Is Labour right to remain positive about this week's Scottish by-election?
Nigel Farage will make his first political visit north of the border in six years this week, causing intense excitement in the Scottish media. The Reform UK leader's trips here rarely pass without incident, including the time he sought refuge from protesters in an Edinburgh pub or when a nearby branch of McDonald's was asked by police not to sell milkshakes. Activists are already targeting the visit to Hamilton. Which is, of course, precisely what the media-hungry Farage wants.
To date, media coverage of the Scottish parliamentary by-election campaign in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in the heart of the central belt has breathlessly predicted a Reform breakthrough, which could push Scottish Labour into third place according to several commentators. First Minister John Swinney has railed against Farage, holding a cross-party summit that inevitably provided even more free publicity for the Clacton MP.
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
'It's a dead town' - voters speak ahead of Hamilton by-election
On an overcast and windy afternoon, noise is echoing from the top of Hamilton's town possible appearance of Nigel Farage in the area has sparked protest and counter-protest ahead of a Holyrood by-election, caused by the death of Christina McKelvie earlier this away from the soundbites and slogans of political confrontation, locals in the area have more direct concerns needing addressed."The town centre is dying", says Linda Smith, who has lived there for 15 years. "We need to regenerate Hamilton - at the moment it's just a nowhere town." The decline of shops in the area is noticeable, with to let signs adorning numerous premises throughout the town centre. In the Regent shopping precinct some of the biggest units lie vacant, telling a story of long departed retail giants such as Marks & Spencer, Boots and WH Smith."Hamilton town centre is like a ghost town," says Sandra Panton, 65. "It'll take years to rebuild that, because it has been years and years of mistakes there and it's a ring road for East Kilbride now. "I remember going down on the bus when I was six and it was heaving. It was a busy place – I don't know what else they can do. It's sad but it's a dead town." Local councillors are aware of the problems facing the area. Last year, South Lanarkshire Council revealed a "masterplan" that would see the shopping centre demolished, as part of a push towards creating homes and a new neighbourhood in the believes the plans look good, but is sceptical of whether they will go told BBC Scotland News whoever wins Thursday's by-election for the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse seat must focus on rejuvenating the area, whether through shops or by increasing social housing."If there's nowhere to shop, then people will go online. Try and get the footfall up – we don't need another hotel because there is nothing for people to come to Hamilton for."It isn't just shops leaving the area. The future of local team Hamilton Academicals is uncertain after they announced plans to play at Broadwood in Cumbernauld next supporter Andy Fleming listed it among the top priorities for any new MSP. "The town centre is a disgrace, and Hamilton Accies going is another thing - I've been a season ticket holder for a good number of years and I'll not be going to Cumbernauld to see them, that's a certainty." However, Connor Sullivan, 23, who works in a family jewellery business on the town's Quarry Street, is positive about the possible changes to the town said: "People want to have a community feel to the town centre. They want something that you feel is at the centre there, like a Marks & Spencer, but you can get independent shops providing that."We are losing a lot of big businesses but the idea is you remove them and get a better focus on independents."Such an approach has helped in Larkhall, the town which forms another part of the Barr is a volunteer with the Larkhall Plan Partnership, a group working to bring "positive change" to the believes the main street there is usually busy because it emphasises local services for people."Covid taught us about the social side of shopping – it can't just be about people getting what they need and then going home. A wee chat is part of that experience." Nancy is speaking while sitting in the Lighthouse building that serves as the group's base, just up from the train station into where she and her colleagues work on a variety of ideas to promote the town, which she believes can be overshadowed through being in the same constituency as Hamilton."Folk in Larkhall hate the council with a vengeance. We were spending time putting flowers up on the main street and someone told us we'd be better spending money on fixing the pavements. "We're tempted to get bright T-shirts saying we're not the council…"The group's activities include an ongoing survey, aimed at finding out local views on everything from health services to fly most common concerns relate to struggles getting GP appointments and the ongoing cost of living crisis, says Nancy."A lot of people here are asset rich, living in a big house, but having to stay in one room because they can't afford to heat