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The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Anas Sarwar urges Brian Leishman to show ‘team spirit'
Mr Leishman has been a prominent critic of the leadership's approach to welfare reform and its failure to intervene in the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery. He, along with Rachael Maskell, Neil Duncan-Jordan and Chris Hinchliff, was suspended on Thursday. READ MORE At a joint press conference with the German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, the Prime Minister was asked whether punishing the MPs made him look weak. 'We are elected in to change this country for the better, and that means we've got to carry through that change, and we've got to carry through reforms,' he replied. 'I'm determined that we will change this country for the better, for millions of working people, and I'm not going to be deflected from that. 'And therefore we had to deal with people who repeatedly break the whip, because everyone was elected as a Labour MP on the manifesto of change and everybody needs to deliver as a Labour government. This is about what we're doing for the country.' Despite the suspension, Mr Leishman said he remained committed to Labour and would continue campaigning for the party ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election. 'That includes Anas Sarwar,' he told the Sunday Mail. 'I'm still going out campaigning and that includes him. I think he should be the next First Minister of Scotland.' He added: 'I still think that the Labour Party is the best and most likely vehicle for social change in the country and I want to be part of it. I want to get back in, but I don't regret what I've done in the first 12 months. I stand by it and I still think I'm right.' He said he had not heard from colleagues since his suspension, other than being told he was being removed from two Scottish Labour WhatsApp groups. Anas Sarwar said he want people committed to Labour (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA) Asked if he welcomed Mr Leishman's support, Mr Sarwar told the Sunday Mail: 'I want all of our MPs and all those that were elected as Labour MPs to work hard for their constituents, to argue the Labour case and to improve people's lives in Scotland. said. 'Brian Leishman himself has said he wants to remain a Labour MP, he remains committed to the Labour Party. 'I want people that are committed to the Labour Party. I want people that are committed to improving people's lives — but we all have to do it in a team spirit.' On Sunday, UK Environment Secretary Steve Reed defended the decision, saying there had been a 'pattern of behaviour' that undermined the party's unity. 'I think it is fair that if you're part of a team, you should be required to play the team game,' he told Sky News. 'You can make your views known, but if you go too far outside, you're actually undermining the whole team. We can't allow that.' He added: 'If people think they're more important than the team, they need to think again.' As well as the four left-wingers, the party also suspended Diane Abbott last week pending a new investigation into comments about racism. In an interview with the BBC, she said she did not regret remarks made more than two years ago when she said people of colour experienced racism 'all their lives', which was different from the 'prejudice' experienced by Jewish people, Irish people and Travellers. Ms Abbott, the first black woman elected to Parliament, had said: 'Clearly, there must be a difference between racism which is about colour and other types of racism because you can see a Traveller or a Jewish person walking down the street, you don't know. 'I just think that it's silly to try and claim that racism which is about skin colour is the same as other types of racism. I don't know why people would say that.' The clip of the interview was re-posted by Mr Leishman, who said: 'Diane Abbott has fought against racism her entire life.'
