Scotland News

[Evanvincent]

Young Andrew McGill will represent Scotland under-17 at the Celtic XC event

Livingston Athletics club member Andrew McGill has been selected to represent Scotland under-17 at the Celtic XC event later this month.

The competition, which takes place in Stirling, will see Scotland take on teams from Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.


Four club athletes took part in last week’s Festive Handicap 2019. Stephen Marshall led the Livi runners home in 36th place with a run time of 39.13 and handicapped time of 1:24.08.

[Evanvincent]

Website problem hits Bank of Scotland customers

The Bank of Scotland has said customers have been affected by a problem with its website. Online banking services were first reported to be unavailable early on New Year's Day. At about 11:00, an update on the bank's Twitter feed said it did not have an estimated time for when the website would be working again. It added that staff were working on the problem and they hoped to have it "back to normal soon".

The problem has also affected Lloyds and Halifax customers. A Bank of Scotland spokeswoman said: "We're aware that some of our customers are experiencing problems logging on to Online Banking. We're working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible, and apologise for any inconvenience caused."

[Evanvincent]

Scotland’s best-uncapped team? Bruce Aitchison makes a late run

THIS was really tough! I have picked from players I know, a lot of what I’ve heard, and remember that in my lifetime, it has been easier to get capped than ever before meaning a lot of players I wanted to pick have played for Scotland through World Cups, tours, appearances off the bench, etc. I have shown undoubted bias in my selection but I have resisted the temptation to pick myself, as I haven’t ever retired from international rugby, so it still might happen! When I was a lad, Fridays in February and March saw the U21s and A Teams play at the same venue before the main event at Murrayfield the day after. Thousands packed into club grounds watching quality players playing a quality standard and I loved it. I saw heaps of great players who wanted to be at the ‘Big Dance’. I loved the district games and remember fondly the South v All Blacks at Netherdale in 1993. Some of them make this XV.

[Charliegrover]

The 'Intolerable' Cost Of Scotland Staging The G8 Summit


Tensions over the £72m cost of policing the 2005 G8 summit at Gleneagles have been revealed in newly released government papers. They show the then Scottish Executive wanted the UK government to cover the full amount. But resistance from the UK Treasury saw it only contribute £20m. National Records of Scotland files show former first minister Jack McConnell warned his administration was being placed in an "intolerable position". Warnings that the executive would expose fears about the cost of G8 summit security publically were issued, the papers reveal. A huge police presence, with officers drafted in from across the UK, was put in place for the 2005 meeting of leaders from the world's foremost industrial nations. Trouble flared on a number of occasions with confrontations between police and protesters in Edinburgh and at Auchterarder, next to the summit venue.

[Albert Davis]

Scotland Lock Nears Exeter Chiefs Move




Glasgow lock Jonny Gray is expected to join Scotland team-mate, Stuart Hogg, at Exeter Chiefs next season.

Gray, 25, is set to leave Scotstoun when his contract expires at the end of the campaign, with the Premiership leaders his likely destination.
Having lost Hogg, Finn Russell, Josh Strauss and other key players in recent seasons, Warriors will embark on a major recruitment drive for next term.They have agreed a deal to re-sign Leone Nakarawa until the summer.

[Albert Davis]

Scotland 'could Have Helped Hundreds Avoid HIV'


Hundreds of people could have avoided HIV infection from contaminated blood products if help had been sought from Scotland, new evidence suggests.
A letter dated January 1990 shows a Scottish facility had spare capacity to produce the blood-clotting agent Factor VIII, used to treat hemophiliacs.
Instead, English health authorities continued to import large amounts of Factor VIII from risky sources abroad.

[Evanvincent]

Monica Lennon says Scottish Labour must split from UK party


Scottish Labour must split from the main UK party if it wants to end its "long-term losing streak", one of the party's MSPs has claimed.

Monica Lennon said Scottish Labour, which won just one seat in last month's general election, was still treated as a "branch office" by London.

