Archive
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Susan Egelstaff: Until the SWPL is professional, the flow of talent out of the country will continue
At the launch of the 2017 Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) earlier this week, there was a real sense that this year’s competition is shaping up to be the best ever. Glasgow City are going for their eleventh consecutive title but Hibernian, who
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Sirens' call: Defeat by Manchester Thunder has only made us more determined, says Rachel Forbes
Last weekend, we lost an incredibly close match to Manchester Thunder – they pipped us 53-49 which was so disappointing. It was a fantastic game to play in because it was so competitive but there were a couple of critical moments when we could have
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Pieter Huistra: Rangers winger Barrie McKay must improve his decision making to realise his full potential
PIETER Huistra, the former Rangers and Netherlands winger, last night warned Barrie McKay that he must improve his decision making in order to realise his full potential. Huistra, who won five league titles with the Ibrox club between 1990 and
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Moussa Dembele: I scored a hat-trick for Celtic against Rangers last year - but I'm a far better player now
MOUSSA Dembele, the Celtic striker who was yesterday named the Ladbrokes Premiership Player of the Month for February, believes he is a better player now than at the start of the season. The French 20-year-old lifted the award after scoring six goals
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Can Rangers beat Celtic at Parkhead on Sunday? It's highly unlikely! But here are five things the Ibrox club could try
CELTIC are the overriding favourites to win their fourth meeting of the season with Rangers at Parkhead on Sunday - with very good reason. Brendan Rodgers’s side haven’t suffered a single domestic defeat in the 2016/17 campaign and have won their
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Al-Gharafa allow Pedro Caixinha to join Rangers after admitting coach's desire to manage the Ibrox club was too strong
PEDRO Caixinha has been given permission by current club Al-Gharafa to complete his move to Rangers after the club admitted his desire to join the Glasgow giants was too strong, writes Kenneth Ward. The former Sporting Lisbon assistant manager,
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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers on the "land of no sleep" his Rangers counterpart Graeme Murty has entered
BRENDAN Rodgers had worked as a youth coach for no fewer than 15 years before he stepped into the dugout to manage a side in a senior game of football – and still found the experience traumatic. Rodgers was headhunted by Watford in 2008 after impressing
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Alan Forsyth has Tokyo Games in his sights after tumultuous 12 months in the game
IT HAS been a year of extremes for hockey player Alan Forsyth. Last April, Forsyth was voted players’ player of the year after finishing as the top scorer in the English Men’s Premier Division for his club, Surbiton. It was the first time that a Scot
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Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers reacts to Rangers appointing Pedro Caixinha by revealing "I've never heard of him"
BRENDAN Rodgers, the Celtic manager, admitted last night he had never heard of Pedro Caixinha, the Portuguese coach who was yesterday cleared to take charge at Rangers by Al-Gharafa in Qatar. Caixinha and his agent have spent the past week in Doha
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Ally McCoist: Moussa Dembele is not worth £30m as Celtic claim
ALLY McCOIST has claimed Moussa Dembele is never worth the £30m-plus transfer fee Celtic have put on his head. The Rangers goalscoring legend, however, is a huge fan of the 20-year-old Frenchman who on Sunday will be looking to score in his fourth
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UK Athletics protocols latest to be probed as FBI scrutiny increases on Salazar and Farah
BY Sir Mo Farah's standards, his London marathon debut April 2014 wasn't exactly his finest two hours. Those who expected him to seamlessly transfer his 5,000m and 10,000m form to the longer distance and break Steve Jones' 29-year British
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Alan Archibald looking for Partick Thistle to fortify top six stronghold
They may be 10 points off the bottom but Alan Archibald, the Partick Thistle manager, continues to peer over his shoulder. That’s what the top-six, bottom-six split can do to you. It’s a bit like that jittery, startled feeling you get when you
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Richard Tait out for the season as injury crisis threatens Stephen Robinson's bid for Motherwell job
Motherwell interim-manager Stephen Robinson has revealed that he faces a full-blown injury crisis ahead of tomorrow's visit to Pittodrie.The Fir Park defence has been decimated with the entire back three from last week's win over Kilmarnock struggling
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Tommy Gemmell's funeral to be streamed live on YouTube
CELTIC will stream Tommy Gemmell’s funeral live on YouTube. The club has confirmed that it will be broadcasting coverage the Lisbon Lion's family and friends gather to say their final farewells at noon on Friday. A broadcast facility has been made
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We can do a lot more than defend, says Scotland coach Vern Cotter
SCOTLAND coach Vern Cotter has insisted that his team’s strategy in tomorrow’s Calcutta Cup match will be about a lot more than merely stopping England from playing. England will go into the match with the incentive of equalling the All Blacks’
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England are not so 'cocky' as usual, says Scotland winger Visser
AS a Harlequins player, Scotland winger Tim Visser lives closer to Twickenham than any other member of the national squad. He has won there twice already this season at club level, against Gloucester and Bristol, and says the venue has “been a genuinely
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Two arrested after axe attack at Dusseldorf train station
Several people have been injured in an axe attack at Dusseldorf's main train station, German police say. Two suspected attackers have been arrested after the incident, which took place at about 9pm on Thursday, a spokesman for federal police said
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Johnson calls on May to invoke spirit of Iron Lady in her Brexit talks with Brussels
THERESA May has told Brussels that Britain will “not pay huge sums of money” into EU coffers post Brexit after Boris Johnson urged her to channel the spirit of Margaret Thatcher into her negotiations with the other 27 member states.Speaking at what is
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Hawaii becomes first US state to sue over Donald Trump's revised travel ban
