Latest news with #HeritageImages
Scotsman
21-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
How Scotland's Land Reform Bill could fatally damage tenant farming
Sign up to our daily 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... The Scottish Government's ambition to make Scotland 'the best that it can be', as laid out in its Programme for Government, is laudable – but does it really help rural areas thrive? From the Borders to the Highlands, there are enterprising rural businesses putting their shoulders to the wheel to deliver for people, jobs and nature, but all too often they are left feeling frustrated or forgotten. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There are many causes for their frustration and the current Land Reform Bill proceeding through the Scottish Parliament illustrates perfectly how government policies can end up having the entirely opposite effect to what political leaders envisage. The Scottish Government is wedded to an ongoing land reform agenda despite the clear evidence the vast majority of the public – according to government research – do not see it as a priority. Scotland's estates are responsible for significant social, economic and environmental benefits (Picture: CM Dixon/Heritage Images) | Getty Images Benefits of large estates The Cabinet Secretary in charge of the Bill, Mairi Gougeon, knows well the passionate and often polarised positions adopted on this issue, given she serves as MSP for North Angus and Mearns. She will also know, however, from her days as development and enterprise convenor on Angus Council, about the need for and value of investment and economic growth. And this is where the rub is with this current Land Reform Bill. On one hand, the Scottish Government seems committed to breaking up large rural landholdings in the name of diversity of land ownership but has there really been enough thought given to what the outcome will be? It doesn't appear so. Again, we are facing a situation where ideology and practical outcomes collide. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Large estates are actively involved in helping to deliver housing, renewable energy, employment and business opportunities, food and drink, whilst tackling climate change through peatland restoration and tree planting as well as improving nature. All of these are government priorities and ministers are aware these activities need investment from sources including private enterprise. So why pursue and frame legislation that targets the very rural businesses currently delivering those benefits on the ground? The answer for many is the need to rectify perceived historic wrongs. But we are now living in a different time and surely land reform today should be about the future, not the past. Those of us involved in land management are already hearing noises that the uncertainty created by proposals in the Land Reform Bill is disincentivising both local investment and interest from further afield. The more a business sector is penalised, the less likely people will be willing to invest. Taxpayers face hefty bills I don't believe that this is a desired outcome by the Scottish Government but there is a very real chance of that happening because of proposals like giving ministers the power to interfere with land sales and force estates to be sold off in lots. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Do taxpayers, who may have to foot hefty bills for compensation for the loss of value, really want this? And considering such interference may be fraught with legal difficulty and creates unwarranted problems for those people working on estates, does that make it worthwhile? A similar situation arises in the part of the Bill which deals with tenant farming. The government is adamant that it wants to see a thriving tenant farming sector. However, there are very few agricultural landlords who are keen to let land because of the proposed retrospective changes to contracts that have the potential to hamper a landlord's ability to get his own property back without having to pay even greater compensation. Again, the outcome of a stagnant sector is the exact opposite to what the government say they want to achieve. All of us who work in the land management sector understand the land reform agenda. While some people claim land managers oppose land reform, that is simply not correct. We have no problem with greater transparency of ownership, opportunities for communities to acquire land where it becomes available, and the need for productive community engagement. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A great many examples already exist where estates are working harmoniously as part of their local community and the continuous implementation of further legislation only serves to jeopardise that. No shortage of land reform laws As well as numerous willing sales to communities, extensive legislation is already in place enabling communities to acquire land where it has been abandoned or neglected, or where the landowner is acting as a barrier to sustainable development. Like many legislative measures already in place in Scotland, their use to date has been limited perhaps due to unawareness. Lack of use doesn't mean that more legislation is needed. There has been no shortage of land reform legislation since the Scottish Parliament was established. This is now the third bill to go before the parliament. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad As things stand, there is a widespread view beyond the interests of landowners that the Land Reform Bill in its current form is unworkable. We would appeal to the Cabinet Secretary to take heed of these genuine concerns and consider seriously amending the Bill rather than deliver flawed legislation which will risk the delivery of local and national benefits. The government has already shown its willingness to improve legislation during its passage through Holyrood, as it has done with the Housing Bill and it should act similarly to make the Land Reform Bill work. We all know from experience that leaving so much detail to secondary legislation tends to store up trouble for all in the future. We understand the SNP, in particular, is committed to a land reform 'journey' that is far from ended. However, we fervently hope that, at some stage along the way, there can be some recognition that estates are significant social, economic and environmental contributors to rural Scotland and that politicians will take this seriously before bringing forward policies which discourage investment and fatally damage tenant farming.
