poet, partisan and Colonel of the Jacobite Edinburgh Regiment, returns to Scotland to recall his life, times and final battle.
A one man play which tells the story of the Battle of Culloden through the words of the Jacobite officer who led the final charge is opening in Edinburgh.
John Roy Stuart – Latha Chuilodair – Culloden Day details the events leading up to the battle and its aftermath in the words of John Roy Stuart who is thought to have led the final Highland Charge on 16 April 1746.
Performed by Michael Nevin, author of Reminiscences of a Jacobite: The Untold Story of the Rising of 1745, the show will mark the anniversary of the battle 279 years ago.
Michael’s interest in the true facts surrounding the Rising of 1745 was inspired by a handwritten memorandum submitted by Prince Charles Edward Stuart to Louis XV of France which he acquired in 2002.
He served as Treasurer of the 1745 Association between 2005 and 2010, and was the Association’s Chair between 2016 and 2023.
His new play tells the story of the battle in John Roy’s own words, as set down in his surviving songs and letters and his conversations with Lord Lovat, Lady Christian Macintosh and Lord George Murray.
In the story, John Roy remembers the people he met on his journey through life and gives his account of what happened on the fateful day of April 16th 1746.
He recalls the follies of his youth, his great friendship with Lady Christian Macintosh who he dedicated a beautiful lament, his encounters with his friend Lord Lovat, his romantic life, his exile and his return to Scotland in 1745.
The story is concluded with an account of the Night March on Nairn, the dispute Roy had on the morning of April 16th with Lord George Murray, the final denouement on Drumossie Moor later the same day, and his escape to France on board the ‘Heureux’ with Prince Charles.
‘I translated John Roy’s words from Gaelic into English with the help of the late Brigadier John MacFarlane who was a native Gaelic speaker,’ playwright Michael said.
‘I hope I may have added to appreciation of them by setting them in the context of John Roy’s own life and the wider historic events in which he was involved.
‘John Roy was a warrior, partisan and poet. All but one of his surviving poems were originally composed in Scots Gaelic.
‘They are all autobiographical and express his own emotions of joy, grief, and despair; hope and fear; and love in its many forms.
‘John Roy was a cosmopolitan figure who travelled widely, for many years living in forced exile.
‘He spoke seven languages, including French, Spanish and Portuguese, as well as English and his native Gaelic.
‘Detailed analysis of historic accounts of the Battle of Culloden and the tactical position of the Jacobite front line – with John Roy’s own Edinburgh Regiment on the front line between the Appin Stewarts and the Frasers, both of whose commanders would have deferred to him in a battle situation – indicate a distinct possibility, if not probability, that it was he who led the final Highland Charge into the guns of the enemy on April 16th 1746.’
The event is being held at Royal Scots Club, Edinburgh, on 16 April at midday.
Read more Culture stories here.
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d1e6d0d0a427b4c9dfcb66baa47c3e36 | Remote off-grid home on Knoydart peninsula with its own private beach hits the market
Looking for some peace and quiet? Well this incredible off the grid home on Knoydart peninsula, complete with its own beach, might just be for you.
Doune Bay Lodge, in the Scottish Highlands, has stunning views over the Sound of Sleat to the Isle of Skye – and the UK’s remotest pub is your local.
You won’t have to worry about power cuts, because the five-bedroom home is completely powered from a solar PV and micro hydro system.
To access the extremely remote home, you need to catch the ferry from Mallaig to Inverie, followed by a 5.5 mile drive on the only road on Knoydart and then a short 1km walk on a track.
The current owners also have their own boat for direct access, with moorings and access to a pier, slipway and commercial sized boat shed.
Nestled on the picturesque cove, Doune Bay Lodge is set within around two acres of its own land which includes the shorefront.
It’s on sale for £395,000 with Savills. Also being offered for sale is neighbouring property Dun Ban, currently a full time residence for the owners in an equally spectacular setting.
‘Doune Bay Lodge offers a rare experience to own not only a beautiful property but a way of life that is difficult to match,’ property agent Iona Lamont said. ‘The scenery is absolutely breathtaking.’
Knoydart is home to around 100 people. Well known for being home to the remotest pub in mainland Britain, life on Knoydart centres around the community in Inverie which has a lively pub, restaurants, post office and a primary school.
The community hall offers frequent live bands and events, with further amenities including community shop, pottery and tea room, local brewery and community library.
‘Nestled on the picturesque cove of Doune Bay, on the western shore of the breathtaking Knoydart Peninsula, the sale of Doune Bay Lodge is a rarely available opportunity to acquire a turnkey property in a spectacular setting on its own beach,’ say agents Savills.
‘The property is set within around two acres of its own land, which includes the shorefront.
‘A lifestyle property such as Doune Bay Lodge would also not be complete without its own boathouse, offering the ideal storage space for water-based activities. A 10m coded faster charter boat; dingy, 8-seater car and quad are all available by further negotiation.’
Read more Homes & Garden stories here.
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ee1975c4f52f067e07fb79cfb5f722d5 | Review: Landy’s, the chippy bringing the seaside classics to Edinburgh’s Royal Mile
Editor Richard Bath heads out to Landy’s to try out the chippy bringing the seaside classics to Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, offering nostalgic favourites like salt and pepper squid, pizza crunch, and of course deep-fried mars bars.
Where is Landy’s?
Landy’s is on the site of what was once Byron Burgers where the Royal Mile and North Bridge meet, right in the centre of Edinburgh’s Old Town. It’s a large, light and breezy two-level restaurant done up in 1950s American diner style. With 200 seats, it’s a tardis of a restaurant.
What type of food do they serve?
The clue is in its strapline ‘Proper Fish & Chips’. There is, however, much much more to the extensive menu. There are, for example, 19 dishes which are either starters of can be ordered as sides. The mains are generally very conventional pub grub staples (steak pie, haggis neeps n’ tatties, mac and cheese, hamburgers) with the exception of some interesting fishy options, such as king prawn tempura or salmon and asparagus fishcakes. Puddings and starters were equally mainstream.
What did we ate at Landy’s?
We started with the salt and pepper squid, which was a little flaccid and undercooked, and a huge serving of whitebait. Mains consisted of the biggest piece of breaded fish I’ve seen in years, which came with slightly soggy chips, and a really nice, creamy (and not too hot) Malaysian fish curry packed with prawns, mussels and chunks of fish. We rounded off with the specialite de la maison, deep fried Mars bar served with whippy ice cream and raspberry sauce, and an underwhelming tiramisu.
Highlights and lowlights?
The curry and the deep-fried Mars Bar were both worth writing home about, the squid not so much.
Service and value for money?
Owned and run by Edinburgh’s Vittoria Group, it’s slick and professional, with cheery staff that have an almost American service culture. With the gargantuan main course fish and chips coming in at £15.95, but mains starting from £11.50, it’s joyously affordable for families visiting the big city.
Landy’s, 29-31 North Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1SF.www.landysfishandchips.co.uk
Read more Reviews here.
Subscribe to read the latest issue of Scottish Field. | {
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134b92bc39a8366441b2a7b26059a5c8 | Gardening Column, Hamish Martin: ‘It is easy to see why gorse has always been so closely linked to the sun’s energy and light’
Gorse tends to start to flower early and can be seen even in March but it isn’t till May that it comes into full bloom when the hills look like a bright yellow explosion and the air is scented with its sweet subtle coconut aroma.
There is a lovely saying that ‘when gorse is in flower, kissing is in season’ – I love this saying and anyone who is a fan of Cicely Mary Bakers flower fairy paintings, which I am, will smile at the two fairies kissing on the gorse flowers.
It is easy to see why gorse has always been so closely linked to the sun’s energy and light.
There is something about taking a walk and stopping to smell the flowers and gently pull a flower off. But be careful not to get pricked by its spikes.
The flavour of gorse is reminiscent of almonds or fresh peas. I always feel it is a mood enhancer and can alleviate feelings of despondency and melancholy, making you look on the brighter side of life. Don’t, however, go eating handfuls of the flowers though as they contain low levels of toxic alkaloids.
Gorse was once a valued herbal remedy. Gorse flower tea was recognised as an excellent liver and digestive tonic and the flowers are rich in flavonoids and antioxidants making them valuable in respiratory health. You could also use the flowers to make a poultice or infuse the flowers in oil and apply topically for skin conditions like acne.
I personally have never used the flowers in cooking but I believe they make an excellent ice cream and syrup. I know a few gin producers who use the flowers in their gins.
A lot of people will look at gorse as an invasive offensive plant, but what it does do is to bring balance back to the earth and adds nitrogen back into the soil. Birds love to shelter in the dense prickly thicket and the flowers provide a great source of nectar for bees and butterflies.
Our early man would definitely have looked upon gorse as a gift. It is part of the Ogham alphabet or ‘Celtic Tree Alphabet’ and represents the letter ‘O’, thought to provide protection, resilience and optimism.
It was also a useful fuel as the wood burned so fast and hot that it was perfect for making bread and the ashes were used to make soaps. It was also used as animal fodder, fencing and even in brick making which meant it had a significant economic importance.
The next time you look to the hills and see a blast of the brightly golden, yellow flowers allow their energy to lift your heart and bring light into your life.
Read more Garden stories here.
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0d35bd3e3bd6ba7333bc98b1c3054151 | Producer’s Corner: Fetcha, Fiona McArthur
When Campbeltown chocolatier Fiona McArthur started to make vegan delights from her friend’s kitchen in 2020 she dreamed of one day seeing them in the world famous Oscars goody bag.
Last year, Fiona finally got to celebrate the sweet taste of success after she was approached by organisers to create an exclusive box of her Fetcha chocolates for the $125,000 gift bags.
Salt and pepper, chili and popping candy truffle might seem like odd combinations for luxury chocolates, but for Fiona they were the flavours behind her most famous creations.
The first was designed in honour of Bradley Cooper’s Maestro movie, while epic Oppenheimer was the inspiration behind her explosive chili and popping candy – both of which have gone on to become some of her most popular flavours.
After the glittering success, sales on the Fetcha website shot up by 400% and Fiona’s gluten, soy and dairy free chocolates have been well and truly put on the map.
‘Being featured in the Oscar nominees gift bag was an amazing experience, it had been a goal of mine since I very first designed the packaging for Fetcha so I still can’t believe it actually happened,’ Fiona said.
‘It made a huge difference to the business, sales on the website were up 400% for 2024 and our Campbeltown shop was 100% busier.
‘It definitely helped to put us on the map both locally and internationally.
‘I was really worried about opening a shop in Campbeltown but it has been so well received by locals and tourists alike so it has definitely been worth it.
‘After a busy year I was able to secure some funding from Highland and Islands Enterprise for a new machine which helps immensely by keeping the chocolate ready to go and allows me to work in much larger quantities than before.
‘My aim for this year is to hire more staff and get another machine to help spread the load…after all, it’s only nine months until Christmas.’
Fiona’s love of chocolate goes back to childhood where she spent much time in the kitchen helping her mum make cakes for the tearoom she owned.
It was only when working in her friend’s sweet shop that Fiona, a vegan herself, realised no one was making free-from chocolates in the area and decided to give it a go.
‘I have a massive sweet tooth so I’ve always loved chocolate and desserts, I even had a business making birthday and wedding cakes before Fetcha,’ she said.
‘I think it all started from helping my mum make cakes for the tearoom she had when I was growing up. She is an excellent, award-winning, baker and cook and with such a well-trained palate, she is now my chief taste tester at Fetcha HQ.
‘I was working in my friend’s sweet shop in Lochgilphead, The Sweetie Jar Argyll, when several people asked about specialty chocolates – specifically, dairy and gluten free chocolates.
‘I found myself drawn to a vegan diet for the health benefits three years before I started Fetcha, so when I started looking into making chocolate it only seemed natural that I’d make them dairy and egg free.
‘I realised no-one was making these yet so I thought I’d give it a try and the rest is history.
‘I chose to go for Fetcha since it sounds meso-american and I liked that little nod to the origins of chocolate itself, which is also represented by the Mayan-inspired pyramid logo.
‘The name Fetcha is an acronym of all the things I wanted for the business: Free-from (dairy, gluten and soy), Ethical (all my products are Fairtrade and vegan), Tasty (I wanted the flavours to stand out so I make a point to make them as flavourful as possible), Chocolate (the cornerstone of the business), Handmade (all my chocolates are made by hand in my small factory in Campbeltown), Art (my aim was to make both the chocolates and the packaging look elegant and luxurious).’
She now has 24 different flavours, giving Fetcha the largest variety of vegan chocolates in the whole of the UK.
Inspired by Argyll, she has made chocolates featuring local whisky and Kintyre Gin, and this year hopes to experiment with foraged ingredients like gorse flowers, nettles, and samphire.
‘I like to listen to what my customers are looking for and a popular request last year was for fruity flavours, so we have recently launched strawberry cream, lemon cheesecake and raspberry caramel flavours which are available in store and online,’ Fiona said,
‘The chocolates I designed for the Oscar nominees box (the Awards Collection) are some of my most unusual, and most popular, flavours yet.
‘My favourite is the salt and pepper chocolate I designed in honour of the Maestro movie, although the stand out of 2024 has been the Oppenheimer explosion-inspired chili and popping candy truffle.
‘This year I really want to experiment with some fresh, Scottish flavours, I’m thinking of using foraged ingredients like gorse flowers, nettles, and maybe even samphire.’
Read more Producer’s Corner here.
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831bd9c0ba5a085955138c0755f23dd1 | Scotland Through A Lens: High Days & Holidays with Beth Muirhead
Hiking in the glorious Scottish mountains is the source of all inspiration and motivation for Beth Muirhead’s photography.
How long have you been taking pictures for, and how did you come to fall in love with photography?
I think I was around 11 or 12 when I got my first camera, although my early photography was incredibly erratic and somewhat thoughtless. In my 20’s I gained more consideration for composition. I guess I’ve always been drawn to capturing moments in time and preserving them, life is so fleeting.
Where do you live and how does it inspire your pictures?
I live in Dumfries and Galloway, it’s certainly less dramatic than the North West, which forced me to have more consideration of what I’m capturing.
How does hiking play into your photography?
Hiking is generally the source of all my photography motivation, and very rarely vice versa. There is no greater pleasure for me than being totally immersed in a landscape with some happy dogs.
What do you love about Scotland’s landscape and wildlife?
I think Scotland and its wildlife is so wild and untameable, which I find more alluring. Admittedly, I’m really drawn to the geology of the far north though.
