Latest news with #IanMurray
Edinburgh Reporter
12 hours ago
- Business
- Edinburgh Reporter
Government pledges millions on sporting events and local sport
More than £900 million will be spent on major sporting events and grassroots sport in the UK which the UK Government says is part of its Plan for Change. Around half will be spent on the events and the rest on upgrading sports facilities which promote health and wellbeing. Work has already begun with government funding for new pitches, changing rooms, floodlights, solar panels and goalposts at clubs across the UK. The government hopes the strategic investment in sport will help economic growth by creating jobs and driving regional prosperity. This announcement is additional to the £100 million committed in March for local facilities and is also additional to the £8.6 million which the Culture Secretary pledged during her visit to Bonnyrigg Rose Community Football Club in March. Some of the newly announced funding is expected to be spent in Edinburgh where the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes Grand Départs 2027 will start off. Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Lisa Nandy, said: 'Sport tells our national story in a way few other things can – uniting communities, inspiring millions, and showcasing our nation on the global stage. 'This major backing for world-class events will drive economic growth across the country, delivering on our Plan for Change. Coupled with strong investment into grassroots sport, we're creating a complete pathway to allow the next generation of sporting heroes to train and take part in sport in communities across the UK. ' This investment is central to the Government's commitment to delivering major sporting events with pride and impact and stands alongside ongoing work with partners in the sport sector and across the UK. The pipeline of major events already secured includes this Summer's Women's Rugby World Cup in England, the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026, the ICC T20 Cricket women's and men's World Cups (in 2026 and 2030 respectively), the Invictus Games 2027 in Birmingham, and many other elite continental and world championships. Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, said:'This £900 million investment in sport represents a game-changing commitment to Scotland and the whole of the UK. From the spectacular sight of the Tour de France starting at Edinburgh Castle in 2027, to the roar of the crowds at Hampden Park during Euro 2028, we will continue Scotland's proud tradition of staging iconic sporting events. 'But this isn't just about elite sport and iconic moments. The £400 million for grassroots facilities means communities across Scotland will benefit from better pitches and sporting facilities, helping more people to get active, improve their wellbeing, and potentially discover the sporting talent of tomorrow. 'This investment delivers on our Plan for Change by breaking down barriers to opportunity, bringing communities together, and showcasing Scotland on the world stage. From local parks to global arenas, we're ensuring sport can thrive at every level.' The Official Announcement of the 2027 Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes Grand Departs' was made in March at Edinburgh Castle (L to R) Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport,Lisa Nandy, Mark Cavendish, Christian Prudhomme and HRH Sophie, The Duchess of Edinburgh Picture by Allan McKenzie/ – Like this: Like Related
STV News
a day ago
- Business
- STV News
Royal Highland Show to welcome over 200,000 visitors to annual agricultural event
Scotland's largest outdoor agricultural event is set to open its gates to over 200,000 people in Edinburgh. Taking place in Ingliston, The Royal Highland Show will run over four days from Thursday until Sunday and will see the best of Scotland's rural sector, from farming to forestry to food and drink producers. Visitors will experience family entertainment as hundreds of businesses fill the grounds, selling everything from agricultural machinery, clothing and motor vehicles to Scottish food and drink products. We take a look at what to expect from this year's event. The event, which has been running for over 200 years, will welcome over 4,000 livestock, hundreds of trade exhibitors including those from Scotland's food and drink sector, and a huge variety of entertainment and music. Sheepshearing, pole-climbing, axe throwing, mini Land Rovers, pizza building, cheese tasting and sushi rolling are among the visitor attractions for this year. There are various livestock breeds from miniature Shetland ponies to donkeys, goats to Highland cows being shown in the arena on every day of the show. Scottish brewer Innis & Gunn will host a Sunday entertainment showcase from 11am at the Members' Village, while Elephant Sessions will perform at the Royal Highland Hoolie, joining The Whistlin' Donkeys, Manran, Trail West, Nati Dreddd and the Dangleberries. IAN GEORGESON via Supplied Sheep-shearing will be among the activities on show. The event is a chance for Scotland's