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Daily Record
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
Next election in Scotland can't just be about independence
Even independence-supporting voters may well be tempted to give somebody else a chance in the Holyrood hotseat after 17 years of SNP rule, says Record View. It is understandable that John Swinney wants to talk about independence in the build-up to next year's Holyrood election. Scotland becoming an independent country is the whole purpose of the First Minister's party and career. After the Hamilton by-election, many in his party have been putting him under pressure to focus more on Scotland's constitutional future. And independence remains popular, with support for it riding high in the polls. By focusing on this issue, the First Minister will hope to consolidate support for the SNP in next year's Scottish elections. But it would be a mistake to think that will be the only issue on people's minds as they cast their vote. This also needs to be an election on the dire state of Scotland's public services. Our health service is on its knees. One in six Scots is on a waiting list and our hospitals are crumbling. The attainment gap between rich and poor in our schools is far too wide and there is a youth violence epidemic in our streets. The roads are in a terrible state and our councils are struggling for cash. Voters will want to consider these issues when they choose who governs Scotland. Next year's election has to be about delivering the best public services for Scotland. It must be about improving people's lives in both the short and long term. If Swinney only talks about independence and does not say how he will improve our public services, that could backfire. Even independence-supporting voters may well be tempted to give somebody else a chance in the Holyrood hotseat after 17 years of SNP rule. 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. That's the spirit In the current tense political climate, it is easy for politicians of all parties to paint immigrants and asylum seekers as 'strangers'. But that is not the true picture in towns and cities across Scotland. One example is Hasab Mohammed, who fled the civil war in Sudan 20 years ago to try to make a better life for him and his family here in Scotland. After years of hard graft, he scraped together enough savings to open a small cafe in Kilmarnock town centre. It thrived and has become a popular part of the community. Hasab tells in today's Daily Record how a fire that ripped through buildings in the town this week has left his dream in tatters. But he has been humbled by the response of the local community, who have rallied round to try to help Hasab get his business back up and running. Hasab and his friends in Kilmarnock represent the true spirit of Scotland.


Daily Record
4 days ago
- Business
- Daily Record
Airport costs are plane crazy as Scots get financially hammered again
Record View says increased drop-off charges are another reminder of how much it costs to live in the UK. In a week when UK inflation was confirmed as rising again, it seems like Scots are getting hammered financially every way they turn. The Labour Government has boosted the minimum wage, the state pension and welfare spending has risen overall. But that can't undo the explosion in the cost of living in the immediate. aftermath of Tory austerity and the coronavirus pandemic. Wages have not kept pace, interest rates caused mortgages to soar and ordinary households have been hit by soaring fuel bills. At this time of year, those fortunate enough to enjoy a summer holiday abroad leave their worries at home for a week or two as they fly off to warmer climes. But Scots travellers are in for one final cost-of-living blow before they can even step on their plane. Both Edinburgh and Glasgow airports are among those in the UK which have increased drop-off charges. An absurd fee for stopping for less than a minute. Edinburgh Airport raised the charges by £1, with Glasgow Airport adding 50p, bringing the charge for both airports to £6. It might not seem like much – until you consider most of the busiest EU airports have no equivalent charges. It's another reminder of just how expensive it is to live in the UK. And how those who own our major infrastructure – like airports, energy firms and banks – often treat the public with contempt. 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. Teens get a voice The UK Government is right to give 16 and 17-year-olds the vote in general elections. The voting age was lowered in Scotland for the 2014 independence referendum. It was made permanent a year later and contributed to a much higher number of people getting out to vote at the 2016 and 2021 Holyrood elections. It works as a way of increasing participation and interest in politics. At 16, young people can leave school, get a job and pay taxes. In Scotland, they can get married and join the Armed Forces. They contribute to our country so ought to have a say on where the money they are taxed on is spent. As the American revolutionaries said during the late 18th century: 'No taxation without representation.' The result of the general election has a huge impact on their future, so they deserve to have a voice.


