Latest news with #Scotland
The Independent
an hour ago
- Business
- The Independent
Major sporting events and grassroots sport to receive £900 million funding
More than £900 million will be committed to major sporting events and grassroots sport across the UK in a 'transformational investment' over the coming years, the Government has announced. Euro 2028, the European Athletics Championships next year and the men's and women's Tour de France Grand Departs in 2027 are among the key events set to be hosted in the country that will benefit from more than half a billion pounds in funding. At least £400 million will also be invested in new and upgraded grassroots sport facilities nationwide after the funding was outlined in last week's Spending Review, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said. England, Scotland, Wales and the Republic of Ireland will be co-hosting Euro 2028, with the showpiece men's football tournament expected to generate up to £2.4 billion in socio-economic value alone, the DCMS said. Other major events scheduled to be held in the UK include the women's Rugby World Cup in England this summer, the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the Invictus Games, founded by the Duke of Sussex, in Birmingham in 2027. Earlier this month, more than 100 athletes called on the Prime Minister to support a London bid for the 2029 World Athletics Championships. But the Government is yet to commit to the bid, but has not ruled it our either, with a spokesperson saying it was working with UK Sport to secure a series of major sporting events up until 2035. However, the DCMS confirmed that work was continuing to develop a bid for the UK to host the women's Fifa World Cup in 2035. Sporting bodies and local leaders for grassroots initiatives will work closely with the department to establish what each community needs before further plans are laid out. It said the investment will not only help create jobs and boost regional prosperity, but would also reduce barriers to opportunity and 'bring communities together through shared national moments'. Culture Secretary 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.' The announcement comes after Ms Nandy previously pledged £100 million to upgrade sports facilities across the UK, including new and improved pitches, changing rooms, goalposts and floodlights, back in March. Nick Webborn, chairman of UK Sport, praised the new funding as having 'huge potential to drive economic growth, bring people together and inspire the next generation'. He said: 'We believe that live sport is a fundamental part of this country's social fabric. 'We are really excited to be working with the Government and support their commitment to secure the pipeline of big events beyond 2028 to ensure we can continue to reach, inspire and unite people in every corner of the country.' Stuart Andrew, the Conservative shadow culture secretary, said: 'Funding for major sporting events and grassroots sport is welcome – but the spending review was no boon for British sports. 'Rachel Reeves' tax hikes are forcing schools to sell playing fields and driving up business rates for stadiums. 'At the same time, Labour have scrapped the Opening Schools Facilities fund and the National Citizen Service – depriving young people of sporting opportunities. 'Labour must recognise that their economic mismanagement is dealing a devasting blow to the sports sector.'
Times
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Times
Iran's ‘propagandist-in-chief' to speak at Scottish mosque
Iran's 'propagandist-in-chief' is scheduled to give an address at a Scottish mosque, it has emerged, as the tensions between the Islamic Republic and Israel continue to escalate. Seyed Hashem Moosavi, the UK representative of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei, is due to appear at the al-Mahdi Islamic Centre in Glasgow's southside on Friday. The mosque has been linked to the regime in Tehran, including displaying the Iranian flag and images of its leaders: Ayatollah Khomeini, who proclaimed a death sentence on the British author Salman Rushdie, and his successor Khamenei, who praised Hamas 'resistance fighters' after the October 7 atrocities in Israel. The Times previously revealed the mosque has received grants worth almost £400,000 from the Scottish government. Moosavi is described on adverts for the Glasgow event as a special guest speaker. It has been organised to celebrate Eid al-Ghadir and Mubahala, two significant dates in the Shia Islamic calendar.