Hawaii has become the first US state to file a lawsuit against President Donald Trump's revised travel ban, saying the order will harm its Muslim population, tourism and foreign students. Lawyers for the state filed the lawsuit against the US government
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WikiLeaks to help shield tech firms from CIA's hacking tools, says Assange
WikiLeaks will work with technology companies to help defend them against the CIA's hacking tools, founder Julian Assange said. The move sets up a potential conflict between Silicon Valley firms eager to protect their products and an intelligence
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Theresa May defends National Insurance hike in Budget 'to make system fairer'
Theresa May has defended the Budget's controversial National Insurance hike, insisting it would make the system fairer by closing the gap between employees and self-employed workers. The Prime Minister's intervention came as Tory MPs voiced concerns
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Teenager and man, 27, seriously injured in two-vehicle crash
Two men have been seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash in Aberdeenshire. The incident happened at about 7.20am on Thursday on the A947 Turriff to Fyvie road. The collision involved a black Vauxhall Corsa, driven by a 17-year-old man and
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Barcelona are more than a club and this was more that a comeback
GIVEN that Gerard Pique has won a World Cup, the Champions League three times and is married to Columbian pop star Shakira, the question must be asked how on earth he knows when he’s dreaming.But even for a man whose life would make George Clooney green
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Matteo Manassero sets clubhouse target in weather-hit Hero Indian Open
Italy's Matteo Manassero set the clubhouse target in the weather-affected Hero Indian Open, but England's David Horsey was on course to claim top spot in Delhi.Manassero carded a four-under-par 68 at DLF Golf and Country Club before play was suspended
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Watch: The end for Freeserve - prompts calls for legal action
TELECOMS giant EE has come under fire after deciding to shut down Freeserve for good. The company, now part of the BT Group, has announced that Freeserve, along with Orange and Wannadoo email accounts will be shut down. It will mean the final
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John Lewis and Waitrose staff see bonuses cut to 6% amid 'uncertain market'
John Lewis and Waitrose staff will see bonuses cut to 6% of their annual salary after the firm warned of an "increasingly uncertain market".The cut, the fourth in a row, will see the retailer's staff share a £89.4 million bonus pot, down
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FTSE-100 index down as Morrisons cautions over cost impact from Brexit-hit pound
Investors checked out of Morrisons on Thursday after the supermarket giant sounded a note of caution over the cost impact from the Brexit-hit pound.The FTSE 100 Index was down 19.65 points to 7,314.96, with the Big Four grocer weighing on the London market
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FMQs sketch: Pretty slick
THERE was a mouse at FMQs. The parliament’s positively bulging with the things, scurrying round the MSP block, nibbling expense claims, but you don’t often see them in the chamber. You couldn’t miss this one. It was sitting in the Presiding Officer
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More than 100,000 oppose oil transfers
Campaigners fighting plans to transfer up to nine million tonnes of crude between tankers anchored in open water at the mouth of the Cromarty Firth have handed a petition with more than 100,000 signatories to Highland Council.The Cromarty Firth Port Authority
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First board members of BBC's new Governing body announced
Steve Morrison and Dr Ashley Steel have been announced as the first board members of the BBC's new governing body. The BBC Unitary Board, which will take over from the BBC Trust, will come into effect next month following plans laid out in the
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Aviva profits rise 12 per cent to £3bn despite blow from personal injury claim changes
AVIVA has pledged to hand more cash to shareholders after announcing a hefty jump in profits despite taking a hit from Government changes to personal injury claims.The insurance giant cheered a 12 per cent rise in operating profits to £3.01 billion for
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Ministers approve £250m wind farm off Aberdeen coast
The construction of eight wind turbines off the coast of Aberdeen has been approved by the Scottish Government. It is estimated the £250 million offshore wind farm will create about 110 jobs during the assembly, installation and ongoing maintenance
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Surge in profits for Morrisons as turnaround plan bears fruit
Morrisons has reported a surge in full-year profits as the supermarket cements its turnaround and reaps the rewards of investment into cutting prices.The Bradford-based grocer reported a 49.8% rise in pre-tax profits to £325 million and notched up like-for-like
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Fall in proportion of students dropping out of university courses
The proportion of students dropping out of Scottish university courses has fallen but remains above rates in the rest of the UK, figures show. The percentage of full-time, first-degree students failing to complete courses was 6.5% in 2014/15, a
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Faslane and Coulport civilian staff back industrial action in rights dispute
Civilian staff at the Faslane and Coulport naval bases have voted in favour of industrial action in a dispute over worker rights. Members of the Unite union who work in roles involving radiation monitoring, weapons support, cleaning, logistics,
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Queen's Hall in Edinburgh to get £600,000 for renovation plans
A prominent Edinburgh arts venue has secured a £650,000 grant for building improvements, ministers have announced. The revamp of Queen's Hall in Edinburgh will see masonry, windows, doors and the roof renovated. The 194-year-old former Georgian
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Police treating shooting in Glasgow as attempted murder
Police investigating a shooting in a "highly residential" Glasgow street have released further information about the incident. The targeted attack, which is being treated as attempted murder, happened on Thursday morning in Shawhill Road, Shawlands
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Al-Gharafa boss Pedro Caixinha receives permission to join Rangers
Al-Gharafa have given manager Pedro Caixinha permission to join Rangers, the Qatar Stars League club have announced. Qatari side Al Gharafa announced on their Twitter account that they had given the Portuguese coach permission to join Rangers.
