Latest news with #Constance
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Health
- Scotsman
SNP minister confirms U-turn on Scottish violence reduction unit
SNP justice secretary Angela Constance has confirmed the U-turn. 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... SNP ministers have announced a U-turn on their decision to cut funding for a specialist centre aimed at tackling violent crime. Justice Secretary Angela Constance announced on Thursday funding for the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit (SVRU) would rise by 4 per cent on past levels to £1.217 million. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Knife crime rates in Edinburgh and Glasgow are on the rise. | Adobe The announcement came after The Scotsman last week exclusively revealed Scotland's national centre of expertise on violence would be hit by a budget cut of 3 per cent, in a decision that had been branded 'dangerous and irresponsible'. The SVRU had been allocated just £1,135,000 for 2025/26 - a budget cut of £35,500 - before the reversal in the Scottish Government's position. The decision follows the deaths of teenagers Amen Teklay and Kayden Moy, who both died after allegedly being stabbed in separate incidents this year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ms Constance said the increase in funding showed the Government's 'continued commitment' to tackling the problem of violent crime. Justice secretary Angela Constance. Picture: Lisa Ferguson Originally established in 2005 in the Strathclyde Police area, the SVRU became a national initiative the following year, with its work focusing on treating violence as a public health issue. Ms Constance said of the unit: 'They take a long-term approach to violence reduction through prevention work and working to identify, understand and address the underlying causes of violence. 'To show our continued commitment to this issue, I have announced an additional £82,000 to £1.217 million to support the work they do this year.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ms Constance stressed the Government's approach to tackling youth violence 'is focused on education programmes' coupled with 'effective punishment for offences, appropriate police powers and sustained school and community engagement with young people'. She also insisted: 'We have made it quite clear that no-one should every carry any weapon including knives at any time, anywhere.'
Business of Fashion
5 days ago
- Business
- Business of Fashion
Why Tariffs Haven't Led to Soaring Prices
For Erin Webb, the founder of the made-in-Italy belt brand Déhanche, it's been a few weeks of whiplash in a trade landscape that keeps shifting beneath her feet. However, her mantra for now is to keep calm and carry on with the hopes that one day soon American voters will come to their senses on President Donald Trump's disruptive tariffs. 'We've all learned to stay as zen as possible and maybe wait for the trade policies to stabilise post-Trump,' said Webb. 'The American people will realise that it's actually detrimental to the economy to have such high tariffs, whether that's in a matter of months or years.' In the meantime, Déhanche customers may be looking at a $75 to $100 increase on fall resort styles, while its evergreen Hollyhock or Constance belts that make up the bulk of the brand's sales will retain their $290 price tag. From global luxury houses to fast fashion to tiny independent labels, brands are being forced to rethink their pricing strategies on the fly. Each twist and turn of Trump's trade policy requires recalculating what costs can be avoided or absorbed, and what must be passed to consumers. Some have opted for blanket price hikes. E.l.f. Beauty announced a $1 across-the-board increase via a post featuring googly eyed versions of its products. 'Not gonna lie, inflation and tariffs are hitting us hard,' the brand said in an emoji-filled statement. Nike is reportedly considering a $5 mark-up on sneakers priced between $100 and $150, while LVMH told France's parliament last week it has room to raise prices by 2 to 3 percent. Others are holding the line. Childrenswear brand Mon Coeur will not raise prices at current tariff levels, according to its director of brand marketing Hannah Rosenberg. Its products are made in Portugal, and currently face only the new, 10 percent global tariff. But Trump has also threatened a 50 percent duty on goods made in the European Union, which could force the brand to reevaluate. Even then, Mon Coeur prices won't be reflected until late 2026 at the earliest. Abercrombie & Fitch and Gap Inc. are among the companies that said last month that they don't expect to pass on the cost of tariffs to consumers, even as they predicted turbulence ahead due to tariffs and the uncertain economic outlook. 'We definitely consider this raising of prices as the last item that we will try in our portfolio of tricks to try to offset [the tariffs],' Urban Outfitters chief executive Richard Hayne said in an earnings call on May 21. Some brands are keeping prices steady, reasoning that the highest tariffs won't go into effect until July, and that Trump may postpone them again. A US trade court has also ruled some tariffs unconstitutional, though Trump is appealing. But the biggest factor is that, with consumers already balking at high prices after several years of inflation, it may be better to hold the line and hope things work out than to risk alienating shoppers further. 'Right now, it's … a game of chicken,' said Dylan Carden, analyst at William Blair. 'But my research has called into question how much prices can go up.' The Case for Deflation In the days after Trump announced his tariff plan in April, Hermès and other luxury brands were among the first to say they'd hike prices in response. 'We are going to fully offset the impact of these new duties by increasing our selling prices in the United States from May 1, across all our business lines,' chief financial officer Eric du Halgouët said on April 17. The average price of women's apparel at wholesale retailers globally did jump 18 percent in the two-month period between April 1 and May 27, according to Competitoor, an Italian pricing analysis service. But brands haven't made any changes at their own stores or websites, said Competitoor chief executive Maurizio Catellani. He said that because prices for many luxury goods have soared so dramatically in recent years, they're as likely to go down as up this year, whatever happens with tariffs. Even the wealthy need to eat, after all. 