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Search resuls for: "Scottish National Party"


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Just days after Scotland’s first minister, Humza Yousaf, announced his resignation, one of his party’s most experienced politicians, John Swinney, emerged on Thursday as his likely successor after the most prominent potential challenger pulled out of the race. That crisis reached a new level of urgency this week when Mr. Yousaf terminated a coalition agreement with another party that campaigns for Scottish independence, the Scottish Greens, only to find himself facing two confidence votes he risked losing. On Monday, he said he would step down as soon as a replacement was chosen. For much of the past year, the S.N.P. has been enduring the fallout of a police investigation into the handling of funds it raised for a future referendum campaign.
Persons: Scotland’s, Humza Yousaf, John Swinney, Swinney, Mr, Nicola Sturgeon, Yousaf Organizations: Scottish National Party, Scottish, Scottish Greens
Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf announces his resignation during a statement, at Bute House, in Edinburgh, on April 29, 2024. Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf resigned on Monday after the collapse of his power-sharing agreement with the country's Green Party. Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Yousaf was facing a vote of no confidence that he was not expected to survive, after he broke off the agreement with the Green Party last week. "In ending the Bute House agreement in the manner I did, I clearly underestimated the level of hurt and upset I caused Green colleagues. The first person of color to lead Scotland, Yousaf said it was an "honour" and "privilege" to serve as first minister.
Persons: Humza Yousaf, Yousaf, Green, Organizations: Scotland's, Bute House, Scottish, country's Green Party, Scottish National Party, Green Party Locations: Bute, Edinburgh, Scotland
Humza Yousaf Resigns as Scotland’s First Minister
  + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com   time to read: +1 min
Scotland’s first minister, Humza Yousaf, resigned on Monday in the latest setback for his Scottish National Party, which has been engulfed in a slow-burn crisis over a funding scandal that erupted after its popular leader Nicola Sturgeon stepped down last year. Mr. Yousaf’s departure had looked increasingly inevitable after he gambled last week by ending a power sharing deal with the Scottish Green Party, angering its leaders and leaving him at the head of a minority government without obvious allies. His opponents then pressed for two motions of no confidence, which were expected to take place later this week. Having explored his options over several fraught days, Mr. Yousaf, who was Scotland’s first Muslim leader, said that he would quit in a speech on Monday at Bute House in Edinburgh, the official residence of the Scottish first minister. “After spending the weekend reflecting on what is best for my party, for the government and for the country I lead, I have concluded that repairing our relationship across the political divide can only be done with someone else at the helm,” Mr. Yousaf said in a short and at times emotional statement.
Persons: Scotland’s, Humza Yousaf, Nicola Sturgeon, Yousaf’s, Yousaf, ” Mr Organizations: Scottish National Party, Scottish Green Party, Bute House, Scottish Locations: Edinburgh
Scotland’s first minister, Humza Yousaf, on Thursday abruptly ended a coalition agreement between his Scottish National Party and the Scottish Green Party, creating a new set of challenges for an embattled leader whose party has been engulfed in a funding scandal since last year. But Mr. Yousaf’s decision to scrap the coalition appeared to take Lorna Slater, a co-leader of the Greens, by surprise on Thursday morning. of “an act of cowardice,” adding that Mr. Yousaf could “no longer be trusted.”Does this mean the end of the Scottish government? The Scottish Conservatives are pressing for a vote of no confidence in Mr. Yousaf, which the opposition Scottish Labour Party has signaled it would support, and that could take place next week. But that vote relates to confidence in Mr. Yousaf, not the government, so its implications are unclear even if he were to lose.