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Focus on football, police tell fans ahead of Old Firm game
Police have warned Celtic and Rangers fans to "focus on the football" ahead of the latest match between the sides. A number of arrests were made after their first game of this season, with effigies hung from the stand and a toilet block extensively
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WATCH: Our team are at Scotland's training base to preview the Six Nations clash with England at Twickenham
WATCH as our sports team report from Scotland's training base in Edinburgh ahead of Saturday's crucial Six Nations trip to England. Chief Rugby Writer Stuart Bathgate joins Online Sports Editor Alasdair Mackenzie to preview the battle for the
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Hibs looking to knock Glasgow off their perch
THE 2017 Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) which begins on Sunday is shaping up to be the most competitive in the event’s history and Hibs Ladies head coach Chris Roberts believes that his team has the ability to break the monopoly that Glasgow
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Brendan Rodgers says Barcelona's Champions League fightback against PSG puts Celtic hammering into context
Brendan Rodgers hailed Barcelona's comeback against Paris St Germain as "incredible" and claimed it puts Celtic's 7-0 thrashing by the Catalans into context. Barca made Champions League history in dramatic style by recovering from a 4-0 last-16
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Patrick Harvie tells MSPs 'half-baked' climate change plan needs altered
The Scottish Government's plan for tackling climate change and cutting emissions is "half baked" and requires "serious" changes to be made, Green MSP Patrick Harvie has said. With several Holyrood committees due to publish reports on the draft plan
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Judge rejects mother's appeal over Liam Fee murder conviction
A mother jailed for life for murdering her toddler son has had her appeal against conviction rejected. Rachel Fee, 32, argued the judge in her 2016 trial misdirected the jury about the lesser charge of culpable homicide before sending them out
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Gordon Brown to publish his memoirs this autumn, recalling the ups and downs of his political and personal life
GORDON Brown is to publish his memoirs this autumn, billed as a vivid account of his time at the top of British politics and the personal tragedies he has suffered.The former Prime Minister said he hoped his insights at a critical moment for Britain’s
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Scottish Women's Premier League: Hibs looking to knock Glasgow off their perchh
THE 2017 Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) which begins on Sunday is shaping up to be the most competitive in the event’s history and Hibs Ladies head coach Chris Roberts believes that his team has the ability to break the monopoly that Glasgow
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Celtic's Moussa Dembele wins Premiership player of the month award for second time
CELTIC striker Moussa Dembele has been named Ladbrokes Premiership player of the month for February after scoring 11 goals in five games for the champions in all competitions. The France Under-21 international netted back-to-back hat-tricks against
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In Pictures: Have a look inside one of Scotland's most expensive homes
Todhill Capelrig Road, Newton Mearns, Glasgow, G77 6LA Think Newton Mearns and it's likely the phrase 'leafy suburbs' will come to mind. But before the town was an affluent commuter hub of Glasgow, it was a rolling agricultural community
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Rangers defender Rob Kiernan to miss Celtic match after appeal is rejected
RANGERS defender Rob Kiernan is out of the Old Firm game having failed in his appeal against a red card. The Englishman was sent off for a tackle on St Johnstone's Graham Cummins during his side's 3-2 Scottish Ladbrokes Premiership win over St
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Queen leads nation at commemoration of Iraq and Afghanistan service efforts
The sacrifice and dedication of thousands of military personnel and civilians who fought and worked to bring stability to Iraq and Afghanistan has been honoured with a national memorial. The Queen led the nation in recognising the efforts of soldiers
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Man, 63, found injured on Glasgow street dies in hospital
A man has died after being found seriously injured on a street in the east end of Glasgow. The 63-year-old was discovered in Fielden Street, Calton, at about 3.25pm on Wednesday, Police say he was unconscious when found and had suffered a serious
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Moors Murderer Ian Brady reminisces about Glasgow and going sailing with Myra Hindley in never before seen letters
These are the letters which show Moors Murderer Ian Brady reminiscing about life before jail. In a series of never-before-seen handwritten letters, Glasgow-born Brady, 79, describes playing card games and going sailing with 'M' - in an apparent
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Downing Street makes it clear there will be one single immigration policy for whole of the UK
DOWNING Street has made clear that there will be one single immigration policy for the whole of the UK after it was suggested David Davis had hinted Scotland could have a separate system. During Brexit Questions in the Commons, the Secretary of
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Man who regularly raped girl is jailed for 13 years
A MAN who raped a schoolgirl almost daily for four years has been jailed for 13 years. Anthony Jordan, 44, also attempted to rape another girl and sexually abused a third. The crimes were committed over an 11-year period while their mothers
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Passengers stranded after ferry crew ‘fail breath tests’
PASSENGERS were left stranded on an island after an early-morning ferry was suddenly removed from service because several crew members had allegedly failed breath tests. Paul Graham was among those waiting to board the 7am Caledonian MacBrayne
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Teenager eating the evidence after he tucked into stolen cakes
A TEENAGER who had started munching his way through a haul of stolen cakes worth more than £300 must pay compensation to a cafe. Police probing a break-in at the Willowgate Cafe in Kilfauns, Perth, discovered that teenager David Martin had consumed
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Vern Cotter makes one change to Scotland team for Six Nations clash with England
HAMISH WATSON has returned to the Scotland team to face England in Vern Cotter's only change from the side that earned victory over Wales a fortnight ago. The Edinburgh man comes back in at openside flanker after club teammate John Hardie was ruled
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Singer Paolo Nutini denies drink-driving
SINGER-songwriter Paolo Nutini has appeared at Paisley Sheriff Court to deny drink-driving in the town. He pleaded not guilty to driving his Mini Cooper S with 48 microgrammes of alcohol in 100ml of breath on February 21. The figure is more
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Hammond under pressure for U-turn on self-employed National Insurance hike
Philip Hammond is facing growing pressure to back down on a £2 billion National Insurance hike for the self-employed, as former work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith added his voice to calls for a rethink of the move. In a round of post-Budget
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Rangers target Pedro Caixinha captured hailing 'Celtic brothers' for 2015 title win
A video has emerged of Rangers target Pedro Caixinha congratulating Celtic for their 2015 title win while managing Mexican side Santos Laguna. The Portuguese coach is the favourite to be appointed as the next Ibrox boss after Mark Warburton departed
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Alex Salmond hints he could return to lead the SNP for a third time
The former First Minister, who led the nationalists between 1990-2000 and 2004-2014, insisted he would “never say never” to a third spell. With Nicola Sturgeon potentially about to call a second independence referendum, despite little movement
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Poll: Would you like to see Alex Salmond return as First Minister?