And she warned that "epic change" was needed to avoid further decline.

Ms Lennon said this should include Scottish Labour becoming a separate political party in its own right.

She said the move would prevent Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard being undermined by UK party figures such as shadow chancellor John McDonnell, who contradicted Mr Leonard's opposition to a second independence referendum in a interview at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August.

Mr Leonard has pledged to hold a "public listening exercise" as part of attempts to understand why Scottish Labour suffered such a "profound defeat" in the election.

[Evanvincent]

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland fundraisers help more people really live their lives

More than 2900 people took part in various fundraising events throughout 2019 to raise vital funds for Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland. And the charity heroes raised over £469,000 to help people live their lives to the full. The money raised will help people across Scotland who are living with chest, heart and stroke conditions to regain their confidence and rebuild their lives.

The charity is calling for people to become fundraising superheroes in 2020 and sign up to the range of events it has on offer. From the iconic Forth Bridge Abseil and Scotland’s beastliest obstacle races to running and walking events including the Kiltwalks, the charity has a diverse variety of event to suit everyone.

Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland is calling on supporters old and new to take on an event to help more of the one in five people in Scotland who are affected by chest, heart and stroke conditions. Lawrence Cowan, director of communications and supporter fundraising at Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland, said: “We are so thankful for the thousands of people who took part in our events over 2019, whether it was in memory of a loved one, a defining moment in their recovery journey or to raise vital funds to support friends, family or colleagues. “Thanks to their support we can help more people across Scotland rebuild and live their lives to the full.

[Albert Davis]

Bank Payday Glitch And Christmas Murder Probe


A system error has left customers of Clydesdale, Yorkshire and Virgin Money banks without wages or benefits, the Daily Record reports. Clydesdale Bank said it had now updated all accounts overnight and anyone affected financially would be "put right as soon as possible".
The Fife edition of The Courier reports that a 23-year-old woman has appeared in court in Kirkcaldy accused of the murder of a 25-year-old man on Christmas Day.
The rest of Saturday's papers, including The Herald, splash on the US assassination of Qasem Soleimani, one of Iran's most powerful leaders. The paper highlights that Iran has "vowed revenge".
"Britain braced for Iran revenge," says the Scottish Daily Mail. The paper reports concerns of security officials who fear UK citizens in the Gulf - or British troops in the region - could be in the firing line as Tehran plots retaliation.

[Evanvincent]

Gusts of up to 70mph possible as Met Office issues yellow weather warning

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning and said that winds of up to 70mph could hit the North East. The warning is in place from 5am until 9pm on Tuesday and it says there is a "small chance that injuries and danger to life could occur". Strong winds will hit parts of Scotland and northern England and there's even potential for 80mph gusts around some exposed coastal areas. In our region, the warning affects Newcastle , Gateshead , Northumberland , Durham , Sunderland and North and South Tyneside.


A spokesperson for the Met Office said: "A windy period is expected for parts of Scotland and northern England on Tuesday. The most likely scenario is for the strong or very strong winds to develop across coastal parts of northern and western Scotland, with strong gusts across parts of northern England, central and eastern Scotland. "Gusts of 60-70 mph are possible, with potentially 70-80 mph gusts around some of the most exposed coastal sites."

[Evanvincent]

Three men arrested after police swoop on flats in Cranhill

hree men were arrested in Glasgow this morning after police locked down a block of flats. Dozens of officers were spotted in attendance at Longstone Place, Cranhill at around 11am. Police confirmed three men had been arrested following an intelligence led operation.

[Evanvincent]

Kenny MacAskill should keep SNP policy criticisms to himself

As a new MP I believe he has a collective responsibility to the party and his fellow MPs to ensure that his opinions and criticisms of SNP policy and in fact anything which, in general, creates mixed messages about SNP policy are kept in check and remain part of party discussion.