What are some of your favourite things to capture on camera?
Generally anything outdoors, I’d like to experiment more with abstracts in the future though.
Do you have to be patient to get the best shots?
I perceive photography in a more opportunistic way, I’m very rarely waiting for long, my dog would not allow it.
What are some of the more challenging aspects of taking pictures of Scotland’s landscapes?
Perhaps the planning, and being decisive on a location when there are so many options. Social media has been such a gateway of inspiration for me, so many really skilled photographers, I’m often left with lots of plans and too little time.
Read more Culture stories here.
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580c6247d04830d1b79e37b63ae0b175 | Filming for the 10th season of Shetland gets underway
Filming for the tenth season of hit TV show Shetland is underway, with Ashley Jensen reprising her role as DI Ruth Calder.
Alison O’Donnell will also be back to play her role DI Alison ‘Tosh’ MacIntosh as filming begins on the Shetland Isles over the next few months.
Originally based on award-winning novels by crime writer Ann Cleeves, the new series sees Calder and Tosh travel to the isolated hamlet of Lunniswick to investigate the sinister killing of an elderly woman.
The team discovers that the body of the retired social worker has been out in the elements for a number of days.
The case will see Tosh and Calder excavate the victim’s life, past and present, as well as the lives of those who knew her. They soon begin to uncover dark secrets and terrible deeds at the heart of this closeknit community.
The new season is set to air later this year.
Joining the cast of Shetland alongside Jensen and O’Donnell for this new six-part series are The Witcher actor Clive Russell, Line of Duty’s Niall MacGregor, Gary: Tank Commander favourite Greg McHugh and Vera’s Frances Gray.
‘Now in its tenth series, Shetland continues to go from strength to strength and is loved by audiences across the UK and internationally,’ said Gaynor Holmes, commissioning editor for the BBC.
‘We’re very excited to see the fantastic creative team at Silverprint and their superbly talented cast and crew heading back into production with a compellingly new, gnarly and emotional murder-mystery.’
Shetland is loved by millions of fans on BBC iPlayer and BBC One and, last year, it was in the top ten most watched BBC Drama series. In Scotland, it was the No.1 BBC Drama of 2024.
Read more News stories here.
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3b8904764347ca24d1cd8688807e229c | Moulin Rouge! The Musical at the Edinburgh Playhouse is sure to be Spectacular, Spectacular!
Multi-award-winning global hit stage show Moulin Rouge! The Musical, will launch its first ever world tour at the Edinburgh Playhouse with performances from Tuesday 22 April to Saturday 14 June 2025.
Baz Luhrmann’s revolutionary film comes to life onstage with a celebration of Truth, Beauty, Freedom, and — above all — Love! As in the film, Moulin Rouge! The musical celebrates over 160 years of music – from Offenbach to Lady Gaga. The stage musical features over 70 songs, many from the movie as well as recent hits released since the movie premiered over 20 years ago.
Set in Paris, 1899, a world of indulgent beauty and unparalleled extravagance, of bohemians and aristocrats, of boulevardiers and reprobates, Moulin Rouge! The Musical is the story of a lovesick American writer, Christian, and Satine, the dazzling star of the Moulin Rouge nightclub.
When their lives collide at the Moulin Rouge, they fall hopelessly in love, only to be thwarted by the nightclub’s host and impresario, Harold Zidler, and The Duke of Monroth, the wealthy and entitled patron of the club who thinks he can buy anything he wants, including Satine. Together with his Bohemian friends – the brilliant and starving artist Toulouse-Lautrec, and the greatest tango dancer in all of Paris, Santiago – Christian stages a musical spectacular in an attempt to save the Moulin Rouge and win the heart of Satine.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical is the winner of ten 2021 Tony Awards including Best Musical, an Olivier Award, two Drama League Awards including Outstanding Production of a Musical, five Drama Desk Awards and ten Outer Critics Circle Award Honor citations including New Broadway Musical.
‘Being the opening venue for the World Tour of Moulin Rouge! The Musical is huge for our city and an honour for our theatre. We are excited to welcome audiences from all over Scotland and beyond to enjoy this truly iconic production,’ says Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre Director, Gordon Millar.
Moulin Rouge! The Musical is directed by Tony Award® winner Alex Timbers (other credits include Here Lies Love, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, Peter and the Starcatcher) with a book by Tony Award® winner John Logan (also three-time Academy Award nominee including for Gladiator and The Aviator), choreography by Tony Award® winner Sonya Tayeh (also Lucille Lortel Award for Kung Fu and Emmy winner) and music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Tony Award® winner Justin Levine (other credits include Here Lies Love, Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson).
The design team for Moulin Rouge! The Musical includes Tony Award® winner Derek McLane (sets; other credits include Beautiful – The Carole King Musical), Tony Award® and Olivier Award winner Catherine Zuber (costumes; other credits include The King & I, My Fair Lady), Tony Award® winner Justin Townsend (lighting), Tony Award® winner Peter Hylenski (sound), Drama Desk Award winner David Brian Brown (wig and hair design; other credits include Come From Away), Sarah Cimino (make-up design) and Tony Award® winner Matt Stine (Music Producer). Casting is by Pippa Ailion CDG and Natalie Gallacher CDG.
For information and tickets, please see here – www.atgtickets.com
Edinburgh Playhouse, 18-22 Greenside Pl, Edinburgh EH1 3AA
atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse/
Read more News stories here.
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52a3547cee43f2fb62f17be41381e1cb | Underwater camera set up 55 years ago to catch the Loch Ness Monster discovered
An underwater camera set up 55 years ago to try and photograph the Loch Ness Monster has been discovered by a robot submarine.
It is believed that the camera, discovered around 180m deep in the loch, had been placed in the water in 1970, by Professor Roy Mackal, of the Loch Ness Investigation Bureau and the University of Chicago.
The robot submarine, called Boaty McBoatface, was doing trials when part of the mooring that had held the camera system in place got caught on the vehicle’s propeller.
Remarkably, despite having been submerged in the 23-mile-long loch for 55 years, the camera was still in good condition and the film able to be developed by a NOC engineer, but no footage of Nessie was found.
Adrian Shine, who set up The Loch Ness Project in the mid-1970s to investigate Loch Ness and its world-famous inhabitant, helped to identify the camera and says it was one of six deployed, with three of them lost in a gale that same year.
‘It was an ingenious camera trap consisting of a clockwork Instamatic camera with an inbuilt flash cube, enabling four pictures to be taken when a bait line was taken,’ he said.
‘It is remarkable that the housing has kept the camera dry for the past 55 years, lying around 180 m deep in Loch Ness.’
The UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has been carrying out trials of marine autonomous underwater vehicles for almost 10 years, but this is the closest the team – or its underwater robots – have come to encountering Nessie.
‘At 230 m deep, Loch Ness is an ideal location to testing our robotics, their sensors and systems, before they’re deployed in the deep ocean to help answer the big questions we have,’ engineer Sam Smith, from NOC said.
‘While this wasn’t a find we expected to make, but we’re happy that this piece of Nessie hunting history can be shared and perhaps at least the mystery of who left it in the loch can be solved.’
The film, camera and its housing have now been handed to The Loch Ness Centre, in Drumnadrochit, near to where it was found, to allow it to be put on display as a part of the loch’s rich Nessie hunting history.
Read more News stories here.
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f69d62b12968347c6555ebb3f43b4b66 | Scots baronial mansion designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh up for sale
This incredible Scots baronial mansion on Wemyss Bay beach, which was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and is said to have some of the best views in Scotland, is up for sale.
Dunloe House is steeped in history. It was built by the Bannatyne Stewart family in 1890 using the famous Glasgow architects Honeyman and Keppie. The plans for the house were drawn by Rennie Mackintosh himself, who later took over the firm.
The designs were recently borrowed by the Hunterian Museum in Glasgow to feature as an early piece of work that influenced Mackintosh’s development.
The original plans are still part of the house on display in the impressive wood panelled snooker room.
Every part of the house has a story to tell. Princess Margaret is said to have regularly used the turreted bedroom on the third floor while visiting the nearby Ardgowan estate, and Glasgow Boys artist David Gauld designed stained glass windows for the property.
The seven-bedroom property has a plethora of magnificent period features and is perfect for entertaining, boasting a massive 14 seat dining room, a cinema, a games room with a golf simulator, bar and vast gardens for enjoying summer evenings.
Owner Laura Reilly and her husband said they will be sad to move but are looking forward to see the new chapter in the house’s history.
‘Living at Dunloe for the past 15 years, watching our children grow up has been a magical experience,’ Laura said.
‘The views are breathtaking- we can see the islands of Arran, Bute and Cumbrae. Everyday there is a different scene on the water with yachts, local ferries and even the odd submarine and tall ship passing by.
‘The house has been wonderful to live in and we have hosted many events, ceilidhs, parties and gatherings of friends. It has been most special as an incredible home. Our children have been fortunate enough to have lots of space to enjoy, they love the cinema and games rooms in particular.
‘Dunloe is steeped in Scottish history and culture, as a prime example of an Arts and Craft period house, designed by the Honeyman Keppie architectural practice who employed Charles Rennie Mackintosh as a young architect.
‘The Hunterian museum contacted us after we moved in to ask if Dunloe could be included in a major Charles Rennie Mackintosh exhibition showing the influences behind his style from art to architecture.
‘The Hunterian found the original house job books and it was fascinating to see all the work and tradesmen involved, including the stained glass windows by David Gauld, one of the Glasgow Boys . The original house plans, drafted by Mackintosh are displayed in the billiard room at Dunloe House.
‘The house contains so many beautiful features, we are still finding different pieces of beautiful wood and stone carving. We also unearthed a corridor of original Victorian floor tiles and original arts and crafts wall paper which we restored.
‘We have researched the houses’ colourful past and found the original deeds. Some previous owners and relatives of servants also contacted us with their stories. There have been famous visitors and the house was also home at one point to an opera singer who used to practice in the front window accompanied by the grand piano.’
Just off the magnificent inner hallway there is the drinks kitchen which is ideal for supplying social occasions.
The butler’s pantry is an incredible original room with wine room, beer room, larder, tool room, cloaks and laundry.
The main part of the building is in sand- stone and has fine turrets, gargoyles and intricate stone carvings both inside and outside.
The house sits in 1.7 acres but the main grounds are set to the front of the property with just a short walk to the shorefront.
Stunning scenery over the Firth of Clyde to several west coast islands, including the Argyll peninsula and the Isles of Arran, Bute and Cumbrae, means the home is often listed as having one of the best views anywhere.
It is on the market for £1.45 million with estate agents Corum.
A listing advert for the property says: ‘Dunloe has an abundance of traditional features both internally and externally however the present owner has upgraded several areas of the home to provide contemporary accommodation.
‘This exquisite property is particularly flexible in its layout with lots of options from a five to a ten-bedroom home. It is currently used as a seven-bedroom family home with extensive entertaining and reception rooms.’x4
Read more Property news here.
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ca91c3dc0cffea79265681c23785ecfe | In a Nutshell: Chef Francesco Ascrizzi, Sotto, Edinburgh
Born in Catanzaro, Calabria, Francesco Ascrizzi moved to Edinburgh in 2013 and has worked at some of Edinburgh’s best restaurants. He joined Sotto as head chef from its opening in 2024.
What’s the closest thing you have to a signature dish:
Pappardelle with ‘Nduja and Straciatella takes me back to the smell of a ragu cooking in my house on a Sunday morning; the Stracciatella isn’t traditional but the creaminess balances the heat nicely. Pangratatto too, which is very traditional.
Describe your style of cuisine in ten words:
Traditional, home-made, regional, seasonal, local, passionate, from the heart.
Best and/or most memorable meal you’ve ever eaten:
When I was travelling in Kuala Selangor in Malaysia, a friend took us for breakfast at a lady’s house. She just had a few tables in her garage and no menu. We had chicken feet with soy sauce at 8:30am, and the meat just melted in the mouth and the flavour was so strong. I’ve tried to make it myself but never managed.
The worst meal would have to be a deep fried pizza from a place I won’t name delivered to my house at 1:30am. It went straight in the bin.
Worst/weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten:
I once bought a rabbit and a squirrel from Stockbridge Market and decided to stuff the squirrel inside the rabbit. The squirrel was very tough, and had a very iron-y flavour.
Worst thing you’ve ever cooked:
When I first moved to the UK, I was cooking for my flatmates on my day off and I wanted to make Patate e Peperoni, a dish of roasted potatoes and peppers. I went shopping for bell peppers in the local market, but my English wasn’t great at this point so I bought extremely spicy ones by mistake. It was like someone had set tear gas off in the house.
What’s the dish that you’re most proud of having cooked:
An entire Cote de Beouf that was about 6kg, cooked over fire on the beach in Italy. It was a real challenge to get right and I was cooking for all my friends, but it was perfectly tender.
Favourite ingredient (could be an ingredient or spice which transforms dishes):
Basil. I use it in almost all my pastas.
Your go-to recipe book:
My grandmother has a handwritten one at home that I’m always calling her to get something from. If not, the Artusi cookbook, Science in the Kitchen and the Art of Eating Well.
What other country’s cuisine really excites and intrigues you?
Japanese and Middle Eastern cuisine. So much of Japanese food is inspired by the health-giving properties of the ingredients, which fascinates me.
Most you’ve ever paid for a meal:
In Bermuda, I paid about $400 for a big platter of sushi. I was trying to impress my partner but when it was presented to the table, it was laughably small for the price. She said she didn’t eat sushi, which was lucky as it was only enough for one. We got a pizza on the way home.
Your favourite Scottish chef:
Tony Borthwick from the Plumed Horse, who I was very lucky to work for.
Favourite chef outside Scotland:
Antonio Cannavacciuolo, an Italian celebrity chef from Naples who has nine Michelin Stars. I love his generous style of Neapolitan cuisine, he sticks to traditions and is a great guy.
Who taught you to cook or ignited your passion for food as a youngster:
My grandma, though I maybe didn’t realise it at the time. I would help her peel tomatoes and do little jobs in the kitchen, all the time thinking about playing football. So it was only when I started cooking that I realised how much she had taught me.
Most important lesson a young chef can learn:
Don’t ever stop learning.
Best thing about the industry:
I can express my creativity.
Worst thing about the industry:
Long days.
What’s the biggest sin a chef can commit:
To not respect the ingredients, and be wasteful.
