Former AM named Powys County Council Chair
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The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- The Herald Scotland
Joanna Cherry: 'Shocking' Free Speech threat at Edinburgh Fringe
Asked by Forde whether free speech is under threat in Scotland, Ms Cherry said: 'I think there are…threats to freedom of speech in Scotland and, regrettably, they have come not wholly from my political party. The Greens are certainly enthusiastically on board, the Lib Dems as well, and some people in the Labour party.' She placed part of the blame on former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, adding that the current First Minister 'does not have the courage to speak against it.' READ MORE: WATCH: The Herald's Unspun Live takes over the Fringe How Kate Forbes managed to avoid 'good riddance' comments Kate Forbes: I am not a quitter - this is why I'm leaving Holyrood Ms Cherry criticised Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar as 'missing in action' on issues of free speech, while praising Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay as 'pretty good' on the topic. She described Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton as 'absolutely appalling' and said the Greens were 'unspeakable.' 'There is a real problem in our politics in Scotland that has seeped into our public life,' she said. Ms Cherry condemned the National Library of Scotland for censoring a book written by feminists, lesbians, and sex abuse survivors who opposed what she called Sturgeon's 'identity politics.' She accused the librarian and board chairman of bowing to pressure from a small staff group representing an LGBT network, saying: 'I think that's shocking.' She also criticised Summerhall, the venue that hosted The Herald's Unspun Live Fringe show featuring Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes. Last week, the venue apologised for 'the understandable upset' caused by Forbes' appearance and offered a 'designated relaxed space' for artists, promising to implement new inclusion and wellbeing policies. Ms Cherry, who attended the event, described the situation as 'shocking' and said it was symptomatic of a wider problem at the festival: 'It is also shocking that a venue in this city has effectively said that the deputy first minister of the country is not welcome there…and that staff are so coddled that they need to have a safe room provided for them when Kate did come to speak.' Discussing the broader threat to free speech, Ms Cherry concluded: 'There is a real problem here that we are seeing at the festival.'
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- The Herald Scotland
Sturgeon memoir: tribute to Charles Kennedy 'not genuine'
A former key ally of the late Charles Kennedy has criticised Nicola Sturgeon for failing to offer an apology for the 'indefensible bullying and hounding' of the late Liberal Democrat leader. The former First Minister's memoir Frankly, included a tribute to the Liberal Dems' former leader who died in 2015, less than a month after losing his Westminster seat in a bitterly contested election battle. Kennedy died of an alcohol-related hemorrhage less than one after losing Ross, Skye and Lochaber to the SNP's Ian Blackford. The convenor of the SNP's Ross, Skye, and Lochaber branch, Brian Smith, later resigned from his post, after he described Kennedy as a 'quisling' and 'drunken slob' during the 2015 election campaign. Craig Harrow, who served as Convenor of the Scottish Liberal Democrats until 2015 told The Herald he was 'disappointed' that Ms Sturgeon 'did not take the opportunity of her apparently candid memoir to make a genuine heartfelt apology for this disgraceful behaviour' towards his friend Charles Kennedy. READ MORE: In the memoir Sturgeon talks about becoming personally close to Kennedy during a 1996 Commonwealth Parliamentary Association trip to Australia. While in Melbourne, writes Sturgeon, the pair went to see Trainspotting in cinema as 'the only two Scots in the entire cinema, laughing uproariously at jokes that no one else understood.' The book goes on to discuss Kennedy's election defeat by Ian Blackford: "In the SNP's landslide of 2015, Charlie lost his Westminster seat to lan Blackford, who, a couple of years later, would become our Westminster leader. Obviously I was thrilled by my party's success and by my friend lan's election. But I wish we could have achieved it without the loss of Charlie's presence in Parliament. "His death, less than a month later, was a tragedy. It genuinely pains me to think that our election triumph, however unintentionally and inadvertently, might have hastened his demise. He was, without doubt, one of the most charismatic and naturally talented individuals ever to grace Scottish politics. Those few days I got to spend with him in Australia were a privilege." Copies of Nicola Sturgeon's memoir on sale in Glasgow three days before release (Image: Newsquest) In response to Sturgeon's comments, Craig Harrow told The Herald: 'There is no doubt of Charles Kennedy's charisma, talent and kindliness which contrasts with the current crop of politicians who could never fill his shoes. 'A thoroughly decent man who was popular and loved in equal measure. 'I recall the former First Minister's gracious eulogy at Glasgow University which rightly highlighted Charles' place in our nation's politics. 'But the indefensible bullying and hounding of Charles Kennedy in the 2015 campaign by Sturgeon's party was truly appalling and unacceptable in our public life and not a part of highland politics. 'It is disappointing that Ms Sturgeon did not take the opportunity of her apparently candid memoir to make a genuine heartfelt apology for this disgraceful behaviour which hurt Charles deeply in his last months. 'Recapturing Charles' former seat by the Liberal Democrat's at last year's election from Ms Sturgeon's party was a fitting tribute to him and his amazing legacy.' Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Alex Cole-Hamilton said: 'Charles was indeed an extremely gifted individual, and he is hugely missed by everyone in my party. 'He met the world and its challenges with an incomparable grace, charm and intellect; it was an approach that many of those in our politics today would do well to learn from. 'That's why it was nothing short of poetry when we returned Charles' old seat back to the Liberal Democrats when Angus MacDonald was elected last year. 'As we look ahead to the next election, we want to keep building on Charles' legacy, showing people all across the Highlands that we can deliver for them on the issues that matter to them."
Western Telegraph
2 days ago
- Western Telegraph
JD Vance expected to host Robert Jenrick during UK trip – but not Tory leader
Mr Jenrick has been invited to meet the US vice-president before a drinks event on Tuesday, it is understood. A Conservative spokesman said the party leader's team had spoken to Mr Vance's but that 'scheduling' had proved difficult. Both sides have played down the notion of a snub, the Telegraph reported. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick (Yui Mok/PA) Former leadership contender Mr Jenrick has strayed well beyond his justice brief in recent months, building a prominent social media presence with campaigns on a range of issues, from the impact of immigration on housing to tackling fare-dodgers on the London Underground. He and the vice-president have voiced similar concerns about the erosion of freedom of speech, as well as opposition to equality, diversity and inclusion initiatives. It comes after Mr Vance joined David Lammy at Chevening, the Foreign Secretary's grace-and-favour country estate in Kent, last week. The vice-president, who has also been tipped for a future leadership bid, described the Labour Cabinet minister as his 'good friend' but said there were 'disagreements' between the US and the UK governments on how best to respond to the humanitarian crisis and war in Gaza. A Liberal Democrat source claimed Mrs Badenoch was 'losing out to her leadership rival' while 'she messes up her efforts to mimic Nigel Farage and drag the Conservative Party ever further to the right'. 'Bungling Badenoch strikes again – JD Vance has apparently joined the electorate in giving Kemi the cold shoulder,' they said.