Persons: Scotland’s, Humza Yousaf, Lorna Slater, Yousaf, Organizations: Scottish National Party, Scottish Green Party, Scottish, Greens, Scottish Conservatives, Scottish Labour Party Locations: Scotland
Peter Murrell, the husband of Scotland’s former first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, was charged on Thursday in connection with embezzlement of funds from the Scottish National Party, which she once led and where he once held a senior position. The announcement, which follows a lengthy inquiry by the Scottish police, is another blow to the party, which controls the Scottish government and campaigns for independence. The party was thrown into turmoil after Ms. Sturgeon’s surprise resignation last year. After her departure as first minister, Ms. Sturgeon was also arrested as part of the investigation into her party’s finances, but she was released and has not been charged. Mr. Murrell, 59, who has been married to Ms. Sturgeon since 2010, became the S.N.P.’s chief executive in 1999 and resigned from the role in February 2023.
Persons: Peter Murrell, Scotland’s, Nicola Sturgeon, Sturgeon’s, Sturgeon, Murrell, Organizations: Scottish National Party, Scottish
London CNN —Pressure is mounting on British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to suspend the sale of arms to Israel following the deadly attack on a convoy of aid workers in Gaza. Calls for Sunak to stop supplying Israel with weapons grew after an Israeli airstrike on Monday killed seven members of staff from World Central Kitchen, three of whom were British citizens. The government is still waiting for legal advice from its lawyers on whether or not selling arms to Israel is in breach of international law. However, parliamentary estimates show that the UK has still licensed arms worth over $725m. The family of one of the aid workers killed former Royal Marine James Henderson, have criticized the UK sale of arms to Israel.
Persons: Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Alicia Kearns, Kearns, , , Benjamin Netanyahu, Grant Shapps, Marine James Henderson Organizations: London CNN, British, Parliament’s, Conservative Party, UNRWA, Labour, Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party, Israeli, ” Defense, , UN Security Council, Marine, Times Locations: Israel, Gaza, British, Germany, Times of London
Nicola Sturgeon told the United Kingdom's public inquiry into the pandemic that she didn't use informal messaging such as WhatsApp to make decisions. Although Scotland is part of the U.K., its government has powers over matters relating to public health. Sturgeon's standing has been further dented by the recent revelation that her WhatsApp messages had been deleted, which has led to questions about her trustworthiness or whether she has anything to hide. Last week, Sturgeon's successor as first minister, Humza Yousaf, offered an “unreserved” apology for the Scottish government’s “frankly poor” handling of requests for WhatsApp messages. Johnson agreed in late 2021 to hold a public inquiry after heavy pressure from bereaved families, who have hit out at the evidence emerging about his actions.
Persons: , policymaking, Nicola Sturgeon, , Sturgeon, Boris Johnson, hadn't, hasn't, WhatsApp, , Humza Yousaf, Heather Hallett, Johnson Organizations: United, Scotland, Scottish National Party, Scottish Locations: Scotland, Edinburgh, England, Wales, Northern Ireland
Comparison online of the way Britain’s party leaders held their poppy wreaths on Remembrance Sunday has sparked a false claim that the Scottish National Party’s (SNP) Westminster leader Stephen Flynn held his garland upside down. In an X post (archived) on Nov. 14, Flynn said his wreath was made by Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory in Edinburgh, Scotland. Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory told Reuters that the card was placed at the bottom of the wreath. There are also differences in the designs of poppies, the Scottish National War Memorial spokesperson said. Stephen Flynn held his wreath the correct way up on Remembrance Sunday, according to the wreath maker, who said the card was deliberately placed at the bottom.
Persons: Stephen Flynn, Flynn, Ed Davey, Keir Starmer, Rishi Sunak, Lady Haig’s, Lady Haig’s Poppy, Pam Gosal, Jackson Carlaw, Read Organizations: Scottish National, Facebook, Liberal, Conservative Party, Memorial, Reuters, Lady Haig’s Poppy Factory, Scottish, Thomson Locations: Scotland, England, Edinburgh
Keir Starmer, leader of Britain's Labour Party, speaks during the Prime Minister's Questions, at the House of Commons in London, Britain November 15, 2023. But the backing of so many Labour lawmakers showed the levels of disquiet in the party over the Middle East conflict. Eight members of Starmer's 'shadow' ministerial team left their roles in order to defy the party position. But I wanted to be clear about where I stood, and where I will stand," Starmer said after the vote. A large protest by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign outside parliament demanding lawmakers back a ceasefire took place while the vote was going on.
