OPPOSITION PARTIES UNITE TO VOTE AGAINST PROTECTING TEACHER NUMBERS
JEREMY BALFOUR MSP MUST EXPLAIN THEIR VOTE TO ‘GIVE THE GREEN LIGHT’ TO TEACHER CUTS IN THE LOTHIANS, SAYS COLIN BEATTIE MSP Opposition MSPs have voted against measures to maintain teacher numbers in the Scottish Parliament – proving that the SNP is the only party willing to protect teacher numbers here in the Lothians, says local MSP Colin Beattie. The Scottish Government amendment called on COSLA to accept a £145.5 million funding boost from the Scottish Government to maintain teacher numbers. By rejecting this, the opposition parties have given their tacit endorsement to cuts to teacher numbers, prompting calls for Jeremy Balfour MSP to explain why they have opened the door to cuts to teacher numbers in [LOCAL ARE]. Local MSP Colin Beattie will continue to call on councils to accept the funding available to ensure teacher numbers are maintained, and for Jeremy Balfour MSP to back that call. Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Beattie said “The opposition parties were set a very simple challenge in Parliament – call for councils to accept the money on offer to them and maintain teacher numbers across Scotland. Instead, they chose to give a green light to potential cuts to teacher numbers, which will affect teacher numbers here in the Lothians. “We are used to seeing pathetic political game-playing from the opposition - but playing politics with our children’s education is a new low. That’s why I’m calling on Jeremy Balfour MSP to explain why they voted to open the door to cuts to teacher numbers in the Lothians. “It is vital that we see teacher numbers maintained in the Lothians and across Scotland – and the SNP Government will continue to do everything we can to protect teacher numbers in the face of opposition from Labour, the Tories, and the other opposition parties.” ENDS
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As the news sinks in for us all on the future of the Brunton, I cannot help but feel deep disappointment and a sense of loss. Not loss for myself, but loss for the communities I serve. The Brunton has been the beating heart of Musselburgh for 50 years, let’s make sure this does not falter.
I have asked for clarification from East Lothian Council regarding the quoted costs of repair to the existing building, submitted as part of the proposals. To laypeople like me, these are unfathomably high. Fully comprehending these may help me gain an understanding of the decision made. I am grateful that my colleagues in the SNP group secured an amendment to the proposals. I would like to extend my gratitude to all Councillors for approving this amendment. This offers assurance that there will be a replacement venue built and secures access to the arts in the town of Musselburgh in the future. However, I am mindful that there is no timeline agreed thus far, and I am keen that this is in place. To this end, I have asked the Council to confirm a timeline to reassure everyone that investment in Musselburgh will be prioritised with the urgency the town deserves. I will be following this up with questions to the Scottish and UK governments. I would like all levels of government to explore any collegiate working options that may be available to help. This matter is far too important to play politics with. It is imperative that the people of Musselburgh have a chance to engage in public consultation and, that at the end of this process Musselburgh has an arts venue. The Brunton has been an important cultural centre since 1971 and my constituents must have an opportunity to have their voices heard. I do not believe the fight is over, and I will continue to do all I can to ensure that Musselburgh remains a cultural centre for both residents and visitors alike. Colin Beattie MSP has welcomed new figures which show £5,977,133 has been paid out to families across East Lothian and Midlothian in Best Start Grants and Best Start Foods Payments, saying “the Scottish Government’s fair and respectful approach to social security is making a real difference to families in Midlothian North and Musselburgh.
According to figures from Social Security Scotland, a total of £164,448,957 was paid out across Scotland in Best Start Foods payments and Best Start Grants since they were introduced – which are two of the 15 benefits administered by Social Security Scotland. In East Lothian and Midlothian, £5,977,133 has been paid out between 2018 and June 2024, following 12,125 successful applications. Commenting SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh said: "The SNP government is rightly proud of the different approach we have taken in Scotland to social security – one which, in stark contrast that of the DWP, is rooted in dignity, fairness and respect. “As a result, families across East Lothian and Midlothian have received a total of £5,977,133 in support since 2018 – despite the very limited powers of Scotland’s parliament and over a decade of Tory and now Labour austerity. “I am pleased to see 12,125 families receive the support they need, which will make a real difference to the lives of children across East Lothian and Midlothian as we work towards the First Minister’s mission of eradicating child poverty.” ENDS LOCAL MSP FOR MIDLOTHIAN NORTH AND MUSSELBURGH CELEBRATES INCREASE IN THE REAL LIVING WAGE23/10/2024 SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Colin Beattie, has welcomed the news that the real Living Wage has increased from £12 to £12.60 across the UK from Wednesday 23rd October.