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Police braced for Trump visit with 5,000 officers deployed
Officers face cancelled rest days, extended shifts and deployment across multiple sites. David Kennedy, general secretary of the Scottish Police Federation, told the Sunday Mail: 'It's a recipe for disaster. We don't have enough cops. 'President Trump is a magnet to certain groups. There will be protests. And just because the President is in one place doesn't mean that's where the protests will take place. 'With this event, it is survival mode. That's the mentality that will set in.' He added: 'We'll survive but we shouldn't have to just survive. They will need plenty of help from the UK. 'All this costs money and Police Scotland's budget is already bust. Everybody working longer hours and days has a knock-on effect for months, if not years.' READ MORE: David Threadgold, the Federation's chair, told Scotland on Sunday the service would need to ask for help from other forces: 'This is a huge policing event for Scotland and we will require mutual aid because of the huge demand on my colleagues. 'Very few, if any, cops will not be impacted by next week's visit and beyond. 'I suppose the natural comparison in terms of scale is previous presidential visits and COP26. 'We are talking about bespoke workforce plans because although this is a well-established workforce, we are cognisant we cannot deliver this without impacting on individual officers across the country. 'What that means in simple terms is some may be required to work 12-hour shifts, for example, which normally wouldn't happen. 'That is the type of change cops will see during this event. 'We also need to consider how officers will eat and drink and rest during this policing, which will be a challenge.' He added: 'This is already a difficult time for Police Scotland as they are trying to organise and deliver this at short notice during a period of high annual leave.' Police Scotland is expected to deploy around 5,000 officers — nearly a third of its current headcount of 16,500. The overall bill for the visit could exceed £5 million. Trump's 2018 presidential visit triggered a UK-wide policing bill of £18m and a cost-sharing row between Holyrood and Westminster. Assistant Chief Constable Emma Bond told Scotland on Sunday, Police Scotland would deploy local, national and specialist resources to 'maintain public safety, balance rights to peaceful protest and minimise disruption'. 'We are not going to be telling officers they cannot go on holiday, but those who ask for time off at short notice are very unlikely to get it. 'Operation Roll is a very high demand event but we will continue to deliver community policing. 'Inevitably there will be an impact on our ability to do that, but the public should be reassured that emergencies will still be responded to — there just might be an impact on service delivery. 'There are so many people committed to this event but the [[pub]]lic should be confident that we are excellent at what we do, and our experience of policing things like Operation Unicorn and the Commonwealth Games shows we can deliver.' The Civil Aviation Authority has imposed strict flying restrictions around the Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire. Until Saturday August 10, drones, kites, paramotors and parachutes are banned from flying below 1,000 feet within a one-mile radius of the site. Meanwhile, Patrick Harvie, the outgoing co-leader of the Scottish Greens, told the Sunday Post, the trip needed to be protested. He said: 'Donald Trump is a convicted criminal and extremist who works to undermine democracy and human rights at home and around the world. 'You should not and cannot appease someone like this. Nobody should be lending this increasingly fascist political project any credibility on the international stage. It must be opposed at every turn. 'Scotland has already made it amply clear that he isn't welcome here. And when he arrives in the coming weeks, Scotland will stand on the right side of history and make it amply clear once more.' The Stop Trump Coalition has organised a 'festival of resistance' in Aberdeen on Saturday. During his 2018 visit, tens of thousands take to the streets in Glasgow, Edinburgh and [[Aberdeen]]. During that trip, a paraglider flew over Trump's Turnberry resort carrying a banner that read 'Trump: well below par'. Police later said the stunt had placed the individual in 'grave danger' due to the presence of armed officers protecting the president. READ MORE Business leaders have urged ministers to use the visit to boost trade links with the US. Dr Liz Cameron, chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, told The Sunday Post the visit was an opportunity: "This is about investment, exports and jobs, not politics. "Scotland's exports, from whisky and salmon to renewables and fintech, are world class. The US is a key market, and now's the time to reinforce our value. "We should be pushing for better trade terms, fewer barriers, and stronger commercial partnerships. This is about delivering real economic impact." Guy Hinks, chair of the Federation of Small Businesses Scotland, said nearly 60% of Scottish exporters trade with the US, making it the most important market outside the EU. 'Scotland should be making the most of every advantage it has,' he said. Mr Trump is expected to take part in the opening ceremony of a new course at his Balmedie resort, named after his Scottish-born mother, Mary Ann MacLeod. The venue will also host two major tournaments in the weeks following his visit — the PGA Seniors Championship beginning Wednesday July 31 and the DP World Tour Next Championship on Wednesday August 7. The visit will include meetings with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in [[Aberdeen]] and First Minister John Swinney. Mr Trump, who last visited Scotland in 2023, is due to return to the UK in September for a state visit, where he will meet King Charles at Windsor Castle. Speaking to the BBC last week, the President described the north-east of Scotland as 'the oil and gas capital of Europe' and called for a return to fossil fuels, saying: 'Get rid of the windmills and bring back the oil.'
