Latest news with #AngusRobertson
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
Scottish Government changes guidance that led to Supreme Court ruling
The Gender Representation on Public Boards (Scotland) Act sparked the legal challenge from For Women Scotland (FWS) on the definition of a woman which led to the issue being heard in the UK's highest court. Initially, the guidance stated that transgender women with a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC) or those living as women would count towards gender balance on public boards. The 2004 Gender Recognition Act, which introduced GRCs, used the terms sex and gender interchangeably. It said a GRC meant someone "becomes for all purposes the acquired gender". READ MORE: Patrick Harvie and Angus Robertson face-off over Israel divestment The anti-trans campaign group disagreed with this definition, and in 2022 took the Scottish Government to court. They initially lost a judicial review, but were then successful on appeal. The Scottish Government then changed guidance to only include trans women with a GRC. This led to FWS calling for a second judicial review, which they lost in December 2022. The case then went to the Supreme Court, with judges ruling in April that women were defined by biological sex under the Equality Act 2010. (Image: NQ staff) FWS raised thousands of pounds via a crowdfunder to take the case to the UK's highest court. They have recently said they would consider further legal action. And now, the Scottish Government has updated the statutory guidance relating to public boards on its official website. An update to the document reads: 'The meaning of 'woman' for the purposes of the Act. 'There is no definition of 'woman' set out in the Act with effect from 19 April 2022 and 22 March 2022. 'By virtue of section 11 and section 212(1) of the Equality Act 2010 references in the Act to a 'woman' or to 'women' are references to a biological woman or women.' READ MORE: Labour U-turn on benefits cuts in bid to win over rebel MPs In April, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville announced the Scottish Government would make the change to the guidance. She added that the ruling had sparked 'real anxiety' from trans and non-binary people. 'It is significant that the Supreme Court stated that their judgment that the rights of the trans community are enshrined in law and I want to reassure our trans community that you are valued and the Scottish Government is fully committed to protecting everyone's rights and that includes your community,' she said. Following the judgment, the Equality and Human Rights Commissions (EHRC) issued guidance that banned transgender people from using the toilets of their acquired gender. The EHRC has since been forced to change part of the guidance amid a legal challenge of its interpretation of the Supreme Court ruling. It rescinded guidance that stated it was 'compulsory' for workplaces to provide single-sex toilets. The Scottish Parliament, and more recently the House of Commons, have banned transgender people from using the toilets of their acquired gender following the Supreme Court's ruling. Trans women were also banned from playing in women's football and cricket teams.
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
SNP must give up pretence weapons firms aren't arming Israel
We see the devastation every day on social media – the flattened homes, the murdered children, the hospitals turned to rubble. While Scotland is thousands of miles away from this daily death and destruction, we have important questions to ask our own Governments about their complicity in this escalating conflict. Labour's UK Government has armed Israel. It has even trained its military forces. It has refused to challenge Israel's genocide of the Palestinian people in Gaza. READ MORE: Patrick Harvie and Angus Robertson face-off as tensions rise over Israel divestment Its response has done nothing but encourage the escalation of violence in the Middle East, from its ongoing material support for Israel's daily atrocities in Gaza and the West Bank, to the political cover it is now providing Israel and the US as they intensify the conflict in Iran. The SNP have been right to call out Westminster's disgraceful complicity in Israel's war crimes. But, despite this, the Scottish Government has continued to give public money to companies which are arming Israel. This paper exposed that since 2019, Scottish Enterprise has awarded at least £8 million in public grants to arms manufacturers. And more recent research from Amnesty International found that between January 2022 and April 2025, Scottish Enterprise gave almost £2.75m to firms which have been arming Israel. That includes Leonardo, which produces the laser targeting systems for Israeli fighter jets, and Raytheon, whose smart bombs have helped level whole city blocks in Gaza. Entire cities in Gaza have been levelled by Israeli bombsThese aren't just abstract names on an export list, they are companies producing tools of death, and our money is helping them do it. The companies profiting from this assault on Gaza – one which leading human rights experts, including Amnesty International, have described as a genocide – are embedded in our economy. This should not be happening. In 2019, the Scottish