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The National
29-06-2025
- Politics
- The National
Donald Trump to 'visit Turnberry golf course during visit to Scotland'
The US President is due to visit the UK for an official state visit, but no date has been announced. Trump previously revealed that plans are being drawn up for this to take place in September. And now, the Scottish Mail on Sunday reports that Trump will visit his three Scottish golf courses by the end of July, including Turnberry. He previously suggested his visit would coincide with the grand opening of a second 18-hole course at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire, named the MacLeod course after his Scottish mother. READ MORE: Inside the SNP's political strategy ahead of 2026 Scottish election According to the newspaper, security services are preparing for Air Force One to land at Prestwick Airport, in Ayrshire, in the final two weeks of July. Trump's last visit to Turnberry, during his first term as President, prompted a protest on a beach overlooking the golf course, featuring now sadly deceased Scottish comedian Janey Godley. The Turnberry course has seen several protests since Trump took over the White House for the second time. Protesters sprayed red paint on the clubhouse at the 800-acre resort, and damage was also caused to the greens where the words 'Gaza is not for sale' were also painted. (Image: PA) Palestine Action, who are set to become a proscribed terror group after spraying red paint into the engines of two aircraft at RAF Brize Norton, said they targeted Trump's golf course over the US administration's plan 'to ethnically cleanse Gaza'. And in April, Greenpeace UK revealed a large sand artwork on the beach outside the South Ayrshire golf course. Trump was expected to meet King Charles in Scotland ahead of his official state visit in September, but the meeting was called off due to diary clashes. The state visit was confirmed when Prime Minister Keir Starmer handed Trump a letter from the King inviting him to Scotland during a meeting at the White House. READ MORE: Wes Streeting forced to admit Labour wants fewer people claiming PIP However, it is understood that there were "logistical challenges" surrounding an informal visit, with conflicts in both the King's and Trump's diaries meaning a private meeting was not possible. Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office in April, Trump said he did not 'know how it [the state visit] can be bigger than the last one' but that 'they say it's going to be even more important'. Precedent for second-term US presidents who have already made a state visit is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W Bush and Barack Obama.
Daily Mail
21-06-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Failure of SNP's green plan as motorists fork out £19m in city centre LEZ zone fines
Growing numbers of motorists are being fined for driving into Scotland's city-centres - according to new figures which call into question the value of the country's controversial low emission zones. LEZs have now been operating for two full years in Glasgow and for one full year in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee. Analysis by the Scottish Mail on Sunday of new published data reveals the massive impact on drivers - with more than 169,000 fines issued so far, worth in excess of £19million. The stated aim of the LEZs is to improve air quality in city centres by banning older vehicles which, despite being otherwise legal and road-worthy, are deemed to create too much pollution. When the schemes were introduced, it was anticipated the number of fines would gradually dwindle away as drivers either switched to public transport or upgraded to more modern, eco-friendly, cars. As expected, each LEZ saw a rapid drop in breaches within the first few months of operation. However, over the past five months, the trend has reversed and the number of fines issued has actually risen steadily. In January, across the four cities, 7,058 fines were issued. But by May the number had risen to 8,956. The figures suggest the LEZs may not be as effective at reducing air pollution as council bosses had hoped. Meanwhile critics argue there are thousands of drivers who need to travel into city centres for work - but who simply cannot afford to upgrade to newer vehicles. Opposition politicians have warned that if LEZs failed to improve air quality, they would simply become another tax on hard-pressed motorists. Scottish Conservative transport spokesperson Sue Webber MSP said: 'These figures prove what motorists already know – they're being milked for cash because the SNP have gutted council funding. 'You'd think low emission zones were about cleaner air – but in reality, they're trapping drivers who have no other option. 'Most Scots can't just shell out for a new car to meet these rules. The nationalists are completely out of touch. 