Politics
Scottish Independence: Uncertainty ‘harmful to Scotland plc’
BUSINESS leaders have called for an end to the uncertainty surrounding the independence referendum, warning that a prolonged “hiatus” hanging over Scotland’s future will be unhelpful to firms as they plan for growth.
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First Minister’s Questions: Independence sidelined by day-to-day issues
APART from one small intervention, the issue that dominates Scottish politics - independence - nor the issue which dominates the headlines - the Eurozone crisis - made it into First Minister’s Questions today.
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Jim Leishman elected as Fife’s Provost
JIM Leishman, director of football at Dunfermline Athletic, has been elected as the new Provost of Fife.
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Scottish independence: Country would lose warship contracts
AN independent Scotland will lose all its Royal Navy contracts, UK ministers have confirmed, in a move which would put 16,000 jobs at risk along with the country’s entire shipbuilding industry.
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Joan McAlpine forced to eat humble pie for show of discourtesy
SNP MSP Joan McAlpine has apologised for failing to appear in Holyrood today - saying she had “lost track of time”.
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Military numbers in Scotland at lowest for 15 years, reveals MoD
THE level of military personnel based in Scotland is at its lowest for 15 years, official government figures have revealed.
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Cameron: I’ll fight to keep Britain safe in euro storm – PM
DAVID Cameron has issued a stark warning about the “perilous economic times” gripping the UK’s economy, as he used a keynote speech to highlight the risks to the future of the European single currency.
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Hugh McLachlan: The philosophy of fairness is a complex one
The issue of George Osborne’s policy on charitable donations, writes Hugh McLachlan, is a chance to consider the ethics of giving
Eric’s got the bottle to use ‘drunk tanks’ for revellers
FORMER Lord Provost Eric Milligan has vowed to revisit plans for “drunk tanks” to crack down on drunken revellers as he returned to front-line politics as the new licensing leader.
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Computer teacher elected Lord Provost of Edinburgh
COMPUTER teacher Donald Wilson was today elected the new Lord Provost of Edinburgh.
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Make up or break up, David Cameron tells Europe
DAVID Cameron has warned that Europe faces the potential break-up of the single currency unless it takes urgent action to deal with the euro crisis.
11 commentsPM ‘refused to play ball’ on Murdoch
News International executives briefed David Cameron on “what to say and how to say it” before he met Rupert Murdoch, but he “refused to play ball”, the Leveson Inquiry was told yesterday.
Joan McAlpine background: No stranger to controversyy
Joan McAlpine’s outspoken views have attracted criticism since she came to parliament last year.
Hate crime soars right across the board
LORD Advocate Frank Mulholland has insisted sectarianism and bigotry can be eradicated as new figures show they have reached a record high.
Johann Lamont calls for inquiry into child protection
ALEX Salmond is facing calls to back a government inquiry into child protection after Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont said there were “systemic failures” in the inspection regime.
Labour MSP John Park: ‘Voting by text will help stop low turnout’
A SENIOR Labour MSP is set to attempt to change the law to ensure that all local council elections are held at weekends and include the chance to vote by phone and text.
Leaders: Referendum remains a matter of one question
THE publication of the responses to the UK government’s consultation on the SNP’s independence referendum may not have produced a seismic revelation but it has served to underline the concerns many have over the process.
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George Kerevan: Redemption fund can be saviour of the eurozone
It’s the big gun that can blast through the barrier of German rules which prevent the assumption of other countries’ liabilities, writes George Kerevan.
Tom Peterkin: Events of the next 1,000 days have a huge part to play in Salmond’s referendum plans
If A week is a long time in politics then 1,000 days is the equivalent of a political aeon. This week saw the 1,000th day since the Lockerbie bomber was controversially released by Kenny MacAskill.
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Scottish independence: Scotland ‘would need its own currency before joining eurozone’
AN INDEPENDENT Scotland would need to create its own currency before it could join the euro, it has been claimed.
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Scottish independence: Referendum date not a ‘barrier to an agreement’
THE date of the referendum on Scottish independence is not likely to be a “barrier to an agreement” between Holyrood and Westminster over the vote, Scottish Secretary Michael Moore said today.
69 commentsAhmadinejad barred from Games visit
Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claims he has been blocked by the UK authorities from attending the Olympic Games in London.
Labour rules in Scottish councils
Labour has secured control of the administrations in almost half of Scotland’s local authorities.
1 commentTom French: Courts rulings are clear on same-sex marriages
IN HIS recent article in this newspaper Bashir Maan, a long-standing opponent of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality, claims that if same-sex marriage is legalised churches will be forced to conduct such marriages against their will.
Homeowners facing extra council tax ‘need help’
Legislation allowing local authorities to double council tax on empty homes should be accompanied by advice and help for owners, MSPs have been told.
Labour appoints city Lord Provost
VETERAN Labour councillor George Adam has been appointed the new Lord Provost of Aberdeen.
Top mandarin to quit Westminster
The senior civil servant who has led the coalition’s Whitehall cost-cutting drive is to leave the Westminster government next month.
