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The Herald Scotland
18 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Virtue signalling from Bearsden Bolsheviks won't beat curse of racism
Calling everyone scum and horrible people might evoke cheers and feet-stamping from the Bearsden Bolsheviks, but it merely deflects our gaze from how complicit the political elites of Scotland and the UK have been in driving working-class people into the arms of Reform. 'All parties in Scotland and the UK have massively let down working class people,' Mr Kerr tells a full-house of 250. 'You see it every day when you walk the streets of this city and see the state it's in. You see it in my constituency where people can't get houses and in the state of the houses of the people who can.' The event was aimed at tackling the rise of right wing politics (Image: Gordon Terris)He cites the scourge of private landlordism 'who are taking the absolute piss out of our economy. And not only wrecking our economy but soaking up investment capital and wrecking lives in the process. That's the root. That economic need and neglect has always been fertile ground for the far right. 'But I'm not going to say that everyone who votes for Reform is a fascist. There's a vacuum which Reform fill.' He reminds us of how many working-class people recently voted for Reform in Clydebank and Easterhouse. 'We have a job to go into these communities and fill that gap which Reform are seeking to fill.' He dismantles First Minister John Swinney's fatuous £10k summit which recently brought together the troughers and frauds of the Scottish civic elite under the pretence of opposing extremism. 'That was manna from heaven for Reform,' Said Mr Kerr. 'It was entirely the wrong tactic. That looked like the Scottish establishment all sitting down together: it was a gift to Reform.' As the others vied with each other to express horror at the prospect of Reform rising, this Glasgow councillor was telling them what voters in Larkhall were telling me the previous day: they're sick of being gas-lit by a class of superannuated professionals telling them how to behave; how to speak; how to eat; how to raise their children and then cancelling them if they fail to comply. Even so, it's good to be here at the Boardwalk events venue in Brunswick Street in the heart of Glasgow's Merchant City. The previous day, I'd walked a while with Reform's candidate in the Hamilton, Stonehouse and Larkhall by-election. I'd needed to understand why many of Scotland's everyday working people feel drawn to Nigel Farage and a party which preys on their fears and their exasperation and channels them towards something ugly. Read more But I also needed to be confirmed in my own core beliefs that the scourge of racism erodes this country's health and averts our gaze from that which causes most damage to our society and those who profit from it. Among them the predations of unfettered capitalism; the low wages; the tax avoidance of our largest corporations; the health inequality and the instincts of a Labour Government to build a multi-billion-pound war economy intended to soften us to the inevitability of war with Russia. We needed to be reminded that Scotland's legal and political establishment, lobbied by the Scottish Police Federation, have spent years and a lot of money seeking to undermine the public inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh, who died in police custody in Kirkcaldy ten years ago. And how this has been accompanied by a campaign to defame him and destroy his family. Aamer Anwer, his family's lawyer, claimed they had 'treated his colour as a weapon'. We all needed to be reminded about the Park Inn Incident on June 26, 2020 in Glasgow. This was the mass stabbing by asylum-seeker Bahreddin Adam which left six people wounded. He was eventually killed by police, the first time they'd shot and killed anyone since 1969 in Scotland. Bahreddin Adam had made 72 calls to various social services before he snapped. This was in the midst of the Covid pandemic where asylum seekers were detained in hotels, isolated, neglected and treated like caged animals by a liberal political administration who talk big about racism but which pay a suite of private facilities companies millions to take these poor people off their hands. At conferences such as these there are always workshops and the trick is to separate the genuinely interesting ones from those organised by groups which seek to hitch their own questionable agendas to something virtuous: in this case the good fight against racism. On Saturday, I dropped into one featuring a documentary called 72 Calls: The Park Inn Incident, in which survivors of the attack spoke with compassion about Bahreddin Adam and the mental despair that they and he had endured while being moved around like livestock. It also exposed Britain's inhumane asylum system whose main purpose seems to be to dehumanise and degrade other human beings so much that it will send a message to other poor souls. The conference featured debates and workshops (Image: Gordon Terris) These people are expected to live on a daily allowance of £9 which hasn't risen in 25 years. Their often-remote locations seemed designed to deter connecting with local communities and the prospect of being ordered to move location at a few minutes' notice disrupts children's education. Far Right groups target communities where asylum hostels are known to exist to spread lies and disinformation about their luxury conditions. And when a Labour Prime Minister makes speeches about Britain being an "island of strangers" they're emboldened. This event is happening in the middle of a district which bears the names of the countries and communities that Britain ransacked and then sold into slavery. Our continuing wars of adventure throughout the last two centuries have literally caused the geopolitical upheaval that brings many of these people to our shores. I'd welcome them all and call it restorative justice. Someone has to pay for what we did to their countries. And if we're that generation then so be it. I heard, Sabir Zazai, Chief Executive of the Scottish Refugee Council, speak much more softly and authentically about how to combat racism than most of the sloganeers waving their fists for likes in the opening session. Mr Zazai cited the race riots in Southport and north England as what can happen when you dehumanise an entire race on their colour country of origin. 