State pension age rises target the north of the UK disproportionately
READ MORE: Labour launch review into raising retirement age
When will Scots learn, and stop voting for these [[Westminster]] parties? Just because they have Scottish in their title doesn't mean they are working for Scotland. Scots need to wake up and vote for independence. SNP, you have all the political and economic ammunition to make the case, why don't you?
A Wilson
Stirlingshire
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The Independent
16 minutes ago
- The Independent
Jeremy Corbyn more popular among younger voters than Keir Starmer, new poll shows
Jeremy Corbyn is far more popular among young voters than Sir Keir Starmer, new polling has indicated, suggesting that Labour's decision to extend the vote to 16 and 17 year olds could backfire. While both leaders remain deeply unpopular among the public, there is a surge in support for Sir Keir 's predecessor among those aged 18-24, a new poll has shown. The survey comes just days after Mr Corbyn launched his own political party alongside former left-wing Labour MP Zarah Sultana. While Sir Keir's approval ratings are poor across all age groups, new polling conducted by YouGov on the day Mr Corbyn announced his new party showed that the left-wing politician has a rating of plus 18 among 18-24 year-olds. By contrast, Sir Keir has an approval rating of minus 30 among the same group. But among voters overall, the two leaders have a near identical approval rating, with Sir Keir on minus 40 and Mr Corbyn on minus 39. Earlier this month, the government announced it will give the vote to 16 and 17-year-olds, expanding the electorate by 1.6m people at the next election. While there have been accusations from the right that the move was an attempt to shore up its own support, the YouGov polling for The Times suggests the move could serve to split the electorate even further if the results are reflected among 16 and 17 year olds. It comes amid growing concern over the direction of Sir Keir's government from voters on both the left and the right, with the prime minister's approval rating hitting an all time low earlier this month. Sir Keir's support among the public reached new depths of minus 43 after the £5bn welfare U-turn, according to new polling. The survey, first reported by The Sunday Times, also found that just a year after coming to power, seven in 10 voters think Sir Keir's government is at least as chaotic as the Tories' previous term. That includes one in three voters, who believe it is more so. Seeking to capitalise on the discontent with the Labour government, Mr Corbyn promised a 'new kind of political party' when he launched the as yet unnamed project with Ms Sultana on Thursday, claiming that more than 200,000 people have signed up. But dismissing the movement, technology secretary Peter Kyle said that the Islington North MP 'doesn't think about governing, he thinks about posturing'. Asked about the move, Mr Kyle reflected on what he called the 'chaos and instability' of Mr Corbyn's leadership. Speaking on Times Radio, Mr Kyle said: 'He's not a serious politician. He doesn't think about governing, he thinks about posturing. And we see that writ large at the moment, because all the posturing, of course, just puts him at odds with his own supporters, which is why you've got George Galloway saying he won't join it.' When Mr Corbyn and Ms Sultana announced their new party, a Labour source said: "The electorate has twice given its verdict on a Jeremy Corbyn led party." The polling, conducted by YouGov for The Times, spoke to 2,013 adults between July 24 and 25.
Scotsman
16 minutes ago
- Scotsman
John Swinney 'to join Donald Trump for dinner' as he vows to press US president on whisky tariffs
The First Minister said the 'uniqueness' of Scotch whisky justified an exemption Sign up to our Politics newsletter 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... John Swinney has reportedly accepted an invitation to join Donald Trump for dinner in Aberdeenshire tonight as he vowed to press the US President to exempt whisky from trade tariffs. Sky News said the First Minister will join Sir Keir Starmer at the private engagement this evening, which is expected to be held at Trump International in Menie. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sir Keir and the US President are due to hold talks at Trump Turnberry in Ayrshire this afternoon, where they will discuss the trade deal between the US and the UK and the war in Gaza. First Minister John Swinney | PA Mr Swinney is then due to hold talks with Mr Trump tomorrow, when he will attend the opening ceremony for a new course at Trump International. Speaking ahead of this meeting, the First Minister said the 'uniqueness' of whisky made in Scotland justified an exemption from the 10 per cent tariff applied on UK exports into the US. He said the tariffs are currently costing the whisky industry £4 million a week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Tariffs are very important for the Scottish economy and obviously scotch whisky is a unique product,' he told BBC Breakfast. 'It can only be produced in Scotland. It's not a product that can be produced in any other part of the world. So there's a uniqueness about that, which I think means there is a case for it to be taken out of the tariffs arrangement that is now in place. 'Obviously the trade deal with the United States provides a degree of stability for economic connections with the United States, but the application of tariffs is increasing the costs for the Scotch whisky industry. 