Category: Politics

During his speech the King, who was joined by the Queen on his visit, told the Parliament that when it reconvened in 1999 it marked a “new dawn” for the country….reports Asian Lite News

King Charles has warned there is “much more to be done” to combat climate change as he marked the “important” 25th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament.

The monarch fondly recalled his late mother’s love for Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire – where she spent her final days – in his speech, and said Scotland held a “uniquely special” place in his heart.

After his speech the King – who has been undergoing treatment for cancer since February – met a number of “local heroes”, who were recognised for the impact they have made in their communities. MSPs also heard speeches from party leaders and musical performances from a variety of acts.

During his speech the King, who was joined by the Queen on his visit, told the Parliament that when it reconvened in 1999 it marked a “new dawn” for the country.

He said that the values inscribed on the mace his mother had given the Parliament 25 years ago – wisdom, justice, compassion and integrity – were the “most Scottish of values”.

He added: “We are often told that we live in an era of polarisation and division. “If that is so, then it is perhaps even more important, not less, that in the vital areas of representation, of political debate, of policymaking and of discourse, these values – together with hope, civility, and generosity of spirit – are never far from the heart of even the most difficult of issues.”

However, the King later added action would be needed to handle the challenge of climate change. He said: “Today is an important milestone. As we look ahead to the next quarter of a century and beyond, there remains much more to be done, for Scotland, for the United Kingdom and, equally, in addressing the challenges we all share as inhabitants of a planet whose climate is changing dangerously and whose biodiversity is being seriously depleted.”

The King attended the Scottish Parliament opening in 1999 – when he was Prince Charles, and has attended several times since then.

He recalled that it was an “extraordinary occasion” 25 years ago and it was a “great, somewhat daunting” responsibility for MSPs to take on. However, he said that everyone there was “united by our love of Scotland” and praised the nation’s “extraordinary diversity”.

He said: “From the central belt, to the North Highlands, across the islands, in Ayrshire, in the Borders, the cities, towns, and villages, or the coastal communities, who, I wonder, could not fail to be moved by this complex Caledonian kaleidoscope? Speaking from a personal perspective, Scotland has always had a uniquely special place in the hearts of my family and myself. My beloved grandmother was proudly Scottish, my late mother especially treasured the time spent at Balmoral, and it was there in the most beloved of places, where she chose to spend her final days.”

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Sistema Scotland, Gaelic song chorus Còisir Alba and mandolin and guitarist Calum McIlroy – who won the BBC Radio Scotland Young Traditional Musician prize this year – all performed.

Following the King’s speech the leaders of Scotland’s political parties all spoke.

First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney said the event celebrated “25 years in which the Scottish Parliament has changed lives for the better” and that it had been “at the heart of the nation” since 1999.

He cited several achievements, such as marriage equality, as having helped make Scotland a fairer society. He said: “I hope Scotland will continue to shine as a beacon of enlightenment across stormy seas, a refuge for reason in the world, a wellspring of modern thought and creativity.”

In his first speech since becoming Scottish Tory leader on Friday, Russell Findlay called on the Parliament to “realign” with the public and said that too many people felt “detached” from the chamber.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said he believed “Scotland’s best days lie ahead of us” and Alex Cole-Hamilton of the Scottish Liberal Democrats described the Parliament as a “cathedral of ideas” which had shown it could be “transformative” for people’s lives.

However, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie warned that the Parliament’s “journey is far from complete”. Outside, a group of republicans peacefully demonstrated against the monarchy, chanting “Not My King” and waving yellow and black “Down with the Crown” placards as the royals were driven to the Scottish Parliament.

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In a blistering resignation letter, Duffield denounced Starmer for pursuing “cruel and unnecessary” policies….reports Asian Lite News

Prime Minister Keir Starmer reeled from its first resignation Saturday, as lawmaker Rosie Duffield quit the Labour Party, accusing him of “hypocrisy” over his acceptance of free gifts.

In a blistering resignation letter, Duffield denounced Starmer for pursuing “cruel and unnecessary” policies.

“The sleaze, nepotism and apparent avarice are off the scale,” she wrote, after it emerged earlier this month that Starmer had accepted more than £100,000 in gifts and hospitality while cutting an annual £300 winter heating payment to some 10 million pensioners.

“I am so ashamed of what you and your inner circle have done to tarnish and humiliate our once proud party.”

Duffield said the “hypocrisy” of a leader enjoying expensive free clothing and outings while asking others to tighten their belts was “staggering.”

She also attacked the prime minister’s decision to maintain a cap on a benefit aimed at supporting families with children.

“Someone with far-above-average wealth choosing to keep the Conservatives’ two-child limit to benefit payments which entrenches children in poverty, while inexplicably accepting expensive personal gifts of designer suits and glasses costing more than most of those people can grasp — this is entirely undeserving of holding the title of Labour Prime Minister,” she wrote.

Duffield said that she would in the future sit as an independent MP “guided by my core Labour values.”

The row over the free gifts from rich donors had already cast a shadow over the party’s first conference since they returned to government.

