Latest news with #FMQs
Daily Record
a day ago
- Business
- Daily Record
John Swinney did 'nothing' to save bus maker Alexander Dennis, says Anas Sarwar
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the First Minister's claims that he found out about the issues facing the firm only weeks ago were 'not true'. John Swinney has been accused of doing 'nothing' to save jobs at bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis despite being warned by the company a year ago that it could move operations to England. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the First Minister's claims that he found out about the issues facing the firm only weeks ago were 'not true'. Up to 400 jobs have been put at risk after the manufacturer announced plans to move operations in Falkirk and Larbert to a single site in Scarborough in North Yorkshire. During FMQs Sarwar said: 'Last week, John Swinney claimed that he became aware of issues facing Alexander Dennis a few weeks ago and was doing what he could to help the company. 'But that is not true. John Swinney received a letter almost a year ago directly from the company setting out how his decision to buy buses from China, instead of from Scotland, was putting the company and jobs at risk. 'He did nothing for the skilled workforce. But, last week, as usual, he tried to find someone else to blame for his own failure by talking about UK procurement laws, laws that did not stop Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from buying Scottish buses, but somehow stops this SNP Scottish Government. 'Since that warning almost a year ago, how many buses has the SNP Government ordered from Scottish companies?' Sarwar said that since the letter in August, the Scottish Government had ordered zero buses from the company as he accused Swinney of 'waffle'. The Scottish Labour leader previously said Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham had ordered nearly five times the number of buses from Alexander Dennis than the Scottish Government. Swinney dismissed that suggestion, saying 360 vehicles had been secured through Scottish Government funding programmes, compared to the 160 orders for Manchester. Swinney acknowledged the letter which he said was followed by a meeting in September. 'As a consequence of that interaction, we established work for Scottish Enterprise with the company to support the company in securing its future,' he said. 'That work was taken forward as a consequence of that dialogue, and obviously, the company then contacted us in the course of the past few weeks with their more immediate situation.' He said Alexander Dennis had 'expressed their appreciation' with Scottish Government support, including £58 million for zero emission buses. He added that discussions with the company to save the jobs are ongoing.
The National
a day ago
- Business
- The National
Scottish Government accused of 'sidelining' climate action
Under former first minister Humza Yousaf, the Scottish Government announced plans to abandon the interim target of reducing emissions by 75 per cent by the end of the decade, accepting the goal was 'out of reach', but remaining committed to reaching net zero by 2045. Instead, ministers pledged a five-yearly cycle of carbon budgets, which aim to wind down emission more steadily and be more resistant to outside forces like unseasonable cold snaps driving up heating demand. Climate Change Secretary Gillian Martin stressed Scotland will not 'sacrifice people's health or wealth' to reach net zero. READ MORE: John Swinney tears into 'weak man' Anas Sarwar at FMQs However, climate campaigners criticised the move and said ministers were 'slowing down' action to tackle climate change. The Scottish Greens also criticised the announcement, and said the SNP were 'shying away' from taking action. According to the Scottish Government's proposals, between 2026 and 2030 emissions should be 57 per cent lower than the 1990 baseline – 18 points lower than the initial target. The target between 2031 and 2025 is a 68 per cent reduction from the baseline, and 80 per cent for the following five years. By 2041 to 2045, the final years of the plan, emissions should have reduced by 94 per cent, with the aim remaining for Scotland to reach net zero by this time. (Image: Andrew Milligan) The Scottish Government has said the remaining 6 per cent would amount to around 24 mega tonnes of carbon emissions. 'Scotland is now halfway to our 2045 climate change target and is ahead of the UK as a whole in reducing long-term emissions,' Martin said. 'These carbon budgets will set clear limits on emissions for the coming decades in line with the independent advice of the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC). 'When we publish our draft Climate Change Plan later this year, it will set out the policies needed to continue to reduce our emissions and meet our first three carbon budget targets.' Martin added that the plan 'will not ask the impossible of people'. READ MORE: Israeli strikes kill 72 Palestinians, 29 waiting for aid trucks 'While we welcome the UK CCC's advice on how to stay within these limits, as they make clear, it is always for Scotland to decide whether those policies are right for us,' she said. 'This means, for example, that we will chart our own path on forestry, going further than the CCC suggest.' She added that the Scottish Government won't adopt the CC recommendations on agriculture and peatland and instead 'meet our targets in a way which works for rural Scotland, including supporting and protecting our iconic livestock industries'. The budgets will be voted on by MSPs and, if passed, will be used to inform the plan. The announcement was welcomed by WWF Scotland, but the group urged the Government to commit to 'strong action' to meet the targets. Claire Daly, the group's head of policy and advocacy, said: 'Future generations cannot afford any more missed climate targets, and this carbon budget must be set for success with strong policies to reduce emissions.' Climate campaigners Friends of the Earth (FoE) Scotland said the Scottish Government's announcement showed ministers 'slowing down at precisely the moment we should be speeding up'. Caroline Rance, head of campaigns, said: 'The Scottish Government is in this dire position because of years of insufficient action by Ministers to tackle the climate crisis. 'The original climate targets could and should have been met. This lack of political will continues in Cabinet with a host of key plans and policies sidelined in the past year.' READ MORE: Why won't the BBC report on Israel's nuclear weapons? Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said: 'This is a deeply troubling announcement from the SNP, and takes us another step away from evidence-based climate policy. 'We've known for years that ambitious targets alone aren't enough to tackle the climate emergency, but that means we should be ramping up action to protect our planet, not watering down the targets.' 'We are in a climate emergency, and we need to start acting like it, so that future generations don't look back and ask why Scotland abandoned them when we had the opportunity to fix things,' he added.