Persons: Keir Starmer, Maria Unger, Handout, Rishi Sunak, Jess Phillips, Starmer, Elizabeth Piper, Kylie MacLellan, Deepa Babington Organizations: Britain's Labour Party, REUTERS Acquire, Labour, Scottish National Party, European Union, Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Israel, United States, Gaza, Britain's, Palestine
She resigned her post as Scotland’s leader in February, citing exhaustion and her status as a polarizing figure as her reasons. Then in June, she was arrested by police officers investigating the finances of the Scottish National Party, which she had led as it dominated the country’s politics. The driving-test milestone highlighted the sheltered, chauffeured lifestyle of heads of state who often travel in well-secured vehicles. It also was a reminder of just how hard such tests are in the United Kingdom compared to other countries, including the United States. Rob Harper, the chair of the Association of Approved Driving Instructors, told The Telegraph in 2019: “I think it’s a dangerous maneuver, and so do many of my members.”
Persons: Sturgeon, Rob Harper, Organizations: Scottish National Party, Association Locations: United Kingdom, United States, U.S, Britain
Scotland's First Minister and Scottish National Party (SNP) leader Humza Yousaf speaks during an interview with Reuters ahead of his party's annual conference in Aberdeen, Britain, October 16, 2023. REUTERS/Gerhard May Acquire Licensing RightsABERDEEN, Scotland, Oct 17 (Reuters) - Scotland's leader Humza Yousaf is confident his dream of independence will come true in the next decade despite his governing party haemorrhaging support over the worst crisis in its modern history. The dominant political party in Scotland for almost two decades, the pro-independence Scottish National Party has been damaged by infighting, voter fatigue and scandals, including the arrest of its charismatic former leader Nicola Sturgeon. Even with support for the SNP in decline, opinion polls show Scotland is still roughly split over independence. "Support for independence is rock solid but support for the SNP has dipped," he said.
Persons: Humza Yousaf, Gerhard, Nicola Sturgeon, Yousaf, YouGov, Scots, Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak's, isn't, Andrew MacAskill, Kate Holton, Ed Osmond Organizations: Scotland's, Scottish National Party, Reuters, REUTERS, Rights, Labour Party won, Labour, Scotland, England, European Union, Scottish, Westminster, British, Thomson Locations: Aberdeen, Britain, Rights ABERDEEN, Scotland, Europe, European, London
Yousaf's parents-in-law live in Scotland but were visiting relatives in Gaza when Hamas militants poured into Israel and killed 1,300 people last weekend. "There is no doubt that collective punishment is a breach of international law," he said. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak told parliament on Monday that Israel must defend itself in line with international humanitarian law. Diplomatic efforts are continuing to get aid into the enclave as food, fuel and water run short. He added that his brother-in-law, who works as a doctor, is having to make decisions about who should be treated, while the hospitals in Gaza run out of body bags.
