Latest news with #JohnGrady
The National
03-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Scottish MPs panned over up to £3500-a-month taxpayer-funded homes
Tenants union Living Rent have branded it 'shocking'. According to Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority data, Scottish Labour MP for Glasgow East John Grady is spending the most on rent at £3500 a month. His fellow Scottish Labour colleague, Dunfermline and Dollar MP Graeme Downie, is paying (and expensing) a hefty £3350 a month. READ MORE: Border checks on fruit and vegetable imports from EU scrapped Meanwhile, Scottish Labour MP for Bathgate and Linlithgow Kirsteen Sullivan is paying £3250 a month. Rounding out the top five are Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill and SNP MP Kirsty Blackman on £3200 a month. (Image: Image of John Grady by Colin Mearns, Newsquest)MPs are allowed to expense the costs of a second property to either have a base in their constituency or somewhere to stay when they travel to parliament, if their seat is outside of London. They can also claim up to £230 a night for hotel stays. But Aditi Jehangir, the chair of Living Rent, hit out at the amounts some are claiming. The average rent in London for a one-bedroom flat is £1500 according to the City of London, although that can vary depending on which borough. Although, even for the most prestigious areas in London, including Westminster, the average still sits around £2500 a month. Properties you can rent in London for £3500 a month include a 'stylish Manhattan-inspired apartment' near Waterloo station. According to the listing, it offers a "luxurious lifestyle with hotel-like amenities", including a 20-metre swimming pool, private screening room, executive lounge, golf simulator, wine cellar and thermal suite facilities. It could also secure a 'very spacious' four bedroom apartment in a mansion block close to the O2. "It's shocking to see Scottish MPs spending so much of taxpayers' money on renting second homes for themselves, while refusing to support rent controls for their constituents,' Jehangir told The National. (Image: AFP/Getty Images) 'Rents across the UK are skyrocketing to extreme, unaffordable levels, plunging tenants into poverty and pushing us out of our homes.' She added: 'Rather than fighting for a system that works for everyone, they are happy to claim back thousands of pounds in expenses and fob tenants off with distant promises of new builds instead of reigning in landlords' profits. 'MPs pay lip service to the housing crisis, but when it comes to their own expensive rents, it is taxpayers who foot the bill." A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: 'It is right that the rules around MPs' expenses are set and administered independently by the Parliamentary watchdog Ipsa. All claims have been made in line with Ipsa rules." The lowest claimants, in terms of rent at least, include Scottish Labour MPs Melanie Ward and Gordon McKee, who claimed £680 and £1365 a month respectively.
The National
03-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Scottish MPs panned over up to £3500 a month taxpayer-funded homes
Tenants union Living Rent have branded it 'shocking'. According to Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority data, Scottish Labour MP for Glasgow East John Grady is spending the most on rent at £3500 a month. His fellow Scottish Labour colleague, Dunfermline and Dollar MP Graeme Downie, is paying (and expensing) a hefty £3350 a month. READ MORE: Border checks on fruit and vegetable imports from EU scrapped Meanwhile, Scottish Labour MP for Bathgate and Linlithgow Kirsteen Sullivan is paying £3250 a month. Rounding out the top 5 are Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill and SNP MP Kirsty Blackman on £3200 a month. (Image: Image of John Grady by Colin Mearns, Newsquest)MPs are allowed to expense the costs of a second property to either have a base in their constituency or somewhere to stay when they travel to parliament, if their seat is outside of London. They can also claim up to £230 a night for hotel stays. But Aditi Jehangir, the chair of Living Rent, hit out at the amounts some are claiming. The average rent in London for a one-bedroom flat is £1500 according to the City of London, although that can vary depending on which borough. Although, even for the most prestigious areas in London, including Westminster, the average still sits around £2500 a month. Properties you can rent in London for £3500 a month include a 'stylish Manhattan-inspired apartment' near Waterloo station. According to the listing, it offers a "luxurious lifestyle with hotel-like amenities", including a 20-metre swimming pool, private screening room, executive lounge, golf simulator, wine cellar and thermal suite facilities. It could also secure a 'very spacious' four bedroom apartment in a mansion block close to the O2. "It's shocking to see Scottish MPs spending so much of taxpayers' money on renting second homes for themselves, while refusing to support rent controls for their constituents,' Jehangir told The National. (Image: AFP/Getty Images) 'Rents across the UK are skyrocketing to extreme, unaffordable levels, plunging tenants into poverty and pushing us out of our homes.' She added: 'Rather than fighting for a system that works for everyone, they are happy to claim back thousands of pounds in expenses and fob tenants off with distant promises of new builds instead of reigning in landlords' profits. 'MPs pay lip service to the housing crisis, but when it comes to their own expensive rents, it is taxpayers who foot the bill." A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: 'It is right that the rules around MPs' expenses are set and administered independently by the Parliamentary watchdog IPSA. All claims have been made in line with IPSA rules." The lowest claimants, in terms of rent at least, include Scottish Labour MPs Melanie Ward and Gordon McKee, who claimed £680 and £1365 a month respectively.