It has not taken him long to seek controversy!

During his time in the “wilderness” he readily criticised many of the SNP government’s policies and actions. Like Jim Sillars, he clearly has and had the right to do so like any observer or member of the public. Clearly many such responses were not only welcomed but were a godsend for our opponents to feed on and declare “great divisions” within the SNP.

[Albert Davis]

Scots set for snow, torrential rain and fierce 80mph winds this week


SCOTS are set to be hit by a barrage of snow, torrential rain and roaring 80mph winds this week, forecasters have warned. Travel could be disrupted and power lost, as jet stream winds will steer three pressure systems from Iceland, the Met Office said.
After the turbulent conditions start to sweep across the nation on Monday, there is expected to be no let-up until the weekend.

Met Office meteorologist Marco Petagna said: “There is a big change in the weather on the way with this week looking pretty unsettled for many parts of the UK.

“There will be a risk of gales in northwestern regions at the start of the week with gusts reaching 60 to 70mph or possibly 80mph in the most exposed areas.

“One low-pressure system will come in on Monday followed by another on Tuesday and a third on Thursday.

[Albert Davis]

Strong winds forecast close A1 road in East Lothian



The A1 road in East Lothian has been closed as a precaution as much of Scotland braces itself for high winds.

Forecasters said they expected disruption and winds gusting to 75mph in parts of Scotland.
The Met Office issued a yellow "be aware" warning for strong south westerly winds for 05:00 to 21:00.
Gusts of 50-60mph have been forecast for the west coast and eastern central and southern Scotland, and 70-75mph over exposed coastal and upland areas.

Ferry firms have warned of disruption to sailings and Network Rail Scotland said it was monitoring the weather.

[Albert Davis]

Scottish project tackles 'environmental impact' of pills



A new Scottish health project aims to tackle potential harm caused to the environment by pharmaceuticals.

An estimated 100 million treatments are prescribed every year in Scotland.
After a pill passes through a person's body, some of its compounds reach rivers, lochs and the sea because wastewater plants cannot filter them out. While the project team says there is no evidence of a risk to the public, they warn of possible threats to marine wildlife.

[Albert Davis]

New powers to crack down on Airbnb-style lets in Scotland




Councils are to be given new powers to tackle problems caused by the rapid growth of Airbnb-style holiday lets in many areas of Scotland.

The Scottish government said councils will be able to introduce licensing schemes for short-term lets from 2021.

These will allow local authorities to establish designated areas where planning permission is needed before properties can be rented out.
The scheme will also set safety requirements for all short-term lets.

And councils will be allowed to include further conditions to help tackle littering or overcrowding of properties.
The government also said it will review how short-term lets should be taxed in the future to ensure they make an "appropriate contribution to local communities and support local services".

[Albert Davis]

Parents in Scotland urged to apply for new free childcare plan



Families are being urged to apply for new funded nursery places as the national entitlement increases this summer.

Previously parents could receive 600 hours of free childcare - roughly 16 hours per week in term time.
In August this increases to 1,140 hours a year for all three and four-year-olds, and a quarter of two-year-olds.

[Evanvincent]

Storm Brendan to bring rain and 70mph wind gusts

Parts of the UK are set for heavy rain and wind gusts of 70mph later, as Storm Brendan sweeps in from the Atlantic. The Met Office has issued two 14-hour yellow warnings for wind, covering the UK's west coast, Northern Ireland, Wales and north-east Scotland. It warned of delays to travel as well as possible power cuts and large waves.

Trains in and out of Preston were delayed after the station roof was damaged, and flights between Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly are suspended. Meanwhile, all schools in the Western Isles have been closed and bus services on the islands have been cancelled, with serious disruption to ferry routes likely.

[Evanvincent]

Can Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland And Zimbabwe Punch Above Their Weight?