Persons: Humza Yousaf, Yousaf's, Israel, Yousaf, Elizabeth, Maged, Nakla, Gerhard, Rishi Sunak, Andrew MacAskill, Kate Holton, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Reuters, Scottish National Party, REUTERS, London ., Thomson Locations: Gaza, ABERDEEN, Scotland, Israel, Aberdeen, Britain, British, London, London . British, Dundee, Palestinian, Scottish, Glasgow, Pakistan, Kenya
Scotland's leader fears for wife's parents 'trapped' in Gaza
  + stars: | 2023-10-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf attends First Minister's Questions at the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, March 30, 2023. REUTERS/Russell Cheyne/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON Oct 9 (Reuters) - Scotland's leader Humza Yousaf said on Monday that his wife's parents were "trapped" in Gaza, leaving him worried if they will survive an attack by IsraelThe parents of Yousaf’s wife were in Gaza visiting family when Hamas launched a surprise attack on Israel over the weekend. "They're trapped in Gaza. Therefore, you can imagine my wife and I are sick with worry about whether or not, frankly, our parents - my in-laws - will survive," he said. Reporting by Andrew MacAskill Editing by Bill Berkrot and Christina FincherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons: Humza Yousaf, Russell Cheyne, Israel, Yousaf’s, They're, they've, Yousaf, Andrew MacAskill, Bill Berkrot, Christina Fincher Organizations: Scotland's, Scottish, REUTERS, Hamas, BBC, Scottish National Party, Thomson Locations: Holyrood, Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, Gaza, Israel, Western Europe, British, London
Addressing the American Enterprise Institute think-tank in Washington, Braverman said the United Nations refugee convention has expanded the definition of "persecution" and increased the number of people qualifying for refugee protection. Almost 24,000 people have been detected crossing the Channel this year, despite Sunak's promise to "stop the boats". In her speech, Braverman said asylum seekers should be obliged to make a claim in the first safe country they reach. "The vast majority have passed through multiple safe countries, and in some instances have resided in safe countries for several years," Braverman said. Reporting by Andrew MacAskill; Editing by Alex Richardson, Alexandra HudsonOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
Persons: Suella Braverman, Peter Nicholls, Braverman, Rishi Sunak, Stewart McDonald, Andrew MacAskill, Alex Richardson, Alexandra Hudson Organizations: REUTERS, American Enterprise Institute, United Nations, Conservative Party, Britain, Scottish National Party, Alexandra Hudson Our, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, Washington, Rwanda, France
For Britain’s opposition Labour Party, the road to 10 Downing Street is likely to run through Scotland. Ms. Scott, 18, a geography student who studies in Edinburgh, enthusiastically supported the Scottish National Party in past ballots. representative, Margaret Ferrier, who was forced out of her seat on Aug. 1 after violating lockdown rules during the coronavirus pandemic. She also thinks the Labour Party has better proposals to cope with a grinding cost-of-living crisis that has left people fed up and exhausted. Ms. Scott signed a petition to recall Ms. Ferrier, which triggered this by-election, and now said she was “leaning slightly toward Labour, based on how proactive they’ve been.”
Persons: Cara Scott, Scott, Margaret Ferrier, Ferrier, Organizations: Labour Party, Labour, Scottish National Party Locations: Scotland, Glasgow, Edinburgh
The bloom is truly off the Scottish National Party, which has continued to dominate political life here in the almost decade since it lost the independence referendum. The party has held majorities in the devolved Parliament and in the Scottish seats at Westminster, and a volley of opinion polls, routinely reporting that Scots under the age of 49 favor independence, bolstered the sense that Scottish independence was a historical inevitability. Ms. Sturgeon insists that she is innocent of any wrongdoing. But even before the allegations, Ms. Sturgeon’s plans for independence had run out of steam. (Ms. Sturgeon’s lackluster successor, Humza Yousaf, has not revitalized the movement.)
Persons: Nicola Sturgeon, Sturgeon, Sturgeon’s, Humza Yousaf Organizations: Scottish National Party, Westminster, Scottish, Labour Party Locations: Scotland, United Kingdom
Scotland proposes making all drug possession legal
  + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
LONDON, July 7 (Reuters) - Scotland outlined proposals on Friday to decriminalise the possession of all drugs for personal use saying it would help it tackle the worst drug death rate in Europe. A spokesman for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ruled out any change, saying: "There are no plans to alter our tough stance on drugs." The governing Scottish National Party, which wants Scotland to be an independent country, has also clashed with the British government over a proposed gender recognition reform law. With 327 deaths per million population, Scotland had Europe's highest drug death rate in 2020, dwarfing the next highest rate of 85 in Norway, official statistics showed. While narcotics are illegal in much of the world, some countries have decriminalised various forms of drug possession, with health experts arguing it would allow compulsive drug users to be treated as patients rather than criminals.