Metro
08-05-2025
- General
- Metro
How the royals celebrated VE Day back in 1945
The royals made eight Buckingham Palace appearances (Picture: The Print Collector/Heritage Images via Getty Images) The Royal Family's appearance alongside war hero Winston Churchill on the Buckingham Palace balcony is one of the iconic moments of VE Day in 1945. But what is less well known is that the monarch greeted the packed crowd on the Mall eight times on the historic day. Their schedule did not stop there, they were busy marking the German surrender 80 years ago today with royal events. There was even a secret trip to join the wild celebrations as Londoners celebrated Victory in Europe. The King and Queen were cheered on as heroes in their own right. Their refusal to evacuate London during the Blitz earned them adoring respect across the country as they made a point of visiting bomb sites in the capital. Crowds gather waiting for the appearance of the royal family and Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Picture: by Central Press/) Eighty years since the King and Queen led the UK's VE Day party, Metro traces how they spent the momentous day. A royal investiture for military heroes The King kicked off off Victory in Europe Day with a celebration of Britain's war heroes. The Royal Family held an investiture, awarding military medals to more than 270 recipients. These medals, including the Distinguished Service Medal and the Military Medal, were handed out in Buckingham Palace's Ballroom. The King handed out military medals (Credits: Noonans / SWNS) The first to be presented was Dr John Beeston, who was awarded a George Medal by the King. The doctor with the Civil Defence was being honoured for his courage helping a woman trapped in debris after a devastating bombing raid. The George Medal was for civilian acts of bravery not on the battlefield and the Distinguished Service Medal is given to those who have shown bravery and resourcefulness in active service. Lunch with Churchill before their big speeches The country's two much-loved leaders held a lunch at Buckingham Palace before they both gave addresses to the nation. It was their final lunch of the war, as the pair had regularly met over meals on Tuesdays to discuss the progress of the war. Churchill rolled up in a civilian car at Buckingham Palace to meet the monarch. The King and Winston Churchill became confidantes during the war (Photo) But well wishers in the Mall soon realised who was arriving and the police had to hold back cheering crowds. The wartime PM then left to the palace and returned to Downing Street to deliver his famous speech confirming Germany's surrender at 3pm on VE Day. The first appearance in front of jubilant Londoners Moments after Churchill declared a 'brief period of rejoicing' in his 3pm speech, the Royal Family came out onto Buckingham Palace's balcony to greet Londoners along the Mall. King George VI, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret all walked out in front of a crowd numbering up to 100,000 people. The King was wearing the uniform of an Admiral of the Fleet and Princess Elizabeth was wearing her khaki uniform of the Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS), which she joined earlier in 1945. The Mall was packed waiting for the arrival of the Royals (Photo by Harry Todd/Fox Photos/) Television cameras, which were mounted on vans in the Palace's forecourt and were filming the Royal Family as they waved down the Mall. This appearance was the first of eight visits to the balcony by the Royals Churchill joins the royals on the Palace balcony Sorry, this video isn't available yet. The Mall crowd were surprised with a special twist as the Royal Family stepped out next to the wartime PM onto Buckingham Palace's balcony at 5pm on VE Day. They made the historic appearance minutes after the King met Churchill and members of his war cabinet in the Palace's Bow Room. Churchill could be seen chatting with the King and Queen, smiling as onlookers let out repeated cheers. King thanks 'Almighty God' for victory in nighttime address Sorry, this video isn't available yet. At 9pm it was the King's turn to the nation, as well as Commonwealth citizens across the globe. The King told millions of people worldwide that Germany has 'finally [been] overcome', but warned that more fighting was still in store in Asia. In the 15 minute broadcast, the King said the UK was 'the last remaining barrier against a world-wide tyranny' and paid tribute too all of those who lost their lives fighting for Allies. He said: 'Today we give thanks to Almighty God for a great deliverance. 'Speaking from our Empire's oldest capital city, war-battered but never for one moment daunted or dismayed – speaking from London, I ask you to join with me in that act of thanksgiving. 'Germany, the enemy who drove all Europe into war, has been finally overcome… 'In the darkest hours we knew that the enslaved and isolated peoples of Europe looked to us; their hopes were our hopes; their confidence confirmed our faith. The King broadcast many addresses over his reign (Picture: BBC PICTURE ARCHIVES) 'We knew that, if we failed, the last remaining barrier against a world-wide tyranny would have fallen in ruins.' The Royals returned for another trip to the balcony just after the King had wrapped up his speech. The Princesses join the Mall's celebrations Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret left Buckingham Palace and joined the throngs of people partying in London. The heir to the throne and her sister, aged just 19 and 14, were given permission by their father to leave as part of a small group from the Royal Household. The pair cheered for their parents and mingled in with Londoners. Elizabeth and Margaret blended in to the London masses (Photo by Toronto Star Archives/Toronto Star via Getty Images) The future Queen said of the evening in a BBC interview: 'We were terrified of being recognised – so I pulled my uniform cap well down over my eyes. 'A Grenadier officer among our party of about 16 people said he refused to be seen in the company of another officer improperly dressed. 'So I had to put my cap on normally.' The excursion took them to Whitehall, the famous Ritz and the Royal Parks. Queen Elizabeth later recalled: '[There were] lines of unknown people linking arms and walking down Whitehall, all of us just swept along on a tide of happiness and relief.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. Arrow MORE: VE Day 1945 live: World wakes up to victory after Germany surrenders to the Allies Arrow MORE: I lived in a post-war 'flatpack' home – prefabs were built for heroes Arrow MORE: 'How Churchill's VE Day speech reached our Nazi camp from a hidden attic radio'
