Latest news with #SNP-Reform
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
FPTP is here to stay because turkeys and MPs don't vote for Christmas
It gets worse. The LibDems found themselves the third largest party (replacing a badly wounded SNP) having won more than 70 seats on just over 12% of the total vote. Even the unlovely Reform UK got a handful of seats. Reform UK (previously UKIP and the Brexit Party) took five seats, all from the Tories, though they've already fallen out with one who committed lese majeste by criticising the sainted Nigel Farage. However, they came second in no fewer than 98 constituencies, 89 of them in Labour-held seats. Cue a very public panic attack from the PM last week. This is the latest legacy of a deeply flawed electoral system. You might wonder why attempts to ditch First Past The Post (FPTP) have always failed. Wonder no more. The sitting MPs in the Commons have figured out that a fairer voting system might well result in many of them getting their jotters. READ MORE: Labour have 'given up' on by-election amid SNP-Reform contest, says John Swinney Turkeys and MPs rarely queue to vote for Christmas. The UK General Election is unique in sticking with FPTP. Scotland wound up with a messy compromise when the Constitutional Commission tried to please all the parties involved in the previous Convention. The result was the Additional Member System (AMS) which has constituency MSPs elected under FPTP then list MSPs given seats in proportion to their vote share. Neither fully proportional flesh nor equitable fowl. For years thereafter, list MSPs laboured under the label of being somehow second-class citizens. Not least the Tories who had fought against devolution and all its works yet, thanks to AMS, found themselves with a healthy clutch of seats in Holyrood. The Single Transferable Vote (STV) has several merits compared with FPTP. Most importantly it reflects what most voters actually want, it tends to stop tactical voting, and, not at all incidentally, it stops parties from deciding themselves how they want to rank their own candidates on a list. Plus it lets voters assert their personal preference even when these cross party lines. So, even if your favoured candidate doesn't win, his or her votes will be redistributed. Waste not, want not. This might help to reduce the widespread scunneration factor about politics and politicians generally, from which Scotland is certainly not immune. The upcoming by-election will be fiercely fought on all sides but is unlikely to produce much in the way of voter enthusiasm. If half the electors sit on their hands it's not much of an advert for democracy. Remember the heady days of the 2014 referendum, when an astonishing 85% of folk trotted off to the polling stations? All parties, including the SNP, have misused the party list system by putting candidates they've taken agin well down the list in the certain knowledge that will ensure electoral death. Not so much power to the people as too much power to the parties. The Welsh Senedd has decided that AMS too is flawed and will move to another system next year while STV is the preference in our Scottish local elections as it is elsewhere in the UK. Only the Commons sticks with a system which most often results in a successful candidate the majority of voters don't want. And certainly didn't vote for. Again, hardly an advert or an argument for democracy. It's likely that a lot of Westminster -centric MPs are not even aware that they are the only chamber left where FPTP manages to survive despite public opinion being only too well aware that their vote, in too many constituencies, is of no consequence. Why bother voting when you know your voice will never be heard or acknowledged? And let's not even think about the House of Lords which has been about to be abolished since God was a girl. It's a salutary fact that only the Chinese assembly has more members than the 800-plus HOL, where a few doughty members do the lion's share of any work going while the rest are – sometimes literally – sleeping partners. It's also instructive to note that almost all new peers say they favour abolition themselves, before undergoing a Damascene conversion shortly after their posteriors make contact with the red benches. The self-proclaimed conceit that they are a house of all the talents has been somewhat diluted by successive Prime Ministers giving out gongs with an enthusiasm at which even David Lloyd George might summon a blush. (In six years from 1916 the Welsh Liberal PM managed to create 120 hereditary peerages, not even to mention more than 1500 knighthoods. He noted that a fully equipped duke cost as much to keep up as a couple of Dreadnoughts and were just as scary and lasted longer!) The modern equivalent, certainly for the Conservatives, is to hand over peerages to major party donors which is little more than a kick in the pants distant from selling them off. Buying peerages is notionally illegal, but tell that to the raft of party appointees who march with unseemly haste to the Lords should their seat be required for a more 'deserving' candidate. I admire the way in which the SNP have set their face against nominating anyone to the so-called upper house, even though there have been a number of SNP 'grandees' who might have fancied a daud of ermine as a kind of long service medal. The latest was former Westminster SNP leader Ian Blackford who suggested SNP peers would help give Scotland greater influence. Wonder who he could have had in mind! IT may be too much to hope that there will be any significant change to how Scotland votes in an election which is now less than a year distant. Yet we did manage to effect change in the teeth of opposition when we extended the franchise to teenagers who could get married while being deemed 'too young' to have a vote. How frustrated these young voters must be to find that they are still banned from other electoral processes. Yet the one constituency to which every elected politician lends an ear is the voting public. If enough of us say 'up with this nonsense we will not put' it just might light a fire under the party top brass. And a nonsense it truly is when voters, who are not daft, realise that their own vote in too many areas is totally wasted. In truth, there are only a few constituencies where voting actually matters any more. One of them is Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, previous fiefdom of the late and much lamented Christina McKelvie. If the opinion polls are to be believed it's now largely a two-horse race between the SNP in which she was a popular minister, and Reform UK which have the distinction of having no track record in Scotland, no costed policies, and is predicating its pitch on 'Change'. Seem to remember that was also the war cry of the incoming Starmer government. That's gone well. So anyone prepared to be seduced by a one-word slogan from a party now in its third incarnation and led by Donald Trump superfan Nigel Farage will soon find out just how hollow his promises always are. Apparently, he's about to grace us with his presence. Let's hope he requires rescuing by Police Scotland again. The party leader Nigel unceremoniously dumped, Richard Tice, says a Scottish breakthrough is very much on the cards. Seemingly he has his own pack.
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
Single-use vape ban comes into force in Scotland
From June 1, it is now illegal to sell or buy disposable vapes in the country, with only vapes considered reusable being legal. The Scottish Government, as well as the Northern Ireland Executive, had delayed the decision to outlaw the product to align with a similar ban in England and Wales. Ministers say the UK-wide ban is needed to prevent the environmental damage caused by vapes, while addressing health concerns from inhaling nicotine. READ MORE: Labour have 'given up' on by-election amid SNP-Reform contest, says John Swinney The measure will form part of the Government's plans to move towards a tobacco-free generation by 2034. An estimated 26 million disposable vapes were thrown away in Scotland in 2023. Of these, more than half were not recycled properly, while around 10% were littered. The batteries used within disposable vapes are difficult to recycle, leak harmful waste, and can cause fires in waste facilities. Moves to raise the age of sale of tobacco products and regulate the displays, flavours and packaging of reusable vapes are also being taken forward separately through the UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill. Gillian Martin, Scotland's acting Net Zero Secretary, said: 'Scotland was the first nation in the UK to commit to taking action on single-use vapes. (Image: Web) 'It's estimated that over half of disposable vapes are incorrectly disposed of each year in Scotland, creating a fire risk and littering our beautiful environment. They also contain nicotine which is highly addictive. 'This change to the law fulfils a Programme for Government commitment and will help tackle the threat that single-use vapes pose to our environment as well as to our public health. 'We have worked closely across the four nations to ensure a consistent approach to a ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes and will continue to work with regulators regarding enforcement once in force.'
