Latest news with #ex-Scottish
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
Douglas Ross snubs Holyrood summit for seminar near Bahamas
The ex-Scottish Tory leader will be logging into the education committee meeting on June 11th virtually from Turks and Caicos – which is near the Bahamas – despite being convener, The Daily Record first reported. The seminar is apparently in relation to his work on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. SNP ministers, including Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth, are set to appear on June 11. READ MORE: 'You're not welcome': Nigel Farage visit to Scotland met by anti-racism protesters It comes after Ross was ejected from the Holyrood chamber last week by the Presiding Officer after heckling the First Minister. An SNP source said: "Throughout his time at Holyrood, Douglas Ross has treated his role as an MSP as a part-time gig to fit around his other jobs - including his various jaunts across Europe as an assistant referee. "This has been a bit of an embarrassing week for Mr Ross after he was removed from the Chamber for his poor behaviour on Thursday. After his tirade of unjustified claims about other members' parliamentary attendance it is now somewhat ironic that Mr Ross will be logging in from near the Caribbean." A Scottish Conservative spokesperson said: 'Douglas will be attending this meeting and holding the SNP's education secretary and her colleagues to account.' The move to expel Ross angered his Tory colleagues, who said Alison Johnstone was regularly treating them unfairly. The Scottish Conservatives said they would be 'seeking discussions to reiterate that the Presiding Officer should not show blatant bias'. But Swinney backed Johnstone, who was elected as a Green MSP, saying she 'always acts impartially' and upholds the rules of the Scottish Parliament.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Farage returns to Scotland for by-election campaign
Instead, the message from the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election is clear: everything we thought we knew about Scottish politics may be about to unravel. Tomorrow, Nigel Farage enters the fray with a rare trip north of the Border. READ MORE: The last time he took part in a Scottish by-election campaign — Aberdeen Donside in 2013 — he was forced to cancel a large lunch and press conference after an anti-fascist group threatened to demonstrate outside. That was little more than a month after he had suffered a torrid half-hour of abuse and heckling from campaigners on the Royal Mile, who forced him to find refuge in a city centre pub. He will be back in the Granite City tomorrow morning, hosting a press conference where he will no doubt meet some of the four Aberdeenshire councillors who have defected to his party in recent weeks. The Reform leader will be joined by his deputy, MP Richard Tice, on the visit, with both men then heading to South Lanarkshire to join the campaign for their candidate Ross Lambie. Another ex-Scottish Tory, his defection might have made headlines — if not for the chaotic press conference outside a Glasgow chip shop where Mr Tice could not remember his name. If he manages a win on Thursday, Mr Lambie's name will not be slipping the mind of the party hierarchy again. Three weeks ago, Reform thought they could get a good third place at the by-election. Now, Glasgow councillor Thomas Kerr says they might be able to pull it off. 'I always thought that seats like Hamilton would be in contention for Reform next year,' he told The Herald. 'I thought it would take longer to get to the stage that we are at at the moment. 'I just do not know how this is going to play out anymore. 'If we get a good second place next week, then there will be serious questions for all the other parties — especially for Labour and the Tories — about this idea that you tactically vote for them to stop the SNP. Actually, that flips its head at that point.' Based on current polling, a proportional swing suggests Reform UK should win around 15% to 20% of the vote in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse — well behind the SNP on 33.6% and Labour on 28.5%. However, turnout is expected to be significantly lower than at a general election. It could fall by as much as 44% — similar to the drop seen in 2023's Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election. That would remove around 16,000 votes from the total, the researcher and Herald columnist Mark McGeoghegan posted on his Bluesky account this week. If just a quarter of those missing votes are Labour supporters, Reform could find itself neck-and-neck with Mr Sarwar's party. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Labour party candidate Davy Russell during a walk about in Quarter, South Lanarkshire (Image: Andrew Milligan) If 35% to 40% come from SNP voters, then Reform could pull level with Mr Swinney's party too. 'There is a narrow path to a Reform victory,' Mr McGeoghegan posted, 'and either way their performance in this by-election is going to be a shock for a lot of Scots.' Given the demographics in the constituency, you might expect Reform to perform better here than national polling suggests. That is despite the race row that has dominated the last week. The party has faced widespread criticism for a Facebook and Instagram advert using heavily edited footage from a 2022 speech by Mr Sarwar in which he called for greater South Asian representation in politics. Door knocking currently suggests a very thin SNP win, with Reform second, Labour well back, and the Tories at risk of losing their deposit. Labour sources have been briefing for weeks now that they are about to lose. One yesterday told The Times the party should expect to get 'quite considerably humped'. If Labour is pushed back into third, the implications could be significant. Some Scottish Labour MPs have told Sir Keir Starmer a poor result could stop them supporting planned disability benefit reforms. Tensions reportedly flared during a meeting with Pat McFadden last week, with some fearing the higher-ups in the UK party have failed to grasp how close next year's election is. There could also be implications closer to home. For a by-election, the Holyrood hopeful picked by the party has had a very low profile. Davy Russell, a former high heidyin at Glasgow City Council, has declined to take part in radio interviews, TV debates and even local hustings. When the BBC asked Mr Sarwar why his man had turned down their invitation to appear on Good Morning Scotland, he replied: 'That is a matter for the campaign team and the campaign.' If the party does get humped, then there will be questions over the selection process and the party's fitness for next year's Holyrood election. John Swinney, Katy Loudon and SNP supporters in Hamilton (Image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty) Last week, John Swinney penned an open letter to Labour supporters calling on them to vote for Katy Loudon to beat Nigel Farage. He described the Brexiteer as a 'clear and present danger to our country' and said he must be stopped. 'The problem is that Labour cannot do that. Their campaign is in collapse and Keir Starmer is busy pandering to Farage. 'And so, I am today asking Labour supporters to act. 'It is time to unite behind our shared principles, defeat Nigel Farage, and refuse to be divided by a man determined to destroy the values we hold dear.' The letter was splashed by the Daily Record, an effective endorsement from a paper traditionally associated with Labour. Two days later, the paper splashed a letter from Mr Sarwar. 'Do not believe the spin and the nonsense of John Swinney,' he wrote. 'This by-election is a two-horse race between Scottish Labour and the SNP. 'Reform's poison will not win here,' he insisted. The SNP say he might. 'It is tight,' one source said. 'Losing to Reform is not impossible.' 'Nigel Farage has made the political weather, frankly, north and south of the Border,' Professor Sir John Curtice told The Herald on Sunday. But he warned that the strategy of talking up Reform could backfire. 'It is the old story — if you do not like something, it is not always a good idea to draw people's attention to it, which is precisely what Sarwar and Swinney have done and we will have to wait and see whether or not this makes any difference at all and whether or not they were wise to do so. 'It is a bit of a two-edged sword. If we take what Swinney is now saying — 'it is a battle between us and Reform, so if you hate Nigel Farage you have to vote for us' — well, you might be able to persuade some people who would otherwise vote Labour to vote for you. 'But on the other hand, you might also be able to persuade the not inconsiderable number of Conservatives in this constituency that maybe voting for Reform might be the best way of giving the SNP a bloody nose. You might encourage anti-SNP tactical voting as much as you might persuade pro-SNP tactics.'