What do you eat when you’re at home:
I have a seven-year-old daughter, so she usually writes the menu. I want her to taste the flavours I grew up with, so traditional things, but she also loves ramen.
Celebrity guest or your perfect dinner party – who would you most like to cook for:
Valentino Rossi, my sporting icon. Ideally he brings his Yamaha and gives me a spin.
Tell me something about you that virtually no-one knows:
I can’t kill a live lobster, it breaks my heart. I have to freeze them. I’ve never told my colleagues though, as they’d take the mickey.
What’s your favourite wine?
I don’t drink that much, but I like fish so I tend to drink fresh whites. Ciro Bianco or Mantonico from my region are my favourites.
Your spirit of choice?
Grappa when I’m home, maybe a very occasional dram here. I like peated whiskies.
Do you play music in the kitchen and, if so, what’s your go-to track or artist:
No, we just sing.
If you weren’t a chef, what would you be:
I’m very handy, so maybe a carpenter. I used to work at IKEA and I was the best forklift driver by a long way. It had a screen and a joystick, and was like playing on a playstation.
Read more Reviews here.
Subscribe to read the latest issue of Scottish Field. | {
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01cef214a21ba8a160ed7176cc8ed217 | Gin Bothy unveils plans for a whisky distillery on a historic smuggling route
Scottish producer Gin Bothy has unveiled plans for a whisky distillery on a historic smuggling route.
The distillery in Glen Prosen, Angus, sits on land which was previously a sporting estate but is now owned by Forestry and Land Scotland. The estate once formed part of a whisky smuggling route in the 19th century.
The Bothy Distillery will offer an ‘immersive whisky retreat’ experience, with the visitor centre set to welcome guests in July and production commencing in August to produce 300 casks in its first year.
To minimise the environmental and traffic impact, the distillery will be open by appointment only.
Gin Bothy is one of Scotland’s most award-winning craft gin producers and was included in the 2024 Oscar Nominees official gift bags.
Founded by Kim Cameron, the distillery marks an exciting new chapter for the Angus-based brand as it expands into whisky distillation.
‘This is an exciting milestone for Bothy Trading as we take our passion for Scottish spirits and local produce into whisky production,’ Kim said.
‘The history of the site, once part of an old whisky smuggling route, makes this project even more special.
‘Working with Organic Architects, we are committed to revitalising this incredible location with care and purpose to create a distillery that honours the past, brings legal distilling to the area, and supports the future of our rural community.’
Architects said The Bothy Distillery has been designed with sustainability in mind, running on hydroelectricity and using sustainable waste removal processes.
Read more Whisky news here.
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8d1f98cff33ddc7411523c1e9368012b | John Bellany: Life of one of the most notable British artists celebrated in Edinburgh
He’s regarded as one of the most notable British artists of the 20th century and widely known for his fearless self-portraitists.
But now the life of artist John Bellany will be celebrated in Edinburgh, near the fishing town of Port Seton where he was born.
John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture will showcase more than 80 works, including paintings, drawings, prints, and sketchbooks, spanning from the 1960s until 2013.
Bellany was one of the most prolific and fearless self-portraitists in art history, obsessively documenting his own image through a variety of mediums.
From his early student studies in the 1960s to the epic pictorial narratives of his later years, Bellany’s works reveal the artist’s complex relationship with himself, his identity, and the world around him.
Throughout his life, he explored self-portraiture not just as an artistic exercise but as a means of delving into personal and universal themes—often disguising himself as mythical figures or fantastical characters.
The remarkable exhibition at City Art Centre invites visitors into Bellany’s world through the lens of his own self-exploration.
It will present a diverse collection of works, many of which have never been seen publicly before, and are on loan from public and private collections across the UK, including the artist’s own estate.
The works span Bellany’s entire career, providing a vivid and evocative portrayal of his life as he saw it.
‘John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture offers not only an extraordinary exhibition of the artist’s work but also a comprehensive programme of events designed to enhance the visitor experience and provide new perspectives on Bellany’s life and legacy,’ said Val Walker from the City of Edinburgh Council.
‘It’s fantastic to have such personal insight into his life and works. Whether through lectures, gallery tours with curators, or hands-on creative workshops, these events offer something for every visitor to engage with Bellany’s art on a deeper level.’
The exhibition is accompanied by a publication featuring a foreword by Helen Bellany and essays by curators Bill Hare and Sandy Moffat.
In addition to the exhibition, a rich programme of events has been developed to offer deeper insights into the artist’s work, his personal life, and his ongoing legacy.
John Bellany: A Life in Self-Portraiture opens on Saturday 31 May at City Art Centre.
Read more News stories here.
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71c516b9b8a0d5c4e49176c35719cb33 | Life on the Loch: Former timber bothy on shores of Loch Tay hits the market
If you have ever wanted to live on a Scottish Loch, this might just be the property for you – and it comes with a private beach.
Nestled in an elevated position overlooking the breathtaking Loch Tay, Waterfall Cottage is a former timber bothy turned four bedroom cottage.
Set within 2.45 acres of land, the grounds are a delight in every season with a mature garden filled with a superb variety of shrubs and trees.
A charming orchard is situated just below the house and a path leads down to the banks of Loch Tay and the private pebble beach.
The sunroom at the front of the cottage is bathed in natural light with triple-aspect windows providing uninterrupted views across Loch Tay.
From there, double doors lead onto a delightful wooden decking area, perfect for al fresco dining.
At the heart of the home is a spacious sitting and dining room, featuring a wood-burning stove.
It’s on the market with Galbraith for £350,000.
‘Waterfall Cottage is a true gem, offering flexible accommodation that makes the most of its stunning surroundings,’ said Iain Paterson who is handling the sale.
‘Enjoying a prime position on the hillside, the views are extensive and can be enjoyed from throughout the property, particularly the sunroom and outdoor decking area, supporting the seamless merging of indoor-outdoor living.
‘The garden extends right down to the banks of Loch Tay reaching a private pebble beach, and a boat house adds to the appeal of the property, offering extensive possibilities for further enjoying life on the loch.’
Read more Property news here.
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eccdc71c14177c56c2ea07dba51ed156 | Historic 20th century photographs of Midlothian village Roslin go on display
A new online exhibition featuring historic photographs of the Midlothian village of Roslin has been launched.
Some 40 photographs which are part of The Bryce Collection, including archive images of Rosslyn Chapel, Rosslyn Castle and the village, can now be seen in the first online exhibition on Rosslyn Chapel’s website.
From around 1880 to the 1940s, two generations of the Bryce family lived and worked in a draper’s shop and post office on Roslin Main Street.
One of the family married keen amateur photographer, Thomas Ritchie, who in the early years of the 20th century took many photographs in and around the village, some of which were made into postcards and sold in the post office.
By the 1940s, Meg Campbell (nee Bryce), the great niece of George Bryce, moved from Glasgow and took over the family business in Roslin.
The collection of photographs had been stored away and largely forgotten but, in 1993, Meg donated the collection to Midlothian Local Studies and stipulated that it should be known as ‘The Bryce Collection’.
Members of the Roslin Heritage Society researched and identified many of the locations.
‘We are delighted to launch this fascinating exhibition on our website and, very appropriately, to feature these historic photographs of the Chapel, Castle, Glen and village from The Bryce Collection,’ Ian Gardner, Director of Rosslyn Chapel Trust, said.
‘This is the first exhibition on our online gallery, which has been funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, administered by Midlothian Council, and we look forward to adding more exhibitions there in the months ahead.’
The Bryce Collection images are used with permission from Midlothian Council Libraries and Archives and 40 photographs are now on display in the online exhibition.
Read more News stories here.
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24bd4a28d02d4cef52685db37512f16d | Open air gallery Caol Ruadh Sculpture Park announces its return after hiatus
It has attracted thousands of visitors over the last 13 years, and now Caol Ruadh Sculpture Park has announced its return after a one-year hiatus.
Opened in 2012 by Karen Scotland and Anne Edmonds, this open air gallery is tucked away on the Kyles of Bute on Argyll’s Secret Coast.
Set within stunning Argyll scenery on the banks of Loch Riddon, the park covers 18 acres of landscaped gardens and will this year feature artworks and installations from 17 Scotland and Northern Ireland based artists.
The work will be dotted around the grounds of the distinctive redbrick Caol Ruadh house, that dates back to 1898, from 2 May until 29 June.
‘After taking a year off in 2024, I’m delighted to reopen the sculpture park to the public this summer to showcase a selection of works from some of the finest and most celebrated Scottish artists and sculptors,’ owner Karen said.
‘Caol Ruadh is a magnificent open air gallery on the fringes of Loch Riddon with fine views of the surrounding hills of Cowal.
‘All of the artworks and installations will be available to buy and we will also be hosting a number of weekend workshops where budding artists can learn from the experts and get some creative, hands-on experience.
‘We will be opening Thursdays to Sundays, 11am to 5pm, and are hoping for some fine weather to accompany the spectacular landscapes and artworks on show.’
The artists exhibiting at Caol Ruadh are Janice Affleck (Glasgow), Tom Allan (Bute), Frances Clark (West Kilbride), Sara Cunningham Bell (Coleraine), Helen Denerley (North East Scotland), Guy Elder (Ardentinny), Moira Ferguson (Kilmun), Vanessa Lawrence (Ayrshire), Katie Low (Glasgow), Louise McVey (Glasgow), Illona Morrice (Aberdeen), Pauline Muir (Glasgow), Rob Mulholland, Charlott Rodgers (Glasgow), Karen Westerbeek, Bill Williamson (Ardentinny) and Charles Young (Edinburgh).
Read more News stories here.
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3e584cb3a5b9f29aee418c4ea31791b1 | Vintage tractor unveiled to help raise money for Eilidh MacLeod charity
A vintage tractor has been given an incredible makeover to become a fundraising machine for the music charity set up in memory of Manchester Arena victim Eilidh MacLeod from Barra in the Outer Hebrides.
Cheshire-based tractor enthusiast Mark Ferguson, who was related to musician Eilidh through his wife, has spent the last five years painstakingly refurbishing his V8 Fordson Super Major in Eilidh MacLeod Memorial Trust purple and pink colours and branding.
The tractor has been completely stripped and rebuilt by Mark and a team of generous supporters. The livery also lists the names of the 21 other people who died in the May 2017 attack along with Eilidh.
The 1960s Fordson was unveiled at the weekend by Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester in Mark Ferguson’s home town of Winsford, Cheshire.
Mr Burnham was joined by Mark and his family along with some of the families of the other victims. Those who helped with the refurbishment work were also present.
‘This has been a real labour of love over the last five years, but I am delighted with the end result’ Mark said.
‘I have bought and refurbished many vintage tractors in my time, but this project was very different due to the close family link.
‘The eye-catching colours and livery will be a talking point when I take the Fordson to various shows and events to raise awareness and funding for Eilidh’s Trust.
‘It’ll be an opportunity to start conversations to highlight the great work of the charity and how it is already giving Eilidh a legacy by supporting young musicians.’
The tractor has been named Pole Star which is taken from lyrics of the song ‘Wishing Well’ written in tribute to Eilidh by Celtic music band Skipinnish. Some of the lyrics from the song are also part of the new branding.
Mark volunteered his tractor to act as a unique focal point for the music-based charity. It will now be used as part of a fundraising drive at a variety of shows, events and country fairs all over Britain to make people aware of Eilidh’s Trust and its ambition to give the 14-year-old a legacy through youth music education.
Eilidh’s Trust supports music education for young people reflecting Eilidh’s own love of music and her musical ability and enjoyment as a piper with the local pipe band.
To date the trust has issued over £100,000 worth of small grants to youth music groups across Scotland.
The trust will also manage and maintain a permanent memorial to Eilidh and a garden of remembrance and reflection on Barra.
Paul Hughes of Eilidh’s Trust added: ‘Our fundraising comes in all shapes, sizes and from different starting points and inspirations.
‘We are grateful to Mark for his dedication to this particular project and those who supported him.
‘Pole Star is looking great and we know it will serve our cause well by not only raising funds but to get people to talk about Eilidh and the other victims, and their individual legacies. We wish Mark and Pole Star all the very best.’
Read more News stories here.
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5c367173f66c815c778adcd51d3b34a1 | Groundbreaking Solar Funding: Discover If Your Home Qualifies
In a game-changing development for UK homeowners, a revolutionary new solar panel funding option is set to make solar power more affordable and accessible than ever before.
Forget everything you thought you knew about solar energy. A breakthrough funding option is offering UK homeowners an opportunity to transform their energy future.
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The energy crisis meets its match
British homeowners have been trapped in a relentless cycle of rising energy costs, forced to choose between comfort and financial survival. But what if there was a targeted solution designed to provide immediate relief for those that qualify?
Solar Panel Fundings range of grants including this game-changing new one makes going solar easier and more accessible than ever. Find out if you qualify in minutes!
Affordable solar solutions: Lower energy costs for UK homes
This isn’t just another solar panel grant scheme—it’s a funding solution designed to help the most suitable UK homeowners. Solar used to be an out-of-reach energy solution, but our new funding means that those who are eligible can easily make the switch. The benefits are transformative.
If you’ve previously dismissed solar as too expensive or complicated, our new approach demands a second look. We’ve eliminated the barriers that once made solar seem like a luxury reserved for wealthy homeowners with expansive roofs and deep pockets.
Click your region to see if you qualify for new fully funded windows
You will be taken to the funding checker to complete your application
Let’s dive into some of the amazing benefits of solar energy:
A potential 70% reduction in energy costs.
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Through the Smart Export Guarantee, excess energy produced by your home can be sold back to the grid. Imagine getting paid for the energy you generate.
Take control of your energy consumption and enjoy energy independence
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Why Solar Panel Funding?
Our vision goes beyond simply selling solar panels. We’re on a mission to revolutionize how UK homeowners approach energy – making sustainable solutions accessible.
We believe in a future where every home can benefit from clean, affordable energy. Our funding solution is designed to break down the financial barriers that have traditionally kept solar out of reach, so homeowners to take control of their energy consumption, reduce their carbon footprint, and unlock significant financial advantages. | {
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b13dccdb972d4f17a586fbe509b92c6c | Groundbreaking Funding Makes Solar Energy Accessible to Every UK Home
In a game-changing development for UK homeowners, a revolutionary new solar panel funding option is set to make solar power more affordable and accessible than ever before.