most prominent brands to promote their goods and services on the world stage and to encourage further growth and investment. This includes exhibits from a number of UK Government-funded projects, including The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo and Destination Tweed. Scottish secretary Ian Murray will host a reception with the Scotch Whisky Association to promote the national tipple. He said: 'The Royal Highland Show is a fantastic opportunity to bang the drum for our iconic produce and help turbo-charge sales of Scottish goods and services at home and abroad.' First Minister John Swinney is set to attend the Edinburgh event, and he has reaffirmed his government's commitment to sustainable food production amid 'significant change' in the farming sector, ahead of the visit. Swinney said: 'Our ambition is for Scotland to be a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture. To do that we are working in partnership with the sector to transform the support we give to our farmers and crofters. 'The Royal Highland Show is our chance to showcase the absolute best of food produce, farming excellence and all of the industries that support our rural communities.' STV News John Swinney will be in attendance at the show. Meanwhile rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon used the first day of the event to announce a £14m scheme to provide grants to farmers will open next month. The programme – opening for applicants on July 14 – will provide capital funding for those new to agriculture, as well as young farmers, those with small operations and tenant farmers. The Future Farming Investment Scheme will provide cash for green projects and those which will increase efficiency, with up to £20,000 available – potentially as a 100% grant. The announcement comes as Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton called for more support for the sector. 'There is so much uncertainty facing Scottish agriculture amid the family farm tax, trade barriers, falling income and the squeeze placed on farmers by multinational supermarkets,' he said after visiting the Royal Highland Show on Thursday. He added: 'Throughout the Royal Highland Show, Liberal Democrats will be listening to farmers and producers, understanding the challenges they face and working out the best way forward. 'Our farmers are the best in the world. It's time both our governments recognised their invaluable contributions and backed a thriving future for Scottish agriculture.' UPDATE❗⌚ 10:45🛣️ Royal Highland Show (RHS) – Congestion UpdateThe EAST Car Park is now CLOSED. The Event Organiser's have advised to use the WEST car park, along the west A8, heading towards Newbridge. 📷Traffic Cameras: #RHS25 — Traffic Scotland (@trafficscotland) June 19, 2025 Edinburgh drivers were warned of significant road delays on Thursday as the Royal Highland Show got under way. Traffic Scotland and Lothian have issued updates to road and public transport users with considerable tailbacks reported on the A8, M9, M8 and M90 with visitors entering the showground at Ingliston. Lothian services including the 17, 18, 70 and 71 are all experiencing delays on the A8, the main route to the Royal Highland Centre. A service alert reads: 'Due to the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston buses are being delayed on the A8 Glasgow Road.' A similar alert has also been issued for buses serving the A89 Edinburgh Road including X18 and X19. Meanwhile Traffic Scotland warned: 'Royal Highland Show – Congestion Update. Significant delays of approx. 18 minutes from the #M90 Queensferry Crossing and from the #M8 from Livingston.' 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 Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Darren Jones: ‘Scotland is at the heart of our Plan for Change'
By the Friday morning, I was in Scotland to get the reaction from business leaders, workers and economic experts on what the news meant for Scotland and how we could work together to implement some of the biggest pieces of public investment Scotland has ever seen. I wanted Scotland to be the first place I visited after the Spending Review because it is so central to the whole UK Government's Plan for Change. With an economy already worth £204 billion a year, Scotland is leading the way in renewable energy and low-carbon technologies, its defence sector is essential to keeping our country safe while supporting thousands of highly skilled jobs, and of course, Scottish food and drink exports are enjoyed the world over. Rachel Reeves delivering the spending review last weekThe power and potential of Scotland's economy is exactly why I wanted it to be at the heart of the Spending Review, right from the very start of the process. As Chief Secretary to the Treasury, it was my job to lead negotiations with each secretary of state for their department's budget. In the past, that process too often became a performative Whitehall dance, which saw the interests of government departments prioritised over the needs of communities across the country. I was determined that this time should