Persons: Elena Whitham, Rishi Sunak, dwarfing, Sachin Ravikumar, Andrew Heavens Organizations: Drugs, British, Scottish National Party, Thomson Locations: Scotland, Europe, Edinburgh, British, London, Westminster, Norway
Leon Neal/Pool via REUTERS/File PhotoLONDON, June 29 (Reuters) - London's Court of Appeal will rule on Thursday if a British plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is lawful, in a verdict that could make or break Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's pledge to stop migrants from arriving by boat. Under a deal struck last year, Britain's government plans to send tens of thousands of asylum seekers who arrive on its shores more than 4,000 miles (6,400 km) to the East African country. In December, the High Court in London ruled the policy was lawful, but that decision is being challenged by asylum seekers from several countries along with human rights organisations. If the judges rule the plan is lawful, a government official said the flights could begin later this year if the courts reject any applications for further legal challenges. Sunak sees the deportation plan as central to deterring asylum seekers arriving from Europe.
Persons: Rishi Sunak, Leon Neal, Rishi Sunak's, Sunak, Andrew MacAskill, John Stonestreet Organizations: European, of Human Rights, Court, Conservative Party, Labour Party, Scottish National Party, Thomson Locations: ENGLAND, Downing, London, United Kingdom, London's, British, Rwanda, East, Britain, Europe, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, France
The government sees the plan as central to deterring asylum seekers arriving in small boats from France. In an economic impact assessment published on Monday, the government said the cost of deporting each individual to Rwanda would include an average 105,000-pound payment to Rwanda for hosting each asylum seeker, 22,000 pounds for the flight and escorting, and 18,000 pounds for processing and legal costs. Home Secretary (interior minister) Suella Braverman said these costs must be considered alongside the impact of deterring others trying to reach Britain and the rising cost of housing asylum seekers. Unless action is taken, Braverman said that the cost of housing asylum seekers will rise to 11 billion pounds a year, up from about 3.6 billion pounds currently. "The economic impact assessment clearly shows that doing nothing is not an option," she said.
Persons: Rishi Sunak's, Sunak, Suella Braverman, Braverman, Andrew MacAskill, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Conservative, Labour Party, Home, Labour, Scottish National Party, European, of Human, Court, Thomson Locations: Rwanda, France, Britain, London, Syria, Sudan, Iraq, Iran, Vietnam
An edited photograph showing Scotland’s former first minister Nicola Sturgeon in the back seat of a police vehicle was widely circulated online after she was arrested as part of a police investigation in June 2023. Examples of the altered image, shared as showing Sturgeon’s arrest, are visible on Facebook (here), (here) and Twitter (here). The image was edited to include the car with the yellow-and-blue checkered pattern, typical of police vehicles in Scotland (here). A photo showing Nicola Sturgeon in the back of a police car is edited and unrelated to her June 2023 arrest. This article was produced by the Reuters Fact Check team.
Persons: Nicola Sturgeon, Sturgeon, John Linton, Read Organizations: Police Scotland, Scottish National Party, Reuters, Facebook, Twitter, Bute House, Getty Locations: Bute, Edinburgh, Scotland
He has accused the privileges committee, a parliamentary standards body that has investigated Johnson, of mounting a "witch-hunt" and behaving like a "kangaroo court". The former prime minister said it was a lie to say he deliberately misled parliament and called the report a charade. Below are the main findings from the report into Johnson's behaviour:JOHNSON DELIBERATELY MISLED PARLIAMENTThe committee offered a damning verdict on Johnson's honesty and conduct, concluding that he had deliberately and repeatedly misled parliament. JOHNSON WOULD HAVE FACED 90-DAY SUSPENSION FROM PARLIAMENTThe Committee said it would have recommended a suspension of three months from the House of Commons for Johnson if he had not resigned. FIVE WAYS JOHNSON COMMITTED CONTEMPTS OF PARLIAMENTThe committee found that Johnson had committed five contempts of parliament.