'Women wearing scarves are now feeling unsafe,' said Mr Zazai. 'They ask us the dreaded question: 'is it safe for us to go out' or 'will my accommodation be attacked'. This is new.' Read more Refugees and migrants ran small businesses and added to Scotland's arts and culture with their food and music, he reminded us. 'We need to fight back with love and compassion. Let's get to know each other better. Offering people sanctuary and protection can be unifying and uplifting for a community. Treat them as fellow human beings. Tell them that Scotland is as much their home as ours.' Earlier, Matt Kerr rebuked his own party leader for his Enoch Powell rhetoric. 'I'll tell you something,' he said. 'We need to refuse to be strangers by talking to the person next to you and holding their hand. You pick them up when they need it. That's life. That's the antidote to all of this. That's where it begins. You start in your community. You have the conversations with your family, with your friends and it'll be difficult but have courage and stand together.' It's just that, in the hands of a political and trade union class who have dehumanised working-class feminists and who are mocking once more the practice of Christianity, the anti-racism message rings hollow. The Stand up to Racism campaign has never been more important, but some of its loudest and entitled messengers are its worst ambassadors. Kevin McKenna is a Herald writer and columnist and is Scottish Feature Writer of the Year. This year is his 40th in newspapers. Among his paltry list of professional achievements is that he's never been approached by any political party or lobbying firm to be on their payroll.
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Robbie Williams at Murrayfield: 13 photos of the gig
The pop legend brought his signature showmanship to the capital, delivering unforgettable anthems like Rock DJ and Let Me Entertain You, much to the delight of the roaring crowd. The Glasgow Times reported earlier that after his show, the Angels singer took to Instagram to share his gratitude with his Scottish fans, posting a striking shot from the concert with the caption: 'Scotland – I love you. That was an incredible opening night. Until next time. Rob x.' READ MORE: Robbie Williams expresses love for Scotland after epic gig Fans quickly flooded the comments with praise, one wrote: 'Rob is the best.' Another added: 'You were on fire. Absolutely incredible show.' With a third commenting: 'What a night. THE KING OF ENTERTAINMENT!' The evening also included a surprise- a special appearance by Glasgow's own Michelle McManus. The Baillieston-born singer joined Robbie on stage for a powerful duet of Relight My Fire, sending the crowd into a frenzy. READ MORE: Glasgow singer Michelle McManus on duet with Robbie Williams Ahead of her big moment, Michelle admitted she was more nervous than she'd ever been, even compared to performing in front of the Pope. We reported that last week, ScotRail had issued travel warnings ahead of the event and responded by adding extra carriages and late-night services to and from Edinburgh Waverley to accommodate the tens of thousands of fans making their way to the show. Scroll through our 13 brilliant snaps taken just before the gig—were you caught on camera? (Image: Gordon Terris) (Image: Gordon Terris) (Image: Gordon Terris) (Image: Gordon Terris) (Image: Gordon Terris) (Image: Gordon Terris) (Image: Gordon Terris) (Image: Gordon Terris) (Image: Gordon Terris) (Image: Gordon Terris) (Image: Gordon Terris) (Image: Gordon Terris) (Image: Gordon Terris)
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Scotland's Hong Kong community thriving despite China fears
Chan (not his real name) is one of those involved in the running of the market. He tells The Herald: "Our community was established three years ago, a lot of Hong Kong people moved to Scotland and the UK because of the political situation. 'The oppression is still going on so there are still a lot of people moving here. Read More: 'Three or four years ago we had some volunteers who gave us the idea to set up a community for our own people and think about how we could contribute to the city and how to integrate into this country. 'We started from zero. One day I spoke to a manager at the Barras and we had the idea to do a Hong Kong market, and that's where it all started. This is the third year we've done. "We have lots of authentic street food, stuff you can't even imagine. Most of the traders make homemade food, it's not something you can find in the restaurant. "We also have traditional Hong Kong crafts, an exhibition on connections to Scotland, workshops where people can learn traditional Chinese calligraphy and also some cultural exchange workshops and a kung fu performance and Hong Kong music." As of the 2021 census the population of Scotland born in Hong Kong was just under 12,000 but the data was collected less than two months after a new visa scheme was introduced. Following the introduction of a new national security law by the Chinese government, British National (Overseas) residents and their dependents can apply for a renewable five-year visa. This year the first wave of Hong Kongers who arrived under the scheme will be eligible to apply for permanent residency. The Hong Kong market in Glasgow (Image: Gordon Terris) Lok Pui Lo tells The Herald: "When I first arrived here four-and-a-half years ago it was Covid times so there wasn't a lot of community. 