New analysis from the Scottish Government has found that Boris Johnson’s revised Brexit deal would leave people in Midlothian and East Lothian the equivalent of £1,600-a-person worse off by 2030.
 
The analysis also found that Scotland’s GDP would fall by around £9 billion compared to projections if we stayed in the EU.
 
With a general election confirmed for 12th December, local MSP Colin Beattie has called on voters in Midlothian and East Lothian to back the SNP if they want to escape the chaos of Brexit.
 
Colin is also encouraging his constituents to make sure they are registered to vote online at https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote
 
Commenting, SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh said:
 
“This upcoming election will be one of the most important on living memory – so it’s absolutely crucial that people here in Midlothian and East Lothian are registered to vote. 
 
“Scotland didn’t vote for Brexit, but the Tories at Westminster are hell bent on dragging Scotland out of the EU against our will.
 
“Today’s analysis has made clear that any form of Brexit will inflict major harm on Scotland’s economy – costing hard working families right here in Lothian £1,600 per person.
 
“We can’t let Boris Johnson cut us off from the world, putting thousands of jobs at stake in the process. It’s time for action not words – let’s use this election to send Westminster a message that we’ve had enough.
 
“Vote SNP on 12th December and escape the never ending chaos of Brexit.” 

​They celebrated the 766 potential lifesavers in Midlothian North and Musselburgh this Blood Cancer Awareness Month.
Colin Beattie MSP celebrated the number of potential stem cell donors in Midlothian North and Musselburgh on the Anthony Nolan register.
This achievement was marked by Anthony Nolan on Thursday 19 September, as part of its Communities vs Blood Cancer campaign, which shines a spotlight on vital work being done locally to ensure that every patient in need of a stem cell transplant can find a lifesaving donor.
In Midlothian North and Musselburgh, 766 potential stem cell donors are registered with Anthony Nolan. 20% of these donors are men aged 16-30, and the average age is 34.
In total, more than 760,000 people in the UK are on the Anthony Nolan register, any of whom could be a match for someone with blood cancer and asked to donate their stem cells to give a patient a second chance of life.
Now, Colin Beattie is encouraging more people from Midlothian North and Musselburgh, particularly men aged 16-30 and people from black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, to register as stem cell donors and make sure that a match is available for everyone in need of a transplant. While anyone on the register could be a match for someone with blood cancer, men aged 16-30 are most likely to be asked to donate. They provide more than 50% of donations yet make up just 18% of the register. There is also a shortage of donors from non-white and mixed-race backgrounds.
There has also been representatives of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), including Ally Boyle, dedicating their time to the matter. Ally initiated a ground-breaking partnership with Anthony Nolan in 2009, while he was Area Commander of Strathclyde Fire and Rescue, after being diagnosed with myelodysplasia (a type of blood cancer). They have recruited thousands of lifesavers to the register, predominantly through their innovative SFRS Education Programme, which sees SFRS volunteers deliver inspiring educational presentations about stem cell, blood and organ donation to 16- to 18 year-olds across Scotland.
Colin Beattie MSP said: “I am very proud that Midlothian North and Musselburgh has 766, any one of whom could offer the only chance of giving someone with blood cancer a second chance at life. Donating stem cells is straightforward but it could make an enormous difference to someone with no other chance of a cure.
“I would especially like to commend the great work of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in engaging local communities, particularly secondary schools across Scotland. They’ve recruited more than fifty people who have gone on to donate. Their steadfast commitment over the past ten years has had a truly lifesaving impact.”
Henny Braund, Chief Executive of Anthony Nolan, said: “In the last year 766 selfless people from Midlothian North and Musselburgh joined the Anthony Nolan register, each one representing hope for patients with blood cancer, and blood disorders, in need of matching stem cell donors.
“This Blood Cancer Awareness Month residents can be proud of all the lifesavers in your community. To everyone from Midlothian North and Musselburgh who has taken the decision to join the register, thank you. We rely on young people aged 16-30 joining the register now to save lives in the future. Without you, there is no cure.”
For more information on Anthony Nolan visit anthonynolan.org/join.
Anthony Nolan uses its register to match potential stem cell donors to blood cancer patients in desperate need of a stem cell transplant. It also carries out vital research to make stem cell transplants more successful, and supports patients through their transplant journeys.

Colin Beattie has welcomed news that care experienced young people in Midlothian will benefit from £222,000 of funding, and in East Lothian they will benefit from £202,800. 
 
The Scottish Government announced on Friday that the Care Experienced Children and Young People fund would increase from £8 million to £12 million in this academic year. 
 
The fund is designed to support the educational attainment of young people, up to the age of 26, who have been in care, with projects as diverse as mentoring programmes, counselling services and driving lessons were supported.
 
Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Beattie said:
 
"Improving the education and life chances of all our children and young people is the defining mission of the SNP in government.
 
"Young people living in, or leaving, the care system often face additional barriers to learning - which is why this funding can be so vital. 
 
"I'm delighted that care experienced young people in Midlothian will benefit from £222,000, and those in East Lothian will benefit from £202,800 of targeted funding this year, with a substantial increase in funding across Scotland."

DEAL WORSE FOR MIDLOTHIAN AND EAST LOTHIAN JOBS THAN THERESA MAY’S
Boris Johnson’s proposed new Brexit deal would leave Scotland unique among the four UK nations in being completely ignored, SNP MSP Colin Beattie has said.
While England and Wales both voted to leave the EU, and would do so under the deal, Northern Ireland is being handed a special deal effectively keeping it within the single market and customs union – with the power to change their relationship in future.
These proposals would leave Scotland unique in voting Remain but being dragged out of the EU with no say over our future relationship.
Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Beattie said:
“Boris Johnson’s proposed Brexit deal is even more extreme than Theresa May’s – and would be worse for jobs and household incomes in Midlothian and East Lothian.
“And, crucially, it leaves Scotland unique among the four nations of the UK in facing an outcome we did not vote for and having no say over our future relationship.
“Midlothian and East Lothian voted to remain in the EU – just like every local authority in Scotland – and yet we’ve been entirely sidelined by the Tories ever since.
“It is clearer than ever that the best future for Scotland is one as an equal, independent European nation.”