The National
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Local heroes bringing hospital radio to Ayrshire for over 70 years
Ayr Hospital Radio (AHR) began broadcasting in 1953 and has provided more than seven decades of songs and chat of all styles for its listeners – and like many others, is serving up important entertainment and opportunities to this day. Plus, as another jingle adds, you'll find something to enjoy 'even if you're not in hospital'. From the home of Ayr United Football Club, Somerset Park, volunteer-led live matchday commentaries have been relayed to the local hospital hubs in South Ayrshire alongside scheduled shows of music ranging from soul, latest hits and classic favourites. READ MORE: Labour have 'given up' on by-election amid SNP-Reform contest, says John Swinney AHR chair John O'Donnell says that the running of this radio station is 'tailored to the needs of their listeners'. 'This service helps alleviate loneliness and anxiety, creating a sense of connection for patients who may feel isolated from the outside world,' he explains. For Niall Anderson, chair of the Hospital Broadcasting Service in Glasgow, hospital radio is a 'great training ground for future broadcasters' with household names such as George Bowie and Ken Bruce first heard here. 'I've been involved in hospital radio since the 1970s,' he says. 'The reason I've stayed is that I quickly saw the positive impact it had not only on listeners but also on those volunteering to deliver service. 'Originally hospital radio could only be heard using a headset installed at the bedside. These days we stream on the internet and not only does this mean higher sound quality, but it also allows real interaction between patients and their loved ones. 'For hospital radio to remain relevant, it needs to keep pace with the times and offer what people would expect from any radio station including features such as Listen Again – giving the chance to hear a show at a time that suits them.' Live football commentary is a key part of the puzzle. AHR has included visually impaired supporters at the Honest Men's home fixtures. O'Donnell believes this item offers a 'sense of normality and escapism.' (Image: Durham Hospital Radio) An 'inaugural match' against Dundee United in November 1953, according to club historian Duncan Carmichael, started this journey. An upgrade followed, with the opening of a studio in 1959 tucked away in the stadium's southwest corner hiding an interior that feels like you've stepped into a time capsule. One man's vital contribution in constructing this unit, and whose presence preserves the origins of the commentary relays, is that of former army and telecoms worker Willie Shields. At the age of 96, his services providing vivid and professional commentary in the role, as an Ayr supporter, means he still 'feels like a young boy'. He can still recall how he got himself up to this historic studio that is nearing its 66th anniversary. 'The room you're sitting in, I did all the electrical work and a fair bit of the woodwork for it, we built this ourselves,' he says. 'Being a commentator made you more interested in the club, and you were doing something for them. They didn't pay us at all, we were doing it for free, but we had to get the money in to go on air every time.' HBSA Radio's offering chimes with Shields's assessment. Based in Crosshouse since the mid-1970s, the second Ayrshire hospital broadcast service has provided audio descriptive commentary from rivals Kilmarnock Football Club from their home fixtures at Rugby Park since 2018. Station manager Mark Fisher believes that offering the commentary throughout the seven years has 'raised the profile'. He says: 'This has been great for listeners and has provided some amazing opportunities for our local volunteers to get into this very niche activity. The club is a huge part of local life, so it is great to be associated with them. 'The programmes are all presented by local people and we never air syndicated shows from elsewhere. Hospital radio is a valuable resource run by people from the community and hopefully that community benefits from it.' Community, engagement and uplifting others are the outstanding sentiments from the long-running radio broadcast systems throughout Scotland operating on a stalwart, voluntary-led basis. As AHR chair O'Donnell adds: 'Whether it is music, requests, football, cricket, or other major sporting occasions, the volunteers who run these stations bring dedication and enthusiasm ensuring that the content is relevant to those in care.'
The National
2 days ago
- Business
- The National
Scotland charts new course with targeted cruise tax plan