be different, and so in partnership with our fantastic Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray, we shook up the system and ensured every department considered how it could serve Scotland, and how Scotland could help deliver renewal for the whole UK. The results speak for themselves. Last Wednesday morning, before walking to the House of Commons chamber, I phoned Shona Robison, the Scottish Government Finance Secretary, to give her advance notice of the headline figure for Scotland: £9.1bn extra for Scottish public services. That is the biggest real-terms settlement for the Scottish Government in the history of devolution. I now hope the SNP will use that money to bring down NHS waiting lists, on which almost one in six Scots are stuck, although with the SNP having unveiled five failed NHS improvement plans in four years, this does not seem likely. We have delivered £750 million for a UK national supercomputer, based at the University of Edinburgh, bringing the next generation of artificial intelligence to Scotland. There is £200m in development funding for Project Acorn, to help realise the economic and environmental potential of carbon capture and storage. Green freeports on the Cromarty Firth and the Forth will create tens of thousands of new jobs in renewable energy, supporting the just transition. Communities across Scotland will feel the benefit of this UK Government investment, and none more so than those in the Glasgow City Region, which is why I was surprised to read the leader of Glasgow City Council suggesting that Scotland's biggest city had been sidelined. I have huge respect for Susan Aitken and Scotland's local government leaders, but nothing could be further from the truth. We are launching a Glasgow investment zone, focused on advanced manufacturing. It will generate at least £1.7bn of investment and create up to 18,000 jobs over 10 years, boosting the region's research and innovation economy. On defence, we will invest £250m in the naval base at Faslane, which supports thousands of jobs on the west coast and safeguards our national security. The Chancellor unveiled a new £250m package for FaslaneMeanwhile, communities across the wider region — including Drumchapel, Coatbridge, Greenock and Clydebank — will each get millions to bring their town centres up to scratch. I could continue to list the monetary value of UK Government investments for Glasgow and Scotland, but I know that when it comes to changing things, power can be just as important as pounds. Progress made in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands is proof that our big city regions can do more when they have greater control over funding and decisions in their areas. But in Scotland, the decision to devolve power from Holyrood and empower the city regions rests firmly with the Scottish Government. I know that Anas Sarwar and my colleagues in Scottish Labour have begun to set out plans for directly elected mayors, with powers over skills and transport, so they can turbocharge growth in their cities and regions. This is the kind of fresh thinking that cities such as Glasgow deserve. This is in contrast to years of the SNP centralising power in Holyrood and cutting funding to Scotland's councils. Their failure to empower Glasgow has had a direct impact on jobs and growth. From 2014 to 2022, the Greater Manchester economy grew by almost 50%. If the Glasgow City Region had achieved that same level of growth, it would be £7.7bn larger today. Labour put Scotland at the heart of this Spending Review and will deliver historic levels of UK Government spending into every part of the country. But more than a quarter of a century since the dawn of devolution, new ideas on empowering Scotland's cities and regions will help unlock the next generation of jobs and investment. As one of Scotland's two governments, the Labour UK Government stands ready to do our part. Darren Jones is the Labour MP for Bristol North West and the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Edinburgh Reporter
4 days ago
- General
- Edinburgh Reporter
Scottish Secretary gets to know The Big Noise
The Secretary of State for Scotland, the Rt Hon Ian Murray, went back to Wester Hailes to visit The Big Noise, the pioneering music and social change programme. Mr Murray grew up in Wester Hailes, and he visited the social change programme based on orchestral music to see – and hear – first-hand how its work is tackling inequality and helping children, young people and families in the area. During his visit to the project at Canal View Primary School, Mr Murray was told more about the programme, which provides music tuition, instruments and nurturing support to primary school pupils to help them fulfil their potential and reach their goals. He watched music lessons, met young people on the programme and enjoyed a performance from the pupils. He was shown around by the charity's chief executive Vicky Williams and the chair, Benny Higgins. Big Noise is a high-quality music education and social change programme, which launched in Raploch in 2008. Children and young