Forget everything you thought you knew about solar energy. A breakthrough funding option is offering UK homeowners an opportunity to transform their energy future.
Unprecedented Affordability: Solar installations now cost significantly less
Instant Financial Benefits: Homeowners can now profit from solar from day one
Universal Accessibility: Designed to make solar viable for every UK household
The end of energy anxiety
British homeowners have been struggling with unpredictable energy prices with skyrocketing bills becoming a monthly nightmare, forcing families to choose between comfort and cost. But what if there was a way to break free from this cycle?
Solar Panel Funding has cracked the code to make renewable energy not just accessible, but irresistibly attractive. Our groundbreaking funding option isn’t just another installation scheme—it’s a financial lifeline.
Why this funding changes everything
This new funding option is nothing like what’s been available before. It’s a much-needed solution that brings affordable, sustainable energy within reach of every UK home.
If you’ve previously looked at solar panels and found them too expensive or too much of a hassle—it’s time to completely reset your expectations. Remember when solar seemed like a luxury reserved for wealthy homeowners with expansive roofs and deep pockets? Those days are gone. Our new solar funding option is a huge improvement to the affordability of making the switch to solar.
Let’s dive into some of the amazing benefits of solar energy:
A potential 70% reduction in energy costs.
A robust financial investment that transforms property value and generate passive income
Through the Smart Export Guarantee, excess energy produced by your home can be sold back to the grid. Imagine getting paid for the energy you generate.
Take control of your energy consumption and enjoy energy independence
Significantly reduce your carbon footprint
Enjoy hassle-free, long-lasting energy solutions with low maintenance
How will this solar panel funding change the game?
Our mission is to make solar panels accessible to everyone because we believe in empowering you with energy solutions that are good for your wallet and the planet. This funding means that for UK homeowners going solar now makes more financial sense than staying on the traditional grid.
Unlike traditional home improvements solar offers immediate benefits. Installation can be completed in just a day or two with minimal disruption. And with our flexible finance and funding options it’s easier than ever to make the switch and you can make profit from day one!
For anyone who previously looked at solar and thought “not for me”—it’s time to look again. With this new funding option and the Smart Export Guarantee, solar is no longer unreachable. It’s an immediate, accessible opportunity for financial transformation. | {
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"title": "Groundbreaking Funding Makes Solar Energy Accessible to Every UK Home",
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8676affde143fd7d419a49288ff664e5 | Samson Dauda to Attend Star-Studded Event Featuring Top Bodybuilders and World Champion Boxer
In a spectacular event set to elevate Wisbech’s status in the fitness world, Boxcross UK is proud to announce a star-studded meet and greet featuring some of the biggest names in bodybuilding and boxing. Scheduled for the 3rd of August, this event promises to be a landmark occasion for fitness enthusiasts and the local community.
Superstar Lineup:
Leading the roster is Samson Dauda, Arnold Classic Champion, who recently placed 3rd in the 2023 Mr. Olympia competition, a testament to his elite status in the bodybuilding world. Joining him are fellow IFBB Pro Bodybuilders Alex Kent and Sasan Heirati, both renowned for their impressive physiques and accomplishments on the global stage.
Adding to the excitement, the event will also feature World Champion Boxer Leigh Wood, whose exceptional career and inspiring journey have earned him a dedicated following. This assembly of top-tier athletes highlights the significance of the event and the growing reputation of Boxcross UK as a premier fitness destination.
Event Highlights:
Meet and Greet Sessions: Attendees will have the unique opportunity to interact with Samson Dauda, Alex Kent, Sasan Heirati, and Leigh Wood. These sessions offer rare insights into elite athletes’ training routines, career highlights, and personal fitness tips.
Attendees will have the unique opportunity to interact with Samson Dauda, Alex Kent, Sasan Heirati, and Leigh Wood. These sessions offer rare insights into elite athletes’ training routines, career highlights, and personal fitness tips. Food Review Club: The event will also feature the popular Food Review Club, providing reviews and tastings from some of the best street food vendors in the area. Attendees can enjoy a variety of culinary delights while engaging with the vibrant community atmosphere.
Location and Time:
Date: 3rd August
3rd August Time: 10am-1pm
10am-1pm Location: Boxcross UK, 15 Regal Road, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, PE13 2RQ
A Significant Milestone for Wisbech:
This event marks a significant milestone for Boxcross UK and the town of Wisbech. Hosting such high-profile figures underscores the gym’s commitment to offering world-class fitness experiences and highlights its growing influence in the fitness community.
Special Surprise Reveal:
While the meet and greet and food festivities are sure to draw crowds, attendees can also look forward to a special surprise reveal during the event. Though details are currently under wraps, the reveal is expected to be a highlight, adding an extra layer of excitement.
Community Impact:
Boxcross UK has always been dedicated to fostering a sense of community and promoting health and fitness. This event exemplifies their commitment to bringing elite fitness experiences to Wisbech, offering residents a unique opportunity to engage with top athletes and gain inspiration for their own fitness journeys.
Join the Excitement:
Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to meet Samson Dauda, Alex Kent, Sasan Heirati, and Leigh Wood, enjoy fantastic food, and be part of a historic event at Boxcross UK. Whether you’re a dedicated bodybuilder, a boxing fan, or simply looking for an exciting day out, this event has something for everyone.
About Boxcross UK:
Boxcross UK is a 24-hour fitness and boxing gym located in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. Founded by professional boxer Jordan Gill and entrepreneur Damien Pearl, the gym offers state-of-the-art facilities, expert-led classes, and a supportive community for fitness enthusiasts of all levels. | {
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0e461bdfc016f2cc50bedced69213310 | Centuries-Old 'Extra-terrestrial Remains' Exhibited
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Two purported “extra-terrestrial” life forms’ remains were presented to Mexican lawmakers.
The preserved specimens were showcased in glass enclosures during an official presentation at the Mexican Congress, generating significant enthusiasm among UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) enthusiasts.
Officials were informed that these remains were discovered in Cusco, Peru, and were believed to be approximately 1,000 years old.
The event in Mexico City was led by journalist and UFO investigator Jaime Maussan, who testified under oath that nearly one-third of the DNA from the specimens was “unidentifiable” and that these remains were not linked to “our Earthly evolutionary process,” as reported by Mexican media.
“These specimens are not part of our evolutionary history on Earth,” he said in his presentation to Mexican government officials and representatives from the US.
“They are not beings recovered from a UFO crash.
“Instead, they were found in diatom (algae) mines and subsequently became fossilised.”
Nonetheless, it’s worth noting that in 2015, Mr. Maussan made a claim about a mummified body, supposedly an extraterrestrial, discovered near Nazca in Peru. Subsequently, this claim was discredited when it was revealed to be the remains of a human child.
Regarding this recent discovery, Mr. Maussan informed the Mexico City delegation that experts had scrutinized the specimens at the Autonomous National University of Mexico.
He explained that scientists had employed radiocarbon dating to collect DNA evidence, and X-rays had revealed that one of the specimens contained what appeared to be “eggs” inside.
Congress representatives said the information had left them with “thoughts” and “concerns” and with the view to “continue talking about this”.
Ryan Graves, a former US Navy pilot who asserted in July that the quantity of UFOs or UAPs (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) was significantly underreported, was also present at the event.
Last year commemorated the 75th anniversary of the Roswell UFO incident, a event that continues to intrigue theorists to this day.
According to the incident’s reports, an extra-terrestrial spacecraft is said to have crashed in the New Mexico desert in 1947, potentially resulting in the retrieval of alien bodies. Some theorists assert that this event has been concealed by the American government. | {
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764cbd8c8f4692eef97a8409ee983021 | Fatal Double Stabbing Claims Life of 20-Year-Old Man
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Eyewitnesses have recounted a harrowing incident where individuals wielding knives and wearing balaclavas launched a surprise attack on two individuals in Croydon. Tragically, one of the victims succumbed to their injuries, while the other sustained wounds.
This stabbing incident took place in North Walk, following a pursuit that unfolded through the streets of New Addington. Authorities received an emergency call shortly after 6pm and arrived at the scene to discover two men suffering from stab wounds.
Regrettably, one of the individuals, a 20-year-old, was declared deceased at the scene, while the other, a 19-year-old, was transported to the hospital. Thankfully, the condition of the second man is believed to be non-life-threatening.
One witness said: “They were wearing balaclavas they were chasing two boys, they were rampaging through the street and round the alleys.
“There was a massive commotion. One of the injured boys was put in a car. There was blood everywhere.”
Police raided a house after the killing.
A witness said: “There were police everywhere, it looked like they were kitted up for war. They smashed in a door I think they were looking for the killers.”
According to local residents, the outbreak of violence appeared to be an escalation stemming from a prior altercation that occurred the day before the fatal incident.
One said: “There had been a fist fight the day before, this time they came back with knives.”
Officers were trawling for CCTV footage from around the area and carrying out door to door inquiries.
Forensics teams have also been scouring for clues.
A mother of three said: “We are all devastated, one of my kids saw boys in balaclavas, it’s no way to live.”
As of Wednesday morning, a designated crime scene continued to be in effect at the location. The family of the victim has been notified about the tragic incident.
Detectives have disclosed that a 20-year-old individual has been apprehended under suspicion of murder. They are also urging the public to provide any available footage of the stabbing, which took place in broad daylight.
Met Detective Inspector Jason Fitzpatrick said: “This fatal attack happened in daylight and I’m sure it would have been witnessed by a number of people.
“We are carrying out a number of enquiries, including a review of local CCTV. I would ask that anyone who has a video doorbell, or who was driving in the area with a dash cam, to please check their footage.
“It is vital that we establish what happened yesterday evening and locate those responsible.”
Following the attack, authorities have committed to deploying additional patrols in the area to enhance security and public safety.
Croydon Mayor Jason Perry said: “I know that residents across New Addington and Croydon as a whole will be deeply saddened and distressed to hear about tonight’s incident.
“My thoughts are with the families of the victims and all those affected. I would also like to thank the local emergency services who responded so quickly and professionally to this serious incident.”
Croydon Central MP Sarah Jones said she was “devastated” to learn that a man had died, and urged local residents who may have witnessed the fight to contact police. | {
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6dbbb6664cdd6628f841395d47056cfd | Escaped Convicted Murderer Who Scaled Wall
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A murderer who had been convicted escaped from prison by utilizing a unique “crab-walking” technique over the prison walls has been apprehended following an extensive two-week-long search.
On August 31st, Danelo Cavalcante successfully escaped from Chester County Prison in Pennsylvania. Surveillance footage captured the 34-year-old using an unconventional method to evade capture.
He stretched himself between two parallel walls in the prison’s recreation yard, allowing him to scale them. Cavalcante then navigated over razor wire and traversed a rooftop, managing to elude detection by a prison guard stationed in a rooftop watchtower, thus completing his daring escape.
Cavalcante’s escape remained unnoticed for over an hour until prison guards conducted a head count. Subsequently, a massive manhunt was launched, involving hundreds of state and local police officers, as well as federal agents, all dedicated to locating him.
However, on Wednesday, a reliable law enforcement source confirmed to NBC News that they had successfully apprehended the convicted murderer.
“I’m proud to announce the subject is in custody. Repeating, subject is in custody,” a Chester County official announced in a broadcast radio call on Wednesday morning.
His capture occurred just a day after law enforcement authorities established a heavily fortified perimeter in response to reported sightings of Cavalcante in the South Coventry Township area on Monday evening.
On August 16, Cavalcante was convicted of the murder of a 33-year-old former girlfriend and subsequently received a life sentence without the possibility of parole for the stabbing.
Additionally, Cavalcante faces charges in his native Brazil, where he is accused of “double qualified homicide” in connection with the 2017 killing of Valter Junior Moreira dos Reis in the municipality of Figueiropolis.
This incident allegedly stemmed from a debt that the victim owed him for repairing a vehicle.
Cavalcante had been incarcerated in Chester County Prison while awaiting transfer to a state prison to serve his life sentence.
A county spokesperson revealed that an 18-year veteran guard, who failed to notice Cavalcante’s escape, has been terminated from their position. The guard, who remains unidentified, was found to be in possession of a cell phone while on duty in the tower, a breach of Chester County Prison policy, as reported by the county representative. | {
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c4062a61713dad32bf64b4c73f1631e0 | Protesters Against ULEZ Regulations Damage Enforcement Vans
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Critics of the expansion of London’s ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) have initiated actions against a fleet of camera vans responsible for enforcing the regulations. Pictures shared on social media reveal that some of these vans have been subjected to graffiti, their cameras obscured with bags, and their tires intentionally deflated.
A recovery truck was captured on camera coming to the aid of one of these vans.
In excess of 4,000 individuals have joined a Facebook group dedicated to urging others to report any sightings of these enforcement vans.
These vehicles are being deployed as an increasing number of fixed Ulez cameras have been rendered inoperative by critics of the program, who go by the name “Blade Runners.”
The Ulez cameras employ automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) technology to swiftly identify vehicles.
Motorists found driving within the zone with a non-compliant vehicle and neglecting to pay the £12.50 daily fee will initially receive warning letters.
In the upcoming weeks, Transport for London (TfL) is anticipated to commence imposing fines of £180, which can be reduced to £90 if paid within a 14-day window.
A Transport for London (TfL) spokesman said: “Vandalism is unacceptable and all incidents on our network are reported to the police for investigation.
“Criminal damage to Ulez cameras or vehicles puts the perpetrators at risk of prosecution and injury, while simultaneously risking the safety of the public.
“Camera vandalism will not stop the Ulez operating London-wide.
“All vandalised cameras are repaired or replaced as soon as possible.
“We have an extensive camera network which is sufficient to support the effective operation of the scheme.
“Anyone driving a non-compliant vehicle within the expanded zone will be detected and we advise everyone to check whether their vehicle is compliant and to consider the various support that is available to help transition to greener modes of transport.”
According to data disclosed by the Metropolitan Police, there were a total of 510 reported crimes related to Ulez cameras during the period from the beginning of April to the end of August.
Out of these cases, two individuals have been arrested. In one instance, a person has been charged and released on bail, while the other case has been discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service.
Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, who made the decision to expand Ulez to the whole of London from Aug 29, previously warned people attacking cameras that “protest should be lawful, safe and peaceful”, adding: “It is really important to stay on the right side of the law.” | {
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498401f01f70cdce44a54afc411c98ba | Arrest Made as Military Truck Breaches Police Road Block
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A 41-year-old man was taken into custody following an incident in which a military truck breached a police roadblock. Law enforcement officers responded to a report of threats made by the man against a resident of an address in Norton Fitzwarren, near Taunton, on Sunday at 4:40 pm.
