Green belt in south east

Ian Murray for Deputy Leader

PHOTO John Preece

The Edinburgh Pentlands MSP, Gordon MacDonald, asked The Scottish Government “what impact the Tory government’s plans to impose further restrictions on EU workers coming to Scotland will have on our internationally acclaimed festivals.”

He has asked this often before.

Festival organisers have previously described the visa process for performers who want to appear at Edinburgh arts festivals as “humiliating” and “Kafkaesque”.

In response the Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Fiona Hyslop, highlighted that the additional restrictions on people to coming to this country will affect both artists and visitors.

She said that the “attitude of the

Scotland's only Labour MP, Ian Murray MP, launched his campaign for the party's deputy leadership role last month at his former school, Wester Hailes Education Centre.

Mr Murray said : "We must reach out and listen to every corner of this country and every person in our country."

“Our party can only win by winning support across the whole of the United Kingdom, by building a coalition of all types of people with a variety of interests.”

He added that the Labour party must not become "a party of perpetual opposition", but must be seen as "credible opposition".

He continued : “I’m embarrassed about the cancer of antisemitism UK Government and its attitude towards Europe will affect how people see this country”.

Mr MacDonald has repeatedly highlighted the “devastating” impact that the UK government’s hostile environment has had on the ability to attract international guests to Edinburgh’s festivals.

In a Members’ Debate that he led last year, Mr MacDonald argued that since the Tory government introduced hard-line visa controls, visa applications for performers have been hit by refusals, errors and delays, with some acclaimed international writers, actors and musicians forced to cancel trips to festivals across the capital.

He has now written to the UK government to raise these additional concerns for the future in our party. "As deputy leader I will ensure a zero-tolerance approach to bullying, harassment and antisemitism."

“I will take personal responsibility for the grievance and complaints process, and I will be held responsible for enforcing that zero-tolerance approach."

He added: “Never again do I want any Jewish person to feel that they do not have a home in the Labour Party, that they can’t trust us to do the right thing, or that they feel our party would make the country a more dangerous place for them."

The ballots for Leader and Deputy Leader open on 21 February, with the results

Heather is MEP for three days

The European Parliament to be taking up my post, if only for officially recognised the SNP’s a few days. Heather Anderson as Scotland’s “The people of Scotland newest MEP just three days before resoundingly rejected Brexit the UK left the EU. at the referendum and have

The appointment came after underlined that position at every Alyn Smith stood down from the subsequent election. It’s therefore European Parliament in order to important that a full complement take up his post as Westminster of Scotland’s MEPs is in place MP for Stirling. to register that view in the

The appointment also meant that parliamentary record. four of Scotland’s six MEPs voted “We know that the UK is against Boris Johnson’s Brexit leaving the EU at the end of this deal, a proportion which reflects week. Scotland has a clear route the referendum result in Scotland. back however – and I hope to

The European Parliament voted be able to return to Brussels on the Withdrawal Agreement on in the not so distant future to 29 January 2020. resume work as an MEP for an

Ms Anderson said: “I’m delighted independent member state.”

Threat to Edinburgh Festivals

announced on 4th April 2020. of the capital’s festivals.

Mr MacDonald, said: “The Edinburgh Festivals are world class and have enormous cultural and economic benefits, not only for our capital, but for Scotland.

“The success of the Festivals rely on the seamless flow of artists and people from across the world - something that the Tory government seem intent on preventing.

“For years now, artists have been deterred from coming here because of the UK government’s humiliating application process and their current obsession with a hard Brexit looks like it is going to make this situation worse.

“The UK government need to open their eyes to the damage they are causing to our festivals.”

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Miles Briggs MSP

0131 348 5946 Miles.Briggs.msp@parliament.scot Milesbriggsedinburgh MilesBriggsMSP www.milesbriggs.scot

M2.15, The Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP