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The National
25-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Child poverty falling in Scotland but rising in rest of UK
Westminster has been urged to learn from Holyrood after a study by the Big Issue found that Scotland has seen a 12% drop in child poverty since introducing reduction targets into law in 2017 - equivalent to a reduction of 21,000 living in relative poverty. Yet in the same period, England and Wales have seen a 15% rise. READ MORE: Assa Samake-Roman: Build-to-rent won't solve housing crisis but will bleed people dry The magazine said its study highlighted why Westminster should implement similar poverty reduction targets as Scotland. Its analysis of UK child poverty statistics found that the assent of the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017 was a 'parting of the ways' for the different home nations' trajectories on child poverty. The report said a cyclical target-setting method would translate Labour's stated ambition of 'enduring poverty reduction' into concrete, measurable steps. Lord John Bird, Big Issue founder and crossbench peer, said: 'With child poverty in England and Wales predicted to rise to new pernicious highs, we cannot accept rhetoric in place of real change – we must demand sustained, legislative action. 'Parliamentarians possess the authority to drive this transformation. Let us not look back and regret another missed opportunity. The time has come to stop simply managing poverty and to begin ending it.' READ MORE: Children's care service threatened with closure after 'serious concerns' raised The Scottish Government has previously said it is on a "national mission" to end child poverty. On Monday, First Minister John Swinney announced more families would be able to benefit from free school meals for children after the summer holidays. The Scottish Government is investing £3 million in a trial phase which will extend the provision of free school meals to S1 to S3 pupils who receive the Scottish child payment. And earlier this month, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville announced the Scottish Government would be ditching the two-child benefit cap on March 2. The two-child limit denies child allowances in Universal Credit and tax credits to third or subsequent children born after April 2017 and has been kept in place by Keir Starmer's Labour UK Government.
Scotsman
19-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
UK EU fishing deal: 12-year agreement branded 'biggest act of betrayal' to Scottish fishermen
EU leaders are in London to broker a new Brexit deal with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. 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... A new 12-year deal on fishing access to UK waters has been branded 'one of the biggest acts of betrayal'. EU leaders are meeting in London on Monday to announce a new Brexit deal, including improved trading rights for food, a security pact and a youth mobility scheme. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad One of the first things to be announced is a 12-year deal on fishing access for EU boats in UK waters. Trawler men unload their catch at Peterhead fish market, Scotland; there have been reports of imports of Scottish fish being turned back at Belfast port The new deal will last until 2038, according to EU diplomats, and is expected to be a rollover of the existing terms. Harriet Cross, the Conservative MP for Gordon and Buchan, said: 'Starmer's surrender is one of the biggest acts of betrayal that our fishing industry has seen in Scotland. 'It's absolutely shameful that the Labour UK government has capitulated to Brussels by agreeing a 12-year deal to hand over fishing access to EU boats in UK waters. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Our fishermen have been used as a pawn by Keir Starmer, which will result in catastrophic consequences for our coastal communities. 'This is a complete abandonment of our fishing fleets, when the industry should be benefiting from the opportunities presented by leaving the EU and the common fisheries policy. 'I will now be looking to raise urgent questions with the Prime Minister and the Labour UK government on the matter.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Scotland's External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson has also criticised the deal for not involving the Scottish Government in negotiations. Posting on social media, he said: 'UK government has agreed a fisheries [devolved] deal with [the] EU in principle, without any recourse, involvement or approval of devolved administrations. '[The] Scottish Government received no documentation or draft proposals in advance. I asked UK ministers last week for this. Nothing received. Reset?' Under the trade agreement struck with the EU by former prime minister Boris Johnson back in 2020, the EU's share of fish quotas in British waters was reduced by 25 per cent. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The deal is ending in June 2026, and annual negotiations were to take place on fishing rights beyond this date.
The Herald Scotland
19-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
UK extends EU fishing rights to 2038 in Brexit deal reset
READ MORE The move has provoked an angry backlash. Angus Robertson, the SNP Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs, said the Scottish Government had not been consulted. 'UK Govt has agreed a fisheries (devolved) deal with EU in principle, without any recourse, involvement or approval of Devolved Admins. Scottish Government received no documentation or draft proposals in advance.' UK Govt has agreed a fisheries (devolved) deal with EU in principle, without any recourse, involvement or approval of Devolved Admins. Scottish Government received no documentation or draft proposals in advance. I asked UK minister last week for this. Nothing received. Reset? — Angus Robertson (@AngusRobertson) May 19, 2025 Harriet Cross, the Scottish Tory MP whose Gordon and Buchan constituency takes in a number of fishing communities in the north east, described the deal as "one of the biggest acts of betrayal that our fishing industry has seen in Scotland." She added: 'It's absolutely shameful that the Labour UK Government has capitulated to Brussels by agreeing a 12-year deal to hand over fishing access to EU boats in UK waters. 'Our fishermen have been used as a pawn by Keir Starmer, which will result in catastrophic consequences for our coastal communities. 'This is a complete abandonment of our fishing fleets, when the industry should be benefiting from the opportunities presented by leaving the EU and the Common Fisheries Policy. 'I will now be looking to raise urgent questions with the Prime Minister and the Labour UK Government on the matter.' According to PA, the deal has now been approved by the EU ambassadors' committee. Full details are expected to be announced at the first UK-EU summit on Monday, at which Sir Keir will meet European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen for the second time in four days. Starmer and von der Leyen are due to announce details of the deal later (Image: Leon Neal/PA) Reports suggest the fisheries deal helped unlock a new Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) agreement to remove most border checks on British food exports to the EU — a longstanding concern for British exporters. In exchange, the UK has accepted dynamic alignment with EU food and animal welfare rules and the oversight of the European Court of Justice. However, officials say they avoided a formal treaty link between fishing and the SPS deal — a key EU ask that could have constrained UK sovereignty further. The Prime Minister is expected to defend the agreement in a speech later today, arguing it will boost economic growth, reduce energy bills, and strengthen UK border security. 'There is a real prize here for the UK,' Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told Times Radio, calling the deal a 'pragmatic' correction of the gaps left by the original Brexit settlement. Under the agreement, the EU will allow British travellers to use e-gates at European airports — a move that could ease long queues at borders. There will also be efforts to reduce bureaucracy for British artists touring the EU, another high-profile Brexit aftershock. The UK will also work towards rejoining the Erasmus student exchange scheme, and commit to negotiations on a youth mobility visa scheme. Although the details remain to be negotiated, the EU is pushing for fee reductions and NHS surcharge waivers for young Europeans in the UK, while Britain wants limits on the number of entrants and the duration of visas. READ MORE The UK and EU will deepen defence ties, including cooperation on joint operations, military mobility and security policy coordination. British soldiers could take part in EU-led missions, though concerns remain in Whitehall over potential conflicts with NATO structures. As part of the arrangement, UK defence companies such as BAE Systems and Babcock will be eligible to bid for at least 35 per cent of contracts under a €150 billion EU defence procurement fund — but will have to 'pay to play'. The two sides also agreed to hold biannual meetings between the UK's foreign and defence secretaries and the EU High Representative, and issued a joint statement of support for Ukraine. On migration, both sides recognised the need to cooperate with origin and transit countries to tackle irregular Channel crossings. Britain is pressing for limited returns agreements for asylum seekers who have already claimed refuge in EU countries, but any such commitments remain vague. The UK is also seeking real-time access to EU databases on asylum claims and illegal entries — a capability lost after Brexit — though the EU has resisted full integration due to legal concerns. On energy, the UK and EU will align their carbon trading schemes and make it easier to build cross-border electricity interconnectors. British ministers say the move will allow the UK to export surplus wind power and import French nuclear energy, helping to stabilise the grid and reduce bills. The agreements must still be formally endorsed by both sides' political leaders, but no major objections are expected.
Daily Record
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Labour is positive about immigration while recognising the system must change
I'm married to a French national, my children are bilingual and my extended family live and work all over the world so I know that immigration enriches our communities socially, culturally and economically. But it is possible to be positive about the contribution immigration plays to our communities while, at the same time, wanting a system that is controlled, ordered and fair. The reality is net migration has quadrupled in just four years, reaching unprecedented levels, this happened while employer investment in training the UK workforce fell. This, alongside years of austerity, strained public services, and a lack of houses and decent jobs for our young people bred a lack of trust in the system. That lack of trust doesn't come from one single issue, and politicians who claim otherwise are simply wrong about the moment we are in. Immigration is not the source of all our problems but it's not the solution to all of them either. We need a balanced approach to maximising the benefits and minimising the costs. This Labour UK Government ended austerity with more money for public services like our NHS in Scotland than ever before and the biggest upgrade in workers rights for a generation which should directly benefit social care staff. Now we are setting out targeted reforms which will help attract highly skilled individuals to drive innovation in Scotland's key sectors such as renewable energy, life sciences, and technology. We are also increasing the skills threshold for work visas to degree level – making sure skilled work truly means skilled work and ending the reliance on lower skilled overseas labour that grew under the last government. We are also going to support refugees who have been officially granted protection status in the UK to apply for employment through existing worker routes where they have the skills to do so. We want to see the Scottish Government step up and do more to support skills for working class young people in Scotland. Instead, college places are at their lowest level in a decade and facing further cuts from the SNP this year. Meanwhile more than 1,300 kids – the equivalent of a full high school – left school last year with no qualifications to their name at all. Failing public services, a lack of investment, fewer opportunities for young people, increased net migration. All these issues combine to break down trust in the system. All across the country people are scunnered. A government of service to working people addresses those concerns, a government of service to its party won't.