'In the last one or two years there have been a lot of organisations set up by people from Hong Kong like the badminton club, events specifically for Hong Kong people, the New Year market "Before we get the permanent residency we're still immigrants who don't have a home. If we aren't granted the indefinite leave to remain that means we could be sent back to Hong Kong at any time. 'It's proof that I'm a UK citizen, finally, and I won't have to go back to Hong Kong if things don't work out.' The fear of going back to Hong Kong is a real one. In 2019 a proposed bill which would have allowed for the extradition of accused criminals to other territories, including mainland China. Its introduction came after a 19-year-old Hong Kong resident, Chan Tong-kai, murdered his pregnant girlfriend in Taiwan and flew back to Hong Kong. He admitted to the authorities that he had killed her, but he could not be tried for her murder as it happened in Taiwan, and could not be extradited due to Hong Kong's status as a 'special administrative region' of China since it was handed over by the British in 1997. Hong Kong had no extradition agreements with mainland China as a safeguard to its separate legal system, and could not do a treaty with Taiwan as Beijing does not recognise it. When the bill was proposed critics immediately raised fears it could be used to arrest political dissidents, with the largest in the history of Hong Kong erupting. Protests in Hong Kong The bill was eventually withdrawn on October 23, 2019 but in June the following year a new national security law was passed criminalising "separatism, subversion, terrorism and foreign interference", punishable up to life in prison, which many feared would lead to a crackdown on civil liberties. In response the British government offered the visa programme to those at risk. The reach of the Chinese Communist Party is long though, with Amnesty International reporting that students studying abroad are harassed and subject to surveillance to prevent them engaging with "sensitive" issues while overseas. In 2022 a human rights group alleged the CCP was running a secret police station at the Loon Fung restaurant in Glasgow, though Police Scotland found no evidence of any criminality. Safeguard Defenders said the Chinese government was using a network of such offices to intimidate dissidents and criminal suspects and try to pressure them into returning to China. The group's report said 'persuasion to return' involved techniques such as refusing to renew passports; surveillance or punishment of family back in China; or direct threats, surveillance and harassment by undercover agents, embassy and consulate staff, and secret police. Officially all the police stations were shut down in 2023, but the Hong Kong community feels the eyes of Beijing at all times. Chan says: "This is something very real for us, it's something we fear every day. "We see news from Hong Kong and we still see the government arresting people when they arrive there. Three months ago there was a girl who posted something on Facebook when she was living in Japan, she went back to Hong Kong to visit her family and the police arrested her at the airport. 'This tension is always there in our community, the tension hasn't left us even since we moved to this country. 'The long-armed repression is something very real, especially in Glasgow where we know secret police stations are being run in Chinese restaurants. Police Scotland have said they can't find any evidence but to run something like that you don't need any paperwork, all you need is a back room. 'Even when I'm speaking with you, I said going into the interview that I don't want to disclose my identity, and that's for the same reason. "It's a very broad law, and after it passed they did arrest a lot of people. 'That's why as an organisation we always keep a very low profile and are very careful about what we're doing, and a lot of organisations have been silenced. 'A lot of us have family who still live in Hong Kong, so even when we're just making a market like this we are very careful. 'There are a lot of Chinese students who study here and we are sure that not all of them are students. We're being monitored, that is something that is undeniable for us. 'This fear still exists even living in this country.' The Hong Kong market in Glasgow (Image: Gordon Terris) The Hong Konger community may be small but it's growing, and keen to become a firm part of Scotland's cultural milieu. Chan says: "When we started our community we started to research some of the links between Scotland and Hong Kong and we found there's a big historical relationship. 'Three governors of Hong Kong were Scottish and one of the most well-regarded governors of Hong Kong, David Wilson, has the longest footpath in the country named after him. 'We tried to dig out the history and we've made an exhibition that we'll show at the Hong Kong market. 'We want local people to understand that we are moving here but we're not coming to claim benefits we're coming to integrate in this country. The Hong Kong market is a chance to show that too. "We welcome everyone, and the most important thing is that we want to help local people understand why we're here and what we're doing. 'In the exhibition we have a small part where we interview some of the Hong Kong people about what they've been doing since they moved to this country: what have they contributed, what have they established? 'One of the interviewees started a bicycle charity, and that's the kind of thing we want to show especially since immigration has been such a hot topic recently. 'We want to break the bias against immigrants.'
