Latest news with #Holyrood
BBC News
6 hours ago
- Politics
- BBC News
SNP's Fergus Ewing to run as an independent in Scottish elections
SNP veteran Fergus Ewing has announced that he will stand as an independent in next year's Scottish Parliament has represented Inverness and Nairn since 1999, and previously served as rural affairs secretary in March, he confirmed he would not stand for the SNP in 2026 and said the party needed to change as it was "no longer the party for all of Scotland".He has been increasingly at odds with the SNP over its slow progress in dualling the A9 and A96 roads. The MSP has also raised issues with the deposit return scheme, gender recognition reform, marine protected areas and what he perceived as a lack of support for the oil and gas defied party whips to vote against then Green minister Lorna Slater in a motion of no confidence in 2023 - with this resulting in him being temporarily suspended from the SNP group at Holyrood. 'Fractious and tribal' Ewing said he had seen the Scottish Parliament at its best and worst during his time at Holyrood and he believed he had seen it at its worst in recent years."This has not been an easy decision," he said. "I have taken it because I love the people of Inverness and Nairn and the people of Scotland more than my party, which I have been in for more than half a century."But Ewing said the party had "deserted many of the people whose causes we used to champion".He added: "I believe the SNP has lost its way and that devolution itself – presently - is letting Scotland's people down. It doesn't need to be this way."Holyrood is more fractious and tribal than ever before."Too much power rests unchecked in the hands of party leaders, free to choose candidates who will slavishly support them, rather than stand up for the people who sent them to Holyrood. Choosing the pliant over the talented." He urged politicians in the main parties to work together "whether in a grand coalition or a less formal arrangement" to reform public services and maximise economic first hinted to BBC Scotland in March that he could stand as an independent in the 2026 the time, SNP leader and First Minister John Swinney said that he was sorry to learn of Ewing's decision, describing him as a "faithful servant" of his constituents who had contributed much to the Scottish added: "I said I would be the first minister for all of Scotland and that is what I will do."Fergus Ewing is the son of Winnie Ewing, whose 1967 by-election victory in Hamilton was a historic breakthrough for the SNP. He is also the brother of Cowdenbeath MSP Annabelle was first elected to the Scottish Parliament when it was re-established in 1999 and held a ministerial portfolio for 14 years in the governments of both Alex Salmond and Nicola added: "It's time for Holyrood to live up to the high expectations people rightly held for it, when my mother, Winnie, reconvened our own Parliament in 1999."It came of age some years ago - surely now it's time for it to grow up."
Telegraph
16 hours ago
- Business
- Telegraph
SNP plans to cut £1bn from Scotland's huge public sector
The SNP has unveiled pans to cut £1 billion from Scotland's huge public sector after admitting there was 'unnecessary duplication' in the system. Ivan McKee, the public finance minister, said state spending on 'corporate functions' would be cut by 20 per cent over the next five years. In a statement at Holyrood, he admitted that 'public satisfaction with services has fallen' in Scotland despite record funding from Westminster and higher taxes. Mr McKee unveiled a 49-page 'reform strategy' that said there was 'unnecessary and unhelpful duplication in the system, including multiple providers of similar services'. It pledged to 'remove, amalgamate or change the number of public bodies where doing so will increase efficiency, remove duplication and improve service delivery'. However, the blueprint did not state which Scottish government agencies or quangos would face cuts, or the number of civil service jobs that would go. The Scottish Tories said he had produced a 'wish list of word soup that fails to mention waste once' and attacked the 'astonishing lack of detail'. Craig Hoy, their shadow finance secretary, said: 'It begs the question as to why the SNP have not thought to make these savings at any point over their 18 years in power while they have been wasting taxpayers' money on a colossal scale.' Around 600,000 people are employed in Scotland's public sector, making up 22 per cent of the total workforce, compared to about 18 per cent in the UK as a whole. They are also paid £1,500 on average per year more north of the Border. The public sector pay bill has also swollen to £25 billion, more than half the SNP Government's money for day-to-day spending on public services. Earlier this year, Scotland's Information Commissioner said he was 'astonished' at the 'sheer number of public bodies' in Scotland. David Hamilton said there were thousands 'and I keep finding new ones'. He also disclosed that he played 'public authority bingo' with the auditor general, where they ask: 'Have you heard of this one? Have you heard of that one?' about quangos. Mr McKee told MSPs that the £1 billion cost cuts by 2029-30 'will require every part of the public sector to reduce the cost of doing business to prioritise the front line'. He said: 'All public bodies are already required to deliver best value, but this is about going further, and faster. 'It is about taking all available opportunities to introduce and embed efficiency through automation, digitisation, estate rationalisation, and changing the delivery landscape.' Pressed by Mr Hoy to specify what cuts would be made, he said: 'Just swinging a big axe isn't going to deliver services. We've seen that across the Atlantic, where Elon Musk, who's no longer with the Trump administration precisely because he went in with a big axe and started cutting stuff and it immediately backfired because he didn't know what he was doing.' Mr Hoy said: 'There is still an astonishing lack of detail as to where these savings will be made, or what quangos will be axed. 'The public simply will not trust the SNP to suddenly tackle the enormous waste they have presided over.' The strategy promised to save 'hundreds of millions' of pounds with 'efficiencies' over the next five years and to cut duplication by 'better joining up services.' It also committed to a greater focus on 'prevention' to 'avoid spending billions trying to address economic and social problems caused by issues like poor health'. But Roz Foyer, general secretary of the STUC, said: 'Whenever government ministers speak of public sector 'efficiencies', workers anxiously hold their breath. 'These cuts, pre-packed as reforms, miss the mark entirely. Simply put: you can't fix public services by cutting the very people who keep them running.'
The Independent
18 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Scotland refuses to match Labour's ‘damaging' welfare cuts
The Scottish government announced it will not mirror the planned changes to welfare disability benefits proposed by Labour. The cost-cutting measures are largely focused on the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), designed to help with extra costs incurred by living with an illness or disability. The equivalent in Scotland is the Adult Disability Payment (ADP), and the administration of which is devolved to the Scottish government. Holyrood's social justice secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, confirmed the decision in an official announcement, criticising the UK government for the plans. Ms Somerville said: 'The UK government's proposed reforms will be hugely damaging to those who rely on social security support, particularly during the ongoing cost of living crisis. These plans have yet to be passed at Westminster, so there is still time for the UK government to step back from this damaging policy and I strongly urge them to scrap their harmful proposals. 'The reforms do not reflect the Scottish government's values. We will not let disabled people down or cast them aside as the UK government has done. We will not cut Scotland's Adult Disability Payment. 'The UK government should follow our lead and protect the social security safety system, rather than dismantling it. If they do not, then disabled people can draw no other conclusion than the UK government remain content to balance the books on the backs of the most vulnerable.' Ms Somerville highlighted findings by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) that the changes are set to push 250,000 more people into poverty, including 50,000 children. The MSP for Dunfermline claimed this threatens to undermine work to reduce child poverty, pointing also to Labour's refusal to scrap the two-child benefit cap. Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall presented the welfare bill on Wednesday, which MPs are set to vote on next month - but are currently divided. Ms Kendall defended the reforms - aimed at encouraging more people off sickness benefits and into work - saying they were necessary as the 'social security system is at a crossroads'. She said: 'Unless we reform it, more people will be denied opportunities, and it may not be there for those who need it. "This legislation represents a new social contract and marks the moment we take the road of compassion, opportunity and dignity.' While Scotland is able to decide how to administer the ADP, the measures in the bill regarding Universal Credit are still liable to impact Scottish nationals, as this benefit is managed centrally. From April 2026, the payment rate for the health element of Universal Credit will be frozen. Those already receiving it will remain on £423.27 a month until 2029/30. However, new applicants after this month will receive a severely cut rate of £217.26 – almost half. The controversial proposals have drawn widespread criticism from charities and campaign groups. More than 100 Labour MPs are reportedly considering voting against the government on the plans as the government faces a significant rebellion.
The Herald Scotland
21 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Holyrood had no choice but to follow law on trans toilet ban
In response, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) advised public bodies to review policies relating to single-sex spaces. That prompted parliament to redesignate several existing toilets and changing rooms as gender-neutral, and restrict single-sex facilities to sex. READ MORE Scottish Green co-convenor Patrick Harvie raised the matter during questions to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Bureau (SPCB), the cross-party group responsible for the running of Holyrood. He accused the SPCB of promoting an 'exclusionary and segregating' policy and said the decision made the body's stated intention 'that everyone should feel welcome and included at Holyrood' appear 'nonsense'. Mr Harvie cited letters from the Equality Network and Scottish Trans, which warned that the change would make trans people feel significantly less welcome at the Parliament. 'They go on to say we cannot understand why this decision has been described as one that will bring confidence, privacy and dignity to everyone. It will not do so for trans people. It will exclude us and segregate us in the heart of Scotland's democracy,' he said. He added that concerns raised by staff in the Scottish Greens' parliamentary group — including the negative impact on trans and gender non-conforming people and the 'violation of privacy and dignity' — had not been addressed. Patrick Harvie raised the ban in SPCB questions (Image: PA) Scottish Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw, speaking on behalf of the SPCB, said the ruling had 'immediate legal effect' and that the corporate body had a legal obligation to act without delay. "The corporate body is an executive body with legal responsibilities and the personal liability of the members who sit on it. Our job, even though we are politicians, is not to debate the politics of an issue, but to ensure that we are implementing the law as the law is communicated to us." He added: 'It is our responsibility to fulfil the legal obligations as an employer, service provider, workplace provider, and as an organisation subject to the public sector equality duty." Pressed by Mr Harvie, he said the interim position was taken on legal advice and that a broader consultation — including with trade unions and equality organisations — had now been approved. 'We announced the interim stance. We agreed to conduct a consultation, and together with officials the corporate body has been considering its approach,' he said. Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba told the chamber that Parliament staff unions had not been consulted and described assurances to the contrary as 'categorically untrue'. She called for 'meaningful consultation' going forward. READ MORE Tory MSP Pam Gosal welcomed the SPCB's actions, pointing to warnings from the campaign group Sex Matters that legal challenges could follow if public bodies fail to comply with the court's interpretation. 'Sex Matters have warned that they will come after organisations refusing to follow the ruling — that will once again leave the taxpayers footing the bill,' she said. 'Therefore, will the Parliament commit to implementing the interim update issued by the EHRC on the protection of single-sex spaces?' Mr Carlaw reiterated that the SPCB had acted 'on the advice that we receive' and would continue to prioritise inclusion through its upcoming Inclusive Parliament Review.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Health
- Scotsman
GPs in Scotland forced to use decades-old IT systems
Holyrood's public audit committee heard the profession is at 'crisis point' Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... GPs in Scotland are using IT systems that are more than two decades old amid an ongoing 'crisis' in the profession, it has been warned. Holyrood's public audit committee heard recent measures have failed to address workload and capacity issues. MSPs were told the infamous '8am rush' is endemic and cannot be addressed until capacity is increased. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The committee discussed a recent Audit Scotland report which found the Scottish Government is failing to deliver on its key missions for the sector. GPs forced to use decades-old IT servers | PA Dr Iain Morrison, chair of the general practice committee at the BMA Scotland union, was one of those giving evidence on Wednesday. He said general practice is at a 'crisis point' due to inflation and the erosion of funding, highlighting that potentially hundreds of trained GPs in Scotland are now finding themselves under-employed. Dr Chris Provan of the Royal College of General Practitioners Scotland agreed, saying: 'General practice feels like it's in a state of perpetual crisis.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Dr Morrison also said GP IT systems are of 'exceedingly poor quality', saying: 'We're running on Internet Explorer 8 software, 2004 servers, we have multiple systems trying to speak to legacy systems. 'So it's very hard for the IT system to have robust data capture that can be reliable and easily interpretable.' He said Scotland's GPs have no equivalent to a system called The Spine, which is used in England. Dr Provan said: 'The IT is not fit for purpose, people talk about AI and other activities, which is really really important. But GPs just want a computer that switches on in the morning.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Conservative MSP Graham Simpson remarked that systems seem to be in the 'dark ages', as he asked the doctors about the 8am rush phenomenon, where patients ring surgeries as soon as they open in the hope of securing an appointment. Dr Morrison said: 'Until we address capacity then we will always have this 8am rush, because it has become endemic.' NHS Scotland's chief executive Caroline Lamb also gave evidence to the committee. She said access to data has been a 'long-term endeavour' with known risks. Factors like the Covid pandemic and UK fiscal constraints have affected the GP service, Ms Lamb said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Discussing the Audit Scotland report, she said: 'I don't shy away from the challenges identified in this report but we must now build on what we've learned and what we've delivered and focus on what comes next to build access, quality and continuity in general practice.' She accepted that the government has not progressed 'as quickly and completely as we might have wanted to do'. Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: 'GPs could not be clearer about the challenges they face. All the SNP have offered them are half-baked wheezes that barely touch the sides. 'Scottish Liberal Democrats would tackle capacity head-on by recruiting more pharmacists, more physiotherapists and more specialists in mental health to work alongside GPs. That's how we ease their workloads and get more people seen on time.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Douglas Lumsden, a Tory MSP for the North East Scotland region, said services in his area are at 'breaking point'. His warning came as NHS Grampian announced savings of £23 million last week as part of a recovery plan to reduce its deficit. Mr Lumsden said: 'GP services across North East are at breaking point on the SNP's watch which has been exacerbated by the UK Labour Government's National Insurance hikes. 'These cuts announced by NHS Grampian are going to be devastating for communities such as Inverurie, and its patients who are already paying the price for the SNP's dire workforce planning. 'That is why they must come up with a robust plan that will address the deepening workforce crisis across NHS Grampian, which has left many of our rural areas dangerously short of GPs.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A recent BMA Scotland survey found many GPs are struggling to cope with their workload, with some describing it as 'unmanageable'. Nearly half (48.7 per cent) said they were struggling to cope and work was having a negative impact on their physical and mental wellbeing and a quarter (26.2 per cent) described their current workload as unmanageable. Meanwhile, 44.6 per cent said the future of their practice was precarious or not sustainable, up 10 per cent since 2023.
