The Edinburgh Reporter June 2019

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8 POLITICS Ash Denham MSP Ben Macpherson MSP Christine Jardine MP Daniel Johnson MSP Deidre Brock MP Gordon Lindhurst MSP Gordon Macdonald MSP Ian Murray MP Short term lets by Ben Macpherson MSP Short-term letting, through platforms such as Airbnb, is increasingly causing concern in Leith, with the consequences becoming more and more evident. I know from speaking to many local people that there is growing worry and anxiety about the damage that an over-concentration and excessive number of shortterm let properties can cause. And that’s why I was delighted to hear the First Minister's announcement at the SNP conference in Edinburgh in April that there will be a new public consultation to control the number of short-term lets and ensure that the owners of The Edinburgh Reporter these properties contribute to the services they use. The Scottish Government are proposing a national framework that provides a menu of discretionary powers. This way City of Edinburgh Council will be able to implement measures appropriate to our city, to respond to our local conditions and concerns. This online consultation runs until 19 July 2019 and can be found online by searching ‘Scot Gov short term lets consultation’. I would encourage anyone who has concerns about short-term letting to please respond to this consultation. A decade of Edinburgh Street Pastors by Jeremy Balfour MSP This year, Edinburgh Street Pastors are celebrating their 10-year anniversary. Beginning with 4 churches back in 2009, the Street Pastors were seeking to address the need of providing support and care for people on Edinburgh’s streets on Friday, and now Saturday, nights. Edinburgh undoubtedly has a rich nightlife experience and it’s rightly enjoyed by many. However, as with any city’s nightlife, issues can arise. A night out can soon take a turn for the worse and leave a club goer in distress. Similarly, Edinburgh has a serious problem with homelessness and many of those who are sleeping on the streets are often left the fend for themselves. These are just a couple of issues that come to mind when thinking about this city’s nightlife and culture, and often folks have very little help readily available to them, particularly as our emergency services are already stretched serving our city. This was why Edinburgh Street Pastors was established. They want to be a practical solution to the problems that arise within EU Settlement Scheme by Joanna Cherry QC MP Are you an EU citizen living here or do you have family or friends who are? Can I thank you for your contribution to our country and to our city. It was precisely because of that that I oppose Brexit, was so pleased Scotland voted to Remain and that we do not face the same toxic debate on migration as in England and Wales. But we have now reached the tragic situation where EU citizens living here have to apply to the UK Government’s EU Settlement Scheme, if you have lived here Edinburgh’s nightlife. Since 2009, the organisation has gone from strength to strength. It now partners with 20 churches across the city and engages with over 50 volunteers, who go out on Friday and Saturday nights to serve the city. The Street Pastors go out each week because of their Christian faith, seeking to share it practically with others through caring for, helping and simply listening to those on Edinburgh’s streets. Each night is completely different. The Street Pastors have helped those who are suicidal, have assisted the homeless in finding somewhere safe to eat and sleep and have been able to provide care for anyone facing difficulty along the course of their night out. Why do they do this? Because they believe every life has value. Edinburgh Street Pastors provide an invaluable service to this city and indeed have impacted countless people’s lives. I want to congratulate them again in marking a decade of serving and I encourage you to check them out for yourself. more than five years or pre-settled status under five years to ensure you can work, study and travel. The deadline for applying is 30 June 2021, if the Conservative Government can reach a deal or 21 December 2020 if we leave without a deal. I would encourage everyone to apply now at https://www.gov.uk/ settled-status-eu-citizens-families The Scottish Government has allocated considerable resources to help EU citizens including a help line on 0800 916 9847 and come to my surgeries if you need help. Irresponsible parking by Gordon Macdonald MSP The Scottish Parliament has, for a number of years, tried to introduce legislation to tackle irresponsible parking through a Private Members Bill. However, due to most traffic regulations being reserved to Westminster this was proving to be difficult. Recently, many people have been speaking to me about the impact of irresponsible parking, especially on pavements. Obstructive parking can and does cause serious problems for everyone, and puts the safety of pedestrians (particularly vulnerable people, including the elderly and disabled) and other motorists in jeopardy. Similarly, vehicles parking on pavements can also cause damage to our pavements resulting in trip hazards and repair costs. The SNP Government are U-turn on Air Passenger Duty by Gordon Lindhurst MSP The SNP Government have made a U-Turn and will now not cut air passenger duty on long haul fights. As a result, their commitment to boosting their environmental credentials is questionable – rather than flying direct to Scotland, the SNP decision increases the risk of environmentally damaging multiple short haul flights to reach Scotland. Additionally, we have to ensure that the right balance is struck between a desire to cut emissions and boost our economy. Edinburgh Airport has heavily criticised the decision, highlighting the support for elsewhere, including Inverness, which enjoys Question Time by Christine Jardine MP Last month, I made my nervewracking debut on Question Time, and the subject which provoked my most passionate response was the environment. I appreciate that this is a topic I keep coming back to, but I believe it is one pudding that’s impossible to over-egg. Clean