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Scotsman
5 days ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
'Absolutely honking': More than 2,000 complaints of sewage dumping made in Scotland
The Scottish Lib Dems say the SNP is to blame for the issues plaguing Scotland's waters. 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... More than 2,000 complaints of sewage were made to Scotland's environment watchdog in the past three years. Since 2022, 2,081 complaints were made to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa), including 196 so far in 2025. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Edinburgh, Lothian and the Borders recorded the highest number of complaints about sewage spills, with 443 in the past three years - 43 were made in the first three months of this year. The issue surrounding sewage was highlighted during First Minister's Questions by Scottish Liberal Democrats There were 268 complaints in south-west Scotland, 265 in Falkirk, Alloa, Stirling and Perth, 327 in Fife, Angus and Dundee, 222 in Greater Glasgow and Clyde Estuary, 199 in Grampian and Speyside, 187 in Argyll, Hebrides and the south Highlands, 168 in Lanarkshire and 75 in the north Highlands and northern isles. Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton lays the blame for this 'honking' problem squarely at the doors of the SNP government, claiming that the publicly-owned Scottish Water is to blame. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Speaking at first minister's questions, he said: 'Sanitary towels and wet wipes on the beach at North Berwick, raw sewage in Gala, a beach covered in thick brown discharge in Dumfries and Galloway, the River Almond making swimmers sick, paddle boarders covered in sewage in the River Tay - today on World Environment Day, the Scottish Lib Dems are publishing new research showing thousands of complaints from members of the public about sewage. 'Sewage that is, I quote, 'absolutely honking' in Dingwall. 'Songs were written about Scotland being the land of the shining river. 'Does the First Minister mind that his government's own water company is dumping so much sewage into them?' Alex Cole-Hamilton is MSP for Edinburgh Western Mr Swinney disputed this, saying 87 per cent of Scotland's water had been assessed as 'high' or 'good' quality by Sepa, which is an increase from 82 per cent in 2014. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Cole-Hamilton then highlighted that Thames Water in England had recently been fined £100 million for sewage dumping, but said there were 'never any consequences' for this in Scotland. He asked: 'Is that because the First Minister knows it is actually his government that's at fault for this absolutely honking problem?' In response, Mr Swinney said: 'What's absolutely honking is Mr Cole-Hamilton's attempt to conflate the situation in Scotland and the operation of one of the strongest assets in our country, the publicly-owned water network, with Thames Water. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The privatisation of water in England has been an unmitigated disaster for people in England and Wales and I thank our predecessors for not taking such a foolish decision in the first place.
Daily Mail
13-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Politicians pass first stage of assisted dying bill in day of high emotion
Politicians in Scotland have voted to support a Bill that, if passed, will allow terminally ill people the medical assistance to end their lives. Following a day of high emotion, MSPs voted 70 to 56 to approve the general principles of the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. The legislation, which was brought forward by Scottish Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur, will now progress to stage two, where MSPs could propose changes. The vote marked the third time in Scottish parliamentary history that MSPs have voted on plans to legalise assisted dying. The landmark day at Holyrood comes after MPs voted in favour of similar proposals for England and Wales. The proposed legislation would allow a patient with a terminal illness to request medical assistance to end their life if they have been ruled mentally fit to make the decision by two doctors. Mr McArthur recently said the minimum age of people who could seek an assisted death would rise from 16 to 18. Supporters have described the Bill as a progressive move to ease the suffering of dying Scots. However, those who oppose it fear it would not safeguard some of the most vulnerable people in society. During the vote MSPs took the floor to make emotive arguments as they looked to bring others around to their view on the highly divisive issue. Scottish Tory MSP Stephen Kerr called on his fellow polticians to 'build a country where no-one feels their only option is death'. He added: 'Once the line is crossed, we cannot go back. 