Glasgow Times
3 days ago
- Glasgow Times
Number of people to cross Glasgow's Govan to Partick bridge revealed
The Govan-Partick Bridge, which opened on September 7, 2024, has been crossed more than a million times by pedestrians and cyclists. The Glasgow City Region City Deal project, which saw the Scottish and UK Governments each provide £12.685 million in funding for the bridge, reconnected Govan and Partick. The bridge spans Water Row on the Southside to Pointhouse Quay beside the Riverside Museum on the north. Since its opening last September, more than 820,000 pedestrians and over 185,000 cyclists have crossed the bridge. The bridge is of economic, environmental, and social significance, linking communities and numerous visitor attractions and institutions. It forms a central part of the active travel route between the University of Glasgow's Gilmorehill campus and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital. The Govan-Partick Bridge, one of Europe's longest opening pedestrian/cycle bridges, measures six metres in width and has two spans. The moving span, weighing 650 tonnes, is 99 metres long, while the fixed span weighs 45 tonnes and is 15.7 metres long. (Image: (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)) Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council and chair of the Glasgow City Region Cabinet, said: "With the City Deal we're quite literally building bridges between our communities along the Clyde. "Our expectations that the Govan-Partick Bridge would reconnect these historic communities have been exceeded with these fantastic figures. "It quickly became a key landmark in the city and a tremendously well-used travel route and will be critical to the continuing regeneration of our riverside and its surrounding communities in the years to come.' Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: "It is impressive to see the impact this bridge has made for communities across the River Clyde. "As well as improving access to jobs and visitor attractions, it has opened up travel between the University of Glasgow's West End and Queen Elizabeth Hospital campuses for pedestrians and cyclists." Kirsty McNeill, UK Government Scotland Office minister, said: "A fantastic one million crossings in less than nine months is clear proof that this magnificent bridge across Glasgow's beloved Clyde has quickly become a cherished and vital piece of infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists." The Glasgow City Region City Deal will see both the Scottish and UK Governments each provide £500 million of funding for infrastructure projects across the city region.
Glasgow Times
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Glasgow's newest mural has the East End talking
The bold pink display, scattered with Glaswegian sayings, has really got the residents of Dennistoun talking, explains artist Claire Barclay. 'Lots of people have said how great it is, particularly some of the older generation who love the fact we've got things like 'ya dancer' and 'braw' painted on the wall,' says Claire, smiling. 'It's just a bit of fun, something bright and colourful to bring some joy into the street.' Artist Claire Barclay, right, with Cat Downing of Studio Pylon and the new mural (Image: GordonTerris/Newsquest) The mural is located just outside gift and card shop Studio Pylon on Hillfoot Street. Owner Cat Downing explains: 'Claire is a fantastic artist – she has done window displays for us, which have been really amazing. 'I had been talking to the Dennistoun Mural Project, who are trying to get a mural trail off the ground here, so I asked Claire if she'd consider doing something outside the shop. 'We wanted it to reflect the community we live and work in.' (Image: GordonTerris/Newsquest) She adds: 'Dennistoun is a great place, with a big mix of people, so we wanted something nice, something that was just full of joy. We all need nice things at the moment.' Claire, whose company ClaireBarclayDraws is based in Bridgeton, studied at Edinburgh College of Art before setting up her business around 10 years ago. Specialising in colourful, quirky greetings cards and gifts inspired by Scottish culture, Claire also works on customised commissions such as portraits, logos and wedding invitations. READ NEXT: Hit Scottish TV comedy returns as musical 30 years on READ NEXT: 'Townhead was obliterated': Billy Elliot star on his Glasgow roots READ NEXT: 'We're so lucky to have the Citz': Free drama lessons as Glasgow theatre re-opens 'I've done lots of different things, but this was my first mural,' she says, smiling. 'Hopefully people will love it.' Artists and local shop owners are hoping it will spark a whole new street art trail for Dennistoun. More details are available on the Dennistoun Mural Project's social media pages. Artist Cat, who opened her store three years ago, adds: 'This is a fantastic community, lots of great businesses, so the more things that bring people here, the better we are for it.'