Alex Salmond has refused to rule out a potential return to lead the SNP for a third time. The former First Minister, who helmed the party between 1990 and 2000 and then 2004 and 2014, said in politics one could "never say never". Speaking
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Doctors sent boy home in pain four times before rushing him to emergency operation
A BOY who was “bent over” in agony was sent home FOUR times before he was treated for a burst appendix. Regean McGuire, nine, was seen by three doctors at Stobhill Hospital and twice at the Royal Hospital for Children Queen Elizabeth University
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Friends pay tribute to 22-year-old goalkeeper found dead in Alloa
Heartbroken friends have paid tribute online to a 22-year-old amateur footballer who was found dead in Alloa. Conor Brown, described as "the brawest looking goalkeeper you’ll ever see", was found in woodland on Monday morning. It's understood he
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Peter Pawlett agrees deal to leave Aberdeen for Robbie Neilson's MK Dons
ABERDEEN have confirmed that midfielder Peter Pawlett has signed a pre-contract agreement with Robbie Neilson's MK Dons. The 26-year-old will join the English League One side on a two-year deal at the end of the season, when his contract at Pittodrie
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Billy Vunipola among substitutes as England name team to face Scotland at Twickenham
Billy Vunipola will be unleashed upon Scotland in the second half of Saturday's Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham after being named on England's bench. Vunipola is set to make his first appearance of the RBS 6 Nations having recovered from knee
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Scots split 50/50 on independence, research finds
A new poll has shown Scots are split 50/50 on the issue of independence. Among those who expressed an opinion and who were certain to take part if a second independence referendum was held, half said they would vote to keep the Union together while
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Arsene Wenger: I'll consider opinion of fans when making decision on my Arsenal future
Arsene Wenger says he will consider the view of Arsenal supporters when he decides whether to remain at the club but insisted it is "not the most important factor". The Frenchman has come under increasing pressure following Tuesday's 5-1 home defeat
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Cellist Robert Irvine twice winner at new music awards
CELLIST Robert Irvine was a double winner at the inaugural Scottish Awards for New Music in Glasgow on Wednesday evening. Irvine, who is head of cello studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, collected the prize for Best Recorded New Work for his
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WATCH: Scots hammer thrower Chris Bennett on competing at Rio, inspiring Scottish athletes and making mum proud
SCOTTISH hammer thrower Chris Bennett speaks to sports writer Kevin Ferrie in this exclusive video for the Herald and Times. Bennett, who represented Scotland at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and Team GB in Rio two years later, speaks about his past
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Rangers are worse now than Celtic in the nineties, says Ally McCoist
THERE isn’t much space between two teams when gathered in a tunnel seconds before they walk out onto the pitch but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a gap. It will be there on Sunday, unseen of course, as the players of Celtic and Rangers are squeezed
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May's laughing fit during PMQs proves massive hit on internet
FOOTAGE of Theresa May laughing hysterically during Prime Minister’s Questions has gone viral on the internet. Mrs May descended into a fit of the giggles as Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn raised with her reports that an English Tory council had done
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Troubled Co-operative Bank 'pleased' with response from potential bidders
Troubled lender the Co-operative Bank said it was "engaging" with potential bidders after putting itself up for sale last month as the group revealed it remained deep in the red last year. Chief executive Liam Coleman said he was "pleased" with
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Labour's John McDonnell criticises 'discourteous' Tweeting in chamber
Labour's John McDonnell has urged the Commons Speaker to intervene after waves of backbenchers were seen glued to their phones during the Budget debate. Many of the party's MPs were seen tapping away during the statement and the response that followed
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Harry Potter actor Jim Tavare in intensive care after head-on car crash
A Harry Potter actor is in intensive care after a head-on car smash left him with a broken neck and punctured lung. Jim Tavare, known for his role in Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, also suffered 15 broken ribs, breaks in his right leg
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Duke of Edinburgh hosts Hollywood royalty as Tom Cruise visits Buckingham Palace
Film star Tom Cruise was introduced to the Duke of Edinburgh during a charity dinner at Buckingham Palace. Cruise, 54, and the Duke were pictured laughing together after the Mission: Impossible actor was presented to the 95-year-old royal on Wednesday
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Rents to go up more than 20 per cent in five years, surveyors warn
Rents are expected to jump by more than a fifth over the next five years, according to surveyors. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) warned those on lower incomes in the rental sector are set to face further financial difficulties
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Americans should be deeply troubled by Wikileaks disclosures, warns CIA
The CIA has warned that Americans should be "deeply troubled" by WikiLeaks' disclosure of thousands of intelligence documents that purportedly detail ways the agency does its hacking. In a statement CIA spokeswoman Heather Fritz Horniak said the