Daily Record
5 days ago
- Daily Record
System must work to protect public as report finds chances missed with Southport killer
Record View says the public needs a counter-terrorism system that works. The Prevent counter-terrorism scheme should have intervened to halt the Southport killer before he launched his murderous rampage. A damning report published yesterday found Axel Rudakubana could have been monitored, treated and potentially turned away from violence by the programme. Teachers warned Prevent officials three times that the future killer was obsessed with violence. Shockingly, on each occasion, his case was closed because he did not seem to have an identifiable terrorist motive. Rudakubana is now serving a life term in prison with a minimum term of 52 years after killing three young girls and injuring 10 others, including two adults. The report into Prevent found that between 2019 and 2021 teachers referred Rudakubana three times under a national duty to alert police and other agencies to potential extremists. It's clear the UK's security services are not up to speed with the danger of young men who have been radicalised online and want to inflict harm on innocent people. It's hard to see how the public can have faith in Prevent given its catalogue of failings. It's clear government agencies must take more seriously what potential extremists are posting publicly on social media. More often than not, violent maniacs are clear in their intentions and make no effort to hide them. The public needs a counter-terrorism system that works. Prevent is not it. 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. Whip smart Most observers agree both the UK and Scottish Governments have not done enough to prevent the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery. And Labour MP Brian Leishman has led the charge on trying to get more action to save the plant. Now he has been suspended from the Labour whip at Westminster for refusing to toe the party line on this and other issues. The closure put him in an extremely difficult position just months after being elected. Despite his inexperience, Leishman has not been scared to stand up for the workers and criticise his own party's government. He rightly said the UK Government would be letting down the workers if the refinery shuts and was brave to call for it to step in and save the plant. He rose to the challenge in a way that many others wouldn't have and deserves to be commended for that. No MP should be punished for trying to prevent a key part of Scotland's infrastructure from shutting down. Labour should restore the whip to Leishman and bring him back into the fold as soon as possible.


Daily Record
6 days ago
- Daily Record
Answers needed on death after body lay in Edinburgh Council HQ toilets for six days
Record View says Sean's wife Julie deserves to hear the truth – and nothing but the truth. The pain of losing a loved one is always hard to bear. But grieving widow Julie Stephen has the added horror of not knowing exactly how her husband Sean died. Today the Daily Record tells the story of Sean's death and the unanswered questions that surround it. He was on the phone to his wife on Edinburgh's Royal Mile when he said he was feeling unwell and was going to use the toilet in the City Chambers. Julie was then unable to contact him and, frantic with worry, reported him missing to the police. It was six days later when Sean's decomposing body was, according to Julie, found in a toilet inside the City Chambers. Now Julie has spoken out to demand answers from Edinburgh City Council and Police Scotland over Sean's death at the council's headquarters. The information being fed to Julie does not come close to answering her questions. She needs to find closure and, to do that, Julie needs to have the full picture of what happened in this tragic case. The Record has tried to find the answers but we have received only short statements from the council and police. At the very least both of these taxpayer-funded organisations need to tell Julie everything they know about Sean's death and the search for him. It may be that nothing could have been done to save Sean's life if he had been found earlier. But if honest mistakes were made, they should be admitted to and explained. Julie deserves to hear the truth – and nothing but the truth. 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. Clean the mess The Rolls-Royce factory in East Kilbride was a proud part of Scotland's industrial landscape. The aerospace giant quit the town for a site closer to Glasgow Airport in 2015. Now 10 years on, a place that once housed some of Scotland's most skilled workers has become a magnet for fly-tipping. It's an eyesore that those living nearby are rightly fed up with. Part of the former factory hub has since been built on for houses but the remainder has become a blight on the town. As the site is privately owned, the council says its options to intervene are limited. It's a sad indictment that a once proud industrial landmark can fall into such a dismal stare of disrepair. Residents don't deserve to be stuck with this rubbish-strewn mess any longer.


Daily Record
14-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Frontline care workers should be free of intimidation and fear no matter the time of day
Record View says nobody should have to put up with the threats and violence experienced by female care staff. It's alarming that so many female care workers feel intimidated when going to and from work. GMB Scotland's survey reveals hundreds of women are in fear of abuse or assault when visiting homes at night or in the early morning. Half of those surveyed have been victims of intimidation, abuse or violence while doing their jobs. Some said they had fireworks thrown at them and had been leered at by creepy and sinister men. No one should have to put up with behaviour like this when they go to their work. Not least these vital frontline workers who so many people up and down the country depend on. That so many workers – around nine out of every 10 – feel scared when going to and from work at certain times of the day is clearly unacceptable. Our story covers the plight of workers in Scotland's biggest city but it will reflect the experience of carer staff elsewhere. The union has called for double-staffing on high risk visits, having pool cars across the city and extra cover after 6pm. It has also warned of the stress most women feel working alone at certain times of the day and how it is taking a toll on their mental health. Bosses and Glasgow City Council should consider the measures proposed by the union and if they are likely to help, implement them as soon as possible. These valued frontline workers should be free of intimidation and fear no matter what time of day they go to work. If not, many are likely to quit their jobs and where would that leave Scotland's care sector? 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'. Our high streets must be revived It would be wrong to blame any political party for the decline of our town centres. At one time our high streets were bustling at the weekends and during public holidays. People would buy whatever they needed in shops and our town centres were full of life. It helped foster a real sense of pride and community in our local areas. Sadly, those days are gone and too many retail units lie empty. Shopping habits have changed. This is mostly due to online shopping and out-of-town malls rather than political neglect. But Holyrood should do what it can to help our high streets because no one wants to see the heart of their community become a ghost town.