Government – after pressure from the Scottish Greens – committed that all Scottish public bodies would conduct human rights checks on companies, including arms manufacturers, prior to funding them. These due diligence checks look at a number of things – including whether a company has been associated with human rights abuses anywhere in the world. READ MORE: 'Isn't it telling?': John Swinney rips into Anas Sarwar on benefit cuts But no company has ever failed the checks undertaken by Scottish Enterprise, despite clear evidence that companies like Raytheon and Leonardo are arming Israel's war. These human rights checks are clearly not fit for purposes. In February, we forced the Government to review these human rights checks. For months, we pushed for a progress update. We demanded answers before the summer. Earlier this week, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes finally updated Parliament on the review. She claimed that Scottish Enterprise's internal assessment of past practice found no evidence that grant money has gone towards the manufacturing of munitions. The SNP are right not to use public money to pay for the production of munitions in Scotland. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire) But exactly how many degrees of separation does the Scottish Government want before it finally acknowledges complicity? If you contribute towards building a bigger bomb factory, you don't get to say that you haven't funded the production of the bombs. The truth is that Scottish Government funds are still going to the manufacturers of weapons and military technology used by Israel to inflict unimaginable harms on Palestinians. The Scottish Greens have always been clear. Companies that are arming Israel's assault on Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank should never receive public funding. Our money should never be used to boost the profits and profiles of arms companies that are happy to fuel genocide and war crimes. READ MORE: Which protests will the UK state declare unacceptable next? Let's stop pretending we don't know where our money ends up and who's enjoying the spoils. The evidence is there. We may not have the power to halt the UK's arms sales or change its foreign policy. But we do have the power to decide where our own public funds go. And we must use that power responsibly. The Scottish Government can't have it both ways. Ministers can't call on the UK Government to halt arms exports to Israel while simultaneously handing money to the very firms that make those weapons. The people of Scotland deserve better. The Scottish public has a proud tradition of opposing war, standing for peace, and defending human rights. Let's not tarnish that legacy by turning a blind eye when it matters most.
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Prestwick Airport releases statement on US war planes row
The Herald reports that the government-owned airport said it was 'providing aviation services to military customers from around the world including Nato partners'. It comes after Constitution Secretary Angus Robertson insisted the base was not used in recent American bombing raids on Iran. READ MORE: Patrick Harvie and Angus Robertson face-off over Israel divestment We told how Yousaf said he hoped the Scottish Government would take advice on its 'legal obligations' including US planes refuelling at Prestwick. He called on First Minister John Swinney to distance himself from Israel's genocide in Gaza and 'illegal' strikes on Iran. "Scotland, including through the use of our publicly owned assets such as Prestwick, cannot be complicit,' the former first minister said. 'The Scottish Government should be doing everything within its power to distance itself from Israel's illegal military actions, whether it's the assets we own, the limited foreign interventions we can make…Whatever we can do, we should be doing because this is the moral question of our time." US military aircraft have stopped at Prestwick 39 times since the start of June. And now, the airport has released a statement in response to the row. (Image: PA) 'Glasgow Prestwick Airport operates on a commercial basis and at arms-length from the Scottish Government," a spokeswoman said. "For almost 80 years the airport has been providing aviation services to military customers from around the world including Nato partners. 'We do not comment on operational matters relating to individual military customers. 'All aircraft landing at any aerodrome in the UK (including Glasgow Prestwick Airport) require to have Civil Aviation Authority permission to transit UK airspace or land in the UK.' READ MORE: YouGov poll predicts result in every Scottish seat – see the full map Earlier this week, Robertson was asked by Scottish Labour backbencher Carole Mochan whether the Scottish Government would rule out allowing the US and Israel access to Prestwick Airport while they carried out strikes on Iran. Robertson said that he had 'not seen any information that would support any conclusion about involvement of Scottish facilities being used directly in terms of military attacks on Iran'. He added that previous strikes did not involve the airport and American jets were refuelled 'in the air' before bombing Iran, returning to the US without stopping at Prestwick.