The real Living Wage, which is based on the cost of living, is different to the UK government's minimum wage, often referred to as the "National Living Wage". Employers choose to pay the real Living Wage on a voluntary basis, recognising the value of their workers and ensuring that a hard day’s work receives a fair day’s pay. A full-time worker earning the new real Living Wage will earn £2,262 more a year than a worker earning the current government minimum wage. The SNP Scottish Government has championed the real Living Wage since becoming a real Living Wage accredited employer in 2015. In Scotland, all organisations that receive grants from public bodies are legally required to pay the real Living Wage. Because of these policies, Scotland now has around five times more accredited real Living Wage employers than the rest of the UK - with nearly 90% of workers aged over 18 in Scotland being paid the real Living Wage or above. The UK government is not currently a real Living Wage accredited employer. Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Beattie said: “After sky-high increases in the cost of living over the past few years, this will be a welcome boost for workers here in Midlothian North and Musselburgh, and across Scotland. “The Scottish Government has been a champion for the real Living Wage since 2015, when we became a real Living Wage accredited employer, and we’ve since made it a legal requirement for all organisations receiving grant funding from a public body to pay the real Living Wage. “This has made a real difference here in Midlothian North and Musselburgh, and across Scotland, which has the highest proportion of workers being paid the real Living Wage or above anywhere in the UK. “However, while both Scottish and Welsh Governments are accredited Living Wage employers, the UK government currently is not. I’d urge the new Labour UK government to put its money where its mouth is on workers' rights and follow the SNP Scottish Government’s example by implementing the real Living Wage in their own Government.” To look forward and make the right decisions for our future, sometimes we need to look back.
John Brunton opened the Wireworks in Musselburgh in 1876, making specialist wires, and known for being one of the few manufacturing companies, of their time, employing women. The company went from strength to strength and when Brunton died in 1937, his son John D Brunton took over. Although, under different ownership, Bruntons remain in Musselburgh to this day. Making aircraft components amongst other things. John D Brunton took over from his father and when he died in 1951, he left a bequest of £700,000 to be used to provide halls for the use of the community. Doesn’t sound an awful lot in today’s money but equates to £18,578,157.80 using the bank of England’s inflation calculator. John D Brunton did this because he was a huge fan of musicals and wanted to see his dream of musical and amateur dramatics being open to everyone in the town. He died before The Brunton was built but I think he would have been proud to see that his investment into the town had made the arts accessible to all. This retrospective view is why we must protect The Brunton and, by extension, the arts for the people of Musselburgh and beyond. The Council of the time put money to the building and added their offices. They decided on design, fabric, fittings etc. It is simply not good enough for the decision to now be pull it down and relocate. The gift was given to the people of Musselburgh, for the arts. A theatre and arts venue are a huge asset. A draw to pull people into our communities. Fringe By the Sea announced recently, that the festival they held brought an estimated £10 million additional revenue into the local economy. I can’t find any impact assessments from ELC to highlight how much additional revenue The Brunton brought into the Musselburgh area, and maybe that is the issue. The building itself is a crumbling asset now. When it was a lively theatre hosting the best of Scottish music, comedy, and drama, it was an economic magnet attracting visitors and with them, money. All flowing into the local economy of the poorest area in our county. It is simply not good enough to say we will use a multitude of venues scattered across all areas as a replacement. Economic investment must be attracted to the poorest areas in our county if we are to ever lift them out of that poverty. If East Lothian Council must demolish the building, they