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Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
'Neo-Nazis' disrupt West Dunbartonshire Council meeting
During the meeting, a motion was presented to elected members by councillor Jim Bollan urging them to condemn the "racist" banners, flyers and posters that had been displayed at the Clydebank Bandstand recently by Patriotic Alliance. Similar banners were also attached to railings in front of the council chambers in Dumbarton on the afternoon of Wednesday, June 18. The organisation has been described as a far-right, fascist, neo-Nazi and white nationalist hate group, and have recently used the bandstand at the Clydebank Shopping Centre to demonstrate their views to the public. Councillor Bollan's motion had asked the council to authorise council officials to remove any such items attached to the council-owned bandstand in Clydebank Shopping Centre, that do not have prior written consent from West Dunbartonshire Council as soon as practical. But as councillor Bollan tried to speak, he was interrupted by chanting from the public gallery from at least three or four protesters who kept repeating 'Scotland is for Scots'. They were asked to sit down and be quiet by Provost Karen Murray Conaghan, who also told them to stop filming and taking pictures of the meeting and if they couldn't they would be told to leave. Provost Murray Conaghan said: 'Excuse me, can I ask you to be quiet in the public gallery. It is a meeting in public, not a meeting for you to contribute to. 'You sit there and be quiet during the meeting or I will ask you to leave. If you can't be quiet, you will have to leave and take your hand off the barrier.' The provost was then made aware that filming was taking place. READ MORE: Council urged to remove 'far-right racist' banners from Clydebank landmark READ MORE: Frankie Boyle backs major demonstration in Glasgow this weekend Councillor Murray Conaghan continued: 'There is no filming permitted. If you continue to film, you will be asked to leave now. Please put your phone away.' Councillor Bollan was able to continue speaking on his motion. He said: 'The overt racist posters being displayed by Patriotic Alternative in Clydebank could be a precursor to the racist violent behaviour we are seeing in Ireland at the moment where non-whites are having their homes fire bombed because of the colour of their skin. 'Groups like Patriotic Alternative are cheerleaders for Reform, which is a racist party and use the fact that the two larger political parties are not delivering for the policies needed by our working-class communities. 'That void is being used by extremists to blame refugees and asylum seekers as a divide and conquer tactic, commonly used by racists. By supporting this motion, West Dunbartonshire Council will be sending a clear message that we are anti racist and inclusive of all races. 'Before I came into this meeting, I noticed some of the banners which are outside which are overtly racist. It is unacceptable in West Dunbartonshire.' As councillors started to discuss the motion, the meeting was interrupted again as protesters continued to cause disruption and were asked to leave as a result. Provost Murray Conaghan told the public gallery: 'If you can't put your phone down and stop filming, I will ask you to leave the gallery. 'The recording is available at home so you can listen to it there. You need to put your phone away. We will pause until we restore a bit of public order in the public gallery – sorry members.' The group was escorted out by security and the meeting resumed.
Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Glasgow Times
Pupils from Glasgow school take part in mock trial
A total of 26 pupils from Woodfarm High School, in Glasgow, and St Andrew's Academy, in Paisley, participated in the immersive session at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). The session, held in the newly opened moot courtroom within the Paisley campus, was designed to give the youngsters a taste of what it's like to study law at university and practice it in real-world settings. Read more: 'Do not be a hero': Armed robber raids Glasgow pharmacy for methadone and Valium Professor Kasim Sheikh, dean of the School of Business and Creative Industries, commended the pupils' enthusiasm and potential. He said: "It was inspiring to see such insight, courage, and promise from these pupils as they stepped into the courtroom. "Events like this are about more than just learning how the legal system works; they're about helping young people see themselves in professional roles and giving them the confidence to take that next step." During the event, pupils were given roles as prosecutors, defence lawyers, witnesses, and jurors, and brought their arguments to life in UWS's purpose-built courtroom facility. The trial was overseen by a judicial bench of two: Isabella Ennis KC of the Faculty of Advocates, and Jeremy O'Neill, procurator fiscal depute, who jointly presided in the role of sheriffs during the proceedings. Both legal professionals gave a career and legal pathways talk after the verdict, designed to offer pupils insight into routes into the profession and life in the courtroom. The event also introduced pupils to UWS's new LLB (Hons) Scots Law degree. Developed in consultation with the Law Society of Scotland, this programme offers a professionally accredited pathway to becoming a solicitor. It is designed to provide students with both the academic foundations and hands-on courtroom experience required for a successful career in the legal profession. (Image: Supplied) Read more: Major new housing development in Glasgow district put on the market Isabella Ennis KC said: "I was genuinely impressed by the level of preparation and passion these young people brought to the courtroom. "From their structured legal arguments to their confident delivery, they demonstrated real potential. "With this new moot courtroom and the new LLB in Scots Law, UWS has created a space that makes the study and practice of law accessible, inspiring, and inclusive." Professor Sheikh added: "Through our new LLB in Scots Law launching in September and our investment in learning, UWS is opening doors and nurturing the legal professionals of tomorrow." UWS has hosted annual mock court events since 2022, adapting and drawing inspiration from MiniTrial materials, with the generous support of the Faculty of Advocates.