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Sugar tax revenues to fall short of predictions after 'aggressive' industry drive
The Chancellor said he expects to pocket less money from his tax on sugary drinks following an “aggressive” industry drive to change their ingredients. Philip Hammond announced “good news for our children” in his Budget speech after his soft drinks
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Budget 2017: More stand-up than spreadsheet as Chancellor's gags prove a hit
CHANCELLOR Philip Hammond shed his strait-laced image and showed a more humorous side as he took to the despatch box to deliver his first Budget. Here are some of the jokes he cracked, which had some MPs in stitches, during his speech. On
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Budget reaction: Hammond’s hammer blow for self-employed
THERESA MAY’S Government has been accused of attacking aspiration and breaking an election manifesto pledge by raiding the National Insurance (NI) contributions of self-employed people in the Budget. Conservative MPs expressed their concerns at
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Andy Walker: Celtic are so far ahead of Rangers that the old rivalry is redundant
ANDY WALKER believes the rivalry between Celtic and Rangers is now “redundant” because of how far his former club find themselves ahead of the Ibrox side. Walker has been left bemused by the state of Rangers at this moment in time, most notably
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Budget provides little help for small business
A ONE-YEAR delay in the move to quarterly tax reporting for some small firms was probably the highlight for the sector of a Budget that was described as an attack on entrepreneurship. The Chancellor said he would exempt firms with turnover below
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Budget 2017: Solar industry’s anger at ‘nonsensical’ 800 per cent tax hike
BRITAIN’S solar industry is facing devastation and consumers could see energy bills rise after the Chancellor refused to cancel a planned tax hike of up to 800 per cent on rooftop solar schemes. The Solar Trade Association described the Government
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Budget 2017: £435m emergency relief for pubs and small firms
PUBS and small firms will benefit from a £435 million emergency relief package for those set to be hardest hit by business rate changes, but the Chancellor faced calls for urgent reform of the “out-of-date” tax. The new measures will mean that
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Government will struggle to hit fiscal target, says watchdog
Ben Woods BRITAIN’S fiscal watchdog has cast doubt over the Government’s hopes of balancing the books in the next Parliament and warned that current consumer spending levels are “not sustainable”. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR)
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Jeremy Peat: The question is raised over how to maximise North Sea oil resources
Jeremy Peat GOODNESS knows how many times I have said that boring Budgets are best. When there is nothing special to do then doing close to nothing makes sense. The Chancellor duly did very little, but this was not a wholly boring session as
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Control of own ‘economic destiny’ to be given to local areas
Neil Lancefield THE Government has pledged to support growth across Britain by giving local areas more control over their “economic destiny”. Chancellor Philip Hammond announced in his Budget speech that he has reached an agreement with London
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UK immigration will fail to reach Tories’ target, reveals watchdog
Arj Singh NET immigration will not be cut to the “tens of thousands” Government target in the next four years despite Theresa May’s Brexit commitment to take Britain out of the single market, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has said.
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Hidden £1bn boost to the Treasury’s coffers delivers a win-win result
THE urge to make further changes to the pension system in the Budgethas been resisted by the Chancellor, who declined to make further amendments following a huge overhaul in April 2015. This is despite speculation he might consider changes to the
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Low investment limit for new high-interest bond is unlikely to generate significant income for savers
IN A MOVE he described as providing a “welcome break for hard-pressed savers” the Chancellor confirmed the interest rate on the new National Savings & Investments bond he unveiled in his Autumn Statement will be set at 2.2 per cent. Savers
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David Torrance: Spreadsheet Phil's brazen raid on the self-employed
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, as those who follow such things will be aware, is known in Westminster as “spreadsheet Phil”.Philip Hammond is also not known for having a sense of humour, so it was a surprise to find him not only taking ownership of
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Fuel duty frozen as drivers of diesel cars given ‘warning shot’
Neil Lancefield A “WARNING shot” has been fired at diesel drivers by the Treasury, the RAC motoring organisation has claimed. The Government will “continue to explore the appropriate tax treatment for diesel vehicles” as part of its commitment
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£270m investment in driverless cars and robots unlikely to go very far, warn technology experts
Martyn Landi ROBOTS and driverless cars are among the “disruptive technologies” to receive additional funding, the Chancellor has said. As part of his first Budget, Philip Hammond announced plans to “enhance the UK’s position as a world leader
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Beers of the Week
I was full of the big talk last week, praising the classics, the ones that we can all return to again and again. Then, the moment I returned to work after a single day off my head was immediately turned by a plethora of positively flirtatious one-offs
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Obituary - Misha Mengelberg, pianist, composer and agitator