air is one of the most precious commodities we have, and it’s only becoming more precious. In Edinburgh, I still find it astonishing that breathing the air here can often feel as bad – if not worse – as being in central London. Hence my disappointment over the long-awaited Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) plans revealed by the city council. As it stands the proposals would introduce a full LEZ in the committed to making Scotland’s streets safer for everyone and The Transport (Scotland) Bill will make parking on pavements an enforceable offence. The Bill will deliver an automatic ban on pavement parking as well as double parking (to ensure access for emergency service vehicles), making it easier for local authorities to ensure our pavements and roads safer and more accessible to all. Councils will also be given the powers for exemptions but there will be strict criteria that they must meet. This piece of legislation will have life changing impacts across the country and, after the issue being raised for several years, I am delighted to see it making its way through the parliament. cuts in APD and commitments were made for a number of years on cutting duty for passengers. The cut had the potential to boost our economy, bring further tourism opportunities and offer passengers greater options when travelling from Edinburgh. We must all do our bit to protect the environment but this is a policy that has been ditched in a matter of weeks. I hope the SNP Government can outline what measures they will take to ensure Edinburgh Airport has a bright future as soon as possible. city centre only, where the most polluting cars will be charged a levy to enter. Another city-wide zone which would only apply to buses, coaches and commercial vehicles. Some of the worst-affected areas of the city would be in the second category. For those who live along and around St John’s Road, Queensferry Road there would still be queues of cars belching out toxic fumes. Here there was a chance to take bold steps towards solving a decades-old problem, but somehow, I have the horrible feeling it has fallen short. But the consultation is now open so at least we will all have the chance to air our views, and I’m hopeful that readers will. Local Politicians have their say
@EdinReporter /EdinReporter edinburghreporter theedinburghreporter.co.uk POLITICS 9 Welcome action on short term lets by Tommy Sheppard MP Latest figures show that Edinburgh’s Airbnb boom may be slowing down – maybe reaching saturation point? But more properties in Edinburgh city centre are now in the commercial short-term lets sector than are available for conventional rent. In short, there are more whole flats permanently available on sites like Airbnb in areas like the Grassmarket than are being rented as a home. This is gutting out our city centre communities. Too many residents are living alone in a stair full of stag and hen revellers. Too many people can’t afford to live in Edinburgh because house prices and rents are rocketing as landlords and investors turn homes into lucrative mini-hotels. This is about full-on unregulated commercial activities, not folk renting out their spare room. We wouldn’t think it was a good idea for nearly every shop on a street to be a pub or a betting Brexit encore By Ian Murray MP Our politics is more polarised than at any point in modern times. The Brexit divide has split the country, and the divisions are worse in Scotland as a result of the SNP’s continued obsession with leaving the UK. While the SNP and Nigel Farage want to erect barriers between people, I believe we should be breaking down those barriers. It’s time to prove that politics is still a force for good. There were two significant anniversaries last month: the 20th anniversary of the Scottish Parliament and the 25th anniversary of the untimely death of former Labour leader John Smith. John’s last public words were ‘The opportunity to serve our country - that is all we ask’. His politics were based on persuasion and taking people with him by force of argument to do what was in the national interest. I believe our politics has lost that principle and needs to urgently find it once again. shop. We welcome visitors to our beautiful capital city and the economic boost tourism gives but this cannot go unaddressed. And so I’m delighted that the Scottish government has announced a far-reaching consultation on how best to control the impact of short-term lets. Edinburgh Council has been clear that the way to control and manage the short-term letting problem would be to have a licensing system – if you’re letting a whole property on a short-term basis for more than a few weeks each year without a licence, you’d get fined. The Council would decide not to grant a licence if there are too many holiday flats in a particular area. This makes sense to me. We need a system that protects communities and safeguards houses as homes. The Scottish government’s consultation is now live until 19th July – take your opportunity to make your views known: bit.ly/2GWSD8e Cheerio from Kezia by Kezia Dugdale MSP I have always been committed to public service and have enjoyed the experiences my role as MSP has given me in fighting Edinburgh’s corner these past 8 years. Representing and serving the people of this great, international city has been an honour and allowed me to meet so many diverse individuals who live and work here. In July, I will be leaving the Scottish Parliament and am thrilled to be joining the John Smith Centre for Public Service as its new Director this summer. My mission will be to rebuild trust and faith in a political process that has become discredited in recent years.The solution to so many of the political and social problems that plague us is to restore faith in public service, politics and the political process. As I stand down as MSP and look to the future, no matter what happens, nothing will compare to genuinely helping people in need to rebuild and transform their lives. Most enthusiastic new MEP award... If we were giving an award for the most enthusiastic of the new MEPs it would have to go to Christian Allard who smiled more broadly than any of the