Persons: Boris Johnson, Johnson, JOHNSON, CONTEMPTS, Mr Johnson, Scottish National Party –, Andrew MacAskill, William James, Angus MacSwan, Toby Chopra Organizations: CONTEMPTS OF, BE, PASS, Labour, Scottish National Party, Thomson Locations: British, COVID, Downing Street, Downing, Chequers
Morning Bid: Markets drift ahead of central bank extravaganza
  + stars: | 2023-06-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com   time to read: +2 min
A look at the day ahead in European and global markets from Ankur BanerjeeAfter surprise interest rate hikes from the Reserve Bank of Australia and Bank of Canada, investors are a bit nervy heading into a week that brings us three major central banks meetings. Last week's moves have inflamed uncertainty in investor minds about whether the U.S. Federal Reserve will skip or surprise on Wednesday. CME Fedwatch tool showed the probability of the Fed standing still is over 70%, but with inflation data due on Tuesday there may just be a late sting in the tail. No such surprises are expected from the European Central Bank or Bank of Japan, with markets widely expecting the ECB to hike and stay hawkish, and the BOJ to stick to its ultra-loose monetary policy. Reuters GraphicsReuters GraphicsWith not a lot on the data calendar, stocks in Asia are muted, while the U.S. dollar is steady.
Persons: Ankur Banerjee, BioNTech, Crispin Odey, Nicola Sturgeon, Christopher Cushing Organizations: Ankur, Reserve Bank of Australia, Bank of Canada, Fed, ECB, U.S . Federal Reserve, CME, European Central Bank, Bank of Japan, Reuters Graphics Reuters, U.S ., Nikkei, Odey, Management, Scottish First, Scottish National Party ., Thomson Locations: Asia, Germany, Britain, Denmark, Czech Republic, Turkey, Singapore
[1/4] Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon attends her last First Minster's Questions at the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, in Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, March 23, 2023. REUTERS/Russell CheyneLONDON, June 12 (Reuters) - Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf said on Monday he would not suspend his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon after her arrest as part of a police inquiry into the finances of the governing, pro-independence Scottish National Party (SNP). "I see no reason to suspend their membership," Yousaf told the BBC. After she was released on Sunday, Sturgeon said she had committed no offence and was innocent of wrongdoing. Angus MacNeil, one of the SNP’s longest-serving members of the British parliament, said on Sunday Sturgeon should be suspended.
Persons: Nicola Sturgeon, Russell Cheyne, Humza Yousaf, Yousaf, Sturgeon, Peter Murrell, Scotland's, Ash Regan, Angus MacNeil, Andrew MacAskill, Kylie MacLellan, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Scottish, REUTERS, Scottish National Party, BBC, Labour Party, Labour, Thomson Locations: Holyrood, Edinburgh, Scotland, Britain, Scottish, United Kingdom, Westminster
Former Scotland leader Nicola Sturgeon arrested
  + stars: | 2023-06-11 | by ( Reuters Editorial | ) www.reuters.com   time to read: 1 min
PoliticsFormer Scotland leader Nicola Sturgeon arrestedPostedScotland's longest-serving leader of its semi-autonomous government was arrested on Sunday as a part of an investigation into the Scottish National Party's finances. Rachel Graham has the story.
Persons: Nicola Sturgeon, Rachel Graham Organizations: Scottish
Nicola Sturgeon speaking during a press conference at Bute House in Edinburgh where she announced she will stand down as First Minister of Scotland on February 15, 2023 in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Former Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was arrested Sunday by police investigating the finances of the governing, pro-independence Scottish National Party. Police Scotland said a 52-year-old woman was detained "as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party." The BBC and other media outlets identified the arrested woman as Sturgeon. Sturgeon unexpectedly resigned in February after eight years as party leader and first minister of Scotland's semi-autonomous government.
Persons: Nicola Sturgeon, Sturgeon, Colin Beattie, Peter Murrell, Murrell Organizations: Bute House, Former Scottish First, Scottish National Party . Police Scotland, Scottish National Party, Police Scotland, BBC, Scottish Locations: Edinburgh, United Kingdom, Scottish, Glasgow
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