'If SNP ministers are serious about getting Scots out of their cars, they should show some common sense for a change and deliver reliable and affordable public transport, instead of punishing motorists.' Analysis by the MoS shows that a total of 169,329 LEZ fines have so far been issued across the four cities - worth an astonishing £19.1m. The severity of penalties depends on how often a driver infringes the LEZ - from £60 for a single breach to a maximum of £960 if someone drives a non-compliant vehicle into the zone five or more times in a three-month period. Incredibly, 6,787 of these maximum £960 fines have so far been dished out across the country. Scotland's first LEZ was set up in Glasgow in June 2023. Policed by a network of number-plate recognition cameras, it covers a square mile of the city centre between the River Clyde and the M8 motorway. As the country's long-running LEZ, it has unsurprisingly issued the highest overall number of fines: 72,110 tickets - an average of 3,005 every month - worth a total of £7.1m. Last September Glasgow City Council said the LEZ had made a 'promising start' at improving air quality. Pollution data covering the first six months of the LEZ suggested nitrogen dioxide levels in parts of the city centre had dropped by 20 per cent - but remained high in the busiest streets. The council also revealed that, after operating costs, the scheme raised a surplus of around £750,000 in the financial year 2023/24 - which would be spent on planting trees and turning bus-stop roofs into havens for bees. Edinburgh has so far issued the highest average number of LEZ tickets - 3,988 each month. The capital's zone extends from Holyrood Park to Haymarket - and came into force in June 2024. After a sharp drop last year in the first few months of the LEZ, the number of fines in the capital has risen steadily from 2,664 in January to 3,401 in May. Last night Edinburgh City Council blamed the recent rise on tourists driving into the city - but said the scheme overall was delivering benefits. Transport and environment convener Stephen Jenkinson, said: 'Last year we joined Glasgow, Dundee and Aberdeen to implement and enforce an LEZ across the city centre, reaffirming our intentions to create a healthier, cleaner city for everyone. 'Since then, I've been really encouraged to see the number of fines for non-compliant vehicles steadily decline, showing that people are getting used to the LEZ and making changes. 'Recent fluctuations may be down to an increased number of visitors over the months that attract more tourists and we'll continue to monitor this.' Meanwhile drivers in Aberdeen have been hit with the highest average value of fines - equating to £417,930 per month. The city's LEZ, which also came into force in June 2024, is clustered around Union Street and the surrounding roads, covering an area of just half a mile squared. Dundee's LEZ is bordered by the A92 and the A991 inner ring-road and began at the very end of May 2023. It has so far issued the lowest average number of fines - just 1,292 per month. Government agency Transport Scotland has said that despite the rises in recent months, the number of LEZ breaches was still significantly lower than last June when the scheme was first introduced in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee. A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: 'In Edinburgh and Aberdeen, the number of PCNs issued in May 2025 was approximately half the number issued in June 2024. In Dundee, the figure was down by around two-thirds over the same period, while in Glasgow, there was a reduction of about one-third. 'LEZs are already working to improve air quality. In Glasgow, where the LEZ has been enforced since 2023, air quality benefits are already being accrued with average nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in the LEZ down approximately 20% compared to 2022.'
Glasgow Times
09-06-2025
- Business
- Glasgow Times
Michelle Mone makes 'millions' after selling Glasgow townhouses
The Scottish Mail on Sunday reports that Baroness Mone sold a £19m London townhouse and £6.8m Lady M Yacht last year. It comes after Glasgow-born Mone and her billionaire husband Doug Barrowman had £75m worth of assets frozen by the National Crime Agency (NCA). The couple are at the centre of a fraud probe over the firm PPE Medpro, controlled by Barrowman, that was awarded £203m worth of UK Government contracts through a 'VIP lane' during the Covid-19 pandemic. In November 2023, Mone finally admitted her involvement with PPE Medpro for the first time, after years of denying any links to the company. It then emerged Barrowman was reportedly paid at least £65m from PPE Medpro's profits, later transferring £29m into a trust for Mone and her three adult children. Several properties were frozen under the Proceeds of Crime Act in 2023. And now, Mone has reportedly sold her Glasgow homes. The Mail on Sunday reports that there is no suggestion any of the property sales breached any existing orders put in place by the NCA. One townhouse in Glasgow's plush Park Circus was bought by Barrowman's Knox business group for £1.7m in 2020. The couple have now reportedly sold this to a photographer for £2m last year. Another nearby townhouse was sold for £2.8m, allegedly to a Scottish musician, who was not named. It was bought in July 2020 for just over £1.4m. A spokesperson for the NCA confirmed an investigation is still ongoing into PPE Medpro. 'The NCA opened an investigation in May 2021 into suspected criminal offences committed in the procurement of PPE contracts by PPE Medpro,' they said. 'This ongoing investigation remains a priority for the agency. READ MORE: Scottish independence 'already begun as UK political culture diverges' 'Investigations must pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry. In serious economic crime investigations these lines of enquiry can be incredibly complex – from worldwide financial tracing exercises to the need to examine large volumes of digital material. 'In such cases it can take considerable time to ensure that a thorough, independent and objective investigation is conducted.' PPE Medpro is also being sued by the Department of Health and Social Care, amid claims that the gown supplied by the firm were not fit for use. We previously told how Mone accused the NCA of "smearing [her] as a criminal".