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Here's how to toast your knowledge of Scots
In 1958, the Scots Year Book devoted a few lines to 'Makers of Wooden Scottish Quaichs from drinking size suitable for St Andrew Dinners and Burns Nicht, to large carved ones for prizes or presentation'. Ceremonial quaichs continue to be used in the 21st century as trophies for sports such as golf, shinty, rugby, and shooting. In January 2003, the Scotsman included the following convivial image: 'Talisker is my chosen dram... I'd serve it in a quaich that's being continually passed around the table.' In the present day, prominent supporters of the Scotch whisky industry are inducted as honorary keepers of the quaich. Upon joining their ranks in October 2024, Sir Rod Stewart told the Sunday Mail: 'I am absolutely over the moon to receive this award – it's an honour and a privilege which I don't take lightly. Thank you to the Keepers of the Quaich. Slàinte Mhath!' Scots Word of the Week comes from Dictionaries of the Scots Language. Visit DSL Online at
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Author John Niven celebrates 20 years writing with comic Scots parenthood novel
Having already been a guitarist trying to reach the charts and then working for a major record label, John Niven has never been one to make a living from the everyday nine-to-five. Having already been a guitarist trying to reach the charts and then working for a major record label, John Niven has never been one to make a living from the everyday nine-to-five. And when it came to writing his first book, he found himself struggling to balance his fear of failure with his fear of not trying. Twenty years on from having that go and producing his debut, Music From Big Pink, John is one of the UK's best-loved novelists and a successful screenwriter. His 12 books include Kill Your Friends – his big breakthrough title which he also adapted into a hit film starring Nicholas Hoult – as well as Scots golf comedy The Amateurs and his universally acclaimed memoir O Brother. Now the Irvine-born writer and former Sunday Mail columnist is celebrating his 20 years between the pages with new release The Fathers, a darkly comic look at Scottish parenthood. But the 57-year-old admitted the milestone has kind of crept up on him. John explained: 'I'd always wanted to be a writer right through my 20s. but it just seemed like failure was guaranteed. 'Especially as I'd worked in the music industry and seen how many aspiring bands there are, and the odds are the same in writing, film and TV – there's a lot more applicants than there are jobs. 'It seemed to me to be doomed but in the end it was the not trying that was making me more unhappy than failing would ever have made me, so I just had to give it a go. 'Twenty years – it took me by surprise. 'I still kind of think of myself as a sort of fairly new or young enfant terrible novelist, but then you look at the numbers and you're like, 'God, I'm like an old man in the twilight of my career.' 'Twenty years years is the same distance from the mid-80s to when I started publishing novels, or from when I was born to the mid 80s. 'You look at the numbers back and it starts to shock you.' After leaving the music industry, John began writing scripts before turning to books with Music From Big Pink, a fictionalised story set around the legendary American rock group The Band. At the end of 2004, he finally got the email that he was to become a published author. John said: 'I was so broke after a couple of skint years when I got the news that it had been accepted. I was like a drowning man grabbing a life ring. I think that's why I ran quite hard for the first few years of my career, writing eight novels in the first 12 years. 'I felt like I'd kicked the door open and there was no way I was going to let anyone shut it on me.' He followed that well received debut with smash hit Kill Your Friends about murder in the record business. It's an acerbic satire of the world he knew well but the reaction from within the music world perhaps wasn't what he expected. He said: 'The music industry is so ego-driven that people were angry if they weren't mentioned in the book and people who were in it were really pleased. 'But that's kind of why the book worked – it took lot of real-life executives and bands, and sprinkled them through the fictional ones to create this sort of stew where nobody quite knew what was real and what wasn't. 'I never expected that to be a hit – I thought it was too dark, too savage. I doubt very much that it would get published today.' John's work has been consistently well received over the past 20 years but it reached a new level of response two years ago for his heartbreaking memoir O Brother, which included the tragic story of his brother Gary's suicide. He said: 'The release, the publication, the promotion of it was harder than actually writing the book. 