Upon their arrival, the individual fled the mentioned address in a privately-owned truck, subsequently colliding with two police vehicles. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, according to the police.
The man has been apprehended and is currently under police custody.
Avon and Somerset Police have reported that a total of nine vehicles were damaged during this incident, including four police cars. Following the breach of the roadblock, which resulted in significant damage to the police vehicles, the truck also collided with a parked car and a signpost.
Subsequently, the individual proceeded to drive to the A361 bridge over the M5 in Somerset, approximately six miles from the initial scene, where he abandoned the vehicle.
An Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson said: ‘A 41-year-old man has been arrested following a series of incidents in the Taunton area this afternoon (Sunday 10 September).
‘Officers were deployed to an address in Norton Fitzwarren at around 4.40pm following a report a man was making threats to the occupant and had caused damage to the property.
‘The man left the address in a large military truck when officers arrived before driving the vehicle into two police cars blocking the road, causing them extensive damage.
‘Thankfully, no police officers or members of the public were hurt in the incident.
‘The man subsequently drove to the A361 M5 overbridge where he exited the vehicle and climbed over the railings, leading the motorway to be closed in both directions. The man was arrested 25 minutes later and he currently remains in police custody.’ | {
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f1193cdb8d0fa46de71fd0de6a2d70f1 | Tragic Loss: 16-Year-Old Passes Away in Canal
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On the hottest day of the year, a heartbreaking incident unfolded as a 16-year-old boy tragically lost his life in the Leeds-Liverpool Canal in Burnley, Lancashire.
The unnamed teenager was retrieved from the canal late last night, prompting a police investigation. At 4:20 PM on Saturday afternoon, emergency services were summoned, igniting an intense search effort.
Sadly, the search concluded when the young boy’s lifeless body was found in the water shortly before 7:20 PM.
Police today confirmed he had entered the water near Empire Way in the town. A force spokesman said: “A 16-year-old boy was pronounced deceased at the scene and our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this distressing time. Our inquiries are continuing.”
On Sunday, the United Kingdom experienced an extraordinary meteorological phenomenon as the Met Office confirmed a record-breaking seventh consecutive day of scorching 30°C heat.
This unrelenting heatwave in September marks the longest of its kind ever recorded. Notably, Saturday was officially declared the hottest day of the year, with temperatures soaring to 32.7°C at Heathrow Airport.
Sunday marked an extraordinary milestone in the UK, as it marked the seventh consecutive day of sweltering 30-degree weather, with Cambridge recording a high of 32.5°C.
To address the concerning heatwave, the UK Health Security Agency issued an amber heat-health warning, covering nearly every region of England, effective until 9 pm tonight. This heatwave surpassed the previous record set on Thursday when Wisley in Surrey registered a scorching 32.6°C.
In the previous year, England and Wales witnessed a troubling trend, with an estimated 3,271 excess deaths occurring during the summer heatwaves.
These heatwaves saw temperatures reach a record-breaking 40°C for the first time since historical records began, as revealed by analysis. Additionally, the sweltering conditions led to a tragic toll, with at least a dozen individuals losing their lives in July 2022 due to drowning incidents while attempting to cool off in open water.
UKHSA chief scientific officer Isabel Oliver previously said: “These estimates show clearly that high temperatures can lead to premature death for those who are vulnerable. Higher excess deaths occurred during the hottest days this year and a warming climate means we must adapt to living safely with hotter summers in the future.
“Prolonged periods of hot weather are a particular risk for elderly people, those with heart and lung conditions or people who are unable to keep themselves cool such as people with learning disabilities and Alzheimer’s disease.” | {
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a6b043cd0f2e15f555011673ad11b2b7 | Anticipated Thunderstorms as Heatwave Subsides
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After a week of record-breaking high temperatures in the UK, thunderstorms have surged through various regions, bringing an abrupt conclusion to the recent heatwave experienced by many.
On Sunday, a fresh record was established as the UK experienced its seventh consecutive day of temperatures surpassing 30 degrees Celsius. This remarkable streak, the longest ever recorded for the month of September, came to an end.
However, on Monday morning, early thunderstorms hit southern Scotland, prompting a yellow warning in effect until 6 a.m.
Following this, thunderstorms also occurred in Northern Ireland, northern regions of England, Wales, and northeastern Scotland.
The upcoming week promises cooler temperatures, though some parts of the southeast are expected to enjoy another day of warmth, with London anticipating highs of 27 degrees Celsius today.
Northern parts of England and southern Scotland are projected to experience temperatures in the low 20s, while slightly warmer conditions are anticipated in the Midlands.
Sky News weather producer Chris England says temperatures will “be around the seasonal average” this week.
“Cloud, rain and cooler air spreading from the northwest will bring an end to the hot spell, although the southeast will be quite warm and humid into Tuesday,” he said.
“Thereafter, temperatures will be around the seasonal average, but it’ll be unsettled, with further rain and strong winds moving into the northwest on Wednesday night, then sinking south.
“Central Britain looks like being mostly wet into the weekend, with some heavy rain likely, while gales are possible around north-western coasts. The southeast looks mostly dry after tomorrow.”
Met Office meteorologist Tom Morgan said “a few thunderstorms” can be expected on Monday.
“For the vast majority they will be a bit more scattered in nature than (on Sunday),” he added.
Saturday marked the pinnacle of the heatwave, as temperatures inched just above 33 degrees Celsius at London’s Kew Gardens. Last week, the presence of Saharan dust led to striking sunsets and sunrises in the clear skies.
However, this phenomenon has now yielded to a south-eastward advancing band of rain, ushering in cooler temperatures, especially in the northwest, starting from Monday.
Mr. Morgan described this heatwave as “unprecedented.”
“We have never seen anything as long lived in terms of a heatwave in September before,” he said.
As we move into Tuesday, the majority of the UK should anticipate temperatures that align with the typical September averages. Highs of 18 degrees Celsius are forecasted for northwest England, with the Midlands experiencing slightly higher temperatures.
In contrast, portions of the southeast are expected to maintain temperatures of approximately 23 degrees Celsius, possibly extending into Wednesday.
According to the Met Office, Wednesday should bring a cooler and sunnier outlook for the entire region, but it may become cloudier with westward-advancing rain later in the day, persisting until Friday.
Additional periods of rain are in the forecast for both Thursday and Friday. | {
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39a15d0070ee605888b62fc5d607a082 | Closure of All Wilko Stores Results in 12,500 Job Losses
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The GMB reports that all 400 branches of the struggling retailer Wilko are expected for their closure by early October, resulting in the probable displacement of all 12,500 employees associated with the chain.
On Monday morning, administrators PwC relayed the news to the union, confirming the unfolding situation. Consequently, the GMB now asserts that the probability of all Wilko employees facing redundancy has increased.
This development follows an earlier report by Sky News, which disclosed the failure of a rescue deal involving the HMV owner.
PwC chose not to provide any comments on the matter.
Wilko, a brand that has been under the ownership of the Wilkinson family for many decades, entered administration last month. Nadine Houghton, GMB national officer, characterized this development as the “final blow” for the discount homeware brand.
She said: “Wilko was far more than a brand, a retailer or the products it sold, it was the thousands of loyal team members now facing an uncertain future.
“Wilko may have ceased genuinely being a family brand many years ago, but the staff kept the real family ethos of Wilko alive until the very end. It is the family that Wilko colleagues made for themselves that will be missed the most.”
She added: “This isn’t a tragedy without cause. Wilko should have thrived in a bargain retail sector that is otherwise strong, but it was run into the ground by the business owners…. No worker caused the downfall of Wilko.
“But they will be the ones who will suffer – all as the owners get off scot-free. GMB will not stop campaigning for the owners of this debacle to be held to account.”
B&M European Value Retail has already secured an agreement to acquire 51 Wilko stores, with plans to rebrand them. The fate of Wilko staff at these branches remains uncertain, as it is unclear whether the discount chain will retain or rehire any of them.
Earlier, PwC had disclosed approximately 1,600 redundancies and confirmed the closure of 52 stores this week. Their attempts to find a buyer for these branches were unsuccessful.
The following stores will close on Tuesday 12 September:
Acton
Aldershot
Barking
Bishop Auckland
Bletchley FF
Brownhills
Camberley
Cardiff Bay Retail Park
Falmouth
Harpurhey
Irvine
Liverpool Edge Lane
Llandudno
Lowestoft
Morley
Nelson
Port Talbot
Putney
Stafford
Tunbridge Wells
Wakefield
Weston-super-Mare
Westwood Cross
Winsford
The following stores will close on Thursday 14 September:
Ashford
Avonmeads
Banbury
Barrow in Furness
Basildon
Belle Vale
Burnley (Relocation)
Clydebank
Cortonwood
Dagenham
Dewsbury
Eccles
Folkestone
Great Yarmouth
Hammersmith
Huddersfield
Morriston
New Malden
North Shields
Queen Street Cardiff
Rhyl
Southampton-West Quay
St Austell
Stockport
Truro
Uttoxeter
Walsall
Woking | {
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"title": "Closure of All Wilko Stores Results in 12,500 Job Losses",
"url": "https://www.breakingnewstoday.co.uk/death-knell-closure-of-all-wilko-stores-results-in-12500-job-losses-says-union/"
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4ef1634e9b101729a632e3c1a620132f | Ban on American XL Bulldogs Following 11-Year-Old Attack
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The American “XL Bully” dog breed is facing a potential ban following a recent incident in Birmingham, where an uncontrollable pet went on a rampage.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman has declared her intent to seek “urgent guidance” on prohibiting this breed in light of the “shocking” attack on an 11-year-old girl during the incident.
West Midlands Police initiated an investigation following an attack in the Bordesley Green area on Saturday, which left the young girl and two men who came to her aid injured.
“This is appalling. The American XL Bully is a clear and lethal danger to our communities, particularly to children,” Ms Braverman wrote on social media. “We can’t go on like this. I have commissioned urgent advice on banning them.”
Mrs. Braverman and Policing Minister Chris Philp initiated this advisory process last week, prompted by data indicating that the XL Bully breed had been implicated in the majority of fatal dog attacks in the UK since 2021.
In that year, two out of every four such attacks involved the XL Bulldog, a figure that increased to six out of every ten in 2022.
Experts in the field of animal welfare express concerns that without swift measures to prevent the introduction of genetically engineered American crossbreeds to Britain, there may be a significant rise in fatalities.
While Mrs. Braverman has requested this advice, the responsibility of adding the breed to the banned list falls under the purview of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
The recent incident in Birmingham occurred on a Saturday afternoon while the dog’s owner was walking it. A video captured from the top deck of a bus, circulating online, captured the chaotic scene as the dog went on a rampage.
During the attack, the little girl sustained injuries to her arms from the dog. A courageous man managed to intervene and pull the dog away from her. Seeking safety, the girl sought refuge in a nearby shop, but the XL Bully managed to break free.
The dog then pursued another man, who was wearing a white T-shirt and shorts. This chase led to a petrol station forecourt where the man was subsequently attacked by the dog. Thankfully, the dog was ultimately stopped after being struck.
West Midlands Police have reported that the dog involved in the incident has been placed in secure kennels while the investigation proceeds, and the owner has been interviewed by law enforcement.
Social media footage provides disturbing glimpses of these dogs chasing down victims, with one video from London capturing a harrowing moment where one of these dogs tackled a screaming woman to the ground, inflicting serious injuries.
Recently, it came to light that two Bully XL dogs were responsible for a brutal attack on 22 pregnant sheep and the injury of 48 others in Wales. This attack prompted a farmer to take the drastic measure of shooting both dogs.
Despite being banned in the UK for nearly 200 years, authorities have expressed concerns about the resurgence of dog fighting in Britain, with these breeds being the preferred choice. The muscular American Bully XL can exhibit extreme aggression due to a history of violent training and extensive inbreeding.
Unregulated breeders are clandestinely producing massive “mutant crossbreeds” by mating prohibited pitbulls with legally allowed mastiffs and bulldogs, exploiting loopholes in dangerous dogs laws to avoid detection.
Saturday’s assault represents the most recent occurrence in a string of similar incidents that seem to surge during hot weather. As temperatures rise, so do the number of reports concerning dogs attacking individuals. Tragically, a woman lost her life due to a mauling by Rottweilers, and several children have sustained permanent scarring from such encounters.
Emma Chandley, a practicing veterinarian associated with Perfect Pet Insurance, has noted that high temperatures during the summer can potentially lower the thresholds for aggression in both humans and animals.
She said: “Dogs are more likely to attack and bite in the warmer summer months. As with humans, tensions tend to rise as the temperature does.
“From my experience, dogs are more likely to bite on hotter days and when the air pollution is higher,” she added. | {
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"title": "Ban on American XL Bulldogs Following 11-Year-Old Attack",
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2c71fdbd4b13f1045e5ac577a6595eb1 | Khalife Court Appearance Following Charges of Escaping Prison
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Daniel Khalife has made a court appearance after being charged with escaping from Wandsworth prison.
The 21-year-old individual suspected of involvement in terrorism reportedly escaped on Wednesday but was apprehended in a London suburb on Saturday, culminating in a 75-hour pursuit. Formerly a soldier, he was allegedly employed in the prison kitchen and vanished while dressed in a chef’s attire.
He stood before the bench in Westminster Magistrates’ Court, facing charges of escaping from lawful custody at HMP Wandsworth on September 6th.
Khalife, donned in a grey prison-issued tracksuit, was surrounded by a security officer and two uniformed police officers, while three additional plain-clothes officers occupied the court’s well.
Khalife, a former Royal Signals member previously stationed at Beacon Barracks in Stafford, verified his name and date of birth when prompted but was not required to enter a plea for the charge.
No request for bail was made, and deputy chief magistrate Tan Ikram ordered him to remain in custody until his forthcoming court appearance as part of the “terrorism list” at the Old Bailey scheduled for September 29.
Khalife had been in custody at HMP Wandsworth awaiting trial. He faced accusations of placing fake explosive devices at a military facility, a charge under the Terrorism Act, as well as another charge under the Official Secrets Act, which alleged that he engaged in “an act prejudicial to the safety or interests of the state.”
