Latest news with #StrathclydeUniversity
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
John Curtice gives verdict on Corbyn-Sultana party threat to Keir Starmer
The leading pollster said that it was 'of course' possible that the Prime Minister and others could be dethroned at the next General Election, if the Corbyn-Sultana project got off the ground. A senior Labour source told the New Statesman that it was 'not inconceivable' that Starmer, Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood could all be booted out by their constituents in 2029. At the last election, Starmer's vote almost halved, Streeting's majority was reduced to just 528 votes while Mahmood's vote fell by 53%, all facing pro-Palestine independent challengers. Asked whether the trio were at risk, Curtice, of Strathclyde University, told The National: 'Of course it's not inconceivable, just look at the size of their majorities and look at how far Labour's vote's fallen.' He added that his assessment of the data showed it 'wasn't clear that Labour were making much of a recovery' in constituencies with large numbers of Muslim voters. Pro-Palestine independents took four seats at the last election, most notably Labour bigwig Jonathan Ashworth's defeat at the hands of Shockat Adam in Leicester South. But Curtice said that the Corbyn-Sultana party could face challenges along the way, highlighting what he identified as mistakes during Corbyn's time as Labour leader. READ MORE: SNP to press ahead with Palestine recognition vote as Labour 'bargaining' with Israel He said: 'Corbyn clearly has the ability to enthuse a section of the electorate. But does he have the ability to provide leadership?' He pointed to Corbyn's stance on Brexit in the run-up to the 2019 vote, when he said he would grant a second referendum but backed neither Leave nor Remain. 'On an issue that was clearly polarising the electorate and when Boris Johnson was clearly milking the votes on one side, that was just politically utterly the wrong strategy,' said Curtice. 'Corbyn is a sincere politician with a number of very clear beliefs which he can communicate well, he's got that art and he's got that art much more than Starmer does. But leadership is also about being able to take folk who are not your natural supporters with you.' He also expressed doubt about the party's organisational capacity, noting their 'original announcement they couldn't manage to coordinate on'. Sultana appeared to have surprised Corbyn by announcing the launch of the new party, which he only confirmed the day after. Curtice added: 'The crucial question is now: will the fight next year's local and devolved elections? Are they going to be up and ready? At the moment, they're engaging on a consultation about a name.' He said that 'time was of the essence' if the party wanted to fight next year's devolved and local elections, which include London – a city which should be 'prime territory for Corbyn'. Corbyn said: 'Up and down the country, there is huge appetite for the policies that are needed to fix society in 2025: public ownership, wealth redistribution, housing justice, and a foreign policy based on peace and human rights.' "For too long, people have been denied a real political choice. Not anymore. 600,000 people have already signed up to build a real alternative to inequality, poverty and war. This is just the beginning. We are an unstoppable movement for equality, democracy and peace — and we are never, ever going away.'
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
John Curtice weighs in on Corbyn-Sultana party threat to Keir Starmer
The leading pollster said that it was 'of course' possible that the Prime Minister and others could be dethroned at the next General Election, if the Corbyn-Sultana project got off the ground. A senior Labour source told the New Statesman that it was 'not inconceivable' that Starmer, Health Secretary Wes Streeting and Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood could all be booted out by their constituents in 2029. At the last election, Starmer's vote almost halved, Streeting's majority was reduced to just 528 votes while Mahmood's vote fell by 53%, all facing pro-Palestine independent challengers. Asked whether the trio were at risk, Curtice, of Strathclyde University, told The National: 'Of course it's not inconceivable, just look at the size of their majorities and look at how far Labour's vote's fallen.' He added that his assessment of the data showed it 'wasn't clear that Labour were making much of a recovery' in constituencies with large numbers of Muslim voters. Pro-Palestine independents took four seats at the last election, most notably Labour bigwig Jonathan Ashworth's defeat at the hands of Shockat Adam in Leicester South. But Curtice said that the Corbyn-Sultana party could face challenges along the way, highlighting what he identified as mistakes during Corbyn's time as Labour leader. READ MORE: SNP to press ahead with Palestine recognition vote as Labour 'bargaining' with Israel He said: 'Corbyn clearly has the ability to enthuse a section of the electorate. But does he have the ability to provide leadership?' He pointed to Corbyn's stance on Brexit in the run-up to the 2019 vote, when he said he would grant a second referendum but backed neither Leave nor Remain. 'On an issue that was clearly polarising the electorate and when Boris Johnson was clearly milking the votes on one side, that was just politically utterly the wrong strategy,' said Curtice. 'Corbyn is a sincere politician with a number of very clear beliefs which he can communicate well, he's got that art and he's got that art much more than Starmer does. But leadership is also about being able to take folk who are not your natural supporters with you.' He also expressed doubt about the party's organisational capacity, noting their 'original announcement they couldn't manage to coordinate on'. Sultana appeared to have surprised Corbyn by announcing the launch of the new party, which he only confirmed the day after. Curtice added: 'The crucial question is now: will the fight next year's local and devolved elections? Are they going to be up and ready? At the moment, they're engaging on a consultation about a name.' He said that 'time was of the essence' if the party wanted to fight next year's devolved and local elections, which include London – a city which should be 'prime territory for Corbyn'.