'So one of my objectives will be to make the case to President Trump that Scotch whisky should be exempted from those tariffs. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's a product that is uniquely produced in Scotland, and it's a product that is much welcomed and supported within the United States. And I think there's a really good case for exempting Scotch whisky, and this is an opportunity that I have to put that case to President Trump on behalf of the Scotch whisky industry, which is a significant part of the Scottish economy. 'And the tariffs just now are costing the industry about £4 million each week, so it's a very significant burden on the industry. It would help growth and development within the Scottish economy if we could secure that deal. And, obviously, I'll be using every opportunity I have to try to put that across to President Trump.' Mr Trump's five-day visit to Scotland is largely a private one that has seen the president play golf at his course at Turnberry in Ayrshire ahead of opening a new course at his property in Aberdeenshire on Tuesday. US President Donald Trump as he plays golf at the Trump Turnberry Golf Course. Picture: John Devlin/The Scotsman | John Devlin/The Scotsman Mr Swinney said the final cost of the policing the visit has yet to be worked out. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Obviously, we're working very closely with Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority about the arrangements for this visit,' he said. 'The security arrangements have gone well since President Trump arrived on Friday, and that's as it should be, because we've got an obligation to make sure that when we have major international visitors, when they come to Scotland, that they are protected and able to go about their activities. Pressed to reveal the bill, Mr Swinney added: 'All of that will be worked out and we'll address that with Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority, and we're talking to the United Kingdom government about these questions, but it's important that we have a secure policing operation.
Daily Mirror
16 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
KEVIN MAGUIRE: 'Keir Starmer must do one thing to make Donald Trump bromance worthwhile'
The Mirror's Kevin Maguire is urging PM Keir Starmer to persuade Donald Trump to 'turn the screw on Benjamin Netanyahu' ahead of their meeting in Scotland today The US both arms and sustains Israel, so if Keir Starmer's bromance with Donald Trump is to be worthwhile, then the PM must persuade him to turn the screw on Benjamin Netanyahu. Britain itself cannot end the horrific starvation and daily slaughter of Gazans, despite MPs on the left as well as the right over-estimating the global clout of a country that is, in fact, a middling power. Starmer got and gets much wrong on this war, from initially refusing to condemn the unlawful blockade of water, power and humanitarian aid to continuing arms sales to Israel. And despite pressure from deputy PM Angela Rayner and much of the Cabinet, he has refused to recognise a Palestinian state. Yet Starmer did end some military supplies, sanctioned the vilest two extremists in Netanyahu's government and resisted Tory calls to oppose international war crimes arrest warrants, including one on PM 'Bibi' Netanyahu. Starmer's growing revulsion over the killings of Palestinians is genuine. But cajoling Trump during his Scottish golf trip to put the squeeze on Netanyahu would be a prize worth securing. He could persuade Trump to help transform an Israeli 'tactical pause' in parts of Gaza into the end of the 22-month war against Hamas, and a cessation of bombing that is most likely to free Israeli hostages. Starmer is able to point to a trade deal lessening the impact of the US President's hostile tariffs as a benefit of sucking up to him. Increased UK military spending is a downside and, oh, how Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky must wish Joe Biden or Kamala Harris were in the White House instead. Urging Trump to lean on Netanyahu wouldn't be easy and a US President who fancied an ethnically cleansed 'Trump Gaza' – two million Palestinians driven from their homes – may retain his own grotesque plans. But for Britain and the PM this is about being on the side of humanity, and that means ending the hunger, ending the killings. Immediately. Next election 'lottery' Having six significant national parties, and seven in Wales and Scotland, is going to turn the next general election into a total lottery. And magic grandpa Jeremy Corbyn's new party threatening to do to Labour what Reform UK did to the Conservatives at the last. Splitting the left-wing vote, as Reform did on the right, could hand victory to Nigel Farage just as Keir Starmer was gifted the keys to No 10 on a historically low 34% share of the vote. Labour, Greens, Lib Dems, Tories, Reform and Corbyn's vehicle, provisionally trading as 'Your Party', fighting it out with Plaid Cymru and the SNP thrown into the mix north and west of the border will test the credibility like never before of a two-party electoral system. Starmer needs to start worrying about his left flank instead of suspending MPs for caring about the disabled and environment. Corbyn is unlikely ever to be Prime Minister but win, say, 5% of Labour's 34% and he would blow up British politics. Revenge would be booting Starmer out of Downing Street and possibly putting Farage in. British politics has never been so volatile. Or unpredictable.