The National
09-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Michelle Mone makes 'millions in profits' after selling Glasgow townhouses
The Scottish Mail on Sunday reports that Baroness Mone sold a £19m London townhouse and £6.8m Lady M Yacht last year. It comes after Glasgow-born Mone and her billionaire husband Doug Barrowman had £75m worth of assets frozen by the National Crime Agency (NCA). The couple are at the centre of a fraud probe over the firm PPE Medpro, controlled by Barrowman, that was awarded £203m worth of UK Government contracts through a 'VIP lane' during the Covid-19 pandemic. READ MORE: Supreme Court's sex ruling faces legal tests – will they succeed? In November 2023, Mone finally admitted her involvement with PPE Medpro for the first time, after years of denying any links to the company. It then emerged Barrowman was reportedly paid at least £65m from PPE Medpro's profits, later transferring £29m into a trust for Mone and her three adult children. Several properties were frozen under the Proceeds of Crime Act in 2023. And now, Mone has reportedly sold her Glasgow homes. The Mail on Sunday reports that there is no suggestion any of the property sales breached any existing orders put in place by the NCA. One townhouse in Glasgow's plush Park Circus was bought by Barrowman's Knox business group for £1.7m in 2020. The couple have now reportedly sold this to a photographer for £2m last year. Another nearby townhouse was sold for £2.8m, allegedly to a Scottish musician, who was not named. It was bought in July 2020 for just over £1.4m. A spokesperson for the NCA confirmed an investigation is still ongoing into PPE Medpro. 'The NCA opened an investigation in May 2021 into suspected criminal offences committed in the procurement of PPE contracts by PPE Medpro,' they said. 'This ongoing investigation remains a priority for the agency. READ MORE: Scottish independence 'already begun as UK political culture diverges' 'Investigations must pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry. In serious economic crime investigations these lines of enquiry can be incredibly complex – from worldwide financial tracing exercises to the need to examine large volumes of digital material. 'In such cases it can take considerable time to ensure that a thorough, independent and objective investigation is conducted.' PPE Medpro is also being sued by the Department of Health and Social Care, amid claims that the gown supplied by the firm were not fit for use. We previously told how Mone accused the NCA of "smearing [her] as a criminal".
The National
08-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Michelle Mone makes 'millions in profits' after selling off Glasgow townhouses
The Scottish Mail on Sunday reports that Baroness Mone sold a £19m London townhouse and £6.8m Lady M Yacht last year. It comes after Glasgow-born Mone and her billionaire husband Doug Barrowman had £75m worth of assets frozen by the National Crime Agency (NCA). The couple are at the centre of a fraud probe over the firm PPE Medpro, controlled by Barrowman, that was awarded £203m worth of UK Government contracts through a 'VIP lane' during the Covid-19 pandemic. READ MORE: Supreme Court's sex ruling faces legal tests – will they succeed? In November 2023, Mone finally admitted her involvement with PPE Medpro for the first time, after years of denying any links to the company. It then emerged Barrowman was reportedly paid at least £65m from PPE Medpro's profits, later transferring £29m into a trust for Mone and her three adult children. Several properties were frozen under the Proceeds of Crime Act in 2023. And now, Mone has reportedly sold her Glasgow homes. The Mail on Sunday reports that there is no suggestion any of the property sales breached any existing orders put in place by the NCA. One townhouse in Glasgow's plush Park Circus was bought by Barrowman's Knox business group for £1.7m in 2020. The couple have now reportedly sold this to a photographer for £2m last year. Another nearby townhouse was sold for £2.8m, allegedly to a Scottish musician, who was not named. It was bought in July 2020 for just over £1.4m. A spokesperson for the NCA confirmed an investigation is still ongoing into PPE Medpro. 'The NCA opened an investigation in May 2021 into suspected criminal offences committed in the procurement of PPE contracts by PPE Medpro,' they said. 'This ongoing investigation remains a priority for the agency. READ MORE: Scottish independence 'already begun as UK political culture diverges' 'Investigations must pursue all reasonable lines of enquiry. In serious economic crime investigations these lines of enquiry can be incredibly complex – from worldwide financial tracing exercises to the need to examine large volumes of digital material. 'In such cases it can take considerable time to ensure that a thorough, independent and objective investigation is conducted.' PPE Medpro is also being sued by the Department of Health and Social Care, amid claims that the gown supplied by the firm were not fit for use. We previously told how Mone accused the NCA of "smearing [her] as a criminal".