anything else."There's a 10 year discrepancy in age expectancy depending where in Larkhall you live and some of the inequality is so obvious." Sandra Panton is treasurer of the residents association in Hamilton's Hillhouse area. She has similar concerns - that the focus on the town centre means elected officials miss things happening in other parts of the constituency. Those activities include creating a gardening space and play area for kids in Dunkeld Place, where flats used by drug dealers once believes community spirit is flourishing again, thanks to the hard work of outdoor space, used for anything from summer playschemes to costumed Halloween gatherings, has helped fill a gap common in many smaller communities - of there being nowhere for teenagers to go."The young ones get hunted because people always think they're out to cause bother but there's nothing else for them to do," says Sandra. "There's no clubs, there's no cafes to go with their pals. So this is a community area that is open to anyone – you'll get young ones sitting here who'll order a McDonalds in. They just want a place to sit around." However, community efforts can only go so far. The closure of a local library and being unable to afford the let on a community hall are a "major loss" for the area, she says. "This is a community – it's taken a good few years to get back there, but we need help as well." Both volunteers speak fondly of Christina McKelvie, who died in March aged 57 after being diagnosed with secondary breast cancer last summer."She'd come here when no-one else was around, so it wasn't for publicity," recalls Nancy. "There were loads of things you'd phone her about and she'd go out of her way to help us out. We felt she cared."We want an MSP who can lead, who can go in there and speak for us. We need someone to fight for us, regardless of what your party says. You have to decide whether you're for us or for the party." There are a total of 10 candidates contesting this by-election on Thursday 5 are:Collette Bradley - Scottish Socialist PartyAndy Brady - Scottish Family PartyRoss Lambie - Reform UKKaty Loudon - SNPJanice Mackay - UK Independence PartyAnn McGuinness - Scottish Green PartyAisha Mir - Scottish Liberal DemocratsRichard Nelson - Scottish ConservativeDavy Russell - Scottish LabourMarc Wilkinson - Independent
Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Scotsman
Inside Henco Venter's Glasgow Warriors exit and a special Scotstoun moment
Cult hero is swapping Scotland for France with a heavy heart 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... It's hard to think of an overseas player who has become so popular so quickly in Scotland as Henco Venter. Glasgow Warriors supporters have taken the South African forward to their hearts and serenaded him on Friday night in what turned out to be his Scotstoun swan-song. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It was a moving experience for Venter as he came off in the 72nd minute of the victory over the Stormers which kept his team's bid to win the United Rugby Championship for the second year in a row very much alive. Departing Glasgow Warriors forward Henco Venter is a hugely popular figure with the club's supporters. | SNS Group No club has done that before but Glasgow are now through to the semi-finals, thanks in no small measure to another outstanding performance from their No 8 and cult hero, who scored a try in the 36-18 victory. Alas, a parting of the ways is imminent. Venter is off to France next season to play in the second-tier ProD2. It was announced in March that he would be joining Brive and the news of his departure was a source of regret for Franco Smith as well as the club's fans. The Glasgow Warriors coach wanted him to stay and while he acknowledged that the player had received a very good offer from Brive, 'other factors came into play'. The chief one being 'a movement in the direction of having less foreigners' in Scottish rugby. Venter, who arrived in Glasgow from the Sharks in summer 2023 and has played 35 times for the club, hopes he has two more games left. The Warriors travel to Dublin to take on Leinster in the URC semis on Saturday and the final is scheduled for the following weekend. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He wanted to remain at Glasgow but accepts there is a desire within Murrayfield to try to bring through more homegrown talent. Venter will be joined out the exit door by compatriot JP du Preez and Argentinian winger Sebastian Cancelliere. The appointment by Scottish Rugby last August of performance director David Nucifora was designed 'to provide a roadmap for its next decade of player development'. Being South African and 33, Venter isn't perhaps a poster boy for Nucifora's brave new world - but his contribution to Glasgow's success shouldn't be underestimated. He played a big part in last season's stunning URC triumph and has also been credited by Smith with an important role in helping bring through young Warriors players like Jack Mann and Euan Ferrie. He has also been a vital team cog during international windows when Glasgow have been without their large Scotland contingent. For Venter, it will be tough to leave. Henco Venter poses with the URC trophy after Glasgow's win over the Bulls in the final at Loftus Versfeld. | SNS Group 'With Scotland taking the route, as you all know, of less foreign players I wanted to stay but they all made their rules to make Scotland directly better - I respect it,' he said. 