Summer in the isles is cruise season. You can't miss it. Last year saw more than 1000 ships and 1.2 million passengers calling into Scottish ports. An increase of almost 50% on pre-pandemic arrivals, big ship arrivals are getting larger and more frequent. Last May, the 6000-passenger MSC Virtuosa became the largest ship to visit Shetland to date, doubling the population of Lerwick overnight. The equivalent of 12 jumbo jets of tourists arriving at once on the harbour wall. It's no wonder it feels like cruising has reached a high-water mark in some ports. Following the Visitor Levy Scotland Act, passed into law last year, a separate cruise ship levy is currently under review. Announced by the Scottish Greens in 2024, it was destined to be about more than just collecting revenue in local ports. READ MORE: Labour has 'given up' on by-election amid SNP-Reform contest, says John Swinney The big, white ships have become a totemic issue for the tourism industry. Travelling under flags of convenience – often under marine diesel power – they have come to represent over-tourism, unaccountability and harmful emissions. That said, in many places, they are also a mainstay for local shops and businesses, making up more than half of total arrivals in some ports. The cases both for and against cruises are as large and complex as the $70 billion global industry. So, when a local cruise tax was floated, it was surprising to see the degree of support from both sides of this introduced, Scotland would be the first part of the UK to have a cruise specific tax. Though there are plenty of overseas ports that have already introduced charges on the grounds of tackling environmental issues and problem tourism. Some destinations like Amsterdam have gone as far as banning future ship arrivals – saying no economic gain can outweigh the 'crowds and emissions'. The city will halve arrivals next year, closing its passenger cruise terminal by 2035. Others have used levies as a source of revenue for regional councils, which see tens of thousands of arrivals each summer and little direct return. Earlier this year, the Orkney Island Council came out in favour of a cruise ship levy. After welcoming a record 160,000 passengers via the cruise terminal in Kirkwall, a levy was seen as a way to address growing tourist numbers and over-stretched budgets. 'A cruise ship levy could allow local authorities to maintain essential services and infrastructure,' said council leader Heather remains a divisive issue, especially in the regions that feel the impacts most keenly – both positive and negative. Cruise taxes, on the other hand, have a far broader appeal. (Image: George Munro) This is not the first time a tax on Scottish tourist ships has been proposed. Cruising got special attention when a 'discretionary visitor levy' was debated in 2019 and ultimately abandoned. The passing of the Visitor Levy Act and the return of cruising to the dock of public opinion are signs of a new momentum behind a specific tax on liners. Given half of the UK's growing two million-passenger cruise industry made a call at a Scottish port last year, the appeal of Scotland as a destination gives local authorities confidence in a levy's viability. However, unlike Edinburgh City cashing in on festival goers or a proposed Highlands B&B bed tax, a ship levy has the potential to be far more impactful. In the face of a poorly conceived charge, cruise operators warn they might weigh anchor and take their business elsewhere. What could a cruise levy look like? Despite the unmistakable shape of a passenger liner, a cruise levy is a difficult thing to define. Cruise ships are big, getting bigger, with vessels growing at a rate of 10,000 gross tonnes per decade. Still, there is huge variance within the growing industry, especially in smaller regional ports around the British Isles. The Scottish cruise levy has been given a very broad scope to account for this. Under the consultation, the current basis to charge vessels would be ships 'carrying paying passengers', on 'a journey involving two or more nights' and that 'give passengers the option to disembark on to the Scottish mainland/islands'. This could apply to anything from a private yacht charter to an 8000-passenger Icon-class cruise liner. The potential abuse of a 'single night cruise loophole' has been raised, allowing bad faith operators to dodge a levy by issuing multiple tickets or running a token ferry service. Given the state of some sea links, this might not be the worst of unintended consequences. The biggest clues as to what a levy might look like are in its objectives. The cruise levy was suggested as an alternative to the Visitor Levy, where a bed tax is not viable. Greens MSP Ross Greer says his party proposed the levy with regional cruise ports in mind. (Image: PA) 'There are areas like Inverclyde, that I represent, which realistically are not going to see a huge benefit from the Visitor Levy because there aren't huge numbers of people staying in hotels on land, but they get thousands of ship passengers passing through every year,' he says. The port of Greenock is set to welcome 80 ships this summer, with the majority of visitors going straight through to Glasgow and the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs on day visits. 'We want to make sure that as many communities as possible are getting the benefit of the huge number of visitors that come to Scotland every year. The Visitor Levy goes a long way to do that. The cruise ship levy is the next part of the puzzle.' Although the consultation has made it clear there are additional goals. Environment is given special consideration, with specific questions on whether a levy can be used to target cruise emissions. A ship running on marine diesel churns out the particulate pollution of around one million cars, according to Germany's NABU union. More modern ships using liquified natural gas LNG, designed to remove most of the more damaging heavy pollutants, still churn out 250g of carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre. Or, the equivalent of every passenger driving the same journey in a family car, one-and-a-half times. 