must also replace that Common Good asset for the same people who have lost it. The people of Musselburgh. If John D Brunton was donating that gift today, it would be £18,578,157.80. If his money had sat in a bank account unused, it would be worth far more. He did not choose the design that consisted of RAAC. He did not agree to share the building with the Council and therefore make the building and land alienable. He donated in good faith and the spirit of the Common Good should be upheld. Musselburgh has a theatre; Musselburgh must have a theatre when all this debacle is finished. Anything less goes against every fibre of the Common Good and shows clear intent from decision makers regarding investment into our poorest areas. ENDS SNP INVESTMENT DELIVERING FOR COMMUNITIES
Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North & Musselburgh, has welcomed new figures from the Scottish Parliament’s information centre which show a steep increase in the availability of superfast broadband in Midlothian North & Musselburgh. As of September 2024, 96.49% of properties in East Lothian have access to superfast broadband – up 64.59% and 99.03% in Midlothian up 55.03% since 2014. Across Scotland in 2014, 50% of households had access to superfast broadband whereas this has risen to 95% in 2024, an increase of 45% in the past decade. The SNP is determined to ensure that everyone in Midlothian North & Musselburgh has the digital connectivity they need and that is why we have significantly invested in programmes to make this happen. From 2025 all new builds in Scotland must have access to superfast broadband as the SNP delivers on a Programme for Government commitment. Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Beattie said: “It is absolutely fantastic to see that with the SNP Government access to superfast broadband in Midlothian North & Musselburgh has dramatically risen over the previous decade – this makes a real and important difference to people’s lives. “Going from just 31.90% in 2014 to 96.49% now, a rise of 64.59% in East Lothian and going from just 44% in 2014 to 99.03% now, a rise of 55.03% in Midlothian shows the benefit that long term investment in our community infrastructure is having. “One of the SNP Government’s four priorities is to boost growth across Scotland, and it is through the funding of vital infrastructure projects that we can help our economy flourish.” ENDS COLIN BEATTIE MSP REAFFIRMS NECESSITY OF SCOTLAND’S SOCIAL SECURITY SUPPORT
Colin Beattie SNP MSP has marked day three of Challenge Poverty Week by highlighting the “transformative impact” of Scotland’s Social Security System, rooted in dignity, fairness, and respect. Under the SNP, people across Midlothian North and Musselburgh can access the following: · The Scottish Child Payment, worth £26.70 per week to eligible children – which is keeping 60,000 children out of poverty this year. · Another 13 payments from Social Security Scotland, seven of which are unique to Scotland – including five family payments, disability benefits, carers benefits, heating benefits and others. · The most generous childcare package in the UK. · Making Scotland a Fair Work Nation by 2025. Meanwhile the Scottish Government is continuing work on a Minimum Income Guarantee for all Scots through fair paid work, strong public services, and benefits. Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Beattie said: “The SNP Scottish Government is investing £3 billion this year to directly support vulnerable and low-income households in the face of enormous financial pressures from Westminster. “For people across Midlothian North and Musselburgh, that means they can access support like the Scottish Child Payment and Carer Support Payment; boosting incomes amid further austerity coming down the line under Labour. “While Labour at Westminster take away the Winter Fuel Payment from hundreds of thousands of vulnerable households, SNP policies are boosting their incomes – and in some cases mitigating the effects of other damaging policies such as the Bedroom Tax. “The founding principle of a fairer, more prosperous [AREA] is that everyone is able to enjoy a good quality of life, and the SNP Government will continue working to make that a reality.” ENDS Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, has said that "weak" Anas Sarwar and Scottish Labour have chosen to bow to their Westminster bosses over standing up for vulnerable pensioners in Midlothian North and Musselburgh.
