Protesting too much

COMPRISING the world’s richest industrialised countries, the G8 is an elite forum for the world’s most powerful leaders to meet and discuss global challenges. Increased co-operation over trade and strengthening the global economy are obviously on their annual agenda. Yet when G8 summits have become targets for violent protests, it is something of an irony that its other main aims are to promote peace and democracy and to prevent and resolve conflicts.

G8 summits have been targeted by anti-capitalist protesters for some years now. The most notorious clashes took place in Genoa in 2001, when one protester was shot dead by police and hundreds more were injured.

Soon the G8 is coming to Scotland, and thanks to the ring of steel which will be in place around Gleneagles, police predict that protesters will focus their attention on Edinburgh.

As Scotland’s seat of government, the city is already seeing an increase in demonstrations, from the anti-war marches protesting against UK involvement in the conflict with Iraq to the recent Fathers 4 Justice stunt on the roof of the Scottish Parliament.

The G8 protesters are likely to be in an entirely different league, however. The anti-capitalist extremists are trained to cause the maximum amount of disruption, and their brand of direct action is virtually indistinguishable from anarchy.

Police believe that up to 150,000 demonstrators could descend on Edinburgh for a anti-poverty rally before the summit and fear that this ostensibly peaceful event could easily be hijacked. Officers have already briefed MSPs on the Genoa riots and are taking steps to avert similar problems.

There is, however, a danger that this event could seriously stretch police resources. The total bill for policing the event is expected to run to 150 million, and it is not yet clear who is supposed to be footing the bill.

As we have seen with the consistent failure to fully fund the police to cover the increased burden of providing security related to the Scottish Parliament, and this week’s refusal to pay the city council’s bill for the opening ceremony, the Executive does not have a track record of reimbursing such expenses. This must not be allowed to happen with the G8.

Edinburgh is not hosting the summit, and the city is not going to benefit from it economically, but it will have to cope with the potential fall-out. The G8 summit is an international event which is being hosted by Scotland. As such, the security and policing costs should be met by the Executive or Westminster and Edinburgh taxpayers should not foot the bill.

Closing argument

THE NHS must deliver healthcare to all patients who need it, but in order to do so efficiently, it must carry out regular reviews of its services. This may mean taking hard decisions about whether to close hospitals. At the end of the day, hospitals are the services and the staff who provide them, and not the bricks and mortar. But there is value in having hospitals which can deliver care to patients in their own communities.

It is this balancing act that NHS Lothian now faces when considering proposals to close Liberton Hospital and complete the closure of the Eastern General.

The winding down of the Eastern has been taking place over a number of years, and will come as little surprise to most people. Liberton Hospital plays an important role, particularly in the care of elderly people, and it is a base for community midwife services. If its beds are transferred to the Royal Edinburgh site, then capacity would not be an issue.

The sale of the site could raise funds for reinvestment in buildings which are in an dilapidated state. Provided that steps are taken to ensure patients can continue to access its services with ease, then the proposal to close Liberton might make sense.