Scotsman
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Scotland U20 squad named but coach in the dark over fundamental aspect of World Championship
Young Scots to face England, Australia and South Africa in Italy Sign up to our Rugby Union newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox 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... Kenny Murray has named his Scotland Under-20 squad for the World Rugby U20 Championship in Italy but the coach still doesn't know if there will be relegation at this summer's tournament. The young Scots are back in the elite competition for the first time in six years after earning promotion last season by winning the second-tier World Rugby U20 Trophy. Their 'reward' is an extremely testing group which has seen them paired with England, Australia and South Africa in Pool A. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It's a huge step up for Scotland but one which Murray is relishing. He has named a 30-man squad for the 12-team tournament but remains in the dark about whether or not the bottom-placed side after the play-offs will be relegated, even though the competition is kicking off a week on Sunday, with Scotland's opening fixture against England in Verona. Scotland U20 head coach Kenny Murray, centre, with some of his players. | SNS Group / SRU 'We're hoping to get confirmation before this tournament begins,' said Murray. 'There's discussions going on at World Rugby about expanding the tournament, so we're still waiting for final clarification as to whether that's definitely happening and whether there's going to be relegation or not. I'm hoping to find out next week at the latest. 'All I've heard is that there's definitely some motivation to go to 16 teams. That's as much as we know at the moment, but obviously we'll need to know before the tournament starts. It would be good to go there without that extra pressure of relegation.' After the opener against England, Scotland will play Australia in Viadana on July 4 and South Africa in Calvisano on July 9. They will then play two ranking play-off games to determine their final position. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Freddy Douglas and Johnny Ventisei will co-captain Scotland, with both having had experience of leading the team during the 2025 U20 Six Nations. Scotland U20's Seb Stephen played for Glasgow Warriors against Leinster. | SNS Group / SRU Douglas, who made his full Scotland debut against Portugal in the autumn, is one of a handful of players in the squad to have played pro club rugby. The highly talented flanker featured seven times for Edinburgh last season. Jack Brown, the full-back who scored a hat-trick in the impressive win over Ireland U20s last week, also made his Edinburgh debut and hooker Seb Stephen played for Glasgow Warriors against Leinster, impressing in a narrow defeat in Dublin. In addition, Reuben Logan made a brief appearance off the bench for Northampton Saints against Exeter in the Premiership. The squad is relatively experienced, with 29 of the 30 having played in either or both the 2024 World Rugby U20 Trophy or 2025 U20 Six Nations. Jed Findlay, the full-back who featured in last week's win over Ireland U20, is in a tournament squad for the first time. Forwards Will Pearce and Oliver Finlayson-Russell are the other players yet to feature in a competitive match for Scotland U20. Both were in the U20 Six Nations squad but did not make an appearance. Jack Hocking, the versatile Edinburgh back, is included after injury and could make his first competitive appearance since featuring for Hawick in October last year but Guy Rodgers misses out with a hamstring issue. Scotland U20 squad for 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Forwards: Ollie Blyth-Lafferty (Edinburgh), Dylan Cockburn (Melrose RFC), Freddy Douglas (Edinburgh; co-capt), Oliver Duncan (Edinburgh), Oliver Finlayson-Russell (Univ of St Andrews), Mark Fyffe (Univ of Edinburgh), Bart Godsell (Loughborough Univ), Dan Halkon (Glasgow), Reuben Logan (Northampton), Oliver McKenna (Glasgow), Charlie Moss (Montpellier), Will Pearce (Cardiff Metropolitan Univ/Bristol), Joe Roberts (Glasgow), Jake Shearer (Glasgow), Seb Stephen (Glasgow), Jamie Stewart (Edinburgh), Ben White (Melrose/Edinburgh).