'This isn't compassion, it's a risk too great, too permanent, too dangerous, so I say to my colleagues, don't risk it.' Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy, who had joined campaigners opposed to the Bill outside parliament prior to the vote, also urged MSPs to vote it down. Fighting back tears, the politician, who is herself disabled, said: 'Rather than legislating to assist to die, let us resolve to legislate to assist people to live.' Earlier in her speech during the debate, the disability rights campaigner had said that in moments where some are 'ground down', they 'wouldn't only believe we were better off dead, but the state could help to make that happen'. She added: 'Today I've only scratched the surface of concerns, but for me it comes down to this: How can it be possible for people to make a free and equal choice to allow a system that oppresses them so much to also potentially assist them to take their own lives?' Tory MSP Jeremy Balfour, who is also disabled, said he could imagine feeling like a 'burden' to his family and society if he is diagnosed with a terminal illness in later life. He said: 'I could imagine in a few years' time, hopefully a number of years' time, having some terminal illness and feeling the burden that could be put on my wife and my children because of the care they give me day in, day out. 'I have spoken to other disabled people who have felt and feel the same.' In such a situation, if proposals to allow assisted dying are passed, Mr Balfour said some could seek to ease the pressure felt by their families by ending their lives. However, there were also many who spoke up in support of the Bill as they shared their own personal experiences. SNP MSP Elena Whitham revealed that her mother Irene McLeod opted to starve herself to 'hasten her inevitable death' at the age of 58 after being diagnosed with terminal stage four lung cancer in February 2014. However, an emotional Ms Witham said it still took two weeks for her mother to die after making the decision. She said: 'Her mind was made up in her usual headstrong manner, and she had the agreement of her medical team she could choose to die this way. It is the only way the medical establishment allows a death when you are terminal.' She added: 'No-one should be forced to starve themselves, travel overseas or use other traumatic methods to end their lives when dealing with a terminal diagnosis.' And she said that without change 'people will continue to make choices like my mum'. FOR Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Gulhane, Sandesh (Glasgow) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) AGAINST Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Proxy vote cast by Rona Mackay Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) O'Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Alba) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP)
Daily Record
06-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Scottish hospitals face nearly 1,200 sewage leaks in just five years
The figures were uncovered by the Scottish Lib Dems. Almost 1,200 sewage leaks have been recorded in Scottish hospitals in the past five years. NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde was the health board with the most spills, followed by NHS Lanarkshire. Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton leader: 'Healthcare workers have enough on their plate without dealing with smelly sewage spills in their workplace. 'I hope that health boards will be able to offer assurances that these issues have been addressed and will not happen again. 'When budgets are tight, improving facilities and even basic maintenance can fall down the pecking order. ' Scottish Liberal Democrats are committed to delivering swift, local healthcare for everyone in the highlands. That means investing in the facilities that patients and staff rely on, ensuring that they are fit for purpose and won't deliver any unpleasant surprises.' According to figures released under freedom of information, eight health boards recorded leaks. These were Ayrshire & Arran, Fife, Forth Valley, Grampian, Greater Glasgow & Clyde, Highland, Lanarkshire and Lothian. There were 308 incidents at Glasgow Royal Infirmary, 171 at the city's Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, 12 at the Stratheden in Cupar and the same number at Aberdeen's Royal Cornhill. Of the 1,197 sewage leaks in hospitals since 2019, 761 were in the NHSGGC area and 342 in Lanarkshire. Highlands. Incidents included sewage coming up drains in a 'contamination area' and an overflowing doctor's toilet.