Bangladesh will look to bring their fine form over recent years to the big stage in Group C of the U19 Cricket World Cup. They will be led by captain Akbar Ali who has already declared his side can not only progress from a group containing Pakistan, Scotland and Zimbabwe but also go on to win the entire tournament.

Ali, a wicket-keeper batsman, is one of several potential stars of the future in a side which has set a high standard in the current generation. Bangladesh have won 18 of their last 30 games in a run which includes series wins over New Zealand and Sri Lanka and three victories on English soil. In Towhid Hridoy and Mahmudul Hasan Joy they possess the only players to score more than 1,000 runs at U19 level since the last tournament two years ago. Shoriful Islam, Mrittunjoy Chowdhury and Tanzim Hasan Sakib will also provide ample assistance with the ball as the three leading wicket-takers at this level.

[Amelie Barrett]

Student loans double to £500m in 10 years

Audit Scotland said students borrowed more than £500m from the Student Loan company in 2018-19, compared with £187m a decade earlier.

Students from the most deprived areas typically borrowed more than those who were from the least deprived areas.

Scottish students receive free university tuition but can borrow money towards their living expenses.

According to Audit Scotland, in 2008-9 the average loan to each Scottish student was £2,420, but by 2018-19 it had reached £5,300.

[Amelie Barrett]

Tesco Bank to create 100 tech jobs at Edinburgh base

The company is recruiting test, software and systems engineers, systems architects, solution designers, project managers, and IT and business analysts.

A further 20 jobs will be created in Newcastle as part of a wider investment in online banking.

This is in addition to 20 roles created when Tesco Bank announced Newcastle as the home for a new "leading-edge technology hub" in November.

Tesco closed one of its Edinburgh offices in 2017 as part of a move which saw 250 customer service roles move out of the city.

The firm's office in the South Gyle area of Edinburgh is its UK headquarters.

[Amelie Barrett]

Sturgeon calls for powers to set up 'Scottish visa' system
The first minister wants a "tailored" approach aimed at bringing people in to offset Scotland's ageing population.

However powers over immigration are currently reserved to Westminster.

The UK government has set out some of its plans for post-Brexit migration policy, promising fast-track entry for leading scientists and researchers.

Freedom of movement between the UK and the EU is expected to end after the Brexit transition period on 31 December, with UK ministers aiming to introduce a new points-based system thereafter.

[rosiebaxter990]

Fuming Staff At 13 Scots Universities Set For Two Week Strike Over Pay And Pension Row



Staff at 13 universities across Scotland are to go on strike over 14 days amid disputes involving pay and pensions. University and College Union (UCU) members will take the industrial action alongside 61 institutions across the UK in February and March. The strikes are over two separate disputes, one on pensions and the other on pay and conditions.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: "If universities want to avoid further disruption they need to send their representatives back to the national negotiating table with solutions to deal with rising pension costs and address the problems over pay and conditions. A spokesman for Universities UK (UUK), which represents employers in the pensions dispute, said: "We regret that UCU are planning further strike action at a time when positive talks on the future of the scheme are making significant progress and are ongoing.

[Amelie Barrett]

Why poverty is lower in Scotland

Scotland currently has 19% of households living in poverty, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said.

This compares to a rate of 24% in Wales and 22% in England.

The Scottish rate has declined from 23% in the mid-1990s to a low of 18% between 2008 and 2013, before rising slightly to its current level.

[rosiebaxter990]

Nicola Sturgeon Shame: First Minister’s Constituency Among Most Deprived In Scotland

NICOLA STURGEON faces further embarrassment today after shock figures revealed Govanhill - an area in her parliamentary constituency - is among the most deprived places to live in Scotland. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will now be under renewed pressure after Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) revealed hundreds of her constituents in Govanhill – an area in her Glasgow Southside constituency – are among the most poverty-stricken. Shock figures in the report carried out by the Scottish Government showed Govanhill has been ranked in the 10% of ‘most deprived areas’ in income, education, housing and crime and second most deprived in employment and health.