Scottish Sun
7 hours ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Major update on £450 a month benefit available to thousands of Scots
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE SCOTTISH Government has issued a major update on a £450 a month benefit that is available to thousands of adults. The Adult Disability Payment helps anyone who has a disability, terminal illness, or long-term health condition that affects their everyday life. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Ministers have shared a major update on the benefit Credit: Getty It is open to Scots aged between 16 and state pension age, and the payment is made up of two parts. These are daily living and mobility, and people may qualify for one or both parts. Scots may qualify for the daily living part if you need help with things like preparing food, taking nutrition (eating and drinking), managing therapy or monitoring a health condition and washing and bathing. While the mobility part refers to whether you need help with planning and following a journey or moving around. Depending on which parts you qualify for, you could get anywhere between £116.80 and £441.60 a month. But now, the SNP has vowed not to cut the payment as Labour announced plans to slash overall welfare payments. It comes as ministers look to cut the increasing welfare bill by clawing back billions of pounds of benefits. On Wednesday, the UK Government revealed its plans to slash benefits further in the House of Commons. The new plans will see changes made to a number of different benefits - including personal independence payment (PIP) and universal credit. The criteria for PIP is expected to become stricter, while those on UC will see the sickness-related element cut. Millions hit by benefit cuts as Rachel Reeves warns 'if you can work, you should work!' in bid to fix 'broken system' UC will also not be issued to anyone until they reach 22 years of age. Most Scots who claim sickness benefits do so through the Adult Disability Payment, which is devolved, rather than through PIP. But the cuts mean that there is likely to be less money available for Scottish benefits. However, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville promised that the Scottish Government "will not let disabled people down or cast them aside", according to the Daily Record. She said: "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 also called the UK Government's plans "hugely damaging" to struggling adults, especially during the current cost of living crisis. Who can apply for Adult Disability Payment YOU must be between 16 and State Pension age to apply for this benefit. You may qualify for the daily living part if you need help with: preparing food taking nutrition (eating and drinking) managing therapy or monitoring a health condition washing and bathing managing toilet needs or incontinence dressing and undressing communicating verbally reading and understanding signs, symbols and words engaging socially with other people face to face making budgeting decisions You may qualify for the mobility part if you need help with planning and following a journey or moving around. Do not apply if you get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults. You would get these from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). You can apply for Adult Disability Payment if you: live in the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Gibraltar have spent a major part of your life in Scotland You need to apply for Adult Disability Payment even if you get Child Disability Payment. You can apply any time from when you are 15, soon to turn 16, until your 18th birthday. If your application is successful, you will not have any gaps between payments. Branding it a "damaging policy", she said, "I strongly urge them to scrap their harmful proposals." She added: "With around half of all children in poverty in Scotland living in a household with a disabled person, the changes threaten to undermine the progress that we are making to reduce child poverty, and the work of the UK Government's Child Poverty Taskforce. 'That the UK Government is prioritising deep cuts to disabled people's support is made even worse by their failure to abolish the two-child limit, which is estimated to have pushed more than 35,000 children into poverty since July last year." UK Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall told the Daily Record: 'Our social security system is at a crossroads. 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. 'This will give people peace of mind, while also fixing our broken social security system so it supports those who can work to do so while protecting those who cannot – putting welfare spending on a more sustainable path to unlock growth as part of our Plan for Change.'