The National
24-04-2025
- Politics
- The National
No great new ideas came out of anti-far right summit
Although it's to the credit of all those who participated, no great new ideas came out of the proceedings. Rather, it was a diagnosis of the problems that we can already see exist. People are angry and disenchanted with politicians. Politics has become polarised and ill tempered – there is little tolerance for opposing views, and a widespread feeling that politicians are all the same and only in it for themselves. Too many people have become detached from the political process as they feel it doesn't make much of a meaningful difference to their lives. Those who participated included Anas Sarwar for Scottish Labour, Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie from the Scottish Greens, Alex Cole-Hamilton for the Scottish LibDems and Alba's Ash Regan. It was to the credit of all of them that they were prepared to put their political differences to one side, at least for a day, in order to focus on a much bigger problem. The Scottish Tories did not participate as they are far too busy chasing far-right votes and thus are part of the problem. The problem itself, in the shape of Reform UK, held a press conference outside the meeting during which they predictably complained that they're the real victims here and that their billionaire funded party with its millionaire private school educated leadership is challenging the 'elites'. Unfortunately there were few concrete proposals on offer from the attendees, but it's probably unfair to have expected much. The rise of the far-right is a global phenomenon, driven by tech media algorithms, the yawning and ever-widening chasm between rich and poor, the capture of political parties by corporate interests, a media which is itself ultimately owned by those same corporate interests and which is all too willing to act as a mouthpiece for far right figures and their talking points – and in the case of some social media platforms, actively promoting far-right propaganda and misinformation. Facebook and Twitter in particular are toxic stews of malice and ignorance. All of these issues are bigger than the powers that the Scottish Parliament possesses and as such Holyrood has only a very limited ability to tackle them. A case in point was the press questioning put to the summit's participants, questioning which was more focused on which toilet a trans person should use than on the inability of young people to find stable and rewarding jobs, secure housing, and their radicalisation by social media. You might think that our media would have more pressing concerns than how to check the genitals of people who just want to pee in peace. Still, the summit was a start. Actual fascists demonstrated outside the meeting, that perennial staple of far right Anglo-British nationalist extremism. Manky Shirt Man himself, the Holocaust denying Alistair McConnachie and a small gaggle of his racist pals – including former BNP organisers John Robertson and Max Dunbar – were there holding banners demanding mass deportations now. Zonal energy pricing? Talk of a zonal energy market has become popular recently. A zonal energy market would mean different areas of the UK would pay different rates for their electricity, based on local supply and demand. The idea is especially popular in energy-rich Scotland, where it's claimed that a zonal UK energy market could result in Scots having some of the cheapest electricity bills in Europe, something which would encourage many to change their gas boilers for electric powered heat pumps and go a long way to reducing carbon emissions as well as promoting energy security. Octopus Energy has claimed that with its massive wind powered electricity generating capacity Scotland could have the 'cheapest electricity in Europe' and could even have free power at times if zonal pricing was introduced in the UK energy market. Unlike electricity generated by fossil fuels, renewable generated electricity – like that produced by the wind farms dotted all over the Scottish landscape and around our coasts – incurs no ongoing fuel costs, and no need to import fossil fuels whose price is subject to the vagaries of the international markets. Once the capital costs of installing the necessary infrastructure have been covered, the sole cost is the relatively minimal price of maintenance and upkeep. Wind farms harvest free and infinite energy. However, due to the current structure of the UK energy market Scots are paying higher energy bills in order to keep electricity prices lower in other parts of the UK. Energy policy is reserved to Westminster. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband is reported to be considering the introduction of a zonal energy market but the plan is likely to meet stiff opposition as it would probably result in consumers in south east England paying more for their electricity as it would no longer be subsidised by consumers in the rest of the UK. However, Miliband appeared to rule out the idea if it resulted in higher electricity prices in some parts of the UK, telling LBC Radio: 'I'm not going to take a decision that is going to raise prices in some parts of the country. That is not what I'm going to do. 'Honestly, this is about reforms to cut prices for people, that is my absolute bottom line here.' Sorry Scots, it doesn't matter if your country is literally the powerhouse of the UK, pumping out vast quantities of cheap electricity, you're going to continue to pay some of the highest electricity bills in Europe in order to keep bills lower in London. It's one of those Union benefits they keep telling us about. Speaking on BBC Scotland Debate Night, pro-independence activist and broadcaster Lesley Riddoch urged people to get angry about the energy crisis saying: 'What the Highlands have got is energy. 'Massive, massive amounts of renewable energy – the profits of which are going everywhere else but the Highlands. 'The Highlands should have no energy bills, they've got so much potential. 'There's so much potential here, but because of the pricing of energy in the United Kingdom, which is a Westminster responsibility, we end up having renewables priced at the expensive rate of gas.'