It has been a tough week for the Scottish First Minister who came under pressure when Scottish Finance Secretary Derek Mackay was forced to resign on the same day he was to announce Scotland’s Budget after it emerged he had been texting a 16-year-old schoolboy. Earlier this week, Ms Sturgeon was also left red-faced when it came to light that the Scottish Nationalist Party had paid for a "Scotland Loves Europe" symbol to be projected on the European commission headquarters - despite hinting it was arranged by Brussels.

[rosiebaxter990]

Blizzards Sweep Scotland After Storm Ciara

Wintry conditions are sweeping across Scotland in the wake of Storm Ciara which battered the UK over the weekend. The Met Office has issued yellow warnings for wind and snow for most of Scotland with disruption to travel. Forecasters said that the snow and high winds would bring blizzards to many parts of Scotland throughout Monday and Tuesday. Many roads have been affected by snow and one woman has been seriously injured in a crash on the M74. The woman was involved in a collision between a lorry and two cars on the motorway at junction seven, Larkhall, shortly after 10:00 on Monday.

The official twitter feed for the bridge operators said the closures were a "precautionary measure due to risk of falling ice and snow from the cables". Traffic Scotland said it would remain closed until further notice. The diversion, via the Kincardine Bridge, adds approximately 26 miles to the journey.

[Amelie Barrett]

Kate Forbes appointed new Scottish finance secretary

The 29-year-old became the first woman to set out a budget at Holyrood or Westminster when she stepped in for Mr Mackay earlier this month. In a reshuffle of Nicola Sturgeon's cabinet, Fiona Hyslop will now take on extra responsibility for the economy. Jenny Gilruth has joined the government as Europe minister.

[rosiebaxter990]

HSBC To Axe 35,000 Jobs As Profits Plunge

HSBC has announced 35,000 job cuts after profits fall by 33 per cent. The company announced 4,700 job cuts from its then workforce of 238,000 in August. It came after the bank reported a 33 per cent fall in pre-tax profit for 2019 to £10.2 billion, below analysts' expectations and those of its own chief executive, reports the Mirror. Chief executive Noel Quinn said: "As we pursue our plan to deliver greater value for our customers and shareholders, we will continue to seek to grow the parts of the business where we are strongest. Profits were hit by "a goodwill impairment" of £5.6 billion. "This arose from an update to long-term economic growth assumptions, which impacted a number of our businesses," HSBC's annual results statement said. Quinn said more was expected of the company. Quinn said he and his team had begun implementing a plan to "increase returns for investors, create the capacity for future investment, and build a platform for sustainable growth". The restructure involves "consolidating" of some parts of the business and "reorganising the global functions and head office".

[Amelie Barrett]

Unemployment in Scotland falls by 14,000 to 96,000

The unemployment rate for people aged 16 and over now stands at 3.5%, compared with 3.8% for the UK as a whole. Meanwhile, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the number of people aged 16 and over in employment rose by 37,000, to stand at 2,680,000.

Scotland's employment rate of 75% was below the UK figure of 76.5%. The increase in employment came as average weekly wages in the UK returned to pre-economic crisis levels for the first time since March 2008. Weekly pay reached £511 in the three months to December - the last time they were this high, after adjusting for inflation, was before the downturn.

[tracym]

'We never knew how dangerous Loch Lomond was'

The family of a "one in a million" teenager who drowned in Loch Lomond have pleaded for lessons be be learned from his death.

Connor Markward, 16, lost his life at the beauty spot near Balloch Country Park three weeks ago.

He had been enjoying a day out with friends - oblivious to the dangers of the water he was swimming in.

Now his grieving loved ones are calling for a safety campaign in schools to prevent a future tragedy.

Connor's sister Claire Lindsay, 35, said: "I never knew how dangerous Loch Lomond was. You don't understand until it happens to you.

"We are so heartbroken. He had a heart of gold."