Pianist, composer and agitatorBorn: June 5 1935;Died: March 3 2017MISHA Mengelberg, who has died aged 81, was for 50 years a puckishly challenging presence on the European music and arts scene, following a path that led him through jazz, improvisation
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Budget 2017 case studies: impact on self-employed, families, students and those in retirement
'Yet again they’re going after small self-employed earners’ OIL and gas technician Gerry McCann, 33, said he was most struck by the Chancellor’s National Insurance hike for the self-employed. The father-of-one from Wishaw, whose wife Michelle
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Double tax raid harmful, claims expert
THE self-employed have been hit with a double tax raid after Chancellor Phillip Hammond increased their national insurance payments by two per cent, and more than halved the amount of tax-free dividend they can take from their business. The Chancellor
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Iain Macwhirter: National Insurance raid will create taxing times for Sturgeon
Spreadsheet Phil certainly lived up to his name. You needed to be a tax accountant to make sense of Philip Hammond's first Budget, with its juggling classes of National Insurance Contributions and cuts in dividend tax allowances. I'm sure it makes
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When folk really had to slum it in Glasgow’s decrepit old housing
BEFORE we get too nostalgic about the good old days, we should linger over this photograph. It is the Cochrane family in Forbes Street, in Calton in Glasgow’s East End. The picture was taken in April 1949, and says it is for a feature on housing in The
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Herald View: A cautious budget defined by the threat of Brexit
CHANCELLORS always try to sound positive about the prospects for the economy and Philip Hammond did his best when he delivered his spring Budget. All those doomsaying commentators were wrong, he said – the deficit was down, the growth of the British
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Recipe of the Day: Empire Biscuits by William Curley
Empire Biscuits by William Curley These are a Scottish favourite and can always be found in bakeries in Scotland. They were originally called linzer biscuits, after the famous Linzer Torte. William Curley, will be giving a
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Economic case for independence lies ‘in tatters’
UNIONIST parties say the economic case for independence lies “in tatters” after projected North Sea oil income fell by more than one-third in just four months. The Treasury is now expected to receive £4.6 billion in the four years to 2021-22, down
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Calls for sugar tax on sweet treats and a calorie cap on eating out
SCOTLAND's food regulator is pushing for a sugar tax to cover sweet treats like chocolate, ice cream and cake and wants a calorie cap on 'eating out' as part of a bid to tackle the nation's obesity crisis. Food Standards Scotland want the sugar
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Two bigger and better magazines in The Herald starting on Friday
OUR movie reviews, which usually appear on a Thursday, are now going to be incorporated into an expanded Arts magazine which will come with tomorrow’s Herald. Staff film reviewer Alison Rowat will continue to give her take on the week’s big releases
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Checklist: 10 things not to miss in Scotland this week
1 2017 Premier League Darts SSE Hydro, Glasgow, today The world’s greatest darts players will show off their skills at this premier league meeting in Glasgow today. Scotland’s Gary Anderson will play Dave Chisnall during the event, while Scot Peter
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Poem of the Day: Ulysses by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
This second sample from Poems That Make Grown Women Cry (Simon & Schuster UK, £9.99) is in total contrast to yesterday’s. Erica Jong chooses Lord Tennyson’s classic piece on the restrictions of old age and on setting sail on a great last flourish
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Maurice Smith: Chancellor was cautious and upbeat, with no mention of the B-word
Philip Hammond has not had time to develop the self-mythology of a few predecessors. Typically, George Osborne, and before him Gordon Brown, would emerge from 11 Downing Street amidst a blizzard of spin about their economic genius.It is a modern tradition
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Camley's Cartoon on Thursday, March 9
Here is award-winning cartoonist Steven Camley's latest cartoon. To see more of Steven Camley's cartoons or to buy, go here.
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Leading artists and musicians to sell art to help raise money for Glasgow primary school
Art by some of Scotland's leading artists and musicians are to be sold to help raise money for a primary school in Glasgow.A 'secret postcard' fundraising sale is hoping to raise thousands of pounds for the redevelopment of the playground
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Ian McConnell: Groundhog Day growth outlook for Chancellor in debut Budget
BELOW-TREND growth as far as the eye can see is becoming as depressingly familiar in Budget and Autumn Statement documents from the Conservative Government as the groundhog was to Bill Murray in the cinemas back in 1993.It might have been Chancellor Philip
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Standard Life sees first high-profile exit after Aberdeen merger
THE first high-profile executive has headed for the exit following the giant merger between Scottish financial giants Standard Life and Aberdeen Asset Management.David Cumming, head of equities at Standard Life Investments, the fund management arm of
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Letters: Word to the 'ys' on pronunciation
SCOTT Macintosh’s English lady, who called “Menzies’” “Mingies” and deduced that “Lenzie” was “Lingie”,was actually correct (Letters, March 6). In Cumbernauld, “Lenziemill” is still pronounced “Lingiemill” by the older, native, farming community,although