Times
3 hours ago
- Times
Life on the farm has never looked as good as this
Mossy dry stone walls have an indescribable charm. Perhaps it's their quiet defiance, the way these ancient feats of engineering have stood long enough to be claimed by nature. As you leave Kirkcaldy, driving up into the patchwork of ancient fields above the Firth of Forth, their charm is heightened by the way the town — best known for its linoleum — suddenly melts into a landscape where these walls seem to be the only human fingerprints. Heading past rolling fields, with spring poking its head above the parapet and only the occasional russet of a Highland cow catching the eye, it feels as if there is nobody else here. Then, rounding a bend, my friend Anna and I happen upon Banchory Farm. Here, dotted around a warm pink farmhouse where owners Jane and Jonathan Manifold live with their two children, six farmhands' cottages have been converted into luxury rental cottages. Our home for the weekend is The Grieves, a two-bedroom cottage named after the farm manager, or 'grieve', who once lived here. A beautiful vase of hyacinths and tulips, as well as a basket groaning with seasonal produce, welcome us in an impeccably appointed, brass-knobbed deVOL kitchen. Cottagecore floral wallpaper, marble bathroom tiles — you'd never guess that The Grieves, now impeccably restored, had rising damp and no central heating a few years ago. Jane explains how they've also installed air source heat pumps, planted 4,500 trees and rewilded field edges around the cottages. We make porcini mushroom pasta from our welcome basket ingredients, run luxurious baths in the master bedroom then slip into linen bedding in our high-ceilinged but cosy double rooms to sleep the sort of sleep you get only after swapping city for deep, dark countryside. The next morning, after a hearty breakfast (again courtesy of the cornucopian gift basket), we follow the Manifolds' helpfully detailed guidebook to Falkland, former seat of Stuart kings and perhaps the most handsome of Scotland's royal burghs. The village, about 30 miles away at the foot of the Lomond Hills in the lovely Howe of Fife, has been frequently used as a filming location for Outlander. Fans of the show will know it as a stand-in for the Highlands where Frank Randall and Claire Beauchamp go on their honeymoon. • Falkland Palace — who can resist the draw of the world's oldest tennis court? After peeking up charming cobbled streets and briefly exploring Falkland Palace, the royal hunting lodge favoured by Mary, Queen of Scots, we tackle East Lomond, site of a prehistoric hillfort that the Picts chose as their lofty seat of power. The final 150 metres have us wedging toes into footholds but the sweeping summit views down over forest, field and the Firth of Forth mean we quickly forget the strain. Back at Banchory, Jane has arranged for Lesley Brown, a touring masseuse, to work out the kinks from our walk. The rest of the day drifts by in a haze of indulgence — a wander around Loch Leven, where we pause to spy on birds from a hide and browse the farm shop on its banks, a dinner of scallops and halibut at the family-run Wee Restaurant in North Queensferry, then Bananagrams in The Grieves' snug sitting room. • 16 of the most beautiful places in Scotland On our final night, which comes far too fast, Anna and I find ourselves in the garden in front of a crackling fire pit. The books, which we really did intend to read, are cast aside in favour of simply sitting in the cool, relaxing air. We are backlit by the warm light from the kitchen of our home-from-home, snug under the blue tartan rugs left thoughtfully in the boot room. We sit there as night falls, looking out beyond the wall at the foot of 'our' garden, laughing and swapping stories until the fire dies to embers and we retreat indoors. It's the kind of night that stays with you. As we pack up the next morning, we lament how quickly the trip has gone. Some places just make you want to linger, gathering moss like those old stone walls above Kirkcaldy. Lottie Hayton was a guest of Banchory Farm ( which has one night self-catering for two from £120
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Health
- Yahoo
My best friend died at 11 after telling me to live my life for him
Ryan Quinn remembers the first time he met Aaron Murphy, the boy who would become his best friend. He was three and it was his first day at nursery. "After my mum dropped me off, I got very upset. It was the first time that I'd been on my own without her," he said. "As I turned around to go and find her, Aaron was standing behind me. We became inseparable instantly. "We were the closest of friends. We had so much in common. We had a love for Minecraft and for Star Wars." Just months into the friendship between the two boys from Dunfermline, Aaron Murphy was diagnosed with neuroblastoma - a rare form of childhood cancer which develops in nerve tissue and usually affects children under five. After various treatments, Aaron's cancer entered remission. But when he was 10, his cancer returned. He went through further treatment, but there was nothing that could save him. He died three weeks shy of his 12th birthday. Ryan was supposed to visit Aaron in hospital that evening but was picked up from school early. "I was so excited," he said. But the atmosphere in the car on the way home was silent. "When home, my mum sat down next to me and put her arms around me. 