'It was received very well, thankfully, and I think I felt relief more than anything else.' And he has stuck with the family theme for his latest title, The Fathers. It's about a successful television writer, Dan, and a lowlife criminal, Jada, who meet when their sons are born at around the same time and soon become increasingly connected. Although the book is fictional, it's still a very personal tale for the father-of-four – he is dad to Robin, 29, Lila, 17, Alexander, seven, and Morty, four. John said: 'I think the character of Jada was my brother blown up, and the character of Dan was me blown up in a hyper-real way. 'But, to be honest, from where I came from, given my time and place, my school, I could have gone either way. I could have been Jada easy enough myself. But one of the fun things to do in fiction is to play with these things.' John is delighted to get his new book out into the world this week, and the chance to share it with readers on a live tour across the UK, including two dates in Scotland. He said: 'I think Kingsley Amis said that if someone has written more than a dozen novels, you have a pretty good idea of who they were. 'As you get older and look at that stack of books – 11 novels and a memoir – and hopefully, touch wood, God willing, more to come, if you leave a shelf of books behind you, for better or worse, it's a fair testament to who you were.' He added: 'Somehow or another, I've got to my late 50s and I've never had a real job. It's been quite the ride.'
Daily Record
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Thor actor Chris Hemsworth says Scottish Highlands are 'an iconic battle scene'
Avengers Doomsday is filming in Windsor but won't include any scenes filmed in Scotland. Chris Hemsworth has declared his love for Scotland's majestic Highlands, calling the dramatic landscape "perfect" for battle scenes and expressing his hopes to return to the country for future film projects. The 41-year-old star, best known for his role as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, told the Sunday Mail that filming in Scotland during Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame left a lasting impression on him. While production on the upcoming Avengers: Doomsday is now underway in Windsor Great Park near Pinewood Studios and Windsor Castle, the actor confirmed that Scotland is not part of the filming schedule this time around, Scottish Daily Express reports But for Hemsworth, it's a country he's eager to revisit, both on and off screen. 'Filming The Avengers in Scotland was a really cool experience,' he said. 'It doesn't look like we are coming back for Doomsday. But I'd love to not only visit there again but to film and do more work in the country. The people are amazing.' 'There is something majestic about the Highlands, I'd love to do another movie there one day. It's just a place made for an iconic battle scene. The backdrop is just stunning.' Hemsworth rose to global fame after being cast as the Norse god of thunder in 2011's Thor, a role he has reprised in more than nine films over the last decade. 'I love the character, and being cast as Thor has opened up so many opportunities,' he added. Scotland has already left a notable stamp on the Marvel universe. In Avengers: Endgame, Thor is seen in a low moment of his life, battling depression after failing to stop Thanos in Infinity War. The God of Thunder retreats from the world and relocates to a quiet coastal settlement, the fictional New Asgard. That fictional home was brought to life in none other than St Abbs, a tiny Scottish fishing village with just over 100 residents. Once known mostly for diving and seafood, the town became a fan-favourite filming location almost overnight when Endgame was released in April 2022. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. During production in May 2017, Marvel crews transformed the village into Thor's new sanctuary, erecting signage for traditional dishes like haggis and cullen skink at the character's local pub, The Cormorant and Tun. Eagle-eyed viewers even spotted a bottle of Irn-Bru in Thor's home when Rocket Raccoon, voiced by Bradley Cooper, came to visit. The unexpected spotlight sparked a flurry of interest in St Abbs, with online searches for New Asgard soaring in the days after the film's release. While many fans assumed Thor's refuge would be found in Norway, due to his mythological roots, directors Anthony and Joe Russo chose the Scottish coastline instead. Avengers: Endgame went on to become the second highest grossing film of all time, taking in over £2 billion worldwide, and giving a quiet corner of Scotland a starring role in cinematic history.