The National
3 days ago
- General
- The National
'Lifesaving' £250K aid pledged for DR Congo crisis
The Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) is a £1 million annual Scottish Government fund, administered by the Disasters Emergency Committee and eight partner charities, providing rapid aid in overseas crises caused by disaster, disease, or conflict. Charities Oxfam Scotland and Tearfund have welcomed the move, calling the funds 'lifesaving' as residents of the DRC face forced displacement, hunger, violence and insecurity. The £250,000 provided through the HEF will be distributed to both organisations, and through local partners, to support emergency relief efforts across eastern DRC – helping families pay for essentials such as food, fuel, shelter or hygiene items, as well as accessing urgent medical care, trauma services and safe transport. READ MORE: Meet the engineer hoping to be the first Palestinian-Scot MSP in Holyrood External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson said: 'The humanitarian crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo is on a scale we can hardly imagine here in Scotland. 'Successive waves of violence are claiming the lives of civilians, including children, with millions forced to flee to temporary accommodation where conditions are deteriorating. 'The situation is being worsened by the scaling back of humanitarian assistance by other international donors. 'While our funding may only make a small impact in the face of such overwhelming need, we are determined to stand behind our values and Scotland's long and proud history of responding to humanitarian crises around the world.' Conflict in the region has forced over seven million people from their homes, with many facing hunger, illness, and repeated trauma – particularly women and children. In the east, renewed violence since January has displaced hundreds of thousands, leaving many without food, water, or shelter. The charity described the situation in the DRC as one of 'the world's most urgent and complex crises'. Oxfam, supported by £125,000 from the Scottish Government's Humanitarian Emergency Fund, will assist 3,000 people in eastern DRC. This includes direct cash transfers to 500 households and support for 200 survivors of sexual violence, helping them access urgent medical and trauma care. READ MORE: Free Dundee exhibition to showcase historic Palestinian embroidery and dress Climate change, closed banks, and deforestation worsen conditions, while cuts in global aid – like the $900 million suspended by the US – have severely impacted relief efforts. Oxfam's local partner SOPROP highlights that demand far outnumbers resources. The Scottish Government's support has been labelled a 'critical' intervention in a crisis that receives little international attention. By providing flexible emergency funds, the HEF will help families to make their own choices in crisis. Manenji Mangundu, Oxfam Scotland's Country Director in the Democratic Republic of Congo, said: 'Every day, our partners and colleagues are meeting mothers who've walked for miles with nothing but their children in their arms, desperately searching for safety. 'They've lost everything: their homes, their loved ones, their hope of a normal life. The scale of human suffering here is staggering. 'The recent cuts to humanitarian funding have been devastating. We've had to make impossible choices about who gets clean water, medicine, or even a place to sleep. 'That's why support from the Scottish Government is so vital. With our local partner, it's helping us reach people who would otherwise be left with nothing. 'But with millions still in desperate need, we urgently need other governments and donors to follow Scotland's lead. Now is the time to step up, not step back.' Testimony from a DRC resident Tearfund shared Aimee's story, a Congolese woman who has faced displacement numerous times as a result of the ongoing conflict. The Malehe resident (below) and her mother have endured years of suffering as a consequence of the violence. (Image: EAC Goma/Tearfund)'My name is Aimee, and I am a resident of Malehe. I am originally from here. Two years ago, we fled to Kimashini, and arrived at a camp for displaced people where we stayed for two years. A few weeks ago, conflict escalated and we were asked to return home to Malehe", she told the charity. She continued: "Once back in Malehe with my children, I found that our house had been destroyed. So, we built a hut, which is where we live now, in very poor conditions, particularly in terms of food. "We are asking for help: if I could find a little money, I could sell products, and rebuild my house. I would love to rebuild a house like the one I had before. Please, help us, we are starving. "Here, there are schools, but our children don't study, because we no longer have the means to pay for uniforms and notebooks. We really need help." Aimee highlighted the financial difficulties faced by many in the region, noting that whilst the hospitals still stand, the cost of care and treatment is too high. She added: "Pregnant women give birth on the bare ground. "We, the mothers, are really suffering. We really don't know what to do anymore."