'Cruises come with significant economic benefit but none of that takes away from the fact that cruise ships are just about one of the most environmentally damaging kinds of transport there is,' said Greer. When it was taken forward for development, the Greens hoped that a levy could have a steer on the size and type of ship being used. At the party conference in October, it was proposed that a levy could even be used to encourage a switch to zero emissions vessels in Scotland. So is it a green tax or a tourist tax? ON the face of it, the cruise levy is being formulated for seemingly contradictory goals. It is expected to both discourage ships, while also giving incentive to attract more revenue-earning visits. Cruise operators' main criticisms of a levy is that they are not sure which to prepare for. 'The challenge is that we're not really sure of the purpose of the levy,' says Andy Harmer, managing director of CLIA United Kingdom & Ireland. The Cruise Line International Association (CLIA) has been representing ship operators at roundtable discussions during the early consultation process. 'Our planners, cruise itinerary makers, work three or four years in advance from now and that uncertainty isn't particularly helpful,' says Harmer. (Image: Newsquest) Given the timeframe, passengers booking cruises with stops in Scotland may already be subject to a future cruise levy. CLIA members are keen to get clarity as soon as possible. As the largest trade association representing 95% of the world's cruise ships, negotiating levies is now a familiar consideration for CLIA partners. Particularly in Europe. Over the past five years, a wave of cruise-specific tourist taxes have arrived in some of the busiest ports of call, from Barcelona to Dubrovnik. Examples that Scotland is currently looking to. What separates the Scottish cruise levy is the fact that it would grant all local authorities the ability to introduce their own taxes, potentially, at once. The result could be a patchwork of different levies, independent of Holyrood or Westminster. 'I don't want to speak for our cruise lines, who will make their own commercial decisions in this space, but I think our concern is that there are other opportunities. There are other destinations,' says Harmer. 'What we don't want is for Scotland to be seen as an unattractive place to do cruise business.'Cruise Britain, which promotes the destination and monitors cruise arrivals, says a cruise levy could result in some ports seeing more ships tendering for visits, not fewer. 'Scotland is really important to the British cruise story. Around half of all day-call transit guests will step ashore in Scotland, which gives you an idea of how key that experience is,' says director Kay Greenway. As well as an attractive destination in its own right, due to its location Scotland is an important node on the Global cruise network. Receiving shipping from Northern Europe and the Atlantic, almost a third of the global fleet passes through the UK waters in a year. 'A patchwork outcome would really disadvantage some ports against others,' says Greenway. The prospect of locally managed cruise levies are far more difficult for cruise operators to navigate. Clarity and simplicity are the main criteria for the cruise industry. However, there is no mechanism for a top-down, national cruise tax. 'Devolution doesn't allow the Scottish Government to create new national taxes without the Treasury's agreement, so we create new local taxes by necessity,' says Ross Greer, though he doesn't see this as a bad thing. Following the Scottish Visitor Levy, similar legislation has been inspired in the Welsh Sennedd. A final vote on the Visitor Accommodation (Register and Levy) Bill will take place in Wales this summer. South of the Border, Friends of the Lake District bemoaned being unable to introduce an Edinburgh-style bed tax in Cumbria as there is no legal route to make this happen in England. As with the Visitor Levy, it will be up to each local authority to weigh up the benefits of their own cruise tax. Greer and the Greens say the priority is creating a levy that suits the local authorities rather than the cruise lines. 'By Scotland going first, because of our natural environment and the high number of cruise passengers that we get here, we can set an example for the rest of the UK,' Greer adds. Can a cruise tax encourage greener liners? Scotland isn't the first country to try to introduce a sustainability tax on liners. The results of these, however, have been mixed. A review by the Scottish Government shows that cruise levies see a fairly limited reduction in arrivals. The examples show most cruise ports return to pre-levy arrival levels almost instantly. Since imposing a €7 (£6) a day tariff in 2018, Barcelona's cruise arrivals have grown almost 10% to 2.18 million passengers. At the other end of the spectrum, there have been over-ambitious 'cruising bans' that have had to be rowed back. Norway made waves by announcing it would ban all greenhouse-gas-emitting ships from its Western Fjords from 2026. This was until last year, when it was clear almost no ships were able to meet these strict requirements. Now, ships over 10,000 tonnes have been granted an additional six-year grace period. (Image: Søren Lund Hviid/Alamy) The threat of a ban to the Unesco Heritage Site was enough to spur development of hybrid battery-powered fleets. Homegrown cruise operators Hurtigruten and Havila are currently leaders in hybrid electric-liquid natural gas shipping. Though, in most cases, Norway's aspirational cruise rule was aimed at ships that simply don't exist yet. Similarly, the industry's own climate goals will require a strong tailwind to be achieved and help from the destinations they visit. Following the UN's guidelines, CLIA set the target of meeting net zero cruising by 2050. This April, the UN's IMO put further pressure on cruise ships to meet these pledges, charging $380 per excess tonne of carbon dioxide. Yet in Scotland and the UK, one of the largest obstacles to reducing emissions is the lack of shore power, allowing ships to run off the grid rather than burning fuel in port. 