Skip to main content
Donate to the 95 years appeal
Scotland in brief: March 31, 2021

REFUGEE PLEDGE: The leaders of four of Scotland’s five main political parties have signed the Scottish Refugee Council’s (SRC) election pledge.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, Lorna Slater and Patrick Harvie of the Greens, Willie Rennie of the Lib Dems and Labour’s Anas Sarwar agreed to “make Scotland a welcoming place” and to stand up for refugee rights. 

SRC chief executive Sabir Zazai said this pledge was “simply doing the right thing.”

AMAZON: Unite has launched a new hotline and campaign to get a “new deal” for Amazon workers in Scotland. 

The union is passing on the message to Amazon workers that they can blow the whistle and expose poor treatment. 

Unite is calling on Amazon’s owner Jeff Bezos to sign up to a “new deal,” including commitments that recognise workers’ right to unionise.

MAYORS: Introducing directly elected mayors in Scotland would give people a “local hero” to represent their communities, a think tank says.

Reform Scotland urged the next Scottish government to establish such positions in a new report, saying it could help switch power from Holyrood to local councils.

Report author Alison Payne said: “Scotland is far too centralised and needs to see a shift in power from Holyrood to local authorities.”

SCOTTISH LABOUR: The party has expressed its disappointment after losing a last-minute bid to include Anas Sarwar’s name on ballot papers.

The party took legal action after the Electoral Commission refused to allow “Anas Sarwar — Labour’s National Recovery Plan” to appear on May 6 regional-list ballots.

The body said Labour made its application very late and should not be “pushed up the queue,” despite claims it could cause the party an unfair electoral disadvantage.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
More from this author
Scottish Health Secretary Humza Yousaf
Britain / 9 January 2022
9 January 2022
It is ‘unfathomable’ that staff are having to keep doors and windows open and ask pupils to layer up for a second winter, Scottish Teachers for Positive Change and Wellbeing says
Similar stories
Protesters calling for same-sex marriages march down the Roy
Britain / 16 December 2024
16 December 2024
People take part in a Believe in Scotland march and rally in
Britain / 8 December 2024
8 December 2024
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar speaks during the Labour
Features / 24 September 2024
24 September 2024
With a lack of radical thinking from the Starmer-led UK government, support for Scottish independence is unlikely to evaporate any time soon – spelling trouble ahead for Anas Sarwar, argues PAULINE BRYAN