people learn music after school, creating a community symphony orchestra which supports them in gaining vital life skills such as confidence, resilience, creativity, and aspiration. The charity works intensively with children, young people and families in targeted communities, using the symphony orchestra as a community to help children gain life skills and experiences. There are now six centres supporting almost 4,000 children and young people across Scotland, including Raploch and Fallin in Stirling, Govanhill in Glasgow, Douglas in Dundee, Torry in Aberdeen, and Wester Hailes in Edinburgh, which is its newest centre and opened in 2022. Big Noise Wester Hailes now reaches more than 550 children a week, working in partnership with Clovenstone, Canal View and Sighthill primary schools. It 'supports young people to reach their full potential by helping them develop vital life skills such as confidence, resilience, creativity, and aspiration, while also strengthening community ties through music and nurturing relationships'.. Mr Murray said: 'Returning to Wester Hailes, where I grew up, and seeing first-hand how Sistema Scotland's Big Noise programme is transforming young lives was genuinely moving. This innovative programme doesn't just teach music – it builds confidence, resilience and aspiration in children who deserve every opportunity to succeed. Tackling inequality and poverty is a key part of the UK Government's Plan for Change. 'The progress made since Big Noise launched in this area is remarkable, now reaching over 550 children each week. As someone who knows this community well, I'm particularly proud to see such positive investment in these young people's futures, equipping them with vital life skills that will serve them well beyond the classroom.' Vicky Williams, Chief Executive of Sistema Scotland, said: 'It was fantastic to welcome Ian Murray to Wester Hailes to share more how our work tackles poverty and inequality, builds confidence and resilience in young people and helps them both inside and outside the classroom. 'Our 'more than music' approach is really bearing fruit in our older programmes, where we are now seeing people who joined us as primary school pupils move into work, study and really positive lives. 'It is clear that Big Noise, through nurturing and supportive relationships, helps children and young people reach their full potential by equipping them with vital life skills and enhancing their academic skills. 'We also know that taking part in Big Noise increases confidence and self-esteem, as well as participants' creativity, aspiration and sense of belonging.' Like this: Like Related
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
UK Government promises Edinburgh festivals new investment
He pledged that the Government would work to ensure the city's festivals - which date back to the aftermath of the Second World War - remain at the 'pinnacle' of the global culture scene in the face of growing competition. Read more: He said it was essential for the UK and Scottish governments to work together to tackle concerns over the cost of accommodation for performers and public transport provision during the festivals. Mr Murray said the Government wanted to build on initiatives like an official partnership recently been formed with the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo to help promote Scotland around the world. Scottish Secretary Ian Murray at the Filmhouse cinema in Edinburgh, which the UK Government has helped refurbish and restore ahead of its reopening this month. (Image: Ian Georgeson) He stressed the importance of investing in the city's cultural infrastructure, including venues like the Filmhouse cinema, which will reopen next week. The Government has provided the bulk of the funding for a £2m revamp of the Filmhouse, the historic home of the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Edinburgh's festivals have been running since were forced to shut down suddenly in October 2022 after the financial collapse of their operator. The Government has also committed £2m to an ongoing restoration of the King's Theatre, one of the Edinburgh International Festival's key venues, which will reopen next year. The cast of Pentheselia, which was staged at last year's Edinburgh International Festival. (Image: Newsquest) A further £10m has been pledged for a project that will create Edinburgh's first new purpose-built concert hall for a century, which will also host festival performances from 2029. Other major infrastructure projects expected to require funding in the next few years include a refurbishment of Leith Theatre, which was last open permanently in the early 1980s, and an overhaul of the Ross Bandstand, which opened in West Princes Street Gardens in 1935. The work nearing completion at the Filmhouse, which screened its first films in 1979, involves the refurbishment of its café-bar, box office and foyer spaces, while its screening rooms will reopen with a reduced capacity, but with more leg room and more comfortable seats. The Government has provided £1.5m for the project, which was instigated by a group of former Filmhouse employees. A crowdfunding campaign they launched in September 2023 has raised more than £330,000 to date after it was backed by stars including Jack Lowden, Brian Cox, Alan Cumming, Emma Thompson, Dougray Scott, Kate Dickie and Timothy Spall. Speaking during a visit to the Filmhouse, which is due to reopen on June 27, Mr Murray said: 'The Filmhouse is a cultural institution, not just for Edinburgh but for the whole of Scotland. 