In May, he was discharged from the army, and he previously appeared at the Old Bailey via video link in July, where he denied the charges levied against him. | {
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52d0a580a1e54bdd6c3157bd6db9e85a | Three Years After Kidnapping, Paralyzed Woman Utters First Word
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A woman, who endured paralysis and brain damage as a result of being abducted by her former boyfriend and subsequently falling from a van traveling at a speed of 60 miles per hour, has recently spoken her first word in three years.
In September 2020, Angel Lynn, who is now 22 years old, was forcibly taken from the streets of Rothley, Leicestershire, by Chay Bowskill following a heated argument. Subsequently, she was discovered severely injured on the A6 road near Loughborough, according to Leicestershire Police.
During a recent hospital visit, Angel’s mother, Nikki Lynn, shared on ITV’s Good Morning Britain that her daughter, after three years, finally uttered the word “mum.”
“I just walked in and she was groaning,” she said.
“So I said to her: ‘Angel, you know if you’re making those sort of noises you must be able to say something’.
“And that’s when I just started making noises myself and she just came out with it.
“I had no warning or anything that she was going to speak. I never thought she would speak again.”
In January 2022, Chay Bowskill, who was 20 years old at the time and residing in Syston, Leicestershire, received a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence. This followed his conviction on charges of kidnap, coercive and controlling behavior, and perverting the course of justice, after a trial at Leicester Crown Court.
In March of the same year, Bowskill had his sentence increased to 12 years, with the stipulation that he must serve at least two-thirds of this sentence. This decision was made by the judge.
Rocco Sansome, who was also 20 years old and living in Birstall, Leicestershire, was an accomplice in the incident. He was found guilty of kidnap and initially sentenced to 21 months in prison. Court of Appeal judges did not modify his sentence. | {
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71f9077e058fb250a09338e64af57470 | Tourists Tragically Lose Lives in Rome 'Notorious Street' Accident
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Two Irish tourists tragically lost their lives in a devastating car collision within the heart of Italy’s capital, Rome.
At the ages of 59 and 60, these individuals were attempting to navigate a junction controlled by traffic lights in Rome at 1:50 pm BST (12:50 pm local time) on Thursday when a Ford Fiesta collided with them, as reported by the Italian news outlet Corriere.
After the forceful collision, the 54-year-old driver emerged from his vehicle to offer assistance while emergency services hurried to the scene.
Despite the efforts of both the driver and the paramedics, regrettably, the Irish citizens, believed to have succumbed to their injuries upon impact, could not be saved.
The driver, whose identity remains undisclosed at this time, was subsequently transported to Sant’Eugenio Hospital, as he had sustained injuries in the tragic incident as well.
Photographs from the crash site captured police officers within a secured perimeter. On the asphalt, a straw hat, thought to belong to one of the victims, lay abandoned.
To facilitate an initial investigation by law enforcement, one of the traffic lanes was closed to vehicular traffic. One crucial aspect officials will need to determine is whether the driver disregarded a red traffic signal when colliding with the two Irish tourists, as reported by Corriere.
This tragic incident unfolded on via Cristoforo Colombo, a road notorious for its perilous nature, situated within the Eur residential and business district in the southern outskirts of Rome. It is worth noting that only a fortnight prior, on the night of August 24, a 19-year-old lost his life while riding his moped along this same road. Additionally, just ten days earlier, the manager of a renowned beach resort in Ostia, near Rome, also met with a fatal accident while operating a moped.
Excessive speed by motorists is believed to be the primary factor contributing to the majority of these collisions. | {
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0180c062a329b8adeea7d1cf23868cda | Investigation Announced for Disgraced Surgeon Eljamel
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Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf has revealed the establishment of a public inquiry to investigate the actions of Professor Sam Eljamel, a neurosurgeon accused of misconduct.
Professor Eljamel served at NHS Tayside from 1995 until his suspension in 2013 due to what Mr. Yousaf has characterized as “highly concerning behavior.”
The demand for a public inquiry has grown significantly following the recent release of a report by NHS Tayside. The report disclosed that Professor Eljamel performed surgeries on 111 patients during the period between his suspension and his departure from the institution.
Jules Rose, who has been advocating for an inquiry for the past ten years and established a pressure group to champion the cause, stated earlier this month that the potential number of patients affected by Professor Eljamel’s actions could exceed 200.
Speaking in Holyrood on Thursday – ahead of a statement from Health Secretary Michael Matheson on the issue – Mr Yousaf said: “This is a deeply important issue and I can inform the chamber today that Health Secretary Michael Matheson will use his statement to the chamber this afternoon to confirm that the Government has decided to commission a full, independent public inquiry.
“This comes after very careful consideration of the recent due diligence review, which said concerns about Professor Eljamel were not acted on with the urgency they deserved.
“In commissioning the inquiry, it remains important that those people directly affected are still supported to find the answers they need and that both staff and patients across Scotland know that lessons are being learned.”
Scottish Labour MSP Michael Marra, part of a coalition of politicians from the Tayside and Perth region advocating for an inquiry, expressed that the government’s announcement had to be extracted with effort. He also offered commendation to Ms. Rose and fellow campaigner Pat Kelly for their persistence.
Mr. Yousaf countered this characterization by stating that both he and the Health Secretary had never ruled out the possibility of a public inquiry into the actions of the disgraced surgeon.
Conservative MSP Liz Smith, a longstanding advocate for the victims’ quest for answers, greeted the decision warmly. She also raised the suggestion of exploring the possibility of establishing a victim support fund for those affected by these events.
Mr Yousaf said: “There are, as Liz Smith knows well, appropriate routes in relation to compensation that families can go through when it comes to health boards.
“Of course, if there are other avenues that we can explore to support patients, then we will give that consideration, but there are already established avenues for patients who have suffered as a result of the NHS to be able to claim compensation.”
He did admit, however, that these routes to compensation “can be difficult to navigate”, reiterating the Government will investigate any support that can be offered.
The announcement follows a gathering of patients who were harmed by Professor Eljamel during his tenure at NHS Tayside, along with campaigners. They convened outside the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday, donning surgical attire as a symbolic call for a public inquiry.
Simultaneously, on that very day, Mr. Matheson informed journalists that there was a possibility that the errant doctor might be extradited from his current residence in Libya to face legal consequences in Scotland. | {
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1db9da13fdead6f55db9d0b19fc4ab43 | Northern Ireland could become a "permanent casualty" of Brexit if the Protocol dispute remains unresolved
The Northern Ireland Protocol may become an ongoing irritant unless a compromise is found urgently, peers warned.
There continues to be disagreement between the EU and the United Kingdom about controls and processes for goods shipped to Northern Ireland.
The peers expressed concern that the UK and EU’s approach to the protocol has failed to find solutions and have led to a severe deterioration in relations between London, Belfast, Dublin and Brussels.
To avoid a “permanent casualty” of the Brexit process, the UK and the EU need to work together urgently to find solutions to the Brexit problem.
The EU and the UK must solve the problem of the Irish border issue.
The economy and companies in Northern Ireland must reach an agreement. | {
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"title": "Northern Ireland could become a \"permanent casualty\" of Brexit if the Protocol dispute remains unresolved",
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} |
cc0015e61d8e5998359c77be44b068ae | COVID-19: No quarantine for travellers from the United States and the European Union
From Monday, people who have been fully vaccinated with a jab approved by the EU or US will not need to isolate when coming to England and Scotland from an amber list country.
Travellers will still be required to take a test before departure, and again after return to the UK, depending on their age.
An additional 91 people died in the 28 days following a positive test. Tighter rules will still be in place for French travellers to the EU and the US.
After taking a pre-departure test, travellers will not need to self-isolate when arriving in England and Scotland from an amber List country. Airlines UK and UKinbound stated that the change would enable the travel industry to restart and sustain 500,000 jobs in the UK.
Children under the age of 18 and five must be tested twice, before and after travel.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are calling on US citizens not to travel to the UK. | {
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"title": "COVID-19: No quarantine for travellers from the United States and the European Union",
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aa1f7b231837c3bc6570662fd54305a2 | COVID-19: Changes to self-isolation rule on August 16th
Boris Johnson says the remaining restrictions on the coronavirus in England will be lifted on 16 August for completely vaccinated people.
Recent data have shown a decrease in the number of daily cases. However, Mr. Johnson indicated that it was premature to draw general conclusions.
The daily number of cases declined but rose significantly on Wednesday, with 27,734 reported cases.
In England, the next date to remove the current self-isolation requirement is 16 August.
If Test and Trace contacts you, the NHS will ask you to isolate yourselves, but you may not be legally obligated to do so.
While the percentage of adults who received a double injection reached 70%, the percentage of individuals receiving their first dose of vaccination reached 88%.
The Prime Minister dismissed Gove’s description of people who did not receive the vaccine as “selfish”.
The government plans to introduce an NHS COVID-19 pass to allow people to demonstrate that they have been fully immunized.
The UK donates nine million vaccine doses to the poorest countries. It is the first of 100 million surplus doses that the UK has promised to donate. | {
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115f43e69d5000bb380ca32eb9211454 | Boris Johnson forecasts continued economic recovery following the pandemic
After a year of recovering from the flu pandemic, the UK economy is expected to grow by 7% this year, says Boris Johnson, adding that it is still early to predict the effects of the pandemic.
The UK’s GDP fell by 9.9% in 2020 due to coronavirus restrictions, and unemployment will rise to about 5.5% in the fall.
The government borrowed £299 billion to back up the economy, but less than expected.
Mr Johnson said that the roll-out of vaccines had helped to increase job numbers and that the rest of the year would see steady economic recovery.
The Prime Minister referred to an IMF report saying that jobs are coming back. The IMF recommended taking a cautious approach to the recovery.
Deputy Labour Leader Angela Rayner stated that flexible work should be a right for all and lead to better work/life balance. | {
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4b9e5d4c0c9becc353f4c0d7daaf6b33 | COVID-19: Refusing the COVID-19 vaccine is selfish, says Gove
Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said that people who turn down Covid vaccination are “selfish” and put others’ lives at risk.
The government has already said it plans mandatory vaccination for nightclubs in England from September.
By Monday, 88.1% of adults in the United Kingdom had received their first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while 70.5% had been completely vaccinated.
The government plans to make full vaccination for those who are not covered by an exemption a condition of entry for nightclubs in England starting in September.
Speaking also on Tuesday, the Scottish First Minister said that people should regard it as a “collective civic duty” to be vaccinated.
Some Conservative MPs criticised COVID-19 certification for civil liberties and threatened to boycott their party’s conference in the fall if proof of vaccination is demanded from participants. | {
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87a16f2c7b7259390ef2ef9bac871831 | PMQ: Boris Johnson faced questions on Coronavirus and the impact on the UK economy
Questioned by Keir Starmer (Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition, Leader of the Labour Party)
Over the past few months, we have supported many of the economic measures announced by the Government, but the decision last week not to provide sector-specific support to those most at risk could end up costing thousands of jobs. One of the sectors, aviation, has already seen huge redundancies: BA has announced 12,000 redundancies; Virgin 3,000; and easyJet 1,900. If the Government’s priority really is to protect jobs, why did the Chancellor not bring forward sector-specific deals that could have done precisely that?
Answered by Boris Johnson (The Prime Minister, Leader of the Conservative Party)
No one should underestimate the scale of the challenge that this country faces. That is why the Chancellor has brought forward a range of measures, which, by the way, the right hon. and learned Gentleman supported last week. They include the job retention bonus and the kick-starter programme for young people. We are also doing a huge amount to support the aviation sector. One of the companies that he mentions, Virgin, has now come out of the Birch process after extremely difficult, but in the end productive conversations. That is the work of this Government: getting on, helping companies through it and helping our people through it. If I may say so, Mr Speaker, the right hon. and learned Gentleman has to work out whether he will support or oppose the Government’s programme to get people back into work. Last week, the shadow Chancellor said here in this House of Commons that she supported our programme. This week, he says that he opposes it. Which is it?
Questioned by Keir Starmer (Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition, Leader of the Labour Party)
This is just such rhetorical nonsense. It is perfectly proper and right for the Opposition to set out the parts of the package that we support the Government on and to highlight where there are problems. The problem with the Prime Minister’s dismissal of this is that, since the Chancellor set this out last week, around 10,000 people have lost their jobs. The Prime Minister should focus on them, not the rhetoric. The Office for Budget Responsibility yesterday projected 3.5 million unemployed next year.
I want to press the Prime Minister further on the situation at BA, which is a huge employer and the national flag carrier. Alongside the 12,000 redundancies already announced, BA is trying to force through the rehiring of the remaining 30,000 workers on worse terms and conditions. That is totally unacceptable and it is a warning shot to millions of other working people. The Prime Minister sent an email to BA staff in which he said: “I have already made it clear that firms should not be using furlough to cynically keep people on their books and then remove them or change their terms and conditions.” That was on 2 June. It is now six weeks on. Will the Prime Minister now personally intervene and make it clear that actions such as those at BA cannot be allowed to stand without consequences for landing slots?
Answered by Boris Johnson (The Prime Minister, Leader of the Conservative Party)
We have been absolutely clear that we want our great companies across the country to support their workers and keep them in employment where they possibly can. I have made that point clear on the Floor of the House just in the past couple of weeks. Let us be absolutely clear: British Airways and many other companies are in severe difficulties at the moment, and we cannot, I am afraid, simply with a magic wand ensure that every single job that was being done before the crisis is retained after the crisis. What we can do—and what we are doing—is encourage companies to keep their workers on with the job retention scheme and the job retention bonus, as well as a massive £600 billion investment programme in this country to build, build, build and create jobs, jobs, jobs. That is what we are doing.
Questioned by Keir Starmer (Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition, Leader of the Labour Party)
The Prime Minister knows exactly what I am talking about: it is the rehiring of 30,000 people at BA on worse terms and conditions, and he should call it out.
Yesterday, the Government’s expert advisory group published a report on the challenges this autumn and winter. It was asked to do so by the Government Office for Science. The report assessed the reasonable worst-case scenario for this autumn and winter, including a second covid spike and seasonal flu, and it set out strong recommended actions to mitigate the risks. The report was clear: July and August must be a period of intense preparation—i.e., now. Could the Prime Minister make it clear that he intends to implement the recommended actions in the report in full and at speed?
