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The Edinburgh Reporter •

General Election – Alastair Shields – Scottish Conservatives – Edinburgh West

Alastair Shields is the Scottish Conservatives candidate for Edinburgh West in the July UK election.

Here I speak with him about the reasons for his candidacy and the main issues he believes impact the constituency.

Mr Shields grew up in West Edinburgh and represented the Almond Ward on The City of Edinburgh Council, albeit as a member of the Liberal Democrats and subsequently as an independent councillor, from 2012 until 2017. He has since become chairman of the Edinburgh West Conservative br
The Edinburgh Reporter •

General Election 2024 – Tam Laird – Scottish Libertarian Party – Edinburgh West

The Scottish Libertarian Party leader is running to win the party’s first seat in the Edinburgh West constituency in the Westminster General Election.

Previously a member of the Scottish National Party, Mr Laird left to found his current party which he previously described as “full blown socialists.”

He is also a former infantry soldier in the British Army who was stationed in Northern Ireland.

Mr Laird described his party as the only one with a “non-aggression principle.”

He said: “You don’
The Edinburgh Reporter •

General Election – Sue Webber – Scottish Conservatives – Edinburgh South West

Sue Webber has been a Scottish Conservative regional MSP for Lothian since 2021.

She is now aiming to move from Holyrood to Westminster reppresenting the Edinburgh South West constituency in UK Parliament, and hoping that her local roots will win her the seat.

Speaking outside The Scottish Parliament, the MSP spoke of her connection with the South West and Edinburgh as a whole; calling herself a “local girl” who grew up in Baberton Mains, Juniper Green and Currie.

After attending Currie High
The Edinburgh Reporter •

General Election – Dan Heap – Scottish Greens – Edinburgh South West

Dan Heap has been a councillor since 2022, representing the Sighthill/Gorgie ward.

He is now standing for the Edinburgh South West seat in the UK general election.

Mr Heap told The Edinburgh Reporter: “I’ve lived in the South West constituency for 10 years now – just coming up 10 years. I’ve been a councillor for two years, so I know the area very well. I know the challenges it has and I think, having been a councillor, I’ll be able to speak up in Westminster in the same way I’ve been able to
The Edinburgh Reporter •

Recruitment begins at Scotland’s first inland surf complex

The first inland surf resort in Scotland begins its recruitment drive ahead of its September launch in Edinburgh.

Lost Shore Surf Resort will be looking for individuals to fill roles in their surfing team, such as surfing instructors and lifeguards.

The company has said that the company will pay up to £12.74 per hour which is just a little more than the Real Living Wage.

The complex, which is located ten minutes from Edinburgh Airport, will also require therapists and people working in hospit
The Edinburgh Reporter •

The Yard – a “happy place” for families raises thousands

A charity for children with special needs has raised more than £80,000 at its annual fundraising ball.

The Yard is a charity which supports children and young people aged 0-25 with disabilities, and it hosted the formal event at Prestonfield House Hotel on Saturday.

The ball, called The Big Fun Raiser, was attended by nearly 300 people and raised the funds through ticket sales, a raffle and a silent auction.

The charity hosts various programmes for disabled children, including creative and pl
The Edinburgh Reporter •

Ukrainian Festival in Edinburgh next weekend

Edinburgh’s Ukrainian Club is throwing its doors open this weekend for an event to celebrate the country’s culture.

The event, taking place on Sunday 9 June between 2pm and 6pm at Royal Terrace, will feature Ukrainian art, food and music.

This includes numerous crafts stalls, family-friendly art workshops, music from the Ukrainian Choir, a live band and a raffle.

Tickets are £2 per person, or £5 for a family, and can be bought at the event itself.

The festival is being organised by Space, pa
The Edinburgh Reporter •

Scottish Government criticised for physiotherapy workforce ‘failure’

A cross-party coalition of MSPs told The Scottish Government to “get to grips” with addressing a critical workforce shortage in the physiotherapy sector.

Speaking in Scottish Parliament on Thursday Labour MSP Alex Rowley, who represents Mid Scotland and Fife and brought this issue to the chamber, said that the government’s failure in workforce planning results in more issues building up across numerous areas for the NHS.

But The Scottish Government said that it has played a hand in strengtheni
The Edinburgh Reporter •

Matheson scandal continues to cast long shadow over Parliament at FMQs

The expenses scandal surrounding Michael Matheson continues to dominate The Scottish Parliament as the First Minister faced a cross-party challenge on the controversy on Thursday afternoon.

Scottish Conservative leader, Douglas Ross, began the weekly proceedings by asking First Minister John Swinney, who has not suspended Matheson from the SNP: “In what other walk of life would Michael Matheson have a job?”

This comes as Matheson, Scotland’s former health secretary, was suspended from Parliame
Surge Magazine •

Could Edinburgh rival Barcelona in an independent Scotland? | Surge Magazine

Scottish independence advocates have been obsessed with the Catalan separatist movement in Spain for years, but can Edinburgh compare with Barcelona as a prospective capital of an independent nation? Surge‘s Stuart Moyes explores this question.

You can listen to this article here:

Ten years ago, on a foggy and temperate September day, the question of Scottish independence appeared to have been answered. But a vote described as ‘once-in-a-generation’ has been anything but.

Largely due to the l
Forth 1 •

Aberdeen born Paralympic champion Neil Fachie 'mugged' while competing in Brazil

North East Paralympian and 19 time World Champion Neil Fachie says he has been mugged in Rio de Janeiro.

The Aberdeen born para-cyclist is currently abroad competing in the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships.

Fachie took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to reveal his ordeal.

He said: “We were mugged tonight in Rio, so sadly I’m not contactable by phone for a little while.

"We’re all okay, other than being shaken up.

"Passports, cards, some cash and our silver medals were all stolen.
ENRG DEBRIEF •

House Speaker Mike Johnson: A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

After 3 weeks of chaotic deadlock in the US House of Representatives following Kevin McCarthy’s ousting as Speaker, members have finally decided on his replacement.

That replacement, Representative Mike Johnson of Louisiana, could possibly be one of the most dangerous people to hold the gavel in quite some time.

You would not come to that conclusion at first glance. His clean-cut and affable persona is perhaps what convinced the exhausted Republican caucus in the House to settle on him for the
ENRG DEBRIEF •

Israel-Gaza War: The extremists now have what they want

When Israel conducted a major raid on a refugee camp in Jenin back in July, many voices decried and condemned the act. There were serious concerns that such actions only serve to push a peaceful resolution to this decades-long conflict between Israeli and Palestinian out of reach.

In my view, that was entirely the point. The far-right administration that currently governs Israel has shown little regard for such treaties in both word and action. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reportedly told
ENRG DEBRIEF •

The chaotic second US Republican presidential primary debate

Wednesday night saw the second presidential primary debate for the Republican Party. The players had learnt their lessons after the first debate; prepared their soundbites; and were ready to wow and awe the crowds like their patron saint Ronald Reagan had before them.

Indeed, aspects of the night felt like a religious service. Taking place in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, an aura of reverence befell all mention of the 40th US President. The charismatic and electorally su
ENRG DEBRIEF •

Trouble on Two Fronts: Egypt must reckon with its troubled neighbours

Egypt exists on the frontline of two nations in severe crisis.

In certain ways, this is business as usual for the north African nation. To its east is Israel – a state more used to war and violence than to peace. But the risks to Egypt from Israel are low – the land border with Israel is limited in size and relations between the two states have been stable for decades.

Recent events along different borders, however, have placed Egypt in a precarious position.

To Egypt’s south, Sudan is engulf