Author: News Desk

Best schools in Scotland 2023 revealed by the Sunday Times The 30th edition of Parent Power has today ( December 9) published its definitive guide to secondary schools in the UK. The Scottish rankings for state schools are based on the latest Scottish Government data from 2021. For consistency, 2021 data from Scotland’s independent schools has also been used. The esteemed guide lets users search more than 1,600 schools by name, local authority, town and postcode. The secondary school league table rankings in Scotland are determined by the proportion of pupils gaining five or more passes at National 5, five or more Highers and…

Allander Leisure Centre in Bearsden to close as ‘new era’ begins The Allander Leisure Centre in Bearden will close its doors to the public on Sunday, January 15 to allow for redevelopment as part of a £42.5 million investment by East Dunbartonshire Council. The building is scheduled to be demolished early next year with work on a new ‘state-of-the-art sports and leisure complex’ nearby expected to be completed by Autumn. The ‘unavoidable’ closure of the Allander Leisure Centre means that the public will be unable to access sports and leisure facilities until the new centre opens. Plans for the new complex include an eight-lane swimming pool, sauna and…

Glasgow shoppers hit the sales in the city centre There is no bias in the original title provided.Shoppers braved the elements today in Glasgow to grab some bargains. https://www.thenational.scot/news/national/scotland-today/23214986.glasgow-shoppers-hit-sales-city-centre/?ref=rss

Front page summary The National – UK government to be probed by regulator The National says An adviser to the Conservative Party has issued a stark warning, stating that the UK Government is veering into territory where it bans individuals based on disagreeing political views. This caution comes amid concerns about the government’s handling of protests and the implications for free speech and political expression.The UK Government is set to be investigated by a regulator over its treatment of disabled benefits claimants. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is suspected of potentially violating equality laws in its handling of these…

Front page summary The Herald – CalMac hit by record finesThe Scottish Herald says State-owned ferry operator CalMac has been fined a record £316,000 per month for poor performance in maintaining reliable ferry services. The total fines have reached nearly £5 million since October 2022, due to recurring reliability issues. The penalties were imposed as part of the Scottish Government’s oversight of the ferry contract, which has been plagued by issues with the aging fleet. The fines, which have accumulated significantly over the past year, aim to address the delays and disruptions that have affected island ferry services.An interactive sculpture…

Swinney demands ‘comprehensive explanation’ from Creative Scotland Documents released to The Herald under Freedom of Information show that the successful application for a grant made explicitly clear that there would be “work on a sex scene with genital contact” involving three members of the cast. Speaking to the PA, the First Minister said: “The Culture Secretary [Angus Robertson] has expressed his concerns about the information that’s come to light and he’s asked for urgent discussions with the chair and chief executive of Creative Scotland because we have got to understand the substance of this issue. “I share the concerns that the…

Scots £1m-a-month emergency ferry previously crashed after master fell asleep After the accident it emerged that six of the passenger who were injured when the Pentland Ferries ferry ran aground on an uninhabited island off the north coast of Scotland were seeking compensation. After an investigation, the MAIB said that master of the vessel had “almost certainly” fallen asleep 70 seconds before the accident allowing the ferry to swing towards land. MV Alfred, once described as the most environmentally friendly ferry in Scotland, had 84 passengers and 13 crew on board when it partially ran aground on the Isle of…

Refugee Festival Scotland announced with 130 events Multiple events will take place between June 14-23, for what organisers say is their largest ever, and most diverse programme yet. Refugee Festival Scotland Manager, Mónica Laiseca said: “Packed with unique events and exceptional talent, the festival honours the resilience and courage of New Scots and celebrates a vision for a Scotland where everyone can blossom and has equal opportunity to thrive. “At a particularly dire time for refugees and asylum seekers living in our communities, our festival puts forward an empowering message of welcome and makes visible the support that is overwhelmingly…

Mounting speculation Sunak could call July election While many believe that means the autumn, technically it could be anytime after July 3, which could even mean a vote on July 4. That could prove tricky in Scotland where most schools are on holiday and significant numbers of voters could be away from home. During Prime Minister’s Questions, the SNP Westminster Leader Stephen Flynn said: “Speculation is rife, so I think the public deserve a clear answer to a simple question. “Does the Prime Minister intend to call a summer general election or is he feart?” Mr Sunak replied: “There is,…

Ex-Post Office boss breaks down in tears at Horizon inquiry The 65-year-old ordained priest also became visibly upset as the inquiry looked into the Post Office’s response to the suicide of subpostmaster Martin Griffiths in 2013. As she gave evidence on Wednesday, Ms Vennells admitted she “made mistakes” but denied there was a conspiracy to cover up the scandal. She apologised for a comment she made to MPs in June 2012, when she said subpostmasters had been “tempted to put their hands in the till” – adding that it was an “assumption” she made. The former chief executive said there…