'Aaron's gone, Ryan,' she said." Losing a close friend at the age of 11 brought unimaginable grief to Ryan. He was angry at the world and at the disease that took his friend. "I became very reclusive and very depressed," said Ryan. "About three months after Aaron passed away, I started high school, which was hard because it was a massive change. "Suddenly I started this new school where I didn't really know anyone and my best friend wasn't there." On what would have been Aaron's 18th birthday, Ryan has shared what it was like to lose his childhood friend while they were both children themselves. Now 17, Ryan wants to turn his grief into a vehicle for change. "I thought I could put the anger and passion I felt into something - which was campaigning for children's cancer and raising awareness," he told BBC Scotland News. Aaron's last words to his friend were "Live your life for me, Ryan" and that is what he is trying to do. He says he is determined to honour his request. Ryan has undertaken fundraising and lobbying. Last year he did a sky-dive in memory of Aaron to raise money for a charity called the Team Jak Foundation which provides support for families and friends of people affected by cancer. It helped Ryan to deal with his grief and he said he wanted to pay them back. Earlier this year he spoke at the Scottish Labour Party conference. After that he managed to secure a meeting with Scotland's Health Minister Neil Gray who invited him to the Scottish Parliament to discuss the issues that Ryan is highlighting. Mr Gray told Ryan he was committed to improving outcomes for children and young people with cancer. Thoughts turned to Aaron during the meeting. "I thought, 'What would Aaron think of what I'm doing?' "There was one empty chair at the table. "I am confident that Aaron was sat in it, and I hope I did him proud." June is a hard month for Ryan. As he reaches adulthood, he has lots of questions about what happened to his best friend. He said " Recently I bought my first car after passing my driving test and the first thought I had when I put the key into the ignition was 'Why do I get to do this and Aaron doesn't?' And I'm constantly reminded of that as we approach Aaron's 18th birthday." Six years on from Aaron's death, Ryan says he misses his friend more than ever. "I loved Aaron with my whole heart and I always will," he said. "Aaron's death inspired me to be a campaigner so that he and the other children and young people who die from cancer each year are never forgotten. "I want to make sure that Aaron's story gets to the right places and on the right people's desks and I hope that meaningful change will be made." More stories from Edinburgh, Fife & East More stories from Scotland 'Radiographer started crying during my cancer scan'
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
First-time buyers removed from government housing scheme
Most first-time buyers have been dropped from a Scottish government scheme that helps people buy a home without having to fund its full cost, BBC Scotland News has found. The Open Market Shared Equity (OMSE) scheme allows buyers to pay for 60% to 90% of a property's price, with the government buying the remaining share. Thousands of buyers have entered the property market this way since 2007 but there was a sharp drop last year, leading to some observers calling the scheme's price thresholds unrealistic. A government spokesperson said the scheme would now only focus on priority groups, such as social renters and people with disabilities, but experts called the move "short-sighted". In the past, the initiative had been mostly used by first-time buyers on lower incomes who lived in private rentals or with family. But the government's latest update has rendered first-time buyers ineligible, unless they fit into one of the priority groups. The mortgage advisers and buyers who have used the scheme in the past told the BBC first-time buyers were vital to the housing market and should also be a priority group. In recent years, campaigners have highlighted the growing number of Scots struggling with housing issues such as affordability, suitability and security of tenancy. In May last year, the Scottish government declared a national housing emergency, which set out aims to increase housing supply and tackle homelessness. Relatively high mortgage rates and the rapidly increasing cost of renting have made it difficult for first-time buyers to enter the property market. According to the charity Shelter Scotland, more than four in 10 adults are currently dealing with housing-related issues. Lucy Moore from Edinburgh contacted Your Voice, Your BBC News last year because she had struggled to save enough funds to buy her first home as a private tenant of eight years. Although the 32-year-old copywriter had about £5,000 in savings, she had to borrow money from her family to cover a mortgage deposit and the extra funds to pay over the property's asking price. She said: "I can happily pay the mortgage payments, but what I can't do is pull £30,000 out of nowhere - There's no way I'd be able to do this alone." Before she bought her flat, Lucy had considered using the OMSE scheme to split the property's cost with the Scottish government. At the time, the scheme was aimed at first-time buyers and priority groups who could prove they couldn't afford to buy a home without help. It was one of four initiatives the Scottish government has run in the past 20 years to make home ownership more accessible. A Scottish government spokesperson said the schemes had supported almost 52,000 households since 2007, with more than 80% of them being first-time buyers. The OMSE scheme doesn't allow the applicants to offer over a property's asking price if their bid exceeds the set thresholds. This is why Lucy gave up on using it. She claims buyers in Edinburgh often have to compete with investors who can afford to make bids on properties which are far in excess of the asking price. "What angers me, and I think it really shows how little support and protection first-time buyers get, is that a lot of the ads on property websites say 'perfect for a first-time buyer or as an investment'," Lucy said. "Those two groups of people - that's not a fair fight. "The government should be protecting first-time buyers and giving them a cat in hell's chance of getting into this really hyper-competitive market." Although the government has advertised the OMSE scheme as a "low cost initiative for first-time buyers" for the past 18 years, the eligibility criteria changed in April 2025. Only first-time buyers that fit into one of the priority