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Budget seen to provide little help for small businesses
A one year delay in the move to quarterly tax reporting for some small firms was probably the highlight for the sector of a Budget that was described as an attack on entrepreneurship. The Chancellor said he would exempt firms with turnover below
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Letters: Easy fix to state guardian dilemma
SURELY John Swinney’s solution to his named person travails (“Swinney plan for new named persons bill is very simple. He should include a clause unequivocally stating what his boss, the sainted she-who-can-do-no-wrong First Minister, categorically
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Letters: We can only move nuclear weapons, not get rid of them completely
BRIAN Quail (Letters, March 8) accuses me of cynicism, but I fear it is Mr Quail who cannot see the wood for the trees. An independent Scotland may indeed move nuclear weapons from its soil. But it does not and cannot get rid of them in toto. And indeed
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Letters: Central belt Nimbyists should not be allowed to forestall fracking
WELL done to the panel of independent experts commissioned by the Scottish Government on producing Talking Fracking, an excellent examination of the pros and cons of fracking. Anyone wishing to express an informed opinion for the Government consultation
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Letters: Independence represents our best hope of narrowing the attainment gap
YOUR table of Scottish Higher results ("West coast schools top of the class in latest Higher results", The Herald, March 8) made interesting reading. However, the figures also reinforced the argument that the main factor impacting on educational achievement
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Letters: There is no point swapping our place in the UK for a greater dependence on the EU
BY his frank explanation of his voting intentions (“EU would determine Sillars' stance on independence”, The Herald, March 8) Jim Sillars confirms what I have long argued: that any so-called independence referendum would be no such thing. As he acknowledges
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Tax advisers face cash penalties in evasion crackdown
CHANCELLOR Philip Hammond has vowed to further tighten the screw on businesses that evade, avoid or engage in non-compliance of tax – and penalise professional advisers who help them to do so.Mr Hammond declared that the Government will raise £820 million
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EC President warns against economic nationalism ahead of Brexit
THE President of the European Commission has warned “economic nationalism” is inconsistent with the EU and the prosperity of its people on the eve of Theresa May triggering Article 50. Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU must not “revert to isolationism
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Iain Macwhirter: Post-Brexit, the debate will focus on competing questions of national sovereignty
POST-BREXIT Scotland sometimes seems like a nation of lost souls waiting for a second coming. No one in the Scottish Government has actually promised another referendum on independence, least of all First Minister Nicola Sturgeon. But the weight of expectation
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Cairn eyes more North Sea deals
CAIRN Energy chief executive Simon Thomson has said the oil and gas firm is on the hunt for new opportunities in the North Sea after raising $75m (£61m) from selling an interest in a giant field off Shetland.The Edinburgh-based company has sold an initial
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Digital legacy is changing finality of death, says internet expert
Social media has changed the experiennce of death, and means we have to make 'Digital Wills' , an internet expert will tell a festival audience in Scotland. The current generation of internet users, who record and comment on their lives on Facebook
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Black market warning as cigarettes up 35p a packet
THE price of the cheapest packet of cigarettes has risen by around 35p following the Chancellor’s decision to introduce a new minimum excise duty.The Budget measure was cautiously welcomed by anti-smoking campaigners, but the tobacco industry called it
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Sturgeon: Late 2018 would be 'common sense' time for referendum
THE autumn of 2018 would be “the common sense time” for a second referendum if Theresa May rejects a bespoke Brexit deal for Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has said. Echoing comments by her predecessor Alex Salmond, and going further than she has before
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Row over independence after further slide in oil revenues
THE economic case for independence is “in tatters”, the Unionist parties claimed yesterday, after projected North Sea oil revenue fell by over a third in just four months.The Treasury is now expected to receive £4.6billion in the four years to 2021-22
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Tories urge SNP to use Budget windfall to lower tax bill for high-earning Scots
DEREK Mackay has been urged to use £350m in Budget spin-offs to reverse plans to make high earners in Scotland pay more income tax than those in England and Wales. However the SNP Finance Secretary also faced calls from business leaders to invest
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Whisky industry up in arms over duty shock
SCOTLAND’S £5billion whisky industry has reacted furiously to a hike in excise duty in the budget which will add around 36p to the average bottle of spirits from Monday.The price rise will have the biggest impact on start-up distilleries, including the
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Storm brewing over National Insurance for tea entrepreneur
TEA trade entrepreneur Erica Moore found yesterday’s Budget was a bitter pill to swallow after hoping the Chancellor would provide meaningful help for small firms. “He started off saying he wanted the UK to be the best place in the world to start to grow
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Letters: Will smelter see real benefits?