others as the announcement of the vote was made. Mr Allard is a Frenchman who came to live in Scotland some time ago. He worked in the Scottish fishing industry for over 30 years and that Scotland will now have a strong voice in Brussels. Building a better system for Scotland by Deidre Brock MP I remember the days when the UK was proud to have a welfare system that protected people when they fell on hard times. It was part-and-parcel of a fair-minded, modern society that nobody would be left hungry, cold or sick for the sin of being poor. Yet under the cover of austerity, and now the straw man of Europe, this promise to our citizens has been broken. The Tories have been quietly hacking away at the welfare safety net and more and more people have been falling right through it. Austerity may have applied to all aspects of government spend, but the poor have borne the brunt of the burden. We’ve had wave after wave of cuts, caps, sanctions and welfare ‘reforms’ enshrining unfairness into the legislation. A Human Rights Watch report ound the budget for the welfare of children and families was cut by a whopping 44 per cent since 2010, compared to just seven per cent for defence. How else can this be explained other than an ideological decision to dismantle support for the poor? Bombs are very much higher on the Tory agenda than bairns. No wonder the UN’s independent expert on poverty Prof Alston concluded “much of the glue that has held British society together since the Second World War has been deliberately removed and replaced with a harsh and uncaring ethos." He is spot on. Mrs Thatcher may have hankered for Victorian times but even she would not have dreamed they could get away with it as much as they have. It’s time to send that lot packing and build a better Scotland. We need to get out of this broken system before Boris or Nigel take it to the next level. Dealing with local issues by Daniel Johnson MSP Over the past few months I have held public meetings on local issues like tenement maintenance, shared repairs, and the redevelopment of the Astley Ainslie Hospital. It has been great to see so many local residents engaging on these important issues that affect the constituency.Ultimately it is my job to work with local residents and take their views back into the Parliament. Over the past 3 years I have also held several meetings on Brexit with my colleague Ian Murray MP. Constituents have made it crystal clear to me what their position is on this. Which is why I have consistently spoken out about the prospect of leaving the EU and the damaging effect that pulling away from those close cultural and economic ties will have on Edinburgh. The people of South Edinburgh understand that the EU may have its faults but that we need to work together if we are going to tackle some of the big issues that we face, from poor economic growth to climate change. We can’t afford to stand still when tackling these issues. If we stand still then we fail to move forward, and we fall back on any sort of progress that has been made. Pension changes by Ash Denham MSP Last month, the UK Government changed the eligibility criteria for Pension Credit, an entitlement for people on the lowest levels of State Pension. These changes mean that people with a partner under pensionable age will not be able to claim Pension Credit until the younger partner is of pensionable age. This policy change will have a devastating impact on some of Scotland’s poorest pensioners and will mean that people would Jeremy Balfour MSP Joanna Cherry QC MP Kezia Dugdale MSP Tommy Sheppard MP need to live apart to be better off financially. This is one of many examples of the Tories penalising the poor. But it has particular resonance for Scots, who in 2014 saw the Tories and Labour tell pensioners that they must vote no to independence to protect their pensions.The shamelessness of those lies is now exposed. Now our pensions are being stripped away anyway. It’s time to make Scotland a fairer country for our pensioners. It’s time for independence. EU Parliamentary Election 2019 by Phyllis Stephen So you’ll have had your say in the latest political weathervane. This time the SNP claimed victory in Scotland with three new MEPs, Alyn Smith continuing his fifteen year tenure will be accompanied to Brussels by Christian Allard and Aileen McLeod both former MSPs, one Brexit Party MEP, one Conservative and one Liberal Democrat. The Brexit Party led by Nigel Farage swept the boards in the rest of the UK and claimed 31.7% of the vote with the Liberal Democrats in second place. Voters chose to ignore the two main parties who can’t seem to agree on what Brexit means anyway. The delays and uncertainty have cost Theresa May her post as Prime Minister in common with other Conservative leaders, Cameron, Major and Thatcher. Now the six Scottish MEPs go off to Brussels believing that they may be in work until 31 October 2019, but nobody can guarantee that since the UK could have a new Conservative Prime Minister sometime this summer - and who knows what will happen to Brexit then. An outside chance of a General Election must also be on the cards. Alyn Smith told us : “This was sold on a false premise. We need to go back into this and I feel entirely justified in fighting it. We can revoke Article 50 - I and others took the UK Government to the European Court of Justice to establish that we can revoke Article 50 - unilaterally and without consequences. “There is also the idea of a second EU Referendum on the question, so there are ways out of this. None of this is inevitable.” “That won’t stop the conversation. The UK and Scotland needs to have a proper conversation about where we fit in the world and how we want to interact with the wider continent, but we need to get rid of the vague airy promises.” Conservative leader Ruth Davidson told me : “We knew before this election that the Conservatives were going to get a kicking, primarily because we said that we would take the country out of the EU and we haven’t done it. We worked hard to keep a seat here in Scotland and I am thankful that Nosheena Mubarak is heading to Brussels."
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