Latest news with #MelanieWard
The Herald Scotland
11-06-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Kirkcaldy to receive funding boost in spending review
The exact figure being invested in the town has yet to be unveiled, however the UK Government confirmed on Wednesday that £240 million of capital from 2026-27 to 2029-30 will be put into local projects across the UK. It comes after the town's local MP Melanie Ward urged the Chancellor to invest in the region. Speaking in the House of Commons on Wednesday, the Chancellor said investment in Kirkcaldy's seafront and high street would 'create jobs and new business opportunities'. The plans were outlined alongside measures to boost communities across the UK, with Ms Reeves stating: 'The renewal of Britain must be felt everywhere.' She said additional funding would be invested to support up to 350 communities, particularly those in deprived areas, while a total of £52 billion was announced for the Scottish Government. 'Backing our nations and regions means backing our devolved governments,' she said. The Chancellor added: 'I know the pride that people feel in their communities. I see it everywhere I go. But I also know that for too many people, there is a sense that something has been lost as high streets have declined, as community spaces have closed, as jobs and opportunities have gone elsewhere. 'The renewal of Britain must be felt everywhere. Today, I am pleased to announce additional funding to support up to 350 communities, especially those in the most deprived areas – funding to improve parks, youth facilities and libraries.' Scottish Labour's Melanie Ward, MP for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy, told the House of Commons on Monday: "Many times I've raised with the Minister as well as Business Ministers and Treasury Ministers, the need for regeneration funding for Kirkcaldy High Street. 'The brilliant people of our town deserve a modern town centre that makes the most of our incredible seafront and all it has to offer. Ahead of the Spending Review this week, can the Minister assure me that my message has been heard?'
The Courier
26-05-2025
- Health
- The Courier
Kirkcaldy MP demands pro-suicide forum is torn down
Online safety watchdog Ofcom needs to 'crack on' and remove a harmful forum which promotes suicide to children and adults, Kirkcaldy MP Melanie Ward says. The regulator announced earlier in April that it was investigating the website which has been linked to as many as 100 deaths in the UK. Ms Ward says the regulator should 'get on with it' and use its new powers under the Online Safety Act to remove the pro-suicide forum quickly. Material viewed on the website – which The Courier is choosing not to name – includes graphic and disturbing content. The site has tens of thousands of members who discuss methods of suicide and instructions on how to purchase and use lethal chemicals. Among the posters are users who say they are children under 16. Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy MP Ms Ward used a House of Commons debate to call on the regulator to take more urgent action. Ms Ward said: 'I wrote to Ofcom about a platform that is actively promoting suicidal ideation and has been linked to nearly 100 deaths, including among young people. 'Ofcom responded to say they are opening an investigation – but we need action now. Lives are at stake. 'These sites are preying on vulnerable people and providing detailed, dangerous guidance on how to end their lives and promoting suicidal ideation. 'We cannot allow this to continue. I will keep pushing Ofcom to use the powers parliament has given them – not tomorrow, but today – to remove this content and protect our young people.' Health minister Stephen Kinnock agreed with Ms Ward, saying it was 'time to crack on and deal with this issue'. 'It is deeply troubling,' he added. Ofcom says its investigation is underway and must be completed before enforcement action is taken. Where it identifies compliance failures, it can require platforms to take specific measures. Among its powers are potential fines of up to £18 million or 10% of worldwide revenue. Ofcom can also seek a court order requiring providers and advertisers withdraw services or force internet providers to block access in the UK. When life is difficult, Samaritans are here – day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123, email them at jo@ ,or visit to find your nearest branch.
The Guardian
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Labour takes action over Gaza: what took them so long?
The government has suspended trade talks with Israel and denounced its actions in Gaza. But why are we only now seeing this kind of action and moral outrage? John Harris speaks to Melanie Ward, a Labour MP and former chief executive at Medical Aid for Palestinians. Plus, after Keir Starmer's reset with the EU, how does the public feel about the politics of Brexit? Guardian columnist Rafael Behr and Sophie Stowers from More in Common join John to discuss
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Fresh blow to assisted suicide bill as Government admits errors in crucial impact assessment
Troubled plans to legalise assisted suicide have suffered another blow as the Government quietly admitted it had got key figures wrong. On the eve of the controversial legislation returning to Parliament, the official forecast of how many people are likely to seek to end their own lives was corrected – but MPs were not alerted. The final page of the Impact Assessment carried out by the Department of Health and Ministry of Justice, which was controversially published late on the day of the local election results, was updated to state: 'Since publication on 02 May 2025, two errors have been identified and corrected.' It explained that the wrong period of time was used to collate figures of recent assisted deaths in Oregon and so the prediction for England and Wales was incorrect. Under the revised figures, up to 647 deaths are expected in the first half-year of the scheme rather than 787 and 1,078 applicants are expected instead of 1,311. Campaigners told the Mail the that error highlighted the 'chaotic' nature of the legislation, which is being led by backbench Labour MP Kim Leadbeater in a Private Members' Bill rather than by the Government. She has repeatedly made major changes to the plan, such as removing the role of High Court judges to approve applications, and has continued to table amendments to it until this week. Labour MP Melanie Ward told the Mail: 'This shows just how chaotic this whole process has been. 'With the bill being amended by supporters just days before it is debated and the impact assessment being quietly corrected, MPs on either side of the debate can't really know what they are being asked to vote on. 'It calls into question again whether this bill is fit for purpose and whether this private members' bill process is suited to deal with such significant and profound matters of life and death.' In another setback, leading social care organisations described the proposed law change as 'unworkable, unaffordable and naive'. The Coalition of Frontline Care for People Nearing the End of Life told Sky News its members were worried about the impact on staff who look after terminally ill people. It comes after the Royal College of Psychiatrists said it had 'serious concerns' about the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill and the Royal College of Physicians said there were still 'deficiencies' in it. And a former supporter of the bill broke ranks to say he will now abstain because he does not feel he should 'be God', in a fresh sign of MPs' growing doubts about the major social change. Karl Turner became the first Labour MP who backed the bill at its first Parliamentary hurdle last year to publicly say he will no longer vote in favour. He told the Telegraph: 'I used to be very liberal, but I just don't think – I'm going to sound like I'm religious, I'm not particularly – but I just don't think I should be God at the minute. It's not my job. I've got enough on my plate.' Tory MP Charlie Dewhirst who previously abstained said he would vote against. And former minister George Freeman also said he would change sides, telling Times Radio the bill risked creating a 'suicide culture'. Bill architect Ms Leadbeater insisted that it is much stronger since she replaced the proposed sign-off by a judge with a panel featuring psychiatrists and social workers. She told LBC radio: 'Having a more holistic approach, a more patient-centred approach, I think, is much, much stronger.'