BBC News
3 days ago
- Politics
- BBC News
Global crisis poses defence dilemma for John Swinney
In the aftermath of the recent US strikes on Iran, Holyrood politicians wanted to know if Scottish facilities such as the government-owned Prestwick Airport were excluded from use in such Scottish government's External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson assured MSPs that Prestwick had not played any part in this particular also pointed out that the airport is regularly used by the air forces of the UK's allies such as the US and Canada - an important revenue stream for doesn't quite answer the question, but it does help clarify the careful balance the Scottish government is trying to find amid wars in the Middle East and Ukraine and President Donald Trump's uncertain position on the defence of Europe. The Holyrood administration seems keen to avoid undermining the UK's positions on defence and foreign affairs at such a sensitive time of international Minister John Swinney echoed the prime minister's call for "de-escalation" in Iran following the US strikes while warning of the potential dangers of the military did not openly condemn President Trump for taking the decision to bomb Iran's nuclear ministers want to be seen as reliable partners to the UK's allies in Nato in the event that one day they might be seeking independent Scottish membership of that the same time they are sensitive to opinion in their own party, and beyond that, favour a diplomatic rather than a military approach to conflict resolution. The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn tends to be less nuanced in his contributions, at one point comparing the current situation with the build up to the Iraq certainly seems fair to observe a difference in the tone of comments from Scottish ministers and some other SNP be clear, international relations are under UK government control. The Scottish government does not have a formal role in decision-making but can express its views and potentially lobby UK Scotland, the most obvious policy clash is over nuclear UK government is committed to maintaining the Trident nuclear weapons system and the four Clyde-based submarines designed to deploy nuclear armed ministers believe this is essential to deter Russia and other states with nuclear weapons from pointing them in our SNP is fundamentally opposed to the possession of nuclear weapons, which they believe could encourage the party's 2024 election manifesto makes clear, the SNP "has never and will never support retention or renewal of Trident".Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer recently described this policy as "wrong-headed". More generally, the SNP's opponents consider their anti-nuclear stance to be in direct conflict with their support for Scottish membership of Nato in the event of is a 32-country military alliance underpinned by the potential use of nuclear SNP point out that most Nato countries do not have nuclear weapons and that Finland has just joined as a non-nuclear member. Finland is not, however, seeking the removal of nuclear weapons from its the UK and Scottish governments agree that there is a need to increase UK defence spending as a share of national economic output or prime minister is not only seeking to present this as a commitment to protecting UK interests but as an economic opportunity that could bring good jobs to all corners of the idea of a defence dividend was underlined by his decision to launch the UK's strategic defence review at the BAE Systems naval shipyard in suggested a longer term commitment to Scottish shipbuilding. There was also the hint that proposals for a UK-wide network of munitions factories could include new or expanded facilities in Scotland. The Scottish government has not objected to increased UK defence spending north of the border, although the first minister made clear to me in a recent interview that he favours the cash being used for conventional rather than nuclear has used this extra spending to raise questions about how the Scottish government deploys its economic and skills development resources to support the defence UK defence secretary, John Healey, accused SNP ministers of "student union politics" when it emerged that a specialist welding centre planned by Rolls Royce for Glasgow could be under threat because it was being denied a £2.5m grant from the economic development agency Scottish Scottish government said the facility to support the construction and maintenance of submarines was not eligible for funding because of a longstanding policy of not allowing public money to support the manufacture of munitions. In a Holyrood debate, the Conservatives urged the SNP to change this stance - which seemed to draw sympathy from the SNP's former defence spokesman Stewart on social media, he said that "it pains me to see we are not evolving with the serious times we live in".Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes defended the policy and pointed to other financial support the Scottish government had given to defence firms for diversification and a BBC interview, she also described the ban on backing munitions production as the "current position", which seemed to hint at the potential for is supposed to be an update on a review of the human rights criteria to be applied when considering applications for devolved public support before Holyrood breaks for the are certainly those who want the Scottish government to do more to help grow the defence industries based in Scotland that support growth is after all supposed to be one of the Scottish government's four are also those such as the Scottish Greens who want them to do less. They believe it is morally wrong to subsidise bomb making and the firms that carry out the SNP's manifesto called for a ban on arms sales to Israel. In power, Labour has suspended some arms export SNP supports the recognition of a Palestinian state, which Labour has said it would do as part of a renewed peace process with Israel towards a two state former first minister, Humza Yousaf, criticised the UK's decision to use anti-terror laws to proscribe a pro-Palestinian group for vandalising RAF planes. He said this was a ludicrous over-reaction. There has been a further row about a donation of NHS equipment from the Scottish government to was given on a humanitarian basis which under rules that are followed by the UK and other countries prevents its use in a military have argued that this gift should have been made in a different way so that it could have gone to the frontline if issues do not just draw dividing lines between the SNP and its rivals to the left and right of the political spectrum in the run up to the Holyrood election in and foreign policy is also a sensitive political issue within the Labour prime minister's commitment to boost spending is welcomed by defence unions who see improved prospects for their are those on the Labour left like the former Scottish party leader Richard Leonard who have publicly expressed concern that the UK government is prioritising weapons over initial increase in defence spending is principally being funded by a raid on the overseas aid increases might squeeze the cash available for public services which would inevitably cause significant rows within the Labour party never mind with its rivals including the SNP.A Labour rebellion is already underway at Westminster over the government's attempts to slow the growth in welfare spending by cutting some is not of course possible to spend the same money twice and choices must be UK defence spending rises, so do the tensions within Scottish politics over how best to use public resources to meet the challenges of an unstable world.