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Harvie accuses Swinney of ‘drift' in farewell FMQs clash
READ MORE The intervention drew a sharp response from Mr Swinney, who claimed the Government was 'absolutely focused' on eradicating child poverty and insisted he would make 'no apology' for prioritising welfare reform. Mr Harvie's attack came in the wake of a Government decision to reject advice from its independent climate advisers — the latest in a series of moves that have angered the Greens since the collapse of the Bute House Agreement. 'He came into the job saying he wanted to build the best future for our country, and since then, he has watered down rent controls. He has stalled on the plans to help people get off expensive fossil fuels. "He has abandoned progress on human rights and equalities laws. He has ditched environmental actions like a new national park, and just today, he has rejected advice from his independent climate experts. 'And in place of the progressive green policies the First Minister has walked away from, I genuinely struggle to think of a single signature policy that shows ambition and leadership that he has actually delivered in his year in the job. 'In the face of the threat from the far right, a steady as she goes approach is a course to disaster. 'So does the First Minister understand that people need to see real progress towards a fairer, greener Scotland, and that failure to tackle inequality and justice will only benefit the snake oil sellers on the far right?' Brutal from Patrick Harvie at #FMQs. He says he genuinely struggles to "think of a single signature policy that shows ambition and leadership" from John Swinney after a year in the job. — Andrew Learmonth (@andrewlearmonth) June 19, 2025 Mr Swinney rejected the characterisation. 'I could not disagree more with Mr Harvie, to be blunt, and I appreciate this is his last First Minister's Questions as co-convener of the Green Party. So maybe this is the last hurrah — to say it all to me today.' He said it 'could not be clearer' that his Government had a strong record on tackling poverty, in contrast to the UK Government. 'There are two very different directions being pursued here,' he said. 'Scotland is seeing a falling level of child poverty, when the rest of the United Kingdom is seeing child poverty rates go up.' The First Minister pointed to the SNP's commitment to removing the two-child benefit cap — something he said had never previously been promised by a Scottish Government — as evidence of his leadership. 'That will help us to reduce child poverty while the Labour Government acts with the welfare changes announced yesterday to increase child poverty in Scotland,' he said. 'I am going to make no apology to Mr Harvie or to anyone else about being absolutely focused on eradicating the scourge of child poverty in our society. That is a curse in our society, and we have to eradicate it.'