The National
30-05-2025
- Business
- The National
What did your MP claim in expenses? See the full Scottish list here
The MPs claimed for a range of expenses – from rent and office costs to travel and royal mail postage – totalling £1,429,649 since July 5 2024, according to an analysis of Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority data. Nearly half of the claims, or £670,919, were for office-related costs, including rent, utilities and equipment. Even more, or £703,285, was claimed for accommodation-related expenses including hotel stays and rent. READ MORE: 'It's just great': Japan ambassador tries Irn-Bru on visit to whisky distillery The MP with the highest total of claims was Labour MP for Dunfermline and Dollar Graeme Downie. Downie's claims totalled £44,875, the bulk of which went towards rent – a hefty £3350 a month for accommodation. This was on the upper end of MP spend on rent, although Labour MP for Glasgow East John Grady spends the most at £3500. (Image: Roger Harris) Downie (above) also opted for pricier office furniture than most, including £1880 for four desks. The MP who claimed the second most is Labour MP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh Chris Murray, who expensed £41,704. A large portion of this came from one expense – £15,000 for 'constituency office renovations'. This was the highest single expense logged by all MPs since last July, followed by £10,000 claimed by Labour MP Melanie Ward for a 'policy and office set up consultant' and £8482 claimed by her colleague Lillian Jones for 'internal office reconfiguration/partition works to facilitate functioning working space'. The third largest claimant is Labour MP for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock Elaine Stewart at £40264. This was mostly on rent but also £2534 for 'mobile telephone - equipment purchase'. A full list of the top 10 MP claimants is below. A Scottish Labour Spokesperson said: 'It is right that the rules around MPs' expenses are set and administered independently by the Parliamentary watchdog IPSA. All claims have been made in line with IPSA rules." Some MPs were reimbursed for as little as between 10 and 20p for the printing of banners, including Labour MPs Katrina Murray, Martin Rhodes, Michael Shanks and Kirsteen Sullivan. Labour MP for Livingston Gregor Poynton, meanwhile, expensed 85p for a marker pen. Some miscellaneous claims include SNP MP Seamus Logan claiming £63 for 18 copies of 'Fishing News'. Labour MP for Hamilton and Clyde Valley Imogen Walker, meanwhile, paid and claimed £20.98 under 'office costs' from what appears to be a baby clothes store in her constituency called Little Angels. Labour MP John Grady, meanwhile, expensed £134.98 for an office fridge and microwave but then specified in the description: 'I have not claimed for the toastie maker.' While Labour MPs dominate the top of the table, Scottish Tory MPs expensed the most on average at £27529. This was followed by SNP MPs at an average of £26762. Labour MPs expensed £24487, aided by MPs such as Zubir Ahmed who expensed the least of all MPs at £3832. Lib Dem MPs expensed the least on average at £24189. A full list of all of Scotland's 57 MPs and how much they have expensed since last July's General Election can be found below.
Techday NZ
30-04-2025
- Business
- Techday NZ
Palo Alto Networks unveils Prisma SASE browser for AI security
Palo Alto Networks has introduced new capabilities in its Prisma SASE platform, including the Prisma Access Browser 2.0, aiming to address contemporary security risks associated with increased browser-based workflows and generative AI usage in modern workplaces. According to Palo Alto Networks, approximately 85 percent of work currently takes place within browsers, elevating risks related to data exposure and endpoint monitoring. The company's 2025 Unit 42 Incident Report highlights that 44 percent of reported security incidents are connected to activities conducted through employee browsers, including phishing, URL redirect abuse, and malware downloads. John Grady, Principal Analyst at Enterprise Strategy Group, now part of Omdia, commented on the announcement: "A secure browser extends SASE protection to where knowledge workers spend most of their time, securing third-party access, supporting BYOD, and reducing an organisation's reliance on legacy infrastructure like VDI. Palo Alto Networks unique approach of integrating its Prisma Access Browser with Prisma SASE helps organisations extend the same protection from advanced threats, user experience monitoring, and GenAI app protection from the network into the browser, ensuring users are protected, efficient, and productive." The Prisma Access Browser 2.0, positioned as the only SASE-native secure browser, is developed to support secure access for a distributed and cloud-focused workforce. It introduces several features aimed at safeguarding the use of generative AI applications, real-time data loss prevention, and advanced threat protection directly within the browser. The new browser incorporates capabilities such as real-time visibility and access control for generative AI use. By implementing large language model-powered context-based data classification, the system is designed to detect and prevent the unintentional leakage of sensitive data through clipboard functions, printing, screenshots, or typing. In addition, the browser is equipped with threat detection mechanisms powered by Precision AI, intended to identify sophisticated web-based attacks. These defences address threats such as AI-generated cloaking, SaaS-hosted phishing, evasive code, and malicious