The Herald Scotland
14-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Ian Murray: Labour's immigration plan is fair and balanced
Most people – including most immigrants – want a functioning system that is orderly, predictable and fair. Nobody could describe our current situation as that. The Tories broke the system, deliberately, in a callous move as a political experiment. READ MORE The reality is that net migration has quadrupled in just four years, reaching unprecedented levels. This happened while employer investment in training the UK workforce fell, reducing opportunities for people here to secure work, get on and contribute. This, alongside years of austerity, strained public services, and a lack of houses and decent jobs for our young people, has bred a lack of trust in the system. That lack of trust does not come from one single issue, and politicians who claim otherwise are simply wrong about the moment we are in. Immigration is not the source of all our problems, but it is not the solution to all of them either. We need a balanced approach to maximising the benefits and minimising the costs. This Labour UK Government ended austerity with more money for public services in Scotland than ever before, and the biggest upgrade in workers' rights for a generation. Now we are setting out targeted reforms which will help attract highly skilled individuals to drive innovation in Scotland's key sectors such as renewable energy, life sciences and technology. We are also increasing the skills threshold for work visas to degree level – making sure skilled work truly means skilled work and ending the reliance on lower-skilled overseas labour that grew under the last UK Government. We are also going to support refugees who have been officially granted protection status in the UK to apply for employment through existing worker routes where they have the skills to do so. And we are enhancing the opportunities for exceptional talent to come to the UK, integrate and contribute to the economy. We will increase the number of places for research interns, including those working in AI, make it simpler for top scientific and design talent to come to the UK, and reform the Innovator Founder visa to help international graduates build businesses in the UK – supercharging growth in our key industries. Sadly, all of this is in sharp contrast with an SNP Scottish Government which is, as usual, moving fast on incendiary rhetoric but going slow on actually improving the lives of people in Scotland. I suggest it is the lack of housing, college places, the poor connectivity and infrastructure, and long NHS waiting times – all the things the SNP Scottish Government are responsible for. We want to see the Scottish Government step up and do more to support skills for working-class young people in Scotland. Instead, college places are at their lowest in over a decade and facing further cuts from the SNP this year. Meanwhile, more than 1,300 kids – the equivalent of a full high school – left school last year with no qualifications to their name at all. It is intolerable to me and to progressive politics that nearly one in six young people in Scotland are not in education, employment or training – while the SNP deny those young people opportunities and merely say immigration will alleviate all of Scotland's ills. Failing public services, a lack of investment, fewer opportunities for young people, increased net migration – all these issues combine to break down trust in the system. All across the country, people are scunnered. A government of service to working people addresses those concerns; a government of service to its party will not. I'm married to a French national, my children are bilingual and my extended family live and work all over the world, so I know that immigration enriches our communities socially, culturally and economically. But it is possible to be positive about the contribution immigration plays to our communities while, at the same time, wanting a system that is controlled, ordered and fair. Most people – including most immigrants – want a functioning system that is orderly, predictable and fair. Nobody could describe our current situation as that. The Tories broke the system, deliberately, in a callous move as a political experiment. The reality is that net migration has quadrupled in just four years, reaching unprecedented levels. This happened while employer investment in training the UK workforce fell, reducing opportunities for people here to secure work, get on and contribute. This, alongside years of austerity, strained public services, and a lack of houses and decent jobs for our young people, has bred a lack of trust in the system. That lack of trust does not come from one single issue, and politicians who claim otherwise are simply wrong about the moment we are in. Immigration is not the source of all our problems, but it is not the solution to all of them either. We need a balanced approach to maximising the benefits and minimising the costs. This Labour UK Government ended austerity with more money for public services in Scotland than ever before, and the biggest upgrade in workers' rights for a generation. Now we are setting out targeted reforms which will help attract highly skilled individuals to drive innovation in Scotland's key sectors such as renewable energy, life sciences and technology. We are also increasing the skills threshold for work visas to degree level – making sure skilled work truly means skilled work and ending the reliance on lower-skilled overseas labour that grew under the last UK Government. We are also going to support refugees who have been officially granted protection status in the UK to apply for employment through existing worker routes where they have the skills to do so. And we are enhancing the opportunities for exceptional talent to come to the UK, integrate and contribute to the economy. We will increase the number of places for research interns, including those working in AI, make it simpler for top scientific and design talent to come to the UK, and reform the Innovator Founder visa to help international graduates build businesses in the UK – supercharging growth in our key industries. Sadly, all of this is in sharp contrast with an SNP Scottish Government which is, as usual, moving fast on incendiary rhetoric but going slow on actually improving the lives of people in Scotland. I suggest it is the lack of housing, college places, the poor connectivity and infrastructure, and long NHS waiting times – all the things the SNP Scottish Government are responsible for. We want to see the Scottish Government step up and do more to support skills for working-class young people in Scotland. Instead, college places are at their lowest level in a decade and facing further cuts from the SNP this year. Meanwhile, more than 1,300 kids – the equivalent of a full high school – left school last year with no qualifications to their name at all. It is intolerable to me and to progressive politics that nearly one in six young people in Scotland are not in education, employment or training – while the SNP deny those young people those opportunities and merely say immigration will alleviate all of Scotland's ills. Failing public services, a lack of investment, fewer opportunities for young people, increased net migration – all these issues combine to break down trust in the system. All across the country, people are scunnered. A government of service to working people addresses those concerns; a government of service to its party will not. Ian Murray is the Secretary of State for Scotland.
