A huge well done to all involved in Achievement Bute and those who contribute to the weekly 'Lockdown News' bulletin. This week's show features a really helpful update on lockdown guidance - including a reminder not to flock to our local beauty spots - a piece on Rothesay Golf Club and the great tractor tribute to the NHS and other key workers by Bute Junior Agricultural Club (BJAC) . You can also see Mia's interview with me in the 'The Grilling'. Well done all! ... See MoreSee Less
ABC News 2020 - Episode Two
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THE LOCKDOWN NEWS @ 6PM The ABC News Team have been busy collecting all the stories from Lockdown this week! Argyll and Bute MP, Brendan O’Hara, gets grilled... Video
The SNP's Shadow Chancellor has warned the Tory government against putting jobs and businesses at risk with proposed changes to the furlough scheme - after a quarter of employers said that they will not be able to cover salary contributions for furloughed workers.
Research published by the Institute of Directors yesterday revealed that a quarter of employers using the furlough scheme would be unable to afford to make any contribution at all towards workers' wages as the economic hit of the pandemic is felt.
My Westminster colleague Alison Thewliss MP has called on the Chancellor to step back from plans to lower the UK government's salary contribution from 80 per cent to 60 per cent from August - forcing businesses to cover the significant salary gap – saying that the move could lead to mass redundancies as businesses are pushed to the brink by taking on unmanageable debt or being unable to afford salaries.
The SNP has also renewed calls on the UK government to ensure that the devolved nations continue having full access to the scheme for as long as is required to protect jobs and the economy. ... See MoreSee Less
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will give a press conference at 12.30pm today on the review of the coronavirus lockdown restrictions. All guidance is available at www.gov.scot. You can watch the press conference at twitter.com/scotgov ... See MoreSee Less
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The SNP has said Boris Johnson's ignorance over the fact that many people in the UK have no recourse to public funds under current Tory government rules is "jaw-dropping" - and have renewed calls for everyone to have access to the support they need.
This is a matter that many constituents across Argyll & Bute have contacted me about over the last few months since lockdown began and I have written to the Chancellor about it. However, I am yet to receive a reply.
In yesterday's Liaison Committee, when challenged over no recourse to public fund rules, the Prime Minister expressed astonishment that some people were prevented from claiming social security under rules his own government imposes.
The SNP has repeatedly called on the UK government to change no recourse to public fund rules so that everyone in the UK has the right to access support, which they say is especially vital during a global pandemic.
Commenting, my Westminster colleague and SNP Shadow Immigration Minister Stuart McDonald MP said:
"It is absolutely jaw-dropping that after more than twenty years as an elected representative, including Prime Minister, Boris Johnson appears totally unaware of the plight of people who are prohibited from having recourse to public funds by his own Tory government.
“However, I’m pleased he seems as mystified as anyone over why people should be prevented from getting the support they need. He has the perfect opportunity to fix this when the Immigration Bill comes back to Parliament in a couple of weeks, and my SNP colleagues and I will be very happy to help him." ... See MoreSee Less
The SNP has called for clarity on coronavirus funding after the UK Government backtracked on £70 million worth of funding pledges for business and charities in Scotland.
On 2nd May, the UK Government announced a £617 million extension to business grants, which it advised would generate £60 million of funding consequentials for Scotland under the Barnett Formula. This was then duly committed to the Scottish Government’s Covid business response.
However, the UK Government informed the Scottish Government this week that this additional funding would not now materialise. Furthermore, last month £35 million of consequentials was earmarked to the Scottish Government in respect of charity support direct grant, but this was amended by the Treasury to £25 million at a later date.
In a letter to the UK Government, my colleague SNP Treasury spokesperson, Stephen Flynn, has demanded the UK Government honour their commitments.
Commenting, Stephen Flynn MP said:
“Funding commitments from the UK Government have to be taken in good faith as we work through this pandemic, but the fact the UK Government has simply pulled the rug on £70 million of funding completely undermines the whole process.
“The Scottish Government committed to spending that money in the belief that the UK Government would honour its word – this funding has failed to materialise, raising serious questions around future funding positions.
“We’ve already seen the Scottish Government take action to fill gaps in UK-wide support schemes through the Pivotal Enterprise Reliance Fund and the Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund, so the last thing we need is an additional financial burden because of the Treasury’s change of heart.