BBC News
07-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Fire service hero 'chuffed' to receive empire medal honour
A stalwart of Scotland's fire and rescue community has been awarded the British Empire Medal (BEM) for six decades of (Jim) Burns Smith joined the Glasgow Fire Brigade in 1962, aged 20, and spent years battling major blazes across the city, including the fatal factory fire at James Watt Street in 1968 that killed 22 later developed a historical archive for the fire service and co-authored a book on firefighters in 83-year-old said he was "surprised and chuffed" to be given the honour at the city chambers. Jim's career started at Soho Street fire station in Glasgow, which was said to be one of the busiest in western was previously recognised with the firemaster's certificate of congratulations for rescues at a major building collapse and he became an advocate for fire safety, working closely with schools, businesses and the retiring as staff officer to the firemaster, he worked as a civil service security manager in the Scottish government and then as a volunteer librarian with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).It was while there he developed their archive, unearthing logbooks dating back to 1823, wartime records, and personal service documents – many of which are now preserved at the Mitchell his other later achievements were supporting Strathclyde University's librarian course, co-authoring the book Tinderbox Heroes and helping to create the Glasgow heritage fire trail. His work was also been instrumental in the creation of Everyday Heroes, a book chronicling the first 30 years of Strathclyde Fire Brigade. Jim said: "I was so surprised and chuffed to receive this award. I've always been in touch with the fire service in one way or another after I retired as a fire fighter. "I felt compelled to not only document and share my own experiences but those of others in the service. These are stories that should not be forgotten."He was joined in the city chambers by his wife Grace, three sons and four grandchildren. He also thanked also made special mention of Graeme Kirkwood, from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Heritage Museum in Greenock, for helping with his Lord Provost of Glasgow, Jacqueline McLaren, praised Jim's dedication and tireless efforts during his said: "His dedication ensures that vital records and experiences are remembered, and future generations can learn from the past, and honour the bravery of those who came before."
The Independent
04-07-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Economic slowdown linked to global uncertainty amid Trump tariffs
A slowdown in growth in Scotland's economy is 'largely due to higher global uncertainty' – with experts saying this is linked 'particularly' to US President Donald Trump's trade tariffs. The Fraser of Allander Institute also highlighted a recent rise in inflation this year as having 'played a role' as the economy 'faltered'. Economics experts at the Strathclyde University-based think tank have now downgraded their forecasts for growth. Speaking as its latest quarterly economic commentary was published, institute director Professor Mairi Spowage said: 'After a strong start to the year, the Scottish economy has faltered in March and April and is essentially the same size in real terms as it was six months ago. 'Unfortunately, the wider business environment and global events are still taking a toll on businesses and consumers, which is having a dampening effect on spending and business investment.' The think tank now expects economic growth of 0.8% in 2025 and 1.0% in 2026 – which is a slight downgrade from its April forecasts of 0.9% and 1.1%. It noted Scottish real GDP grew 0.4% in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 0.7% in the UK as a whole. The think tank said: 'A pattern of lower growth in Scotland has persisted, leading to a weaker recovery from the pandemic than the UK generally.' Looking at the latest data, it found Scotland's economic growth had 'remained slow', with rises in the first months of 2025 having been 'partially offset' by decreases in March and April. The report said: 'The slowdown in growth this year is largely due to higher global uncertainty, particularly from the announcement of tariffs in the US and elsewhere. 'With the CPI (Consumer Prices Index) rate at 3.4% in May 2025 after staying below 3% throughout 2024, an uptick in inflation has also played a role.' The think tank said its latest forecasts 'reflect greater uncertainty and difficult economic circumstances'. It also noted that businesses had reported a slowdown of activity in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year. The report said this 'decline in activity may reflect the impact of increases to employer national insurance contributions as well as uncertain conditions, particularly from trade and tariff decisions taken by the US government'. It said the 'difficult conditions for business have been echoed in the labour market', with the think tank noting pay growth has been 'slow' and the number of employees has fallen 0.9% from last year. It also said there was 'some indication that the proportion of people living beyond their means in Scotland may have increased compared to this time last year' – but added other indicators of financial stability 'seem to be holding steady'. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: 'It is clearer than ever that Scotland's economy is being impacted by challenging global trading conditions and uncertainty – conditions mirrored across the rest of the UK. 'We are taking ambitious steps to grow the economy by pursuing new investment, building export potential and driving and capitalising on the Scottish innovation at the forefront of many key global industries. 'But we are doing all of this without the full economic powers needed to fully address the issues facing Scottish businesses. We need decisive action from the UK Government to counter the damaging economic impacts of Brexit and business uncertainty. 'This includes reversing its decision to increase employers' national insurance contributions which, as the Scottish Chambers of Commerce has highlighted, is severely damaging business confidence, investment, growth and jobs.'
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Economic slowdown linked to global uncertainty amid Trump tariffs
A slowdown in growth in Scotland's economy is 'largely due to higher global uncertainty' – with experts saying this is linked 'particularly' to US President Donald Trump's trade tariffs. The Fraser of Allander Institute also highlighted a recent rise in inflation this year as having 'played a role' as the economy 'faltered'. Economics experts at the Strathclyde University-based think tank have now downgraded their forecasts for growth. Speaking as its latest quarterly economic commentary was published, institute director Professor Mairi Spowage said: 'After a strong start to the year, the Scottish economy has faltered in March and April and is essentially the same size in real terms as it was six months ago. 'Unfortunately, the wider business environment and global events are still taking a toll on businesses and consumers, which is having a dampening effect on spending and business investment.' The think tank now expects economic growth of 0.8% in 2025 and 1.0% in 2026 – which is a slight downgrade from its April forecasts of 0.9% and 1.1%. It noted Scottish real GDP grew 0.4% in the first quarter of 2025, compared to 0.7% in the UK as a whole. The think tank said: 'A pattern of lower growth in Scotland has persisted, leading to a weaker recovery from the pandemic than the UK generally.' Looking at the latest data, it found Scotland's economic growth had 'remained slow', with rises in the first months of 2025 having been 'partially offset' by decreases in March and April. The report said: 'The slowdown in growth this year is largely due to higher global uncertainty, particularly from the announcement of tariffs in the US and elsewhere. 'With the CPI (Consumer Prices Index) rate at 3.4% in May 2025 after staying below 3% throughout 2024, an uptick in inflation has also played a role.' The think tank said its latest forecasts 'reflect greater uncertainty and difficult economic circumstances'. It also noted that businesses had reported a slowdown of activity in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year. The report said this 'decline in activity may reflect the impact of increases to employer national insurance contributions as well as uncertain conditions, particularly from trade and tariff decisions taken by the US government'. It said the 'difficult conditions for business have been echoed in the labour market', with the think tank noting pay growth has been 'slow' and the number of employees has fallen 0.9% from last year. It also said there was 'some indication that the proportion of people living beyond their means in Scotland may have increased compared to this time last year' – but added other indicators of financial stability 'seem to be holding steady'. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: 'It is clearer than ever that Scotland's economy is being impacted by challenging global trading conditions and uncertainty – conditions mirrored across the rest of the UK. 'We are taking ambitious steps to grow the economy by pursuing new investment, building export potential and driving and capitalising on the Scottish innovation at the forefront of many key global industries. 'But we are doing all of this without the full economic powers needed to fully address the issues facing Scottish businesses. We need decisive action from the UK Government to counter the damaging economic impacts of Brexit and business uncertainty. 'This includes reversing its decision to increase employers' national insurance contributions which, as the Scottish Chambers of Commerce has highlighted, is severely damaging business confidence, investment, growth and jobs.' Sign in to access your portfolio