The Independent
28-01-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Greens and Lib Dems give their backing to the Scottish Budget
The Scottish Greens and Scottish Lib Dems will back the Government's Budget, making it near-certain the plans will pass. The Government said on Tuesday it had struck deals with both parties to secure their backing ahead of the final vote, due to take place next month. As a result of the deal with the Scottish Greens, the Government has announced plans to expand free school meals to pupils in the first three years of secondary school who are in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, as well as a regional pilot for a £2 cap on bus fares. While the Scottish Lib Dems secured increased investment for drugs services and hospices. The deals will cost £16.7 million, the Government said. This is a bad budget that raises taxes without improving public services, yet Labour and the Lib Dems are falling over themselves to back it Craig Hoy, Scottish Tories Finance Secretary Shona Robison said: 'We are determined to deliver on the issues that matter most to the people of Scotland – and that is why this Budget invests in public services and in eradicating child poverty, acts in the face of the climate emergency, and supports jobs. 'The First Minister was clear that we would bring forward a Budget by Scotland for Scotland, and the negotiations we have taken forward have been in that spirit. 'These additional initiatives demonstrate the value of a progressive approach and dialogue.' Ms Robison praised both parties for their 'positive and constructive' engagement. 'Through seeking compromise I believe we are delivering a Budget that will strengthen services and support our communities,' she added. 'With the agreements with these two parties now in place, this will secure a majority in Parliament in support of the Budget Bill.' Green Finance spokesman Ross Greer said: 'The Scottish Greens put climate action, tackling child poverty, cheaper buses and ferries and funding for schools at the heart of our Budget negotiations. 'We have delivered progress on all of these fronts, so our MSPs will be voting for the Budget. 'No young person should be sitting in school hungry. 'As a result of our work, thousands more pupils in S1 to S3 will now receive a free school meal. This will build on the success of expanding free school meals in primary schools, a policy delivered by the Scottish Greens a few years ago. 'Our Green MSPs have also secured a year-long regional trial where bus fares will be capped at £2, because we know the cost of public transport needs to come down. 'This also builds on the success of free bus travel for young people, another Scottish Green policy we made a reality.' Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the budget vote was not a 'referendum on the performance of the SNP', which he said was 'failing Scotland'. 'For me in particular, there will be big money now for services for babies who are born addicted to drugs,' he said. The Lib Dem leader added: 'This isn't propping up a failing administration, this parliament is clearly now going to run its course until 2026. 'I think it's my role – and my party and other parties' – to make the best of what we've got.' He also said 'Lib Dem pressure' led to the Government dropping its plans for a national care service, while conceding it was not entirely down to his own party's influence. The announcement, earlier this month, from Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar that his MSPs would abstain on the Budget all but assured the plans – announced in December – would pass, but the announcement from the parties has added certainty to the Government's position. Speaking to journalists later, Mr Greer said his party would continue to campaign for the scrapping of peak rail fares, despite this not being in the Budget. Asked why his party should support the SNP, given the end of the Bute House Agreement, he said: 'The job of the Scottish Greens is to lift kids out of poverty and tackle the climate emergency, not to play games with other parties. 'We could have taken the opportunity to give the SNP a bloody nose – it wouldn't have fed a single child, it wouldn't have reduced emissions, it wouldn't have protected anything in our natural environment, it would have created no jobs whatsoever.' Scottish Tory finance spokesman Craig Hoy accused the Lib Dems of 'jumping into bed' with the SNP. 'The left-wing consensus at Holyrood is failing the Scottish people,' he said. 'This is a bad budget that raises taxes without improving public services, yet Labour and the Lib Dems are falling over themselves to back it. 'We're standing up to the SNP as the only political party in Scotland representing common sense for a change.' The First Minister's official spokesman said John Swinney had stressed the importance of bringing parliament together. He said: 'It's quite significant that there's a relatively broad consensus in supporting the Budget. 'That speaks to the work that he and the Finance Secretary have done – it's the way parliament was set up to work.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'As part of reaching agreement for the 2025-26 Budget, around £3 million will support the extension of free school meal eligibility in eight local authority areas covering S1-S3 pupils in urban, rural, semi-urban and island authorities in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment in the next school year. 'The Scottish Government will work closely with local authorities in the coming months to establish the test of change in eight local authority areas, including determining the number of pupils who will directly benefit and evaluation of the approach.'