STV News
a day ago
- Business
- STV News
FM to face questions over winter fuel payment recovery from better-off pensioners
John Swinney is set to face questions from opposition parties at First Minister's Questions on Thursday, following the Scottish Government's announcement that new winter fuel payments will not be issued on a universal basis. On Wednesday, the Scottish Government set out plans for a slightly more generous winter fuel payment, with some households receiving up to £5 more than other areas of the UK. The benefit will be made available to all Scottish pensioners with an income below £35,000. However, Scottish ministers said they are in discussion with the UK Government to recover payments from pensioners with income over £35,000 a year through the tax system – matching the UK government system. Speaking to STV News on Wednesday, social justice secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said ending the universal aspect of the benefit would ensure the payments were helping those with the greatest need. The First Minister is likely to face scrutiny for the decision on Thursday. Tory MSP Maurice Golden is also set to challenge the First Minister to respond to reports that up to 100 truckloads of Scotland's waste will be moved each day to England as a result of the landfill ban on biodegradable waste. The Scottish Tories have been critical of the reports, calling on the SNP to 'get a grip of this situation' before the ban comes into force in December. The First Minister will also be asked about the Government's most recent position on University funding. Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy is preparing to ask the First Minister about his Government's up-to-date position on funding Scotland's universities. The question comes less than 24 hours after MSPs were told Scotland's colleges have been left in a 'fragile' state following years of underinvestment. Angela Cox, chair of the Colleges Principals Group at Colleges Scotland, told Holyrood's Education Committee on Wednesday that the further education sector was 'hanging on by our fingernails'. FMQs will be streamed live from Holyrood at noon on Thursday. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The National
12-06-2025
- Business
- The National
John Swinney and Anas Sarwar clash over reports of SNP secret meeting
It came as the pair discussed the hundreds of job losses at a Scottish bus manufacturer during First Minister's Questions (FMQs) on Thursday. The Scottish Labour leader pointed to reports that senior SNP figures had held a meeting to discuss Swinney's future as party leader, during an exchange discussing the closure of the Alexander Dennis factory in Falkirk. READ MORE: Fraser of Allander calls out Labour's Spending Review claim On Wednesday, Alexander Dennis announced it will look at consolidating its UK bus body manufacturing operations into a single site in Scarborough as part of a restructuring which is putting 400 jobs at risk. Swinney said he was 'deeply concerned' by the looming closure and said that ministers are engaging 'closely and firmly' to avoid any 'negative implications' for Scottish workers. Sarwar claimed that the Scottish Government procured more buses from China than Scotland, and Manchester mayor Andy Burnham had bought more than Scottish ministers. He then said that the First Minister had given a 'weak response', before bringing up reports that SNP figures had given Swinney two weeks to come up with ideas to save his job. 'If he hasn't come up with a good idea to improve Scotland in 18 years, what chance have you got coming up with something now?' Sarwar asked. The First Minister replied: 'What I'm doing, and what the workforce of Alexander Dennis will not be surprised at, is that I'm focusing on the situation facing Alexander Dennis. That's what I'm doing.' He added that the Scottish Government had provided £58 million in funding for the firm for zero emissions buses, and that Scottish Enterprise has also given the firm £30.3m for research and development. The First Minister continued: 'The stark reality is that current UK policy does not allow for the incentivisation or reward of local content, job retention or creation, nor does it encourage any domestic economic benefit. 'That is the implication of the subsidy control act.' (Image: Scottish Parliament) Sarwar replied: 'If John Swinney can't figure out a way to order busses in Scotland, I suggest h picks up the phone to Andy Burrnham and see how he managed to do it five times, almost five times as many bus orders. 'John Swinney and the SNP are out of ideas, out of steam, and out of time. 'Failing to support Scottish manufacturing jobs is just one example.' He added: 'One SNP MSP said about John Swinney, there is no energy, no fire, no boldness, no long-term vision. 'They're right, aren't they?' Swinned fired back: 'Listen, Mr Sarwar can conjure up all the stuff he wants. 'He can go through his press cuttings, he can practice it in the mirror in the morning to see how it sounds. 'I'm going to be focussed on delivering answers and solutions for workers who face difficulty in the country. READ MORE: UK accused of 'actively participating in genocide' by training IDF 'And while Mr Sarwar postures, I'm going to deliver for the workers of Scotland.' Elsewhere, Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay claimed the Scottish Government are "wasting billions of pounds of taxpayer money" and that the "SNP anti-business policies are costing Scotland a fortune". "The SNP have failed to keep up with the rest of the UK," he said. "They've made it even worse by wasting billions of pounds of taxpayers money for the National Care Service that doesn't treat patients, the endless Calmac ferry scandal, a 1 billion pound prison." (Image: Scottish Parliament) Findlay added: "Isn't this exactly why John Swinney can bring down bills or improve public services? He's throwing all the money away." Swinney fired back that since 2007 GDP per person has grown by 10.3% compared to 6.1% in the UK, demonstrating "superior economic performance". "There are implications of Mr Findlay saying things like the annual benefits bill is too high," the FM said. "He has to set out where the cuts are going to come from, and the cuts under Mr. Findlay will fall on the children of Scotland. "I want to lift children out of poverty. Mr. Findlay wants to consign children to poverty." Findlay responded: "The Scottish Conservative party wants to lift children and families out of poverty, not keep them trapped on benefits." And, Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater, discussing the expansion of free school meals, said that children would be "forced into poverty thanks to a Labour Government balancing the books on the backs of the poorest while the wealthiest grow ever richer". She added: "Does the First Minister agree that now is the time to demand that Keir Starmer set out exactly what conditions he believes need to be met to trigger an independence referendum so we can get out of this unequal union?" The FM replied: "I think it's unacceptable democratically for the will of this parliament, which has demanded the power to be able to hold a referendum on independence, is ignored by the United Kingdom Government, I think that is democratically unacceptable."
