Politicians say public safety must come first in deciding whether election goes ahead

Kate Forbes revealed today she had struck an agreement with Green MSPs - meaning her Budget bill will pass when it goes to a vote on Tuesday.The Budget offers an £800 pay rise for public sector workers earning up to £25,000, and a two per cent increase for those earning over £25,000 up to £40,000.It will also provide pandemic support payments of £130 to households receiving Council Tax Reduction and two payments of £100 to families of children qualifying for free school meals.Free bus travel

iOS and Android.Across the UK, the figure is 124,261 as of last night.The number of positive coronavirus cases recorded by NHS Ayrshire & Arran has risen by 32 to 15,537.There are five people, within the health board's region, in intensive care with confirmed COVID-19 which is the same figure for the eighth day in a row.In addition, the number of people in hospital with confirmed coronavirus at midnight was 75 which is down three from yesterday.A total of 205,108 positive tests have been

Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.A huge 'half ton' boulder has tumbled from the top of Arthur's Seat sparking safety concerns for walkers.The large rock fell in front of a stunned Edinburgh dog walker on Tuesday, with more spotted on the ground.Historic Environment Scotland today confirmed a scheme of works is underway to deal with the "unstable" rock face.This includes the closure of the road near the popular Scots beauty spot.Local Chris

mutant strain of coronavirus first found in Brazil.NHS Grampian released a statement to "reassure" those in the area after the Scottish Government this evening revealed cases of the variant were identified in the north east of the country.All of the people who tested positive with the strain traveled from Brazil via Paris and London to Aberdeen in early February.The three Scottish residents all returned a positive test for the virus while they were doing their 10-day period of

Get the stories that matter to you sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter.A charity that helps older people to eat and live well in their own homes has called on the Scottish Government to tackle food inequalities.Food Train, which has teams of volunteers working in Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire, has made a series of manifesto asks ahead of May’s Scottish Parliament elections.It has taken the step after volunteers and staff responded to unprecedented demand for shopping

link!Cabinet Secretary for Justice, Humza Yousaf, added: “The Bravery and Excellence Awards allow us to reflect on selfless acts of courage which have made a real difference to people at their greatest time of need and to recognise the innovative and high quality work by officers and staff from across the service, the Scottish Police Authority and other partners.“I want to thank all the officers, staff and members of the public, who were nominated for awards, for their service and support in

First Minister’s route map is expected to more cautious than Johnson’s when she confirms what order and how quickly rules will be lifted. In an optimistic statement at Westminster yesterday, the Prime Minister claimed lockdown could effectively be over in England by June 21 at the earliest.

malicious and concerted" attempt to see him removed from public life.The submission by the former first minister was published by the Committee on the Scottish Government Handling of Harassment Complaints on Monday evening.Mr Salmond names people he alleges to have been part of efforts to damage his reputation - including Nicola Sturgeon's husband and chief of staff - as well as describing the Crown Office as "not fit for purpose" under its current leadership.He said: "The inescapable conclusion

Perth is first city in the UK to have resident urban beaversAppeal to help children of woman found dead in PerthshireThe study – published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs – will inform governments, public health experts, and policy makers in the UK and other countries as they consider the impact of the pandemic on hospitality and the risks of lifting restrictions.The university has since come in for scathing criticism from the hospitality industry, with the Scottish Licensed Trade

Drag Race UK fans breathed a sigh of relief after Scots contestant Lawrence Chaney was saved from elimination after a nail-biting lip sync battle during an emotional episode.The Glasgow drag queen is the current front runner in the competition and has wowed judges with her fabulous Scotland-themed outfits - and climbed the charts with number one single 'UK, Hun?'.But Lawrence, who is tipped to be crowned the winner of the show, had to fight for her place in the competition after failing to

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East Kilbride to share their opinions on the use of Body Worn Video (BWV) by armed police officers.BWV has been shown to have a positive impact on the safety of the public and the officers wearing it, and all other armed police units in the UK are currently deployed with cameras.The introduction of BWV will bring Police Scotland in line with these other forces and ensure best practice and evidence as well as increased transparency and accountability at incidents.The online survey, which opened

Neil Lennon will assess his Celtic squad ahead of the visit of Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership on Wednesday. Defender Stephen Welsh missed the win at St Johnstone on Sunday with a foot injury.

Lawrence Chaney to star in a new advert for Irn Bru after she wowed in an orange outfit resembling our other National Drink on Ru Paul's Drag Race.And even Irn Bru bosses are watching Lawrence's progress with interest after they joked with the Scots talent that she forgot to give them name check in her new number one song.Lawrence looked the business as she paraded around in a magnificent orange lifesaver outfit for Drag Race theme 'Day at the Seaside'She told fans on Twitter: "Safety first