Answered by Boris Johnson (The Prime Minister, Leader of the Conservative Party)
Not only are we getting on with implementing the preparations for a potential new spike but the right hon. and learned Gentleman will know that the Government are engaged in record investments in the NHS of £34 billion. The House may not realise that, just in the last year that the Government have been in office, there are now 12,000 more nurses in the NHS and 6,000 more doctors. It was thanks to their hard work, and the hard work of the entire NHS, that we were able to prevent our health service from being overwhelmed this spring. We will take steps to ensure that it is not overwhelmed this winter either.
Questioned by Keir Starmer (Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition, Leader of the Labour Party)
That is the whole point of this report, which sets out the reasonable worst-case scenario and tells the Government what they need to do about it, so I am surprised that the Prime Minister is not committing to fully implementing it. It is vital that the Government learn the lessons from the mistakes that have been made and act now to save lives for the future. One of the key recommendations in the report, commissioned by the Government Office for Science, is that testing and tracing capacity should be significantly expanded to cope with increased demands over the winter. The reality is that trace and track is not working as promised, as it stands today, and the report makes it clear that it needs to be significantly expanded to cope with the risks of autumn and winter. What assurance can the Prime Minister give that the system will be fit for both purposes in the timeframe envisaged in the report—i.e., by this September?
Answered by Boris Johnson (The Prime Minister, Leader of the Conservative Party)
Once again, the right hon. and learned Gentleman attacks the test and trace operation, which is working at absolutely unprecedented scale: 144,000 people across the country have now agreed to self-isolate to stop the spread of the virus. He keeps saying that the test and trace operation is failing to contact enough people and failing to get enough people to self-isolate. Actually, it is doing fantastic work: 70% or 80% of contacts are found, and it is getting through to the vast majority of people who have the disease. I can certainly give the House the assurance that our test and trace system is as good as, or better than, any other system anywhere in the world—and yes, it will play a vital part in ensuring that we do not have a second spike this winter. Instead of knocking the confidence of the country in the test and trace system, now is the time for him to return to his previous script and build it up—that is what he needs to do.
Questioned by Keir Starmer (Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition, Leader of the Labour Party)
The problem with the Prime Minister quoting the 70% of people who are contacted and asked to self-isolate is that that has gone down. It was 90% just a few weeks ago and every week it has gone down, so I would not quote the latest figure, looking at the trend. But I have to ask, in the light of the last few questions: has the Prime Minister actually read this report that sets out the reasonable worst-case scenario and tells the Government what they need to do about it in the next six weeks? Has he read it?
Answered by Boris Johnson (The Prime Minister, Leader of the Conservative Party)
I am of course aware of the report and we are of course taking every reasonable step to prepare this country for a second spike. I may say to the right hon. Gentleman that it is up to him, really, to get behind what the Government are doing or not. He has previously supported our plan. He has previously come to this House and said that he supports our measures. He now says, I think, that he does not support them. I think what he needs to do is build up the confidence of the people of this country cautiously to get back to work and cautiously to restart our economy, which is what we are trying to do, instead of endlessly knocking the confidence of the people of this country: knocking their confidence in test and trace, knocking their confidence in the safety of our schools and knocking our confidence in our transport network. Now is the time for him to decide whether he backs the Government or not.
Questioned by Keir Starmer (Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition, Leader of the Labour Party)
It is perfectly possible to support track and trace and to point out the problems. Standing up every week saying, “It’s a stunning success” is kidding no one. That is not giving people confidence in the system. They would like a Prime Minister who stands up and says, “There are problems and this is what I am going to do about them,” not this rhetoric about “stunning success” when it is obviously not true.
This afternoon, Prime Minister, I am meeting the families of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group, a group of hundreds of families who have lost loved ones. They say this:
“We won’t let the deaths of our loved ones be in vain. And we won’t allow the Government to risk a second wave of deaths without learning from their mistakes.”
They will be listening to the Prime Minister’s answers today, so what would the Prime Minister like to say to them?
Answered by Boris Johnson (The Prime Minister, Leader of the Conservative Party)
I join with, I think, every Member of the House in mourning the loss of everybody who has died in this epidemic. I can assure the right hon. and learned Gentleman, and through him the victims and their families, that we will do absolutely everything in our power to prevent a second spike in this epidemic. That is why we are taking the steps that we are. That is why we have set up, as I say, an unprecedented test and trace operation. That is why we are investing massively in our NHS and our frontline staff, as I say, in the last year, recruiting 12,000 more nurses, as part of a programme to recruit 50,000 more, and preparing our NHS for winter. We will do absolutely everything we can to protect our country and to stop a second spike.
What the right hon. and learned Gentleman has to decide is whether he wants to back that programme or not. One day he says it is safe to go back to school. The next day he is taking the line of the unions. One day they are supporting our economic programme. The next day they are saying our stamp duty cut is an unacceptable bung. One day they are saying they accept the result of the Brexit referendum. The next day, today, they are going to tell their troops to do the exact opposite. He needs to make up his mind which brief he is going to take today. At the moment, it looks like he has got more briefs than Calvin Klein. We are getting on with delivering on our agenda for the country, getting this country through this pandemic and taking it forward. | {
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7306606b3ca317c447dc494c0da200a3 | PMQ: Ian Blackford on unemployment and extending furlough scheme
Prime Minister’s Questions: 8 July 2020
Questioned By Ian Blackford SNP Westminster Leader
Just this week, we have seen Spain look to extend its furlough scheme into 2021. Research has shown that prematurely ending the job retention scheme risks higher unemployment and weaker productivity, with a potential loss of up to £50 billion to GDP. The Resolution Foundation is calling for £3 billion to £5 billion to be spent on extending furlough payments for the hardest-hit sectors, and the TUC is warning of the effect that ending the furlough scheme early will have on people who are shielding and in difficulties. This is about not throwing away the benefits that we have accrued. The Prime Minister seems intent on sinking the lifeboat that has been keeping so many people afloat. If the Prime Minister will not extend the furlough scheme, will he give Scotland the powers so that we can do it ourselves?
Answered By Boris Johnson The Prime Minister (Leader of the Conservative Party)
I think I have answered the right hon. Gentleman’s question already. I believe it is absolutely essential that we invest in our people and protect them from the effects of this epidemic, as we have done at huge expenditure, quite rightly, but it is also essential that we get the economy moving, including in Scotland. I hope that he supports that objective as well. | {
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11e41617cdd9566ebad408c7dbde2f9f | PMQ: Keir Starmer clash with Boris Johnson over blaming care home workers
Prime Minister’s Questions: 8 July 2020
Sir Keir Starmer Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition (Leader of the Labour Party)
On Monday, when asked why care home deaths had been so high, the Prime Minister said that
“too many care homes didn’t really follow the procedures in the way that they could have.”
That has caused huge offence to frontline care workers. It has now been 48 hours. Will the Prime Minister apologise to care workers?
Boris Johnson The Prime Minister (Leader of the Conservative Party)
The last thing I wanted to do was to blame careworkers for what has happened, or for any of them to think that I was blaming them, because they have worked incredibly hard throughout this crisis, looking after some of the most vulnerable people in our country and doing an outstanding job, and as the right hon. and learned Gentleman knows, tragically, 257 of them have lost their lives. When it comes to taking blame, I take full responsibility for what has happened. But the one thing that nobody knew early on during this pandemic was that the virus was being passed asymptomatically from person to person in the way that it is, and that is why the guidance and the procedures changed. It is thanks to the hard work of careworkers that we have now got incidents and outbreaks down in our care homes to the lowest level since the crisis began. That is thanks to our careworkers and I pay tribute to them.
Sir Keir Starmer Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition (Leader of the Labour Party)
That is not an apology, and it just will not wash. The Prime Minister said that
“too many care homes didn’t really follow the procedures in the way that they could have”.
It was clear what he was saying. The Prime Minister must understand just how raw this is for many people on the frontline and for those who have lost loved ones. I quote Mark Adams, who runs a social care charity, who spoke yesterday. He said:
“You’ve got 1.6 million social care workers going into work to protect our parents, our grandparents, our children, putting their own health and potentially lives at risk. And then to get the most senior man in the country turning round and blaming them on what has been an absolute travesty of leadership from the Government, I just think it is appalling.”
Those are his words. I ask the Prime Minister again: will he apologise to careworkers? Yes or no?
Boris Johnson The Prime Minister (Leader of the Conservative Party)
The right hon. and learned Gentleman keeps saying that I blamed or tried to blame care workers, and that is simply not the case. The reality is that we now know things about the way the coronavirus is passed from person to person without symptoms that we just did not know. That is why we instituted the care home action plan on 15 April. That is why we changed the procedures. Perhaps he did know that it was being transmitted asymptomatically—I did not hear it at the time. Perhaps Captain Hindsight would like to tell us that he knew that it was being transmitted asymptomatically. Of course it was necessary to change our procedures. I want to thank our care workers for what they have done, and this Government will continue to invest massively in our care homes and in our care workers. By the way, it is this Government, as I said just now, that put up the living wage by record amounts, and that is something that we can do directly to help every care worker in the country.
Sir Keir Starmer Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition (Leader of the Labour Party)
By refusing to apologise, the Prime Minister rubs salt into the wounds of the very people that he stood at his front door and clapped. The Prime Minister and the Health Secretary must be the only people left in the country who think that they put a “protective ring” around care homes. Those on the frontline know that that was not the case. I quote one care home manager from ITN News yesterday. She said this:
“I’m absolutely livid at the fact that he says we didn’t follow the procedures. Because the care assistants, the nurses, everyone in the care home, have worked so hard. And then he’s got the audacity to blame us.”
Those are her words. What would the Prime Minister like to say to that care home manager?
Boris Johnson The Prime Minister (Leader of the Conservative Party)
What I would like to say to the lady in question, and indeed to every care home worker in the country, is that this Government appreciate the incredible work that they have done, and we thank them for the incredible work they have done. Let me say further that we will invest in our care homes and we will reform the care home sector. I hope, by the way, that we will do it on the basis of cross-party consensus and get a lasting solution to the problems in our care homes and the difficulties many people face in funding the cost of their old age. That is what we want to do. That is what this Government have pledged to do after 30 years of inaction, and I hope that the right hon. and learned Gentleman will join us in doing it.
Sir Keir Starmer Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition (Leader of the Labour Party)
I am glad to hear it. I gently point out that his Government have been in power for 10 years, with no plan and no White Paper. Of course we will join in plans for reforming social care, but 10 years have been wasted. The reality is that more than 19,000 care home residents have died from covid-19. It is a far higher number when we include excess deaths. Overall, around one in 20 care home residents are estimated to have died from the virus. One in 20—it is chilling. These are extraordinary numbers, yet the Prime Minister has consistently ducked responsibility for this. Will he accept that it is not care workers who are to blame; it is his Government?
Boris Johnson The Prime Minister (Leader of the Conservative Party)
I think the right hon. and learned Gentleman has got the old vice of reading out the pre-prepared question without listening to the answer I have just given. I have made it absolutely clear that this Government take responsibility for everything that we have done throughout this crisis. Of course I pay tribute once again to the work of every care worker in the country and I thank them, but what we have also done is put forward a care home action plan that has helped our care workers and our care home industry to get the incidence of coronavirus right down in every care home in the country to the lowest level, and we are now putting in monthly testing for every resident in our care homes and weekly testing for every care home worker. That is thanks to the fantastic efforts of everybody involved in NHS testing and tracing—and I think, by the way, that the right hon. and learned Gentleman should pay tribute to them as well.
Sir Keir Starmer Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition (Leader of the Labour Party)
The Prime Minister continues to insult those on the frontline by not taking these issues seriously. The Prime Minister must recognise that huge mistakes have been made. Two months ago at PMQs I highlighted the weakness of the early guidance on care homes. The Prime Minister, typically flippant, simply said it was “not true”. There were repeated warnings from the care sector and repeated delays in providing protective equipment —this was not hindsight; they were raised here day in, day out and week in, week out. It was not hindsight; it was real-time for the frontline. It was the same with routine testing. And the decision to discharge 25,000 people to care homes without tests was clearly a mistake. Will the Prime Minister simply accept that his Government were just too slow to act on care homes, full stop?
Boris Johnson The Prime Minister (Leader of the Conservative Party)
The right hon. and learned Gentleman knows very well—or he should know very well—that the understanding of the disease has changed dramatically in the months that we have had it. When he looks at the action plan that we brought in to help our care workers, I think he would appreciate the vast amount of work that they have done, the PPE that they have been supplied with and the testing that they have been supplied with. That has helped them to get the incidence of the disease down to record lows, and it has enabled us to get on with our work, as the Government, in getting this country through this epidemic—getting this country back on its feet. That is what this country wants to see. We have stuck to our plan to open up our economy gradually and cautiously; one week he is in favour of it, the next week he is against it. What this country wants to see is a steady, stable approach to getting our country back on its feet. That is what we are delivering.
Sir Keir Starmer Leader of Her Majesty’s Official Opposition (Leader of the Labour Party)
Finally, to add further insult to injury, there are reports this morning that the Government are to remove free hospital parking for NHS workers in England. The Prime Minister will know that this could cost hundreds of pounds a month for our nurses, our doctors, our carers and our support staff. We owe our NHS workers so much. We all clap for them; we should be rewarding them, not making it more expensive to go to work. The Prime Minister must know that this is wrong; will he reconsider and rule it out?
Boris Johnson The Prime Minister (Leader of the Conservative Party)
The hospital car parks are free for NHS staff for this pandemic—they are free now—and we are going to get on with our manifesto commitment to make them free for patients who need them as well. The House will know that that was never the case under the Labour Government—neither for staff nor for patients. May I respectfully suggest that the right hon. and learned Gentleman takes his latest bandwagon and parks it free somewhere else? One week he is backing us; the next week he is not. One week he is in favour of a tax on wealth and tax on homes; the next week he tries to tiptoe away from it. We know how it works: he takes one brief one week, one brief the next. He is consistent only in his opportunism, whereas we get on with our agenda: build, build, build for jobs, jobs, jobs. The House will hear more about that shortly. | {
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fa382ecc38f19d071c0e18f64658cbf0 | PMQ: Anna McMorrin on living wages and unacceptable work conditions
Prime Minister’s Questions: 8 July 2020
Questioned By Anna McMorrin Shadow Minister (International Development)
I am shocked and angered at workers in UK clothing factories such as Boohoo being paid a mere £3.50 an hour and being forced to work in totally unacceptable conditions. In the 21st century, there must be no room for exploitation and modern slavery. We must call time on fast fashion for the sake of people and our planet, so my question is simple: what will the Prime Minister do about it?