Daily Record
7 hours ago
- General
- Daily Record
Scots soldier who lost eye during training opens up on 'daunting' experience
Steven Williams, 42, from Edinburgh, was forced to leave the Army in 2011 after a sharp tree branch snapped back into his face during field training in Nairobi. A Scots soldier who lost an eye during a patrol in Kenya is hoping to inspire others by taking on a gruelling series of Kiltwalks. Steven Williams is raising awareness for veterans with sight loss after he was discharged from the army in 2011 after a branch snapped back in his face in Nairobi. At first, he shrugged it off as there was 'blood". However, by the morning, he was blind in one eye. After flying home to Edinburgh, he underwent 12 operations before doctors gave him the heartbreaking choice - undergo further treatment or remove his eye. He made the difficult decision to have the operation in May of 2011 and was soon informed he was 'no longer fit to serve', reports Edinburgh Live. Steven admits he soon felt he had lost 'his job and purpose, and felt completely lost.' He sought help from Sight Scotland Veterans, which he hailed as 'invaluable'. Now, he's taking part in four Kilt Walks this year in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee alongside his partner. They're looking to highlight the work of Sight Scotland Veterans. Recalling his time in the army, Steven said: 'I served ten years in the Army, starting with the Royal Scots. I did a couple of tours in Iraq and each one was completely different. "The first was intense combat, modern day warfare. The second was more about training the Iraqi Army to be self-sufficient and allow the British Armed Forces to leave. There were some hairy moments along the way, we got blown up by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in the back of a FV510 Warrior, an armoured vehicle, during one patrol down 'Route Irish' which is a 7.5mile stretch from the Green Zone to Baghdad's International Airport. "The FV510 Warrior was immobilised when an IED detonated at the front, striking the engine, if it hadn't, I wouldn't be here to tell the story. Our training automatically kicked in and we secured the site but thankfully there was no secondary fire." Steven heard that The Black Watch were seeking a 30-man platoon from Scottish regiments for an upcoming deployment in Afghanistan. Admitting that he was 'naively feeling invincible', he volunteered. Part of the training was in Kenya. He recalled: "After four weeks in the field near Nairobi, a branch snapped back during a patrol and struck me in the eye. There was no blood, and you couldn't really stop, so I kept going, but by morning I couldn't see. "I was CASEVAC (casualty evacuated) from the field and taken to hospital in Nairobi where they removed part of the thorn. I flew back with a field doctor having drops put in my eye every fifteen minutes during a ten-hour flight. 'Back in the UK, and I remember being in Heathrow and I was still wearing my dusty and dirty camouflage clothing, and the field doctor went into one of those fancy designer shops and bought some 'civvy' clothes. I went to Moorfields Eye Hospital in London to stabilise my eye and I was transferred to Birmingham and Midland Eye Centre for a week before returning to my unit in Edinburgh. I still had the eye, but I had no central vision." Doctors 'didn't know what to do' following dozens of treatments, and after two years of being unable to serve, Steven felt he was ready to leave the army. Although admits it was 'daunting'. He continued: "Things got extremely hard. I started to feel sorry for myself and I didn't know what to do. I essentially lost my eye, my job, my purpose, and I felt completely lost. "It was around this time I started to get help from Sight Scotland Veterans and my independent living worker in Midlothian was amazing. She supported not just me, but also my partner and our children. That meant the world, because when a veteran loses their sight, the whole family is affected. Until I had my eye removed, people didn't even understand that I was injured. It was invisible, and that made it even harder to deal with. "I was fitted with a prosthetic eye, but it was so uncomfortable, and I was told I would need yet another operation on my eye lids and I couldn't face it. So, I spoke with my family, and we all agreed that if I was OK with how I looked (without the prosthetic eye), I didn't need it." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Steven is not legally classified as sight-impaired, but says his sight loss affects him every day. He struggles walking downstairs, judging distances or noticing things from the side. He's also 'constantly worries' about bumping into things. Steven says he's spent ten years 'pretending he doesn't have sight loss'. He added: "Over time, I've tried to be a bit kinder to myself. The support I received from Sight Scotland Veterans was invaluable. "They encouraged me to get involved with the community again. I started by volunteering to coach my son's football team. That led me to the Lothian Veterans Centre where, after seven months of volunteering, I was offered a part-time job as an employability officer. "Eventually, I became the operations Manager for four years. It was a rewarding but demanding role, often supporting people in crisis such as facing job loss, homelessness, or struggling with their mental or physical health. "I was regularly contacted out of hours, even on Christmas Day, and often neglected my own wellbeing. All this time I wasn't dealing with my own sight loss, and my mental health began to suffer. Throughout this time Sight Scotland Veterans remained a constant support." Steven realised he 'needed a break', and began exploring mindfulness and yoga. He found a role with Sight Scotland Veterans, and began helping veterans rebuild their lives after the pandemic. Since then, he's started a new role as an independent living worker. He added: "I thoroughly enjoy helping veterans live as independently as possible and reconnect with their communities. "I know first-hand how vital this support is, especially for those experiencing sight loss for the first time or facing significant changes."
