Round-up of the week's news from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Scotland
• Liberal Democrat Michael Moore was appointed the new Scottish Secretary. Labour MP for Glasgow North, Willie Bain, said: “Michael Moore is the Tories’ Scottish salesman.”
• Ian McMillan, director of CBI Scotland, warned that fiscal autonomy could cost Scotland dear.
• The Scottish Conservative Party braced itself for a deep rooted review of how it operated.
• The Lib Dems called on the Scottish National Party to play a full part in implementing the reccomendations of the Calam Commission.
• The University of Glasgow announced it had a £6 million surplus despite plans to cut 80 jobs.
• A group of businesses people launched a campaign to get Holyrood tax varying powers beyond those proposed in the Calman Commission.
• Business secretary Vince Cable pledged that Westminster would study proposals for Scotland to undertake a second round of fiscal stimulus.
• Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon told MSPs that 4,000 jobs across the NHS would be lost this year as a result of spending cuts. Labour’s shadow health secretary Jackie Baillie warned: “These figures are appalling. You simply cannot lose this number of jobs without damaging patient care.”
• The General Teaching Council for Scotland reported that the rate of newly qualified teachers across Scotland who found permanent work is 9 per cent lower than a year ago.
Wales
• Counsel General John Griffiths wrote on Left Foot Forward: “The Labour Movement is still a moral crusade.”
• Wales minister, David Jones, warned a referendum on further law making powers for Cardiff Bay in the Autumn would be “very tight”.
• Ahead of Saturday’s marches by the far-right Welsh Defence League in Swansea and Cardiff, Plaid Cymru AM and vice president of Searchlight Wales Leanne Wood – a panelist on last night’s Question Time – declared: “We will do all we can to ensure their divisive politics do not take hold in Wales.”
• A new campaign was launched to address the problem of violence against women in Wales. “Everyone has the right to lead a safe and violence-free life and I am committed to doing everything I can to make this happen,” said social justice minister Carl Sargeant.
• It was announced that Wales would become the first country in the UK to charge for carrier bag use. “I am confident that the Welsh public will… see it as positive step towards preserving our beautiful countryside and helping Wales to reduce its carbon footprint,” said environment minister Jane Davidson.
• Chief medical officer Dr Tony Jewell warned parents not to allow under 15s to drink, even under supervision.
Northern Ireland
• A Derry police station was attacked by a mortar device as a pipe bomb damaged a house in County Tyrone.
• Democratic Unionsit Party leader Peter Robinson laid out his plans for greater unity between the unionist parties.
• Two police officers were left injured after being attacked in North Belfast.
• Seven public sector bosses in Northern Ireland were revealed to be earning more than the prime minister.
• The Northern Bank warned that Northern Ireland would not see pre-recession growth return until the second half of 2012.
• Education minister Christina Ruane warned that 220 teaching posts in Northern Ireland would be lost this year.
• The European Commission told Northern Ireland’s farmers they would have to pay back £60 million paid out to them in error.
• The Police Service of Northern Ireland warned that politicians needed to do more to calm community tensions during the marching season.
• Progressive Unionist Party leader Dawn Purvis resigned both as leader and a party member. In a statement, Ms Purvis said she was leaving as the party was “severely restricted because of its relationship with the Ulster Volunteer Force”.
Quote of the Week
“There are clear humanitarian needs in the Gaza strip and the blockade only adds to these. The Scottish Government would urge Israel to lift the blockade and allow humanitarian aid in as a matter of urgency.”
Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond writing to the Israeli Ambassador
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4 Responses to “The week outside Westminster”
Trakgalvis
The week outside Westminster: http://bit.ly/98hoYk via @leftfootfwd
Trakgalvis
The week outside Westminster: http://bit.ly/98hoYk via @leftfootfwd
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