The SNP are working to tackle inequality in Midlothian and East Lothian and “lift people out of poverty” with new commitments to expand childcare into primary school and scrap social care charges.
 
As announced by Nicola Sturgeon at the SNP conference this week, the SNP will scrap all non-residential social care charges and expand childcare into the school holidays for primary pupils from the poorest backgrounds if re-elected at the 2021 election.
 
The First Minister pledged the new policies to ensure that everyone in Scotland has access to the support they need without cost - providing high quality care for those in most need, and helping parents continue working over holiday periods.

Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Beattie said:
 
“By August next year the SNP in government will have all but doubled the hours children receive. It will give them 30 hours a week of high quality, free care and education - saving families in Midlothian and East Lothian £4,500 per year for each child.
 
“But we will not stop there. If the SNP is elected after the next Holyrood election, we will expand childcare into the school holidays for primary pupils from the poorest backgrounds – to help ensure that parents can continue working over holiday periods.
 
“Earlier this year, the SNP Government extended free personal care to everyone who needs it, regardless of age – and over the next parliament, the SNP will scrap non-residential social care charges for all.
 
“We’re determined to help families with the cost of living throughout their lifetimes – ensuring that fairness and equality are embedded in our society from birth to retirement.
 
“That progressive, ambitious vision for government is exactly why people in Scotland continue to put their faith in the SNP.”

SNP MSP Colin Beattie has welcomed news that East Lothian will be one of the first communities to benefit from a £27 million fund to improve cycling and walking routes.
 
Places for Everyone is funding the design of key walking and cycling routes which identified in the East Lothian Active Travel Improvement Plan and other reports, more specifically those routes in and around the Musselburgh area that link to works happening in Edinburgh City and Midlothian. The project will initially focus on three routes that will help everybody to actively travel through and around Musselburgh, making shopping, getting to work or school and other everyday journeys easier, safer and quicker.
 
The funding was announced by the First Minister on Tuesday at SNP conference as part of the Scottish Government’s ambitions to tackle climate change by reducing carbon emissions from transport.
 
The £27 million fund will support more than 200 projects across the country.
 
Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Beattie said:
 
“Scotland has world leading climate targets and reducing carbon emissions from transport is at the heart of meeting that challenge.
 
“That means improving public transport – with the Scottish Government recently announcing £500 million investment in bus priority infrastructure – as well as encouraging the rollout of greener technology, such as electric cars.
 
“Walking and cycling also have a huge role to play – not just in reducing our carbon footprint, but in improving our health.
 
“It is hugely welcome that East Lothian will be among the first areas to benefit from new funding to improve active travel.
 
“That is acting locally as we lead globally in making our contribution to tackling the climate emergency.”

SCOTLAND “GLOBAL LEADER” ON TACKLING CLIMATE CHANGE
 
SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Colin Beattie has outlined his support for the Scottish Government’s finalised policy of no support for ‘fracking’ in Scotland.
 
Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse today confirmed that the Scottish Government would not license any fracking development.
 
This position was confirmed following a comprehensive period of evidence-gathering and consultation, including environmental and business assessments.
 
SNP MSP Colin Beattie said:
 
“Scotland has been at the forefront of global action to combat climate change – recently announcing some of the most ambitious statutory targets in the world.
 
“I’m delighted that the Scottish Government are putting the interests of our communities first and maintaining Scotland’s reputation as a global leader on tackling climate change by announcing no support for ‘fracking.’”
 
“It's a move which shows we're serious about protecting communities in Midlothian North and Musselburgh meeting our climate change targets and creating a better, greener country for the next generation.
 
“Meanwhile in England, the Tories are intent on fracking underneath people's homes, in the face of considerable public opposition, without any concern for the impact on people’s health, the environment or their communities.
 
“The transformation of the energy system in Scotland has the potential to bring significant economic and social opportunities to individuals, businesses and communities in Midlothian North and Musselburgh.”

SNP MSP Colin Beattie has urged parents to “trust the facts” and make sure their child is vaccinated for flu this winter.
 
This week, the Scottish Government has launched its annual national flu vaccination programme – with a focus on people with health conditions and children aged 2-5.
 
Every year thousands of children are hospitalised with flu. Even healthy children can become seriously ill from it. Protecting children can also stop the virus from spreading to family, friends and others.
 
To date more than 1.6 million doses of the nasal vaccine have been given to 2-11 year olds as part of the Scottish childhood immunisation programme. But more parents and carers are being urged to take up the offer.
 
Everyone aged 65 and over, pregnant women and people at most risk of serious illness are offered the flu vaccination on the NHS.
 
Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Beattie said:
 
“Getting your kids vaccinated is free and only takes a few minutes – but it helps to protect against the flu bug for around a year.
 
“The flu is no joke. There’s plenty of misinformation about vaccines online – but it’s important that parents in Midlothian North and Musselburgh trust the facts.
 
“Staff at NHS Lothian are doing a tremendous job with a tough time of year ahead and we should all do our bit to not add unnecessary pressure on the health service.
 
“If you or your children are eligible, make sure that getting the vaccination is a priority and book an appointment with your GP practice or health board as soon as possible.”