“The Treasury must act immediately to ensure the £70 million they promised is allocated to the Scottish Government as quickly as possible and in its entirety.” ... See MoreSee Less
Over the weekend and this morning, hundreds of constituents from across Argyll & Bute have contacted me to express their anger and dismay, not only at the decision by Boris Johnson's special adviser Dominic Cummings to travel 260 miles in a car with a small child while he and his wife were displaying symptoms of Covid-19 but also at the astonishing display of support given to him by the Prime Minister yesterday afternoon, despite growing public anger and the overwhelming evidence against Mr Cummings.
In refusing to sack Mr Cummings, the Prime Minister has chosen to prioritise his own narrow political interests ahead of protecting the health of the public.
By defending Mr Cummings’ action, the Prime Minister has in effect, told the people of England that there are no rules or guidelines to tackling this virus that cannot now be superseded by individual “instinct” and the application of some abstract concept of “common sense”. This simply beggar’s belief!
On Saturday, as the story broke, the SNP leader at Westminster Ian Blackford MP, wrote to the Cabinet Secretary, Sir Mark Sedwill asking for a full investigation of this matter.
Following yesterday’s Press Conference at Downing Street, the SNP group at Westminster tabled the following parliamentary motion;
"That this House calls on the Prime Minister to seek the immediate resignation of his chief adviser, Mr Dominic Cummings; notes with concern the damage Mr Cummings' breach of clear lockdown rules during the Covid-19 pandemic has done to public health advice and public confidence in it; further notes that other senior public employees have resigned or been removed for similar breaches of lockdown rules; further calls on the Cabinet Secretary to conduct a swift inquiry into the sanctioning of this breach of lockdown rules and any measures taken within government to restrict full transparency on this matter; concludes that there cannot be one rule for the Prime Minister’s senior advisers and separate rules for everyone else."
We shall continue to press the Prime Minister to recognise the enormous damage this scandal is doing in undermining the public’s confidence that only by obeying strict guidelines can we save lives and protect the National Health Service from being overwhelmed.
I will also be forwarding all emails from concerned constituents directly to Boris Johnson so he can fully appreciate the magnitude of public concern about Mr Cummings' actions and his own response.
A petition has also been launched www.change.org/p/uk-parliament-dominic-cummings-must-be-sacked
I would like to thank you for all that you have done to keep yourself, your family and your community safe and would urge you to continue to follow Scottish Government guidance during this very challenging time. ... See MoreSee Less
Yesterday my colleague Lindsey and I had a really useful online meeting with VisitScotland representatives David Adams McGilp and Leon Thompson to discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Argyll and Bute’s tourism and hospitality sector and the work that is being done across Government and organisations including VisitScotland, local councils and enterprise companies as well as representatives of the industry, to provide support at this very challenging time.
It is vital that we all work together to assist businesses including self-catering, hotels, guest house, bars, restaurants and outdoor activity market as well as our camping and caravan sites, and make sure everyone knows what support is available in terms of grants, loans, information and advice.
At the moment there is a great deal of work going on behind the scenes to look at how we do that and make sure our hugely important tourism economy and the jobs it creates, will be protected as much as possible so that when it is safe to do so, we will be in a position to welcome visitors back to Argyll and Bute, and the rest of Scotland, once again.
One of the really useful things VisitScotland has been doing is hosting a series of webinars on the Recovery of Tourism on its website.
These feature experts in the industry including VisitScotland’s Director of Industry and Destination Development, Riddell Graham, who also chairs the Scottish Tourism Emergency Response Group, set up by VisitScotland, which includes representation from all the key economic agencies and the Scottish Tourism Alliance.
The group is working to help tackle the issues facing tourism during this crisis, give advice, support businesses and develop a collaborative recovery plan which maximises the joint skills and funding of all the agencies.
To join the next webinar on Monday 25th register here: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/visitscotland-webinar-with-chris-greenwood-registration-105791960602
To find out more about the work VisitScotland doing the support available please visit www.visitscotland.org/supporting-your-business/advice/coronavirus
I look forward to working closely with David, who is VisitScotland’s regional director for Argyll and Bute, and Leon over the months ahead and continuing to assist constituents with enquiries about how we can help them and their businesses navigate through the current situation. You can email me at brendan.ohara.mp@parliament.uk ... See MoreSee Less
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