A CELEBRATION to mark the end of lockdown restrictions is being planned for Haddington. Discussions are taking place to see what could be organised to mark the historic occasion, with family events and a permanent memorial among the options being considered. Paul Kinnoch, from the town’s Tyneside Tavern and Mazzoli Italian Kitchen, is among those involved in planning a celebratory event. A promotions group – made up of members of Haddington Business Community Partnership (HBCP) and other members of the public – is exploring the possibility of some sort of festivity taking place. Mr Kinnoch, who heads up the HBCP sub-group, said “a community day” was being considered for the town and added: “It would be to celebrate everybody that made a difference during the lockdown period and create a huge event, similar to what we did for Haddington 700, to bring the community together.
East Lothian Scottish Parliament candidates campaign, week three
Clockwise from top left: Euan Davidson, Craig Hoy, Martin Whitfield or Paul McLennan will be the next MSP for East Lothian IT IS now the third week of campaigning to see who will become East Lothian s next MSP. Iain Gray (Labour) has stepped down after more than a decade in the role, with East Lothian residents electing their new representative next month. Four candidates - Euan Davidson (Liberal Democrats), Craig Hoy (Conservatives), Paul McLennan (SNP) and Martin Whitfield (Labour) - are in the running for the role. Each week, the
East Lothian Courier will give each of the candidates the chance to speak about what they ve been up to and why you should vote for them.
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Nicola Sturgeon has set out bold and ambitious plans that will see half of all spending on frontline NHS care will go to GPs and community services, alongside a commitment to massively increase both elective and short-term hospital capacity across Scotland.
In government the SNP has delivered record high spending on health and care services, exceeding over £16 billion, alongside free prescriptions, free personal and nursing care to everyone who needs it and ensuring that Scotland’s A&E services are the best performing in the UK.
Over the next five years, the First Minister declared a re-elected SNP government would go even further, with plans for a full-scale remobilisation of Scotland’s NHS after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Today, I want to speak to you about Scotland’s National Health Service.
Like so many of you, the COVID crisis has caused me to reflect on what I value most in life.
It has also reinforced for me the fact that politics must be about making a positive difference to people’s lives.
That is all that matters.
Over the last year I know you won’t have agreed with every decision that I and the SNP government have taken.
And we certainly haven’t got every decision right.
But we have given total commitment to the task of keeping Scotland as safe as possible – of saving lives, protecting health and safeguarding our NHS.
NICOLA Sturgeon has set out her party’s plan for a “full-scale post-pandemic remobilisation of the NHS” after the Covid-19 crisis. In a speech, the SNP leader said the health service is at the “heart” of their plan to bring about a better future for Scotland. Sturgeon issued a warning over “creeping privatisation” in England, saying the SNP have an “unwavering and absolute commitment to a publicly owned National Health Service that delivers care free at the point of use”. She warned that the UK Government has passed a new law giving Tory ministers the right to subject NHS services to “market access” principles, and that post-Brexit immigration laws will make recruiting staff more difficult.