Labour ousted the Conservatives in a landslide election win in July after 14 years in opposition.

But instead of toasting their victory at the conference earlier this week, ministers found themselves on the backfoot and facing anger from the normally supportive unions.

All of the gifts accepted by Starmer had been declared and none fall foul of parliamentary rules.

But records show that Starmer accepted more than £100,000 ($132,000) in gifts and hospitality since December 2019, more than any other lawmaker.

It also emerged that Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner accepted the loan of a New York apartment for a holiday and that Chancellor Rachel Reeves accepted around £7,500 worth of clothing.

Reeves and the Labour party have defended the abolition of the £300 payment to many pensioners to help them heat their homes, citing a need to fill a “£22 billion black hole” they say was left by the Conservatives.

Attacking Starmer’s “managerial and technocratic approach” in her letter, first reported in The Sunday Times, Duffield also reproached Starmer for poor politics.

His “lack of basic… political instincts” had “come crashing down on us as a party after we worked so hard, promised so much, and waited a long 14 years to be mandated by the British public.”

Starmer lost a symbolic vote at the conference demanding that he reverse the contentious policy. The vote was non-binding but its outcome was nonetheless embarrassing for the premier. It highlighted the strength of feeling among activists and union backers.

Delegates narrowly backed a union motion calling for the cut to be reversed. “I do not understand how our new Labour Government can cut the winter fuel allowance for pensioners and leave the super rich untouched,” said the Unite union general secretary Sharon Graham.

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Lady Warsi said the party no longer resembled the one she represented in government. She was Britain’s first Muslim cabinet minister….reports Asian Lite News

Former Conservative Party co-chairwoman Baroness Sayeeda Warsi has resigned the party’s whip in the House of Lords, as she said the party is “hypocritical” and moved too far to the right.

Lady Warsi, who served in the cabinet during David Cameron’s premiership, said the party no longer resembled the one she represented in government. She was Britain’s first Muslim cabinet minister.

She claimed that a Conservative Party investigation over alleged “divisive language” was because of her support for a teacher cleared of a racially aggravated public order offence during a pro-Palestine protest in November last year.

Marieha Hussain had been photographed holding a placard with Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman surrounded by coconuts.

Announcing her resignation in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Baroness Warsi said: “It is with a heavy heart that I have today informed my whip and decided for now to no longer take the Conservative whip.

“This is a sad day for me. I am a Conservative and remain so but sadly the current party are far removed from the party I joined and served in Cabinet.

“My decision is a reflection of how far right my party has moved and the hypocrisy and double standards in its treatment of different communities. A timely reminder of the issues that I raise in my book Muslims Don’t Matter.”

She said she was prompted to resign over comments from some in the Conservative Party over the acquittal of Hussain, who was found not guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence on September 13.

She said: “I will not be gagged on a point of principle. And I am not prepared to play games behind closed doors. If Rishi Sunak’s party wants to retry and replay the ‘coconut trial’ despite the acquittal of Marieha Hussain, the clear legal findings and the overwhelming expert witness testimonies then I wish to do so publicly and transparently. It would be unfair to do this whilst continuing to take the Conservatives whip. I realise I have the privilege of platform and I have decided to exercise that privilege by speaking truth to power.”

She added: “A court of law found Marieha Hussain not guilty. Whatever Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman think of that decision, that is the rule of law and they are not above the law. I applaud the court’s decision and judgement of Judge Vanessa Lloyd, the overwhelming evidence of multiple academics and other expert witnesses. It was the right decision and I rightly congratulated Marieha on her acquittal. I was subsequently asked to delete my public support for Marieha – I refused to do so. That is the basis of the complaint. No other comments or language is the basis of the complaint. The case was due to be conducted in private behind closed doors, I was not told who the complainant was and this is material considering the detail of bad faith practice the court heard about during the trial. I was also told I could not discuss the matter with others. It was effectively to be a secret retrial of the ‘Coconut Trial’, I was not prepared to accept this. I felt it appropriate in the circumstances to resign my whip and look forward to dealing with these issues openly and transparently in the coming weeks and months.”

A Conservative Party spokesperson said: “Complaints were received regarding divisive language by Baroness Sayeeda Warsi. Baroness Warsi was informed an investigation was about to begin earlier this week.

“We have a responsibility to ensure that all complaints are investigated without prejudice.”

Shadow housing secretary Kemi Badenoch told the Sun that complaints had been made to party officials about the peer.

Lady Warsi was appointed to the House of Lords in 2007. She first served in government as a Minister without Portfolio from 2010 until 2012. She later became a foreign minister and held a faith and communities brief until 2014.

She resigned in disagreement with the party’s policy on the Israel-Gaza war in August that year.

Lady Warsi later became a critic of the Conservative Party while representing the party in the Lords.

Earlier this year she told current Conservative leadership contender Robert Jenrick to “reflect on your language” after his comments during the riots in August.

Commenting on a social media video in which Mr Jenrick spoke of “sectarian gangs” in some cases “attacking white Britons”, Lady Warsi said: “Use this awful moment to reflect on your language and conduct and what impact it’s had on where the country finds itself.”

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