groups are currently eligible, leaving out those who live in private rentals or with family and friends. Data obtained by BBC Scotland News shows that the majority of the scheme's past users did not belong to any of the priority groups. Last year, 182 out of 210 successful OMSE purchases were made by first-time buyers. Priority group applicants were responsible for 6% of these sales in 2024, and 10% in 2023. The latest evaluation of the scheme from 2021 also showed that 35% of buyers were private tenants, 32% lived with relatives and 24% came from social housing. Explaining the government's decision to focus solely on priority groups, a spokesperson said: "Supporting social renters to make the transition to affordable home ownership will help free up social rented accommodation, which in turn could help families move out of temporary accommodation." They added that it was important to target limited government funding on buyers who would not be able to purchase at all without assistance. Dawn Ramsay, a Dundee-based mortgage broker, called this move short-sighted, adding that she didn't believe it would attract more social renters to the scheme. "Many people won't look to move from affordable renting to having to worry about the cost of having your own home, to cover ongoing repairs, everything else that goes with that," she said. Mrs Ramsay believes first-time buyers on lower incomes should be a priority group because they usually buy at the most competitive lower end of the market. She said: "It pushes the house price up because there could be five or six people looking at a property, and some of them may well have financial backing where they can pay over the asking price for that property. It's not a level playing field. "These are the people that will keep our housing market moving. It really is a kick in their teeth." In response, the Scottish government said that it still supported first-time buyers by charging no tax on the first £175,000 of their new home, and through the NSSE scheme. It allows buyers split the cost of a new-build property sold by councils or housing associations. However, there are currently only six local authorities in Scotland with eligible properties, according to the scheme's website. Martin and Anna Sutherland said they would not have been able to purchase their first home without the OMSE scheme. They had spent six years privately renting, which left them with just enough money to afford a 5% mortgage deposit, something not many lenders accept, according to the father-of-two. With the government paying for 20% of the property price through the OMSE scheme, they managed to secure a lower mortgage and bought a four-bedroom bungalow in Fife. However, Mr Sutherland emphasised it was "almost impossible" to find a property that would fit into the price thresholds set by the government. "There wasn't one property available to us by using the (OMSE) LIFT scheme, except for this one," he said. They bought their house for £174,000, which was just £1,000 short of the scheme's threshold for South Fife. According to Rightmove, an average price for a four-bedroom property in Fife is just over £343,000. Even though the property requires lots of renovations, Mr Sutherland said the whole family felt very lucky to secure their first home. The thresholds are based on the property size and location, with noticeable differences across Scotland's local authorities. Mrs Ramsay and other mortgage advisers have told BBC Scotland News the scheme's price caps were unrealistic. Although the government claimed the thresholds were being updated every year in line with inflation, they remained the same between August 2022 and the latest update in April 2025. In response, the government stated there were no changes in December 2023 and 2024 because the scheme had closed to new applications at the time. In South Fife, where Martin and Anna bought their house in 2024, a four-bedroom property is now capped at £185,000. When BBC News Scotland questioned the government about the thresholds, it said: "We accept that in certain small geographical areas there will be a limited number of properties for sale which fall within the OMSE thresholds at any one point in time." It added that the way the thresholds are calculated ensures that all areas across Scotland are able to benefit from a viable scheme with a reasonable number of properties to choose from. Last year, the scheme's users also only had four weeks to apply, with the government claiming the budget had been "fully utilized by all applications received at the time." We later found out that only a half of the dedicated £27m was actually spent. Responding to our findings, a Scottish government spokesperson said: "After all applications were assessed, approximately £13.5m of the initial budget remained. "At the end of November the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice made the decision to redistribute the remaining £13.5m of Financial Transactions allocated to OMSE to Charitable Bonds." The government uses these bonds to provide loans to registered social landlords for the development of new affordable homes. The number of applicants to the scheme and its funding have steadily declined in the past five years. The most money allocated to the scheme was £80m in 2019, which supported 1,145 sales. In 2024, only about 0.6% of all of Scotland's first-time buyers benefited from it and the budget was the lowest in a decade. Dr John Boyle, the director of research and strategy at estate agent Rettie & Co, said the shared equity schemes were more successful 10 years ago. "That's because it did help more substantial numbers of people onto the housing ladder at a time when it was difficult for first-time buyers to access mortgage finance," he said. However, he believes the solution to Scotland's housing problem lies elsewhere. "Unless we do something about the supply problem, we won't really do anything about the affordability problem," he said. "That's where the bulk of the money should be going."
