
December news
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Consultations, councils, conservation, campaigns, candidates – all ways you can support what we stand for and do. Your enthusiasm, time (and money) is needed. Please open and/or download this newsletter. Join us at a branch meeting- (next one being held by Zoom on Sep 8th, so you can join in from your fireside (!). Look out for an email if you are a Midlothian member giving the log-in details.
Mark’s Blog
Has social distancing been abandoned?
Midlothian has crowded pubs, shops, and roads, and the beaches were as busy as ever according to news and other reports, so what now for the second wave? Are over 50s being told to stay at home so the young can party as usual?
Where have all the bugs gone?
As I drove to Boness and back the other day, I did not need to clear my windscreen of any bugs at all, and there should have been plenty in the middle of summer. Has the overuse of pesticides wiped out everything, or is there some other reason? Maire has a photo of the broccoli in our garden, it’s perfect, unmarked, uneaten, and no sign of any caterpillars. Are we supposed to accept this as “Normal”?
Extinction Rebellion
European Convention of Human Rights
The illustration below shows the European Convention of Human Rights. #TheresaMay plans to scrap these by 2020. This must NOT happen!
It’s important we give people the choice to spend their final days at home
Alison Johnstone MSP, Health & Social Care spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today commented on new figures showing no increase in the time spent at home rather than in hospital in the final six months of life.
More: https://greens.scot/news/its-important-we-give-people-the-choice-to-spend-their-final-days-at-home
Communities with nuclear plants should be properly consulted
Mark Ruskell MSP, Energy & Environment spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, today (11 Aug) challenged Scottish Ministers to close a loophole that allows nuclear power plants to have their operating life extended without public input.
Read more: https://greens.scot/news/communities-with-nuclear-plants-should-be-properly-consulted
Scottish Greens call for energy policy to be devolved to Holyrood
“The comments were made in response to the call by the GMB Union for the UK Government to scrap the national energy regulator Ofgem after disappointment in what the GMB called “ineffectual reforms”.
https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/9027/scottish-greens-call-energy-policy-be-devolved-holyrood