I NOTE with interest David Ross’s report on the revitalising of the aluminium smelter at Fort William (“Smelter to create 2,000 jobs in west Highlands”, The Herald, March 4). It mentioned the plans include housing, training and infrastructure. Will
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Letters: Lords have been far too busy
"WHEN Wellington thrashed Bonaparte, as any child can tell, the House of Peers throughout the war did nothing in particular and did it very well." What a pity it is that the present House of Loafers choose not to follow the splendid example of their
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Letters: March roadworks and the spend it or lose it culture
AS a postscript to Stuart Miller’s letter (March 8) on the damage being down to our streets with incessant roadworks, I would like to include local authorities along with utilities companies. It is near-impossible to take a turn down any street or
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Edinburgh College stands by lecturer sacking 'and this will not change'
A COLLEGE is refusing to rescind the sacking of a lecturer after colleagues carried out a second day of strike action amid claims the disciplinary process is flawed. Educational Institute of Scotland members at Edinburgh College took industrial
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John McAuslin: Chancellor avoids making waves and buys flexibility to help navigate any Brexit storms
JOHN McAUSLINIt had promised few ripples, so it was no surprise that Chancellor Philip Hammond steered clear of making waves yesterday as he announced his last spring Budget.Better than expected economic forecasts provided the Chancellor with a bit of
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‘The worry we have in this industy is the quantum of tax we pay, including levies’
HOTELIER Stephen Leckie, chief executive of Crieff Hydro, is all for businesses paying their fair share of tax. But he warned the multiplicity of taxes faced by hospitality businesses risks the health of one of Scotland’s most important industries.Chancellor
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Collapse of £60m police IT project leaves officers 'struggling', says report
POLICE officers are still struggling to communicate with colleagues across the country following the botched introduction of a £60 million national computer network. A damning report into the collapse of the Police Scotland i6 programme said that
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Recoverable North Sea oil estimate slashed after price slump
THE amount of recoverable oil in the North Sea could be less than half the SNP’s projections ahead of the independence referendum, a Scottish Government-appointed energy adviser has said.Professor Alex Kemp said around 11 billion barrels could be extracted
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Scot taken from mother, sent to Australia and abused to testify at inquiry
A SCOT who was sexually abused after being forcibly transported to Australia almost 60 years ago is return to his homeland to expose the historic failures of the care system at the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry. Melbourne-based grandfather Hugh
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Wood move to diversify sees it win US work
ABERDEEN oil services company Wood Group has highlighted its continuing diversification into other sectors by announcing the start of a second construction services contract for a facial tissue and paper towel production site in Ohio. The new plant is
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Retirement division sales help L&G profits to soar
LEGAL & General has warned it expects further market volatility, as surging new business and annuity sales in its retirement arm helped lift profits by 17 per cent to £1.6 billion. The company’s retirement division reported new business sales
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Jean-Claude Juncker: There can be no place for economic nationalism in Europe of the future
Today's Agenda is by Jean-Claude Juncker President of the European Commission AS EU leaders gather in Brussels today, they will take stock of Europe’s efforts to create jobs, generate growth and improve competitiveness. European industry has
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Getting a special toad out of a hole
A rescue mission to save a rare species of 'running' toad in Scotland, has succeeded increasing its numbers by more than 400 per cent over three years.RSPB Scotland started work in 2013 at Mersehead in Dumfries & Galloway, after severe winter
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Co-op in move to shore up capital position
THE Co-operative Bank has set out plans to raise up to £750 million to bolster its capital position as it revealed it had engaged with potential bidders since putting itself up for sale last month.The troubled lender, which fell into the control of US
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Survey reveals extent of mental ill health in rural Scotland
Of the men and women completing a survey of mental health issues in rural Scotland 67 per cent reported suffering depression, 22 per cent admitted to suicidal thoughts and feelings, while of the 12 per cent describing self-harming behaviour the majority
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Ken Smith's Diary: Baring her soul; a bit of a tube; and hacked off
Rings a bell JUST a slice of modern life: Robert Thompson in Bearsden tells us: “I was travelling on the 60 bus along Maryhill Road last week when a lady came on in her housecoat, nightie and slippers. She told the driver she was only coming on to
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Major sale of art from the Mackintosh Building fire sells for more than £700,000
An auction of works by some of the UK art world's biggest names has raised more than £500,000 for the Glasgow School of Art's fundraising appeal. The works by 25 leading artists, including Jenny Saville, Douglas Gordon, Alison Watt, Grayson Perry
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Skypark refurbishment complete
OFFICE complex Skypark has completed work on the contemporary office refurbishment of Skypark 5 located in the Glasgow’s Finnieston area.Seventy per cent of the 80,000sq ft office is let to eight businesses. The building, formerly let to the Glasgow School
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Events firm acquires capital rival
DUNDEE events firm Red Pepper has acquired Edinburgh-based agency Origin Events.Red Pepper director Eleanor Whitby said not only was the deal a “massive statement” of intent, but also highlighted Dundee’s cultural status.Origin Events is a niche consultancy
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Hammond's first and last spring Budget as the key fiscal event will from this year be in the autumn
When Philip Hammond stepped up to the Commons dispatch box for his first spring Budget, it was also his last as the Chancellor pre-announced that his main set-piece annual economic statement would from this year take place in the autumn. So 2017 will
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Tory tax rise for self-employed is branded 'attack on aspiration'
PHILIP Hammond has been accused of a "scandalous attack on aspiration" after raising National Insurance Contributions for the self-employed, which will leave hundreds of thousands of Scots out of pocket by an average £240 a year. And the Chancellor
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Eighth year of growth for owner of Taggarts car group
THE owner of Taggarts and the former Lomond Audi business has grown underlying pre-tax profit by seven per cent to £77.1 million as revenue grew 17 per cent to £4.3 billion, in an eighth successive year of growth.London-listed Lookers said much of the
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North Sea investment could be encouraged by new tax relief plans
IT MAY become easier for small players to take over ageing North Sea assets after the Chancellor said it was “essential that we maximise exploitation of remaining reserves”.In a Budget speech that lasted 55 minutes, the Chancellor devoted just 57 words
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Complexity of The Mound frames decision by National Galleries to "pause" £17m revamp
The £16.8m revamp of Scotland's national gallery will be delayed for months as it cuts back parts of the project so it remains on budget.Sir John Leighton, director general of the National Galleries of Scotland, said work, which was due to start this
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Aviation back in growth for John Menzies
JOHN Menzies saw its aviation division return to growth in 2016, helping lift pre-tax profits by 8.8 per cent to £19.8 million on revenue of £2.1 billion.The results do not include a contribution from recently acquired refuelling business ASIG, but the