New Statesman
28-04-2025
- Politics
- New Statesman
Labour has nothing to be happy about in Runcorn and Helsby
Houses are seen in Runcorn. Photo by Historic England Archive/Heritage Images via Getty Images A few hundred votes in County Cheshire threaten what should have been a Labour safe seat. But welcome to the new normal, a political era where the most popular party in the country is polling on just 25 per cent of the vote. Runcorn and Helsby is two thirds Runcorn (an industrial town with a cargo port) and one third Helsby, a collection of well-to-do small parish villages with experimental pub lunches (recommendations available on request). These parts couldn't be further from each other in need, and consequently, vote. Modelling suggested Runcorn proper was heading Reform's way long before this contest was called. Votes in by-elections in St Helens and Tameside and in south Wales suggest the radical right would out perform expectations in the built-up areas of red-brick Britain. I live a twenty minute walk from Runcorn and Helsby's edge. In the wealthy areas they vote Conservative in council contests, sometimes Labour. In general elections they err Labour. Here, Labour is hoping Tory votes will shift leftward to keep Reform at bay. The hope behind this – shall we call it a Stop Farage campaign – is that Tories prefer Labour to Reform, and are willing to vote tactically. It's a risky assumption. Nationally, Tory voters in Labour vs Reform fights tend to lean Reform. But when you control for affluence it isn't so simple. Rich Conservative voters are more split on the question. I hear of former Conservative councillors in the locale conceding that they will vote Labour for the first time. It makes sense for Labour to give the strategy a go. But it speaks to the desperation of it all. Talk to both Labour and Reform figures on the ground about the horse race nature of this fight and they speak in unison. They don't know what to predict. And they're nervous. 'I don't understand what Labour is up to,' one Reform insider tells me. 'They must have private polling which doesn't look good.' Meanwhile, Labour activists report encountering fewer Reform voters on the doorstep than they expected. More apathetics than out-and-out Faragistas. Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe Reform is banking on voters with an unreliable history of voting. The polls put them on top right now, in part because some traditional voters will stay home (Labour looks like 'more of the same' than 'a real change' as More in Common polling finds); and in part because traditional non-voters are psyched up by Farage. The problem for the conventional parties is these new non-voters lean Reform. On the voter sheets they are often written off as not voting. This polling is backed up in part by council by-elections. But in a high risk game of constituency contest, it's a reliance on the unreliable. It's a weaker hand. Which brings us to the Britain Predicts model. With one week to go, what are we saying? Two things to consider: turnout and vote share. First, turnout. According to my model, votes tallied on Thursday 1 May will likely range from 23,000 to 29,000. This is turnout of 55-68 per cent. This isn't out there for a parliamentary by-election. In fact, it's typical for a competitive contest. The modelling suggests most of the variation will come from Runcorn-proper. Reform's reliance on voters with an unreliable record of voting is where the uncertainty lies here. Turn them out, and they've cinched the seat. Fail, and Labour hangs on. And now for the vote. Previously, the model gave the seat to Labour by 33 per cent to 30 per cent, without factoring for tactical voting. Now the tactical voting feature has been applied, and the numbers are as follows: Labour 36 per cent. Reform 35 per cent. Conservative 11 per cent. Green 9 per cent. The model's central estimate anticipates 25,853 votes to be cast. (Academic I grant you, but worth knowing.) Of those, 9,321 would vote Labour, 8,986 would vote Reform. There is a reasonable range of share, too: Labour should expect to pull in between 32.6 and 39.5 per cent of the vote; whereas Reform is on course to win between 31.7 and 40.1 per cent of the vote. The greater range for Reform can primarily be attributed to, as I said earlier, a reliance on the unreliable. But the central estimate from Britain Predicts is this: a gasping lead for Labour in one of its safer seats in the country. The party has nothing to be happy about that. But it's all far from guarantee. I wouldn't put money on it. [See more: Does Labour have a 'forgotten flank'?] Related
New York Post
27-04-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
Trump vows to bring Columbus Day back ‘from the ashes,' bashes Dems for destroying explorer's ‘reputation'
President Trump vowed to bring back Columbus Day 'from the ashes' in a fiery social media post where he railed against backlash to the controversial European explorer whom the holiday honors. 'I'm bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes,' Trump wrote on Truth Social. 'The Democrats did everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much.'They tore down his Statues, and put up nothing but 'WOKE,' or even worse, nothing at all! Well, you'll be happy to know, Christopher is going to make a major comeback. 'I am hereby reinstating Columbus Day under the same rules, dates, and locations, as it has had for all of the many decades before!' Donald Trump on Sunday announced he was 'bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes.' AP Trump bashed Democrats for doing 'everything possible to destroy Christopher Columbus, his reputation, and all of the Italians that love him so much.' Heritage Images via Getty Images Over recent decades, progressive critics have attempted to supplant Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day due to complaints about the treatment that tribes endured under colonization. This is a developing story. Check back for more information.