Answered By Boris Johnson The Prime Minister (Leader of the Conservative Party)
First, it is this Conservative Government who set out laws against modern slavery. It is this Conservative Government who massively increased the living wage — not only instituted the living wage, but massively increased it. We hoped that it would be the Labour mayor of Leicester who would stand up for the interests of the workforce in his community. That is what we will do. | {
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defe02977a135414b9ca184b2d64c3c1 | Economic Update
Economic Update (8 Jul 2020)
Rishi Sunak The Chancellor of the Exchequer
I stood here in March saying I knew people were worried, and I know they are worried still. We have taken decisive action to protect our economy, but people are anxious about losing their job and about unemployment rising. We are not just going to accept that. People need to know that we will do all we can to give everyone the opportunity of good and secure work. People need to know that although hardship lies ahead, no one will be left without hope. So today, we act with a plan for jobs. Our plan has a clear goal: to protect, support and create jobs. It will give businesses the confidence to retain and hire, to create jobs in every part of our country, to give young people a better start and to give people everywhere the opportunity of a fresh start. Where problems emerge, we will confront them. Where support is justified, we will provide it. Where challenges arise, we will overcome them. We entered this crisis unencumbered by dogma and we continue in that spirit, driven always by the simple desire to do what is right.
Before I turn to our plan for jobs, let me first outline the nature of the challenge. Our economic response to coronavirus is moving through three phases. In the first phase, beginning in March, the Government announced social distancing measures and ordered businesses to close, halting the spread of the disease. We put in place one of the largest and most comprehensive economic responses in the world. Our £160 billion plan protects people’s jobs, incomes and businesses. We supported more than 11 million people and jobs through the job retention and self-employment schemes, alongside billions of pounds for the most vulnerable. We supported over 1 million businesses to protect jobs through tax cuts, tax deferrals, direct cash grants and over 1 million Government-backed loans. And we supported public services, with new funding for the NHS, schools, public transport and local authorities. In total, we have now provided £49 billion to support public services since this crisis began.
Analysis I am publishing today shows our interventions significantly protected people’s incomes, with the least well off in society supported the most, and this crisis has highlighted the special bond which holds our country together. Millions of people in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have been protected by the UK Government’s economic interventions, and they will be supported by today’s plan for jobs. No nationalist can ignore the undeniable truth: this help has only been possible because we are a United Kingdom.
Four months on, as we carefully reopen our economy, we are entering the second phase of our economic response. Despite the extraordinary support we have already provided, we face profound economic challenges. World economic activity has slowed, with the International Monetary Fund expecting the deepest global recession since records began. Household consumption—the biggest component of our economy—has fallen steeply. Businesses have stopped trading and stopped hiring. Taken together, in just two months our economy contracted by 25%, the same amount that it grew by in the previous 18 years. And the independent Office for Budget Responsibility and Bank of England are both projecting significant job losses, the most urgent challenge we now face. I want every person in this House and in the country to know that I will never accept unemployment as an unavoidable outcome. We have not done everything we have so far just to step back now and say, “Job done.” In truth, the job has only just begun.
If the first phase of our economic response was about protection and the second phase—the phase we are addressing today—is about jobs, there will come a third phase, where we will rebuild. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has set out our vision to level up, unite the country, spread opportunity, and repair and heal the wounds exposed through this crisis. I can tell the House that we will produce a Budget and spending review in the autumn.
And we will deal, too, with the challenges facing our public finances. Over the medium term, we must, and we will, put our public finances back on a sustainable footing. In other words, our plan for jobs will not be the last action, but is merely the next, in our fight to recover and rebuild after coronavirus.
Let me now turn to the detail of our plan for jobs. Central to our economic response has been the jobs retention scheme. Furlough has been a lifeline for millions, supporting people and businesses to protect jobs, but it cannot, and should not, go on forever. I know that when furlough ends it will be a difficult moment. I am also sure that if I say the scheme must end in October, critics will say it should end in November. If I say it should end in November, critics will just say December. But the truth is, calling for endless extensions to the furlough is just as irresponsible as it would have been, back in June, to end the scheme overnight.
We have to be honest: leaving the furlough scheme open forever gives people false hope that it will always be possible to return to the jobs they had before. The longer people are on furlough, the more likely it is that their skills will fade, and they will find it harder to get new opportunities. It is in no one’s long-term interests for the scheme to continue forever, least of all those trapped in a job that can exist only because of Government subsidy. So the furlough will wind down, flexibly and gradually, supporting businesses and people through to October.
While we cannot protect every job, one of the most important things we can do to prevent unemployment is to get as many people as possible from furlough back to their jobs. So, today, we are introducing a new policy to reward and incentivise employers who successfully bring furloughed staff back—a new jobs retention bonus.
If you are an employer and you bring back someone who was furloughed, and you continuously employ them through to January, we will pay you a £1,000 bonus per employee. It is vital that people are not just returning for the sake of it; they need to be doing decent work. For businesses to get the bonus, the employee must be paid at least £520, on average, in each month from November to January, the equivalent of the lower earnings limit in national insurance.
The House should understand the significance of this policy. We will pay the bonus for all furloughed employees. So if employers bring back all 9 million people who have been furloughed, that would be a £9 billion policy to retain people in work. Our message to business is clear: if you stand by your workers, we will stand by you.
The furlough was the right policy to support people through the first phase of this crisis, but now, in this new phase, we need to evolve our approach. Today, I want to set out for the House a new three-point plan for jobs. We need to: first, support people to find jobs; secondly, create jobs; and, thirdly, protect jobs.
Let me start with supporting jobs, in particular the help we want to provide for those who will be hardest hit by this crisis: younger people. Over 700,000 people are leaving education this year. Many more are just starting out in their careers. Coronavirus has hit them hard—under-25s are two and a half times as likely to work in a sector that has been closed.
We cannot lose that generation, so today I am announcing the kick-start scheme, a new programme to give hundreds of thousands of young people in every region and every nation of Britain the best possible chance of getting on and getting a job. The kick-start scheme will pay employers directly to create new jobs for any 16 to 24-year-old at risk of long-term unemployment. These will be new jobs, with the funding conditional on the firm proving that the jobs are additional. These will be decent jobs, with a minimum of 25 hours per week paid at least the national minimum wage, and they will be good-quality jobs, with employers providing kick-starters with training and support to find a permanent job.
If employers meet those conditions, we will pay young people’s wages for six months, plus an amount to cover overheads. That means, for a 24-year-old the grant will be around £6,500. Employers can apply to be part of the scheme from next month, with the first kick-starters in their new jobs this autumn. I urge every employer, big or small, national or local, to hire as many kick-starters as possible. Today, I am making available an initial £2 billion, enough to fund hundreds of thousands of jobs, and I commit: there will be no cap on the number of places available.
We can do more for young people. Traineeships are a proven scheme to get young people ready for work, and we know they work, so for the first time ever we will pay employers £1,000 to take on new trainees, with triple the number of places. What is more, to help 18 to 19-year-olds leaving school or college to find work in high-demand sectors, such as engineering, construction and social care, we will provide £100 million to create more places on level 2 and 3 courses.
The evidence says that careers advice works, too, so we will fund it, with enough new careers advisers to support over a quarter of a million more people. We will also expand our universal skills offer. Sector-based work academies provide training, work placements and a guaranteed job interview in high-demand sectors, and the evidence shows they work, so we will expand them, by tripling the number of places.
We know that apprenticeships work, too, with 91% of apprentices staying in work or doing further training afterwards, so for the next six months we will pay employers to create new apprenticeships. We will pay businesses to hire young apprentices, with a new payment of £2,000 per apprentice, and introduce a brand new bonus for businesses to hire apprentices aged 25 and over, with a payment of £1,500. I thank my right hon. Friend the Education Secretary for his support and commitment in developing these measures.
We know that the longer someone is out of work, the harder it is for them to return. Millions of people are moving on to universal credit and need urgent support to get back to work, so we are doubling the number of work coaches in jobcentres, increasing the flexible support fund, extending the rapid response service, expanding the work and health programme, and developing a new scheme to support the long-term unemployed. The academic and economic evidence tells us these are among the most effective things we can do.
For that reason, I am investing an extra £1.2 billion in the Department for Work and Pensions to support millions of people back to work, and I am grateful for everything my right hon. Friend the Work and Pensions Secretary and her incredible team have done. I am talking about £1 billion of support for the unemployed, more money for skills, traineeships, apprenticeships, and a new, good-quality job for hundreds of thousands of new kick-starters. That is the first part of our plan for jobs.
The second part of our plan is to support job creation, and that begins with historic investment in infrastructure to create jobs in every region and nation of the UK. At the Budget, I announced £88 billion of capital funding this year, and last week the Prime Minister announced our plans to accelerate £5 billion of additional investment projects. We are doubling down on our ambition to level up, with better roads, better schools, better hospitals and better high streets, creating jobs in all four corners of the country.
As well as investing in infrastructure, we want to create green jobs. This will be a green recovery, with concern for our environment at its heart, and as part of that, I am announcing today a new £2 billion green homes grant. From September, homeowners and landlords will be able to apply for vouchers to make their homes more energy efficient and create local jobs. The grants will cover at least two thirds of the cost—up to £5,000 per household—and for low-income households we will go even further, with vouchers covering the full cost, up to £10,000.
On top of the £2 billion voucher scheme, I am releasing £1 billion of funding to improve the energy efficiency of public sector buildings, alongside a £50 million fund to pilot the right approach to decarbonise social housing. Taken together, we expect these measures to make more than 650,000 homes more energy efficient; to save households up to £300 a year on their bills; to cut carbon by more than half a megatonne per year—equivalent to taking 270,000 cars off the road; and, most importantly right now, to support around 140,000 green jobs. A £3 billion green jobs plan to save money, cut carbon and create jobs.
One of the most important sectors for job creation is housing. The construction sector adds £39 billion a year to the UK economy. House building alone supports nearly three quarters of a million jobs, with millions more relying on the availability of housing to find work. But property transactions fell by 50% in May. House prices have fallen for the first time in eight years and uncertainty abounds in the market—a market we need to be thriving. We need people feeling confident—confident to buy, sell, renovate, move and improve. That will drive growth. That will create jobs. So to catalyse the housing market and boost confidence, I have decided today to cut stamp duty.
Right now, there is no stamp duty on transactions below £125,000. Today, I am increasing the threshold to half a million pounds. This will be a temporary cut running until 31 March next year, and, as is always the case, these changes to stamp duty will take effect immediately. The average stamp duty bill will fall by £4,500 and nearly nine out of 10 people buying a main home this year will pay no stamp duty at all. Stamp duty cuts, a £5,000 green homes grant and tens of billions of pounds of new capital projects—we are creating jobs: the second part of our plan for jobs.
The final part of our plan will protect jobs that already exist by helping some of our highest-employing but hardest-hit sectors: hospitality and tourism. Our economy relies on consumption, especially social consumption: the pubs, cafés, restaurants, hotels and B&Bs that bring life to our villages, towns and cities. Taken together, these sectors employ over 2 million people—disproportionately younger, women and people from black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. Many rural and coastal communities rely on these industries. Some 80% of hospitality firms temporarily stopped trading in April and 1.4 million workers have been furloughed—the highest proportions of any sector. So the best jobs programme we can do is to restart these sectors and get our pubs, restaurants, cafés and B&Bs bustling again.
I know people are cautious about going out, but we would not have lifted the restrictions if we did not think we could do so safely. I have seen in the last few weeks how hard businesses are working to make their premises safe, and if we follow the guidance and respect what they ask us to do, we can all enjoy summer safely. In turn, we need to give these businesses the confidence to know that if they open up, invest in making their premises safe and protect jobs, demand will be there—and be there quickly. So today, I am announcing two new measures to get these sectors moving and protect jobs.
First, at the moment, VAT on hospitality and tourism is charged at 20%, so I have decided, for the next six months, to cut VAT on food, accommodation and attractions. Eat-in or hot takeaway food from restaurants, cafés and pubs; accommodation in hotels, B&Bs, campsites and caravan sites; attractions like cinemas, theme parks and zoos—all these and more will see VAT reduced, from next Wednesday until 12 January, from 20% to 5%. This is a £4 billion catalyst for the hospitality and tourism sectors, benefiting over 150,000 businesses and consumers everywhere—all helping to protect 2.4 million jobs.
But we will go further. The final measure I am announcing today has never been tried in the UK before. This moment is unique. We need to be creative. So, to get customers back into restaurants, cafés and pubs and protect the 1.8 million people who work in them, I can announce today that, for the month of August, we will give everyone in the country an eat-out-to-help-out discount. Meals eaten at any participating business, Monday to Wednesday, will be 50% off, up to a maximum discount of £10 per head for everyone, including children. Businesses will need to register and can do so through a simple website, open next Monday. Each week in August, businesses can then claim the money back, with the funds in their bank account within five working days. Some 1.8 million people work in this industry. They need our support, and with this measure, we can all eat out to help out. A VAT cut to 5% and a first-of-its-kind Government-backed discount for all—that is the third part of our plan for jobs.
A £1,000 jobs retention bonus; new, high-quality jobs for hundreds of thousands of young kick-starters; £1 billion to double the number of work coaches and support the unemployed; more apprenticeships, more traineeships and more skills funding; billions of pounds for new job creation projects across the country; a £3 billion plan to support 140,000 green jobs; and, in this vital period, as we get going again, VAT cut, stamp duty cut and meals out cut—all part of our plan for jobs worth up to £30 billion.
Governments, much less people, rarely get to choose the moments that define them. What choice there is comes in how we respond. For me, this has never just been a question of economics, but of values. I believe in the nobility of work. I believe in the inspiring power of opportunity. I believe in the British people’s fortitude and endurance. And it is that value, endurance, more than any other that we need to embody now—a patience to live with the uncertainty of the moment and to find that new balance between safety and normality. We will not be defined by this crisis but by our response to it. It is an unambiguous choice to make this moment meaningful for our country in a way that transcends the frustration and loss of recent months. It is a plan to turn our national recovery into millions of stories of personal renewal. It is our plan for jobs, and I commend it to this House. | {
"authors": [
"Daily Politcs"
],
"image_url": "https://dailypolitics-assets.s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/2020/07/11/Rishi.JPG",
"publish_date": "2020-07-08 00:00:00",
"source": "DailyPolitics",
"summary": "",
"title": "Economic Update",
"url": "https://www.dailypolitics.com/2020/07/08/economic-update.html"
} |
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