The National
5 days ago
- Politics
- The National
John Swinney urged to intervene and scrap Flamingo Land plans
During a fiery First Minister's Questions (FMQs), in which ex-Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross was expelled, the SNP leader was questioned over the controversial Flamingo Land plans. In September 2024, Flamingo Land Ltd had its planning permission in principle for the multi-million-pound water park rejected by all 14 board members of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Planning Authority. But after the Scottish Government reporter's decision earlier this month, Flamingo Land will be allowed to proceed to the next stage of planning and scrutiny and reach an agreement with the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority. READ MORE: Labour officials 'fighting like rats in a sack' over Keir Starmer succession, MP says Ivan McKee, minister for public finance, has since said the Scottish Government has 'no intention' of stepping in. The Scottish Greens have long opposed the plans, with co-leader Patrick Harvie condemning the lack of action from ministers. 'Outside Parliament today, people gathered to express their anger at the Scottish Government's intention to approve a resort development by Flamingo Land on the shores of Loch Lomond,' Harvie (below) said. 'It's been opposed by the National Trust for Scotland, by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, by over 155,000 people, and it was rejected unanimously by the National Park.' He added: 'It's the most unpopular development in the history of the Scottish planning system. 'Now, I know the First Minister is about to tell us that he can't comment on a specific appeal. But his minister has already made a political decision. It took Ivan McKee just 2 working days to announce his refusal to act in the public interest and recall the appeal, so he and the First Minister have to be accountable for that now. 'There is still a chance we can save Loch Lomond. This decision isn't set in stone, so will the First Minister listen to all those who have been objecting for years and put the natural environment ahead of corporate profit and recall this decision? 'As Mr Harvie has indicated, as the appeal remains live, members have to understand that it would not be appropriate for me to comment in detail on the proposal. 'I am aware that the reporter has issued a notice of intention to allow the appeal and to grant planning permission in principle, subject to 49 planning conditions and the reaching of a legal agreement, including the Lomond Promise, with a commitment to community benefits and fair work. 'The reporter is required to make his decision on the planning merits of the case and to take full account of all submissions made by the parties involved in this case, including representations from members of the local community.' The First Minister was also scrutinised by Anas Sarwar (below) over NHS waiting lists. (Image: PA) The Scottish Labour leader was speaking days after figures showed the number of people waiting two years for outpatient treatment was at the highest level on record. Statistics released on Tuesday showed 5262 people were waiting for more than two years for a procedure at the end of March this year. They also showed 63,406 people were waiting more than 12 months. Responding to Sarwar when pressed on the issue, John Swinney said: 'I recognise the significant impact of long waits on individual patients, and I apologise to everybody who's affected by those long waits. 'It's why the tackling of long waits is central to the Government's plans to deliver the improvements in the National Health Service that are required.' But he also took aim at the UK Government's new approach to immigration. 'Anyone looking at the details of what's been set out by the UK Government and turning off the ability of us being able to attract international workers will realise that that's a very damaging blow to our health service,' he told MSPs. 'Because our health service, and I saw data from Scottish Care, for example, about social care, is heavily dependent on international workers. And if the UK Government decides to turn off the ability of the Scottish Health Service to attract international workers, it will make our challenge to address the waiting time ever more difficult as a consequence.'
Daily Record
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Record
Former Scottish football starlet blinded in bottle attack lands prestigious car dealer prize
John McTier was the victim of an unprovoked attack in Govan when he was just 16 A talented footballer blinded in a bottle attack has become an award-winning car dealer - and said the traumatic incident drove him to success. John McTier was just 16 when he was jumped by a gang of six as he walked his girlfriend home in Govan. Now, 21 years on, he is celebrating success. John had just signed for Ayr United and experts predicted a big future ahead of him when his career was left in ruins by the unprovoked attack in December 2004. He was jumped by a gang of teen thugs - three boys and three girls - aged 14-17 as he walked near his home in Govan, Glasgow. As he lay in hospital blinded in one eye and thinking about the wreckage of his life he told his mum Patricia: "I wish they had finished me off. If I can't play football I can't do anything else." John, a promising left-winger, tried to make a comeback but losing the sight in his left eye proved too much to overcome and he was forced to give up the game. He was initially offered just £32,000 in compensation for the assault, including just £5,000 for loss of earnings. But lawyer Liam O'Donnell, ex-Scottish PFA chief Fraser Wishart, then Ayr coach Robert Connor and former Dundee United winger and team-mate Craig Conway told the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority he could have signed for an Old Firm club and earned £500,000 a year. He was eventually awarded more than £260,000 in 2010 and used the cash to set himself up in business. And the pain of the attack fuelled him and he has just been crowned Best Independent Motor Dealer at the 2025 Scottish Business Awards for his Cardonald-based firm Woodville Cars. John told the Scottish Sun: 'It was a job to start with and then when I started doing something right, I got a buzz out of that. 'I was always wanting to be a football player, I tried my best, I wouldn't do the teenager thing and get drunk or whatever, I trained and I worked my best. 'I gave it 110 per cent. I didn't know any other thing. As stupid as it sounds, if a wee granny comes in and books you, you've got to get that right, I'm not taking that car out unless it's checked and double checked. 'It comes back to treating other people like you'd like to be treated yourself. I don't even know who nominated me for this award but it means a lot.'