'It's one of those things, it's rugby. You just go to the next thing, stuff happens and you just keep going forward and make yourself better.' No-one could blame Venter for looking elsewhere when no offer of a new Glasgow contract was forthcoming but circumstances seemed to have worked against the player. The focus was on negotiating new deals for the club's frontline Scotland players such as Sione Tuipulotu, George Horne, Zander and Matt Fagerson, Kyle Steyn and Stafford McDowall, whose value had increased on the back of their URC success. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Approaching the final months of his contract, Venter would have been understandably concerned about his future and the offer from Brive was undeniably attractive. Nevertheless, he will leave Glasgow with a heavy heart. The reception he received from the home support on Friday had a profound effect on him, all the more so because so many of his family and friends were either at Scotstoun or watching back home in South Africa. 'You'd never think that would happen,' Venter said of the ovation he received as the supporters sang his name. 'I actually didn't know what to do. It was special, very special. I appreciate it a lot. I didn't expect it and to receive something like that is one of the highlights of my career. Henco Venter, with ball, scores Glasgow Warriors' third try during the URC quarter-final win over the Stormers at Scotstoun as Kyle Steyn celebrates. | SNS Group 'My [immediate] family was here [at Scotstoun] and it was televised in South Africa so my whole family saw it. All the people living on our street were also here, all our neighbours.' Venter's imminent departure also means he is splitting again from Smith, his coach and long-time mentor. The pair had success together in South Africa before lifting silverware with Glasgow Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's the second time that we've parted ways and it's not easier than the first time,' said Venter. 'Luckily we're not done. There's another game to go and then if we're successful, there's another one.' The game against the Stormers was Venter's first since returning from a six-game suspension for making contact with the eye of England prop Dan Cole during the win over Leicester in the Champions Cup in early April. It means he missed both of Glasgow's recent defeats by Leinster, the 52-0 hammering in Europe and the narrow 13-5 loss in the URC. If they are to prolong their season beyond this weekend they are going to have to find a way to win in Dublin. It's not been a happy place for Glasgow but Venter feels the Warriors are rediscovering their form and if they can match their hosts' formidable physicality they can progress to the final once again. 'Teams go through a bit of a dip here and there but I think after the weekend everyone's dialled in and everyone's ready to go again,' he said. 'We are prepared to sacrifice everything to win. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Premiership bosses must follow Sir Alex's blueprint
The men behind a new club-operation system for the SPFL cite the most successful Scottish manager of all time as the best example of a coach who proved that it's not only possible to win by playing kids. It's also possible, with strategy and bravery, to win by playing kids born and raised in Scotland. 'The great irony of those comments were that the manager Alan was talking about was Scottish, arguably the most successful manager in history and wherever he has been successful has been based on giving young players first team minutes,' says Chris Docherty, co-author of last year's SFA Transition Report on the dearth of first team minutes for academy footballers. Recent figures from CIES Observatory show that St Mirren offered just 0.8% of their available first team minutes to players aged 21 or under this season. Celtic were second bottom with 7.8%, Aberdeen slightly better with 7.9%. Rangers made it to 13.6% while Dundee had the highest figure in the SPFL Premiership with 24.8% of first team minutes given to players in the key 16-21 transition phase. 'I saw an interview with David Beckham recently where he said that when he bought Inter Miami and asked Sir Alex Ferguson's advice on building a club he told him that the most important thing was the academy and bringing through your own players,' adds Docherty. 'Alex Ferguson wasn't worried about relegation. He brought young players through at Aberdeen and Manchester United because he felt that it could elevate the teams to be the best in Europe. Which they were. 'Look at when Celtic won the European Cup and it was all Scottish players. Look at Rangers and Aberdeen and Dundee United when they were punching above their weight in Europe and it was all Scottish players in the team. 'Clubs will say that the quality of the young Scottish players is not the same as it was back then. 'Some people even blame the invention of the ipad. But the ipad exists in all countries such as Spain where young players are coming through in healthy numbers. 