'It has been refurbished after group of film-lovers who had been involved in the Filmhouse came together after it closed to say: 'We are not going to let this go.' 'Their dreams have come alive and it will reopen for film lovers from all over the world. 'I think the UK has a real role to play in cultural institutions like this. 'They are not just about arts and culture, they are about economic development, jobs, education, skills. 'When you talk to people who have been involved in the Filmhouse project, they've been ushers, they've sold popcorn and they've worked in the box office. 'This is about our cultural heritage. It is really important for both the UK and Scottish governments to invest in these institutions like the Filmhouse and the King's Theatre. 'There is a whole list of things in Edinburgh and right across Scotland of things that have to be done. 'When the doors open at the Filmhouse, people will realise that it is is the kind of thing we have to be putting funding into.' The UK Government has not traditionally supported Edinburgh's festivals, with their public funding coming from the Scottish Government, its agencies Creative Scotland and EventScotland, and Edinburgh City Council. However there was a significant breakthrough two years ago when the then Conservative Government agreed to provide £8.6m for the Edinburgh International Festival and the Fringe. Around £1m has been invested in a "Keep It Fringe Fund," which is supporting 180 artists and companies from across the UK to bring work to the festival this summer, while £6m is ringfenced for a new headquarters for the Fringe Society, the arts charity which oversees the event. It was announced in April that the Scotland Office had formed an official partnership with the Tattoo, which will celebrate its 75th anniversary this year. Announced during the Tartan Week celebrations in New York, the deal will see the Tattoo represented in key 'Brand Scotland' trade missions around the world. The UK Government is now part of a new 'Festivals City Leadership Group,' which was instigated by the city council to help shape the future of Edinburgh's major cultural events over the next five years. Mr Murray pointed out that Edinburgh's festivals had faced competition from festivals within the UK, including in Brighton and Manchester, and as far afield as Australia. He added: 'We are world leaders in festivals in culture in Scotland. Everybody across the world knows that. But we are not alone in having festivals. They have been replicated across the UK and overseas. 'What we are doing in Edinburgh is very much unique and world-leading. But it is going to take a lot of effort to keep them there, so have to work with the festivals to make sure they stay right at the pinnacle of the international cultural scene. 'They are not just Edinburgh's festivals. They are international festivals which happen to be in Edinburgh and we are very lucky to have them here. 'I want to work with the festivals make to sure they don't just stay as they are, but that they can flourish and develop.' Mr Murray, who has been an Edinburgh MP since 2010, suggested the Government wanted to recognise and capitalise on the full range of benefits delivered from Edinburgh's festivals, which were valued at £407m to the economy in 2023. He told The Herald: 'Our cultural organisations are really good door-openers for all sorts of things to do with trade and diplomacy, and to bring people here to enjoy themselves, and to invest, live and work here. 'The festivals are cultural institutions that we should nurture. 'We need to bring new money into them, but there are a whole host of structural things around the festivals that need to be dealt with, for example the cost of accommodation for people coming here, transport and connectivity, and pushing the festivals out of the centre of Edinburgh into more of our communities. 'We are working with them to make sure that we can put in place not just funding, but also the regulatory environment to make sure they can thrive. "It is about both governments working together. We should be working together to make sure we get maximum back for the taxpayer buck when when it is going into these kind of cultural institutions.' Mr Murray said he fully supported calls for Edinburgh's festivals to secure a share of the city's new tourist tax, which will be applied to all bookings in the made for next summer on or after October 1 this year. He added: "The visitor levy is about having visitors contributing a bit into the city in order for the city to give a bit back. That should be going into culture, public realm and connectivity.'
