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SNP plans to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes could lead to a rise in counterfeiting – say critics.
The party hopes to introduce plain packaging for all tobacco companies and force them to display bigger health warnings.
But critics and the tobacco lobby have warned that standardised packaging could also have damaging effects.
They say that it could lead to a price war resulting in increased smoking rates thanks to cheap cigarettes and also to a rise in counterfeiting. Continue reading
MORE than 20,000 people marched through the centre of the Scottish capital to demonstrate against the financial cuts announced in Westminster this week.
The mass of demonstrators, made up of trade unionists, community activists and members of the public assembled on New Market Street, close to the City of Edinburgh Council offices on Saturday.
The Scottish Trades Union Congress marched behind the banner of their campaign ‘There’s a better way’ and voiced their opinion that the £81 billion cuts announced by George Osborne do not favour public sector workers and are not the best course of action for the long-term Scottish and UK economy.
MORE than 20,000 people marched through the centre of the Scottish capital to demonstrate against the financial cuts announced in Westminster this week.
The mass of demonstrators, made up of trade unionists, community activists and members of the public assembled on New Market Street, close to the City of Edinburgh Council offices yesterday (Sat).
The Scottish Trades Union Congress marched behind the banner of their campaign ‘There’s a better way’ and voiced their opinion that the £81 billion cuts announced by George Osborne do not favour public sector workers and are not the best course of action for the long-term Scottish and UK economy.
By Clare Carswell
MORE than 20,000 people marched through the centre of the Scottish capital to demonstrate against the financial cuts announced in Westminster this week.
The mass of demonstrators, made up of trade unionists, community activists and members of the public assembled on New Market Street, close to the City of Edinburgh Council offices this morning (Sat).
The Scottish Trades Union Congress marched behind the banner of their campaign ‘There’s a better way’ and voiced their opinion that the £81 billion cuts announced by George Osborne do not favour public sector workers and are not the best course of action for the long-term Scottish and UK economy.
The General Secretary of STUC, Grahame Smith, said: “We need to change policy. We are on a disastrous course, disastrous for the economy, disastrous for the people of this country. We need to have change.”
ALEX Salmond got up on a soapbox to rally his SNP troops ahead of a frantic last few hours of canvassing today.
He made a tub-thumping speech to activists at the party HQ in Edinburgh while standing on a tiny stage.
The First Minister said Labour were “finished” as a government, urging his party staff to hit as many doors as possible in the final few hours before polls open.
He said: “Only the SNP can protect this country from the London parties, none of whom put Scotland first.
“Labour are finished, while the Tories are arrogantly saying they can rule with no Scots MPs and the Lib Dems are ready to do a deal with David Cameron.”
Continue reading
By Cara Sulieman
THE Scottish Government yesterday toasted a decision by brewing giants Tennent’s to back plans for minimum pricing on alcohol.
But opposition parties said the glass was remained half empty and called on more to be done to tackle the nation’s drink problem.
Tennent’s said the government’s plans “could be part of the solution” to Scotland’s binge drinking culture.
It comes just a day after figures showing the true extent of Scottish schoolchildren’s relationship with alcohol – with 300 under 16 admitted to hospital with booze-related diseases every year.
The Scottish Government welcomed the move by the Glasgow-based beer makers, saying that Tennent’s had “nothing to fear” over the new proposals.
By Rory Reynolds
THE BRITISH National Party’s Scottish leader aims to contest Jim Murphy’s seat in the May election as part of PR drive to win a seat at Holyrood next year.
The far-right party will use the Westminster election campaign to gain publicity for the next Scottish Parliament election in 2011, where they believe they can win a regional list seat.
Murphy’s East Renfrewshire constituency will be one of the key battlegrounds north of the border, with the BNP even claiming that they could cost Labour enough votes to allow the Tories to take the seat.
The BNP admits they will lose in May, but hope to boost their support and will be fielding candidates against Gordon Brown, Alex Salmond and Alistair Darling as well.
However, Murphy has said he will unite Christian, Muslim and Jewish groups to battle the party, which he described as “abhorrent”. Continue reading
By Andrea McCallum
SCOTLAND’S highest paid council staff will share a £200,000 jackpot – for announcing the results of the General Election.
The extra cash will be added to their salaries as a one-off payment for their polling day duties.
And that will mean a bonus of about £10,000 for some of the chief executives of local authorities.
On polling day the chief executives become returning officers to oversee fair voting and accurate counting.
Glasgow City Council chief executive George Black – who earns £158,000 – will get almost £10,000 for declaring the results of seven constituencies. Continue reading
By Rory Reynolds
A LABOUR government planned to give Scots control over their foreign policy to appease “maverick” nationalists, according to newly declassified documents.
James Callaghan’s administration, which was voted out of government in 1979, feared that denying Scotland a role in European affairs would fan the flames of nationalism.
Scottish Office civil servants drew up a classified dossier named The Brussels Connection to outline the plan, which warned that denying Scotland a voice would “risk fuelling demands for full independence”.
The documents, released by the National Archives of Scotland after 30 years, refer to a future devolved Scottish government, and contrast with the current UK government, which reserves the power to negotiate with European states.