Leader Live
14-05-2025
- Health
- Leader Live
Doctors raise concerns over assisted dying Bill ahead of return to Parliament
In what will be seen by some as a blow for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) said it cannot support the proposals in their current form, while separate research has highlighted division on the issue amongst family doctors in England. The Bill, which relates to England and Wales, will come before MPs in the House of Commons on Friday for its report stage – where various further amendments will be debated and voted on. It is not yet clear whether time will allow on the day for a third reading vote. It will be the first time the Bill is back before the Commons since the historic yes vote in November. The Bill's continued passage through Westminster comes as the Scottish Parliament backed the general principles for assisted dying in a vote on Tuesday. Holyrood voted by 70 votes to 56 in favour of the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. On the Westminster Bill, the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) has said it cannot support the proposed legislation in its current form, highlighting 'serious concerns'. Conservative MP Danny Kruger, who is opposed to the Bill, said this was a 'very significant intervention', and Labour's Melanie Ward, who also voted against it, said it was a 'blow to (the Bill's) foundations'. The college said it has 'unanswered questions' about the safeguarding of people with mental illness and warned of a shortage of consultant psychiatrists to meet the demands of the Bill. Meanwhile, research by the BBC suggested varying views among GPs. Of 1,000 doctors who responded to questions on assisted dying, 500 were opposed to legalisation while about 400 were in favour, the broadcaster said. Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, told the BBC the results showed doctors had 'real concerns about the practical and legal implications of a change in the law on assisted dying', which she said 'must be acknowledged and addressed, so that any legislation is watertight'. The Bill was amended during committee stage earlier this year, including the High Court element being scrapped in favour of multidisciplinary panels featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. The RCPsych has said it is 'not clear what a psychiatrist's role on a multidisciplinary panel would be', and also demanded any new law 'must exclude the physical effects of mental disorder, such as anorexia or dementia, as the basis for eligibility'. Dr Lade Smith, president of the RCPsych, said: 'It's integral to a psychiatrist's role to consider how people's unmet needs affect their desire to live. The Bill, as proposed, does not honour this role, or require other clinicians involved in the process to consider whether someone's decision to die might change with better support. 'We are urging MPs to look again at our concerns for this once-in-a-generation Bill and prevent inadequate assisted dying/assisted suicide proposals from becoming law.' Dr Annabel Price, also from the RCPsych, said: 'The college has spent decades focused on preventing people from dying by suicide. 'A significant part of our engagement on this Bill to date has been to point out that people with terminal physical illnesses are more likely to have depression. 'Terminal illness is a risk factor for suicide, and unmet needs can make a person's life feel unbearable. But we know that if a person's situation is improved or their symptoms treated, then their wish to end their life sooner often changes. 'The Bill does not specify whether assisted dying/assisted suicide is a treatment option – an ambiguity that has major implications in law.' Labour MP Simon Opher, who is also a GP and is supportive of the Bill, said the legislation has been amended to be even safer than it was. He told the BBC Radio Four Today programme: 'I totally understand the criticisms around the Bill but I think that actually if you read the Bill it's incredibly safe now and it has a number of safeguards around capacity and coercion and indeed that's why we've involved psychiatrists for the very difficult cases around assessing mental capacity – which are very few but we need their expertise on that level.' Asked whether he felt concerns raised by royal colleges might put MPs off voting in favour of the Bill, he said: 'GPs are split on this and I totally acknowledge that and I know many people who I deeply respect who are against it and many who are for it. 'But I think that actually talking to MPs, many of them haven't changed their views on this. 'There's about three or four I know that may vote in favour of the Bill because of the extra safeguards we've built into it.' Meanwhile, Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the Westminster Bill, praised the 'lengthy, constructive and compassionate debate' in the Scottish Parliament, saying they had 'listened to the voices of those with personal experience of those injustices and concluded that the status quo cannot be defended any longer'.