injections targeting compromised websites, which often go undetected outside the browser environment. The platform also aims to provide an improved user experience. Users can reportedly access both modern web and SaaS applications, as well as legacy infrastructure—including virtual desktop infrastructure applications—from a unified, browser-based interface. Aathir Ahad, CISO at Wipro Limited, shared his perspective: "In the AI-first era, safeguarding customer data and intellectual property is paramount. Prisma Access Browser aligns with our Zero Trust strategy and our commitment to leveraging advanced technologies for rapid threat prevention, enhanced user experience, and robust data & privacy protection." Expanding on the strategic importance, Anand Oswal, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Network Security at Palo Alto Networks, stated: "Secure browsers are absolutely essential for the modern workforce because today's work is increasingly remote, cloud-based, and data-intensive. This shift demands a unified, modern approach to security — a SASE natively integrated secure browser — that uniquely safeguards productivity, helps ensure resilience, and does so with a seamless user experience, making it the optimal choice for securing today's dynamic work environments." In addition to Prisma Access Browser 2.0, Palo Alto Networks has introduced other new features to its SASE portfolio. These include Endpoint Data Loss Prevention (DLP) to enhance shadow data discovery and insider risk mitigation, App Acceleration for improved productivity app performance branching through Prisma SD-WAN, and the Next-Generation Unified SASE Agent for streamlining IT operations. The company has also extended its partnership with Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, aiming to enhance global cloud reach and resilience for Prisma SASE customers. Karan Batta, Senior Vice President at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, commented: "Our long-standing collaboration with Palo Alto Networks helps organisations across the world securely accelerate their cloud journey. By leveraging OCI to run Prisma SASE globally, Palo Alto Networks can provide its customers with operational resiliency, high performance, and an exceptional user experience. In addition, Prisma SASE helps our customers protect their OCI environments against emerging and sophisticated cyber threats." According to the company, the newly announced SASE features are intended to be available in the fourth quarter of its fiscal year 2025.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ayla Networks Partners with Google Cloud to Enhance Smart Home Connectivity Solutions
SAN JOSE, Calif., April 08, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Ayla Networks, a leading provider of smart home and IoT software platforms, today announced its partnership with Google Cloud to enhance scalability, reliability, security, and innovation opportunities for Ayla's global customers. By leveraging Google Cloud's advanced cloud storage and processing infrastructure, Ayla Networks empowers smart home device manufacturers and retailers to deliver connected devices efficiently and reliably. This partnership harnesses the complementary strengths of both organizations, enabling smart home developers to create highly differentiated solutions and deliver exceptional customer experiences. Key benefits of Ayla's integration with Google Cloud Platform include: Scalability: Google Cloud's infrastructure effortlessly accommodates the expanding needs of large-scale smart home deployments. Customers can deploy new products and manage growth without experiencing disruption, ensuring seamless performance for end-users. Reliability: Recognized worldwide, Google Cloud architecture enables high availability and uninterrupted connectivity. Ayla customers can benefit from improved uptime and optimized support costs. Security: With geographically dispersed deployments, Ayla's platform provides enhanced security and compliance with local privacy laws, effectively addressing geopolitical sensitivities. This approach safeguards customer data and builds brand trust by maintaining strict privacy and security standards. Innovation: Ayla's customers can gain access to advanced Google Cloud technologies, including cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning capabilities. This access can help manufacturers and retailers stay ahead of market trends, continuously enhance their products, and deliver richer user experiences. "By combining Ayla Networks' proven smart home connectivity solutions with Google Cloud's robust cloud capabilities, customers worldwide can enjoy the benefits of reliable uptime, optimized support and operational expenses, and enhanced customer satisfaction," stated John Grady, CEO of Ayla Networks. To learn how Ayla can help simplify and accelerate the development of your connected products, please visit or contact info@ Ayla Networks: Your Device – Connected, Secure, Unique About Ayla Networks Ayla Networks, based in Silicon Valley, is a leading provider of an advanced cloud-based platform that empowers manufacturers, service providers, and retailers to bring smart home devices to market quickly and efficiently. Ayla's platform encompasses devices, firmware, cloud services, and user applications to drive the development of differentiated connected products and services. Trusted by leading global brands and connecting millions of devices since 2010, Ayla's platform is renowned for its flexibility, scalability, and security. View source version on Contacts info@ Sign in to access your portfolio