Forbes
01-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Picture This: Big Changes With ChatGPT's Image Release
Artist's palettes, Anchor Studio, Newlyn, Cornwall, 2019. Detail showing two of artist Virginia ... More Bounds' paint palettes on the paint-splattered floorboards of the artist's studio. Artist Steven Baker. (Photo by Historic England Archive/Heritage Images via Getty Images) Some of the biggest news this past week was OpenAI's decision to put new image generation powers right in the hands of its model, which is the first of its kind to really become a household name. Now, ChatGPT can give us a new kind of visual iconography, along with all of the knowledge work it already does. It's interesting to think about how this will change media and a lot of other domains. I'm going to go over some of the major changes mentioned by Nathaniel Whittemore on a recent AI Daily Brief podcast, as he quotes an X post by Balaji Srinivasan. So these are third-hand points, but I'll add my own insight based on what I've heard from conferences and events, and in classes, and all around the MIT community this year. One of the obvious fruits of this innovation is that there will be less of a burden on the human to craft code, or prompt AI to produce robust visuals. Srinivasan mentions the example of Instagram filters, where all you need with the new technology is a simple keyword. Another quote from Srinivasan is that 'the baseline quality of memes should rise.' It's easy to imagine how this works – you take the text, and ChatGPT capably adds the image – and it's perfect. Presumably, we will get better visual memes, although why we need the quality of memes to increase is sort of unclear. Yes, it's a modern form of communication, but you'd think there will be alternatives, such as the following: This one, I thought, was extremely interesting. Essentially, the ChatGPT endowed with this image capacity will be able to go back and pull any piece of classic literature or other text, and add vibrant panel images in the style of a graphic novel or a comic book. Imagine Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment brought to life, or Dickens' Bleak House with its unending accounting of decades-long lawsuits, or even just a restaurant menu from the 1700s. Or imagine all of that arcane religious text brought to visceral life, with new images of words that are frankly, in some cases, fairly inflammatory. A graphic version of Malleus Malificarum, anyone? As Solomon said: 'of the making of books, there will be no end.' But the books will be able to interact with audiences in a new way. Whittemore (again quoting the X post) also mentions children's story books, and this is an important point: new audiences will be introduced to whole new realms of literature and ancient text. Two other things that Srinivasan and Whittemore point out are slides, the fodder for professional presentations, and websites. One is made for a particular audience to view in real time. The other one is a digital storefront that should stand the test of time as users come and go. In either case, this is going to make design and engineering almost mindless and immediate. Instead of searching for images and curating them, humans can let AI do almost all of the work, down to the extent that all they have to do is press a few buttons. Part of the enormous knowledge work that is saved here is the decision-making process. If I have to do 20 slides in a deck, and I have to type everything in by hand and add the images, I'm looking at a few hours of work. If, on the other hand, I can just verbally say to ChatGPT: 'come up with 20 slides for this,' it's all done almost before I can blink. I think here the major takeaway has to do with deepfakes. It will be ridiculously easy to put words in someone's mouth, or even show them saying things that they never said. Agentic AI may lead to people's agents posting things that they never would have posted on their own. This may not be very cohesive for social media, but it's certain to be extremely interesting. Just like with books, movies could get a makeover, but it's different when you're already dealing with visual presentation. I guess what you would have is just AI-driven makeovers of the classics, to where a film like Psycho might be presented in color, or for instance, with more gender-bending, or different music, or a little more dynamism on the part of the main characters…? The possibilities are endless. Nobody has a claim to knowing exactly how these innovations are going to shake out. But the above use cases are pretty good guesses, informed by professionals who understand this landscape pretty well. I'll continue to bring you some of the best news in the digital world as we get used to all of these amazing things that the new models can do.