'There is lots of sustainable electricity being generated in Scotland as there is in Norway,' says CLIA's Harmer. 'The difference is, in Europe, they have a mandate to have shoreside power in their key ports by 2030. There is no such mandate in the United Kingdom at the moment.' While Orkney and Aberdeen have the ability to supply power to ferries and some other large ships, the only cruise port in the UK with suitable shoreside power is Southampton. Levies provide an opportunity to invest in infrastructure that will be needed to decarbonise shipping. Something that Harmer says will be much harder to do if the pressure on reducing emissions is put entirely on the liners. CLIA aren't the only ones with suggestions on how revenue from a cruise tax would be best spent. Some environmental groups have suggested proceeds should be ring-fenced to address the impact of shipping on Scottish ports. If it is unlikely to have a major impact on the number of calls, it might as well be used to monitor sustainability goals and compliance. Friends of the Earth, which produces an annual grading of liners' environmental credentials, says they support a cruise levy with environmental goals in Scotland but relying on operators to self-report sustainability goals is a flawed system. The US branch has recorded 16 major violations from CLIA members in the past three decades. Marcie Keever, director of oceans at Friends of the Earth US, says proceeds could be used to fund an independent observer programme 'because this industry has difficulty complying with environmental rules and standards'. Meanwhile, UK-based marine life charity ORCA says, if it is difficult or not desirable for local authorities to curb ship arrivals, there are ways that cruise ships can do good for Scotland's marine ecosystem. 'When it comes to a levy like the one that has been proposed, it certainly makes sense for this to be invested at least in part in protecting and safeguarding the habitats that the tourism sector relies on,' says ORCA director of operationsSteve Jones. The charity has previously partnered with shipping to monitor the health of Scotland's 240 Marine Protected Areas. Having levy-funded observer programmes on cruise ships could help track their impact and ensure best practice around Scotland. Ultimately as local taxes, proposed under the current devolution settlement, it will be up to the local authorities to allocate any funds from a future cruise levy. The cruise levy consultation period runs until May 30, after which the Scottish Government will prepare a summary ahead of any vote to introduce the levy by Scottish ministers.
The National
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Gaelic group Sian hit the road ahead of new album launch
Originally brought together by the Blas festival in 2016, to celebrate the work of female bards, Sian comprises three of today's most exquisitely gifted Gaelic singers – Ceitlin Lilidh, Eilidh Cormack and Ellen MacDonald – accompanied by in-demand multi-instrumentalist Innes White. With direct connections among the singers to Lewis, Skye and North Uist, their arrangements match deep feeling for tradition with stunning, boldly imaginative harmony work, which has seen them likened to The Staves and even Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. The first single from the album, Seo a' Bhliadhna, was released on Friday – a traditional lament with connections to the Isle of Skye and Raasay, and particularly the MacLean family. READ MORE: Labour has 'given up' on by-election amid SNP-Reform contest, says John Swinney Seo a' Bhliadhna features guest musicians James Lindsay and Charlie Stewart. The album is produced by Sian's Innes White and Innes Strachan (Niteworks, LUSA), and was recorded and mixed by Iain Hutchison at GloWorm Recording. The release date for the full album is yet to be announced. Cormack said: 'Seo a' Bhliadhna is a beautiful lament, closely connected to the Isle of Skye and Raasay song tradition. 'The composer tells of love and loss in a terrible year – grieving not only her brother and sister, but the man she loves, the golden-haired hunter. 'We wanted to approach the song with respect and care, and I hope listeners can feel that in the arrangement.' MacDonald added: 'The reason I love Sian so much is that you can do so much with just voices. 'You can come up with really cool sounds with just voices.' Ahead of the album release, Sian will tour Scotland throughout this month, performing new material live for the first time. The tour begins tomorrow night in Arisaig's Astley Hall. Tour dates: June 2, Arisaig, Astley Hall; June 3, Inverness, Eden Court; June 4, Isle of Skye, An Crùbh; June 5, Isle of Raasay, Isle of Raasay Distillery; June 6, Glasgow, The Reeling; June 11, Edinburgh, Traverse Theatre. Click here for tickets.