'Before we buy fashion, we have to buy groceries and pay bills for our kids,' he said. 'I wouldn't be surprised if the prices actually go down.' On the mass retail side too, prices went up significantly in the years following the pandemic. With these expanded margins, retailers such as Abercrombie & Fitch are well-positioned to absorb the impact of tariffs rather than raise prices. 'Where we find ourselves today is a category with very little pricing power left,' said Carden. The Costco Principle When it does come time to hike, E.l.f. is likely to be the outlier with its indiscriminate approach. Generally, it's better to increase prices selectively — bumping a trendy sundress by $20 rather than the bestselling oxford shirt, said Kristin Savilia, chief executive of B2B commerce platform Joor. 'You want to think of it as psychological frames,' Savilia said. And because retailers are bringing to market smaller assortments in summer and fall, 'you can probably charge a little bit more for items that are different or new,' she added. For Déhanche, it's worth sacrificing margin on hero products because this category is what brings customers back to the brand again and again. Mon Coeur, too, opted to keep its entry-level products such as backpacks and lunch bags consistent in pricing despite seasonal increases on the cost of goods. 'If you have a client who has previously purchased and they come back and buy at a price that's elevated from two weeks or six months ago, they're going to feel [disappointed] and that undermines trust,' said Webb. Whereas for new seasonal pieces, novelty means the brand can get away with charging higher prices. It's the same principle, at the extreme, that has kept the price of Costco's hot dog and soft drink combo at $1.50 since 1985. Certain items drive customer traffic and loyalty more than profits. 'If you're a full-price apparel retailer and people love your $25 pocket tees, you're going to get people in the door for the pocket tee and they'll stay to buy something else,' said Carden. 'Raise the price on that something else.'
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Youth workers 'key' to tackling rise in violent crime
Youth workers are key to tackling a rise in violent crime among young people, Scotland's justice secretary has said. Angela Constance was asked on BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show, whether there was a "direct link" between cuts to youth services and a rise in violence But she said there were "many reasons" for the complex problem - with "more than one solution" for dealing with it. The justice secretary's comments came after a number of instances of youth violence - including the death of 16-year-old Kayden Moy on Irvine beach. Constance said the Scottish government had increased health, policing and local government budgets and was focussed on preventing youth violence. "The contribution that youth work currently makes in this country and could make will be imperative going forward. It's a key part of the solution," she said. Last week, First Minister John Swinney was quizzed in Holyrood on measures to tackle knife crime after a spate of incidents, including the death of Kayden Moy. Two 17-year-old boys have been charged with his murder. Kayden is the third teenager to be killed in 12 months, following the deaths of Amen Teklay in Glasgow in March and Kory McCrimmon who was in May 2024. Asked whether the authorities were being "too soft" on young people, Constance said it was important not to focus on the "approaches of the past". "When we look at what has changed in the lives of young people, it's really important that we don't focus on the arguments of the past or the approaches of the past that have not worked," she said. "Some of the rhetoric around discipline, around being tough, that we need a tougher justice system, I would suggest is misplaced. "What families want is interventions that work, and the earlier the intervention the better." Charity Youthlink Scotland reports a 50% reduction in the number of council youth workers in the last eight years. Chief Executive Tim Frew told the Sunday Show that the rise in serious assaults was a result of a lack of youth services. He said: "Despite the best efforts of the youth work sector and many others, some of those support services - those youth clubs and activities - are not at the volume they were years ago." Someone who benefited from such services as a teenager was 21-year-old Scott McLaughlin, from Glasgow. He told BBC Scotland News that a youth centre helped him avoid being caught up in gang violence and move into further education. He said: "They helped with even just the simplest things, like I wanted to read a book so they gave me books. "As daft as that sounds, it helps you because it shows you a broader horizon from what is in front of you." Scott attended St Paul's youth forum in the city's Provanmill, but worries that cuts to services are having an impact of the next generation. He said: "I believe it's to do with a sense of alienation, there's a sense of lack of community. A youth forum can provide that, community centres can provide that. "These things are ultimately what can tackle risk-taking behaviour in young people because young people who feel alienated from society have no reason to contribute to society." Opposition parties have accused the government of failing to take responsibility for the rise in youth crime. Scottish Labour's justice spokesperson Pauline McNeil said the SNP must "acknowledge their mistakes" and "support key services". Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr said the justice secretary had "shamefully" refused to take responsibility for cuts to youth workers. Teenager arrested after beach disturbance death Police chief appeals to young people not to carry knives
Irish Independent
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Tralee Musical Society receives four nominations for ‘The Clockmaker's Daughter'
