Five things you need to know today - The Edinburgh Reporter

At The Scottish Parliament this week

Parliament holds meetings in the chamber and also in committee rooms from Tuesday this week.

We imagine it will be standing room only at the meeting on Tuesday morning of the Equalities Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. The first item on the agenda is a motion by Tess White MSP demanding that Maggie Chapman, the Deputy Convener of the committee is removed as a member.

This would take more than just a decision of the committee. The parliamentary standing orders require agreement by the committee with a recommendation to parliament. Parliament then have to agree that recommendation.

The Green MSP was formerly an Edinburgh councillor, and she has been widely criticised for accusing the Supreme Court of “bigotry, prejudice and hatred” in the wake of the unanimous decision of five judges in the case brought by For Women Scotland against The Scottish Government.

Lord Hodge delivered the opinion of the court which defines a woman for the purposes of the Equality Act 2010 as a biological woman.

Roddy Dunlop KC at the pageant for the 250th anniversary of Sir Walter Scott’s birth.

Roddy Dunlop, the Dean of the Faculty of Advocates wrote to Karen Adam, MSP who is Convener of the Committee saying that Ms Chapman’s remarks were outrageous.

He wrote: “…it was with considerable concern and dismay that we read reports of Ms Chapman MSP addressing a public gathering in the wake of the recent ruling in For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers. In video footage which is circulating widely online, she is seen to condemn what she claims is the “bigotry, prejudice and hatred that we see coming from the Supreme Court”.

“These are appalling comments to come from any elected politician. They are all the worse when they come from someone who holds the post of Deputy Convenor of the Scottish Parliament’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.

“It really should not require to be said, but the Supreme Court – indeed, all judges – are in post to apply the law. They do not take sides. They decide without fear or favour, consistently with the judicial oath. For Ms Chapman to claim that they were swayed by “bigotry, prejudice and hatred” is outrageous. We are talking about the apex court of these islands, in this instance made up of a bench which included two of Scotland’s finest legal minds, as well as two women. No sensible person could read their dispassionate analysis and conclude that they were swayed by such matters.”

Since making the comments Ms Chapman has stood by what she said in several interviews.

Scottish Conservative shadow minister for equalities Tess White MSP said: “Maggie Chapman’s comments were utterly outrageous and totally inexcusable for any MSP to make.

“Her position as Deputy Convener of Holyrood’s equalities committee is untenable. I urge my fellow MSPs on the committee to do the right thing on Tuesday and back my call to recommend that she be removed from her position.

“MSPs of all persuasions have a duty to respect the rule of law, no matter what they feel about a particular verdict. It was shameless that Maggie Chapman described the highest court in the land in these terms and it is little wonder that led to an unprecedented intervention from the Faculty of Advocates.

“SNP MSPs on this committee will have seen their own leader John Swinney condemn Maggie Chapman’s comments. Are they really going to defy their leader and condone this Green MSP’s comments?

“I hope my motion will be the first step in Parliament agreeing to take appropriate action against Maggie Chapman for her shameful attack on the Supreme Court and subsequent refusal to apologise for it.

“If SNP MSPs and Labour’s representative on the committee do not join the Scottish Conservatives on Tuesday in this vote, then the public, particularly women, will question whose side are they on.”

Maggie Chapman in the centre supporting fellow MSP Mark Ruskell in his campaign to end greyhound racing Photo Scottish Greens

At the council this week

The City of Edinburgh Council assembles this week after the Easter recess. The minority administration will be regrouping following the very sad loss of Cllr Val Walker who was the city’s Culture and Communities Convener.

A by-election will be held in due course in Cllr Walker’s Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart Ward which is a three member ward – the other two councillors are Cllr David Key, SNP and Cllr Christopher Cowdy, Conservative.

Monday, 28th April, 2025

9.30 am Licensing Board – Dean of Guild Court Room – City Chambers

Tuesday, 29th April, 2025

10.00 am Finance and Resources Committee – Dean of Guild Court Room – City Chambers At this meeting the council will seek to award a contract to Marston (Holdings) Limited to enforce parking and traffic enforcement in the city. This is a five year contract worth up to £400 million. This appears at first sight to be a change from the current contractors NSL Limited, but they are a part of the Marston Holdings group. Theirs was the only tender received by the deadline. This is part of a larger contract with several other local authorities who use the same company.
Any profit from the £30+ million income in parking fines made by the council is ring fenced for spending on transport projects.
Other matters under consideration by the committee include approving a 10 year lease to British Transport Police of part of the courtyard level in the council premises Waverley Court which has been emptying out in recent years. The rent will be £95,500 with a three month rent free period from 1 August 2025. The council also seeks approval to let 60 desks in Waverley Court to Creative Scotland at a rent of £111,600 per annum from October this year. Both of these leases will include a charge towards the running costs of the building and between them will contribute £185,500 and £216,600 in total respectively. This will help cover the overheads of running Waverley Court.

Wednesday, 30th April, 2025

9.30 am Development Management Sub-Committee – Dean of Guild Court Room – City Chambers

Thursday, 1st May, 2025

10.00 am Additional Meeting, Education, Children and Families Committee – Virtual Meeting – via Microsoft Teams

9.30 am Planning Local Review Body (Panel 1) – Dean of Guild Court Room – City Chambers

Festival of Europe

The Festival of Europe Scotland is taking place at a number of locations in Scotland between 3 – 11 May 2025.

Most events are in Edinburgh, but there are also events and activities in Glasgow, Stirling, Fife, Shetland and Orkney.

The full list of events is here What’s On – Events – Festival of Europe Scotland

There will also be a free, drop-in, ‘Connecting Europe Fair’, at the French Institute in Edinburgh on 10 May: Connecting Europe Fair – Festival of Europe Scotland.

MP holding drop in event on Friday

Republic Day Rally

This takes place on 10 May on Calton Hill with speeches expected by Green politicians Maggie Chapman and Patrick Harvie who are firmly in favour of abolishing the monarchy in the UK.