Scottish Sun
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Former football starlet who lost eye in horror bottle attack crowned Scotland's top independent car dealer
The sports prodigy, then 16, had just signed for Ayr United when the assault stole his left eye and robbed him of his future dreams Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A FORMER football starlet blinded by a bottle thug says the trauma drove him to success - after becoming an award-winning car dealer. John McTier, 37, was a promising winger tipped for the top when six neds launched an unprovoked attack as he walked his girlfriend home in Govan, Glasgow, in December 2004. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 John McTier has been named Scotland's best independent car dealer Credit: Supplied 2 The ex-Ayr United starlet was blinded in one eye in a sickening bottle attack in 2004 Credit: Les Gallagher - The Sun Glasgow The sports prodigy, then 16, had just signed for Ayr United when the assault stole his left eye and robbed him of his future dreams. But he channeled hurt into hope and was just crowned Best Independent Motor Dealer at the 2025 Scottish Business Awards for his Cardonald-based firm Woodville Cars. John, who recently welcomed daughter McKinley with wife Nikki, 38, said: 'It was a job to start with and then when I started doing something right, I got a buzz out of that. 'I was always wanting to be a football player, I tried my best, I wouldn't do the teenager thing and get drunk or whatever, I trained and I worked my best. 'I gave it 110 per cent. I didn't know any other thing. 'As stupid as it sounds, if a wee granny comes in and books you, you've got to get that right, I'm not taking that car out unless it's checked and double checked. 'It comes back to treating other people like you'd like to be treated yourself. I don't even know who nominated me for this award but it means a lot.' John was initially offered just £32,000 in compensation for the assault, including just £5,000 for loss of earnings. But lawyer Liam O'Donnell, ex-Scottish PFA chief Fraser Wishart, then Ayr coach Robert Connor and former Dundee United winger and team-mate Craig Conway told the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority he could have signed for an Old Firm club and earned £500,000 a year. He was jumped by a gang of teen thugs - three boys and three girls - with then 14-year-old ned Andrew Hulley referred to the Children's Panel instead of being locked up I saved retired fire engine from scrap in just 10 weeks – now it has completely different life John - who also suffered a broken nose and cuts to his head and body was eventually awarded more than £260,000 in 2010 and used the cash to set himself up in business. But it didn't all go to plan - as he first qualified as a college lecturer before the recession hit and public sector cuts interfered with the job he was promised. Now he reckons his success comes down to the fact he never rips off customers. He said: 'I guess it's a nice feeling to know when you're recognised. 'I have friends who say I'm doing everything right and I thought they were just being nice, but then loads of people have said the same. 'If I do an MOT, I don't just do the bare minimum, I do everything. If it's advisories or anything, I do all that before I put the car out the door, so then it's 100 per cent right. 'That way, they're not going to phone me back up in a month's time. I'll just eradicate that by doing it all, it costs more money, I don't make as much money, but if it helps me build my brand and helps my customers get a better deal, then it's worth it. 'What's for you won't go by you - and I'm very happy with my life now."