The majority of Labour MSPs voted against the motion in Holyrood calling for the UK government to reinstate the Winter Fuel Payment - confirming their support to remove the vital payment to 880,000 Scottish pensioners. SNP MSPs across Scotland voted to demand that the Labour UK government urgently reinstate the Winter Fuel Payment this winter. Commenting, Colin Beattie MSP said: "Today Anas Sarwar and Labour in Scotland made their choice - it is more important for them to lie down for Sir Keir Starmer than stand up for vulnerable pensioners in Midlothian North and Musselburgh. "This shameful move today shows just how weak Anas Sarwar is - the people of Scotland will see right through him and his desperate attempts to justify cruel cuts being made by Labour in Westminster. "All Labour in Scotland offer is to rubber stamp damaging decisions made in Westminster - only the SNP is focused on standing up for the people of Midlothian North and Musselburgh and supporting those who need it most." ENDS SNP CONCESSIONARY BUS TRAVEL SCHEMES HELPING TO TACKLE POVERTY IN MIDLOTHIAN NORTH AND MUSSELBURGH
SNP MSP Colin Beattie has said that the SNP Scottish Government’s policy of free bus travel for under 22s, over 60s and disabled people is helping to tackle poverty in Midlothian North and Musselburgh. This year’s Challenge Poverty Week (7th-13th October) is placing an emphasis on key themes each day, highlighting the injustice of poverty in Scotland, and showing that policy interventions can make a huge difference in alleviating poverty. Tuesday’s focus on transport is to ensure that people can get to where they need to go - enabling access to employment, education, and essential services. Scotland has the most generous concessionary fare scheme in the UK, with more than 2.3 million people eligible for free bus travel. The SNP Scottish Government’s firm commitment to bus travel continues with almost £430 million in funding for concessionary travel planned for 2024-25. Recent figures show that young people across Scotland have now made over 150 million journeys using the Free Bus Travel Scheme since it was introduced by the SNP in 2022. Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Beattie said: “Good, affordable public transport enables people to access jobs, education and training which can raise household income and protect people from being swept into poverty or pulled in deeper. “Action taken by the SNP Scottish Government has ensured that 2.3 million people, including those often on the lowest incomes, can access free bus travel throughout the country. “This free bus travel makes a huge difference to the lives of young, disabled, and older people in Midlothian North and Musselburgh – removing a significant barrier to escaping poverty and opening up employment, education, social and leisure opportunities. “Whilst the new Labour government at Westminster seem determined to push more people into poverty by following the Tories’ austerity agenda, the SNP Scottish Government is committed to using all its powers to improve people’s lives and to eradicate poverty.” ENDS SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT POLICIES HAVE HAD A TRANSFORMATIVE IMPACT ON MIDLOTHIAN NORTH AND MUSSELBURGH
SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Colin Beattie MSP is raising awareness of the challenges posed by housing poverty, and highlighting the difference made by the SNP Government in improving access to housing in Midlothian and East Lothian. The Poverty Alliance’s Challenge Poverty week begins on today, with housing as the first theme. The initiative aims to highlight the injustice of poverty in Scotland and showing the difference that policy interventions can make in alleviating poverty. Since coming to power in 2007, the SNP has introduced a number of measures to improve the availability of housing in Scotland - including the abolition of Margaret Thatcher’s Right to Buy scheme, ending fixed-term private lets, and improving tenants' rights. The SNP Government has also overseen the construction of 133,409 social and affordable homes across Scotland, since 2007, with 3,489 built in Midlothian and 3,737 in East Lothian. First Minister John Swinney recently reaffirmed the SNP’s commitment to improving access to affordable housing, by announcing a £600 million investment in the sector this year – including £80 million over two years to bring empty properties back into use. Commenting, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Colin Beattie, said: “As we mark the start of Challenge Poverty Week, it's crucial to highlight the difference that having a safe, secure, warm, and sustainable home can make in a person's life. "Key SNP policies have already made a significant difference, boosting the availability of housing in Midlothian and East Lothian where we’ve built 7,226 new affordable homes since 2007. “And we are committed to doing more, but progress is being hindered by damaging Westminster policies like the Bedroom Tax and a 9% cut to Scotland’s capital budget. "While we continue to oppose these policies and further austerity under Labour, the First Minister has announced £600 million for affordable housing, including £80 million to repurpose empty properties; improving the availability of affordable housing in Midlothian North and Musselburgh and taking meaningful action to address the housing emergency.” ENDS |
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