The show, which was staged in Siamsa Tíre in Tralee over the course of a week back in April, was an original fairytale that is set in a small Irish town of Spindlewood in the late 19th century. Spindlewood was home to Abraham Reed, a talented clockmaker. A master of his craft, his work was lauded far across the seas. Distraught after the untimely death of his young daughter, Abraham sets about capturing her image in clockwork; building a young girl so unquestionably real that even he is unable to fathom her making. On winding her, Abraham realises he has created something somewhat more than a machine. Constance, as he names her, can move, talk and even think. Terrified of being discovered, Abraham gives Constance one rule; to remain hidden from the outside world at all times. But the young creation, full of child-like curiosity and frustrated with her limited existence, quickly forms other plans. Constance finds friendship, love and eventually jealousy as she encounters the people of Spindlewood. All fairytales must end and ours does so in present day, where a statue of a young girl stands, fixed, in the middle of Spindlewood's town square as some locals ponder the question, what became of the clockmaker's daughter? Speaking after the nominations were announced, Emma Quirke from the Tralee Musical Society told The Kerryman that the entire group is 'very proud' and 'over the moon' at the success of the play. 'We are very proud and over the moon to announce that we have been nominated in the following categories: Best Overall Show, Best Director - Oliver Hurley, Best Stage Management - Des Hurley & Best Actress - Helena Brosnan Donnellan. These nominations are a significant recognition of the outstanding talent, creativity, and dedication that went into the production which was a sell out production,' Emma said. 'We are honoured to be recognised alongside such incredible productions. These nominations are a testament to the hard work and passion of our cast, crew, and creative team,' she continued. Winners will be announced on Saturday June 14 in the INEC Killarney at the annual A.I.M.S (Association of Irish Musical Societies) Awards Weekend.
Winnipeg Free Press
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Winnipeg Free Press
Indie… and loving it
When Claire Morrison describes her first full-length solo album, she speaks first in the language of industry: campaign strategies, release schedules, media attention. She comes by it honestly. 'I started as a professional musician in 2010 and around that time also got my first job working with an artist management firm,' says Morrison, 33, who also has experience in event production and artist administration. 'All of that has really helped me become more confident as an independent artist. I have the skills to get this thing out into the world.' ANDY JON PHOTO Claire Morrison's first full-length album, Where Do You Go at Night?, is an 11-track retrospective on her first decade of adulthood. The thing in question is Where Do You Go at Night?, an 11-track album that contains stories and revelations from the Winnipeg-born folk singer's first decade of adulthood. 'It feels like this big tome,' she says. 'You live through so many things in your 20s… for better, and certainly for worse as well, they're such rich years.' For Morrison, who grew up in St. Boniface, her late 20s were punctuated by musical burnout. Having spent years performing and working in the industry, she hit pause to pursue a degree in philosophy and religious studies with a minor in Arabic language at McGill University. It was a much-needed detour and confirmation that music was the right path forward. Morrison still lives in Montreal, but returns to the Prairies regularly to work on Fire & Smoke — a long-running, intermittent collaboration with Winnipeg musician Daniel Péloquin-Hopfner. The group rekindled in 2021 after a years-long hiatus and put out a new EP, Constance, last spring. Her own project, released last month, has followed a similar timeline. 'It's been a busy couple of years,' she says. Where Do You Go at Night? — her first solo release since a 2013 EP — also includes a strong Winnipeg connection by way of producer Rayannah. 'I had implicit trust in her from the beginning,' Morrison says. 'I could've gone with someone (in Montreal), but we had such a clear musical and creative and esthetic understanding of what we wanted to do.' Morrison and Rayannah — an experimental Franco-Manitobaine synthpop artist — first met as kids at a summer music camp and have supported each other's careers as adults in various ways, including touring through Canada and Europe together. When she returned to music full-time, Morrison knew exactly with whom to entrust her debut album. 'Rayannah is just as insistent and detail-oriented as me. It's kind of dangerous when we work together because we'll follow the buried treasure down to the bottom of the ocean,' she says. 'It's not right till it's right.' While she often performs in French with Fire & Smoke, it felt natural to record Where Do You Go at Night? in English. (Morrison, whose parents both worked as translators, is multilingual and has studied Spanish as well as the aforementioned Arabic.) One of her favourite moments on the album is the closing track, You Are Light — an evolving song that Morrison had previously recorded and performed for years. The latest iteration includes her silky vocals laid bare over Rayannah playing synths to haunting effect. The live take that ended up on the record made both artists burst into tears in the studio. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'It's a song of hope that I wrote to myself,' Morrison says. 'To see the voyage that this song has taken from when it was first written to now sort of encapsulates what I'm trying to with this record and how it spans this era of my life.' The album's title is leading question asking listeners where they go when left alone with their thoughts — a proposition that can be both scary and healing. For Morrison, the tracklist contains both sensuality and rage, two classic coming-of-age characteristics. 'It's all about these things that go bump in the night … all these things that, historically, are considered unbecoming when they come from women,' she says. Where Do You Go at Night? is available on all major streaming platforms. Visit for more information. Eva WasneyReporter Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva. Every piece of reporting Eva produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