'The question is, then, what can we do differently to improve the level of Scottish players coming through?' From June 16 clubs in the Premiership and Championship can sign agreements which allow young players to move from one club to another and play games with flexibility, freedom and fewer restrictions. Based on studies of similar systems in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Hungary and Serbia, the think tanks of old were replaced by data and fact-based evidence in a quest to find a way to increase the playing time of young Scottish footballers. Already Celtic are talking to Queen's Park and Rangers with Raith Rovers. Dundee United want to link up with Montrose while it makes geographical sense for Aberdeen to work with Arbroath and Cove Rangers and Hearts to speak with League Two Spartans. In Scottish football clubs rarely agree on anything. A system which helps clubs in the top flight as well as those further down the pyramid – and the national team – cooperation agreements brokered a rare accord An acknowledgement that Scotland needs to give young players more opportunities to play first team football without the restrictive impositions of the loan system. When the summer transfer window opens transition players will be free to flit between their parent team and their cooperation side freely. The current under-18 league will also become an under-19 competition with overage players permitted to pit the youngsters to up against men. In a simple, yet logical move, the games will be moved from Friday to enable young players to sit on a first team bench on a Saturday or Sunday and still play a game of football on a Monday. 'Through a period of consultation with league bodies, internally and with clubs across the pyramid, we are now ready to go,' says SFA Chief Football Officer Andy Gould. 'The vast majority of those consulted are in favour of this and have backed it. 'We have done a body of work, using a strong, evidence based approach and data, had a strong consultation phase and come out with a system which the game has bought into. 'The first thing was to demonstrate that there was an issue and show what that issue looked like and then have a conversation about why that was happening. That then takes you to the solutions. Read more: How SFA see loan co-operation system benefiting national team as clubs in talks Ex-Celtic winger Daniel Arzani a transfer target for Hearts 'Through conversations we realised that there was a bit of excitement and buy-in to this system. And we began to understand how this might work. 'There is a lot of work ahead but we want to make a difference in the game. We want to see young talent getting an opportunity, that's our business.' Eighteen months in the creation, Docherty describes the system as a 'landmark' moment for the Scottish game. All 42 clubs were consulted and, in a rare state of affairs, the interests of Celtic and Rangers seemed to align - for once - with those of Stenhousemuir and East Fife. Old Firm youngsters retained for UEFA 'homegrown' squad purposes will now be permitted to play first team football for another cooperation partner. Clubs with smaller squads need worry no more. If they need fringe youngsters back at short notice now, there is nothing to stop them. If a young player goes out in search of games and the arrangement doesn't work they can return home quickly and easily and be replaced by someone else the next day. A former technical consultant for the Croatian Football Federation and Hadjuk Split, Chris Docherty was also the sporting director of Honved of Budapest. His overseas experience told him that something in Scotland had to change. 'There is a pattern in all the small nations that are successful. 'Spain are the top nation in the world and they have B teams playing in the system. 'B teams is one model, the co-operation system is the other model. 'I don't think you will find many countries successful in developing players that don't have any model at all. 'B teams was not an acceptable system for our clubs. So we knew that the co-operation agreements was the one most likely to work when we got the feedback from the clubs.' Progress takes time and the results of the system are unlikely to be instant. One thing which won't change is the size of Scotland's top flight. While many harbour a suspicion that a 12-team Premiership makes it too risky for the job prospects of managers to field raw, untried youngsters the latest reconstruction talks between clubs voted to retain the status quo. Docherty remians to be convinced that the issue makes much difference anyway. 'I have worked in two countries with a more competitive league structure than Scotland. 'Croatia has a ten team league and Hungary has 12 teams with two automatic relegation places and there were more young players getting minutes there than here. 'I also used to work at Hadjuk Split and this season they were competing until the final matchday with a chance to win the league. 'They had a serious number of young player minutes there are and that comes from the strategy of the club. 'Because we have not had clubs following that model we haven't seen the benefits. This system gives Scotland an opportunity to change that.'