Scottish Independence: Michael Moore says date no barrier to referendum deal
SCOTTISH secretary Michael Moore has said that the UK government does not view the SNP’s planned date for the independence referendum as a “barrier” to a deal with Alex Salmond on holding the vote.
2 commentsPolice officers tell May to follow Scottish example
POLICE officers from forces in England and Wales heckled Theresa May at a conference and urged her to adopt the Scottish Government’s approach to dealing with cuts.
5 commentsCasualisation of workers has worrying impact on both their rights and the return to growth
CLEARLY it is encouraging that unemployment is falling since growth in the economy depends on employment rising and persistently high unemployment holds back growth.
1 commentScottish Independence: Scots could call London’s bluff
A game of hard ball is under way in the build up to the referendum but all not be as clear cut as it seems, writes Tim Ripley.
3 commentsLeaders: Jobless fall a small step, growth would be big one
In other times and in other circumstances, news of a 10,000 fall in unemployment in Scotland, coming on top of a 12,000 reduction in the preceding quarter, would be greeted with unqualified cheer.
Baram Golzari: trust is a simple thing that reaps large rewards
ERNEST Hemmingway once wrote: “The best way to find out if you can trust somebody is to trust them.” A remarkably simple piece of advice and one I have taken to heart over many years in business.
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Sönke Neitzel: Scotland and Bavaria have much in common
Bavarians have sympathy for the Scottish cultural identity, but would they understand independence, asks Sönke Neitzel.
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Tavish Scott: Norwegian model is not quite so attractive
SOCIAL democrats love Norway. Whether its social, tax or economic policy what is there not to like? The weather would be a poor answer to that question. Give me Bergen compared to the spring Scotland has had.
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Fiona McCade: no magic, just stuff costing us the Earth
MY ONLY excuse is that we were at a charity jumble sale and it was my 6-year-old who wanted it, not me. It purported to be a “Harry Potter laptop” but JK Rowling would never have licensed such tat. It was the very definition of rubbish, but Junior wanted it. Please, please, he really, really wanted it. So I paid a pound – to charity, I told myself – and now it’s in my house, doing nothing.
Michael Kelly: Time to take on the big boys and fight obesity
THE influence of the food industry carries too much weight in the corridors of power; it’s vital we reverse that balance, writes Michael Kelly
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Bill Jamieson: Will the Right back independence?
A CHANGE of thinking among Tories may provide a new voice in the debate on Scotland’s future, says Bill Jamieson
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Alistair Darling: Back on the brink of chaos
WE MUST learn from the past that austerity doesn’t work, writes Alistair Darling, and that we can only avoid economic disaster through European unity and growth measures
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Greece crisis: Judge appointed caretaker PM as country sets new elections
SENIOR judge Panagiotis Pikramenos was named Greece’s caretaker prime minister today, and new elections will be held on June 17, according to reports on state TV.
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Bank of England warns of economic storm heading from Europe
MERVYN King, governor of the Bank of England, warned today of the “risk of a storm heading our way from the Continent” as he flagged the eurozone as the greatest threat to the UK’s recovery.
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Bus lane and cameras add up to a left turn for worse
FAMILIES in an east Edinburgh street have complained of being landed with £60 fines every day as they must drive through a bus lane to get home.
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Eddie Barnes: Honest debate over university tuition costs required
ALEX Salmond famously declared before last year’s Scottish elections that “the rocks will melt with the sun” before he asks graduates to pay back the cost of their tuition after graduating, as is happening in England. The pledge prompted Labour, in slightly less flowery language, and with notably less conviction, to match him as best they could. Now, a drastic acceleration in climate change excepting, it appears that the latter could be the first to have a rethink on this most steaming of hot potatoes.
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Leaders: Greece and the eurozone face only hard choices
GREEK mythology tells of Odysseus having to sail between two deadly sea monsters, Scylla and Charybdis, both capable of destroying his ship and killing all on board.
1 commentCouncillor keeps seat after count
THE count of a box of ballots that were missed during a council election has made no difference to the outcome, it has emerged.
Keith Brown faces questions over state of lifeline A83
A HOLYROOD committee hopes to question transport minister Keith Brown about problems on a “lifeline” road.
Ian Perry named as head of Edinburgh City Council planning body
A FORMER deputy leader of Edinburgh City Council is to take charge of the body ruling on planning applications in the capital, it emerged last night.
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Scottish independence: MoD ‘will want out’ of separate Scotland Picture gallery
THE Ministry of Defence will “want out” of an independent Scotland, moving defence contracts to territory “controlled by London”, a leading military analyst declared in the latest clash over the impact of secession.
558 commentsSpooks and special forces needs mean reliance on England – for time being
A CRACK team of special operations troops will have to be recruited to protect Scotland’s oil rigs from terrorist attack, a former SAS deputy commander said yesterday.
4 commentsIllegal immigrants flights cost £134m
FLYING out illegal immigrants has cost taxpayers nearly £134 million in the past five years, the Home Office has said.
1 comment- Scottish pensions crisis: Scots born today ‘will retire at 77’
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Weather for Edinburgh
Friday 18 May 2012
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 6 C to 7 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 9 C
Wind Speed: 17 mph
Wind direction: North east
