Matt Kerr

1 week ago | morningstaronline.co.uk | Matt Kerr

FAR-RIGHT agitators intent on fabricating paedophile fears to target refugees were faced down on the streets of Paisley today. A group with links to the far right calling itself Fighting Justice Against Predators has for weeks been using social media to spread misinformation and fear, posting images of men they claimed were photographing young people near schools and play areas.

1 week ago | morningstaronline.co.uk | Matt Kerr

LABOUR is facing demands to follow its nationalisation of British Steel with nationalising and saving Grangemouth, Scotland’s only oil refinery. SNP First Minister John Swinney called for state ownership today as he commented on the economic uncertainty sweeping the globe. He urged Chancellor Rachel Reeves to ditch the “self-imposed economic straitjacket” of her fiscal rules. “The world is changing around us and quite simply, the UK government needs to change too,” he said.

1 week ago | morningstaronline.co.uk | Matt Kerr

I AGREE with Rishi Sunak on one thing: chess should be taught in schools. With everything going on in the classroom these days — lack of resources, lack of teachers, lack of time to learn rather than be taught to pass an exam — you’d be forgiven if you didn’t see it as much of a priority. It’s a great leveller though. Whether you are rich, poor, man, woman, old or young it doesn’t count for much when the game begins. Well, not quite. There is one concession to the world — white begins with privilege.

1 week ago | morningstaronline.co.uk | Matt Kerr

DEMOCRATS across party divides slammed Rishi Sunak’s “crony ridden” resignation honours list today after Tory ex-ministers Michael Gove and Alister Jack were given seats in the Lords. Labour peer Pauline Bryan reiterated calls for the upper chamber to be scrapped. She told the Star: “Anyone who thinks that the House of Lords allows the best experts in their fields to contribute to legislation should look at Rishi Sunak’s list of new peers.

1 week ago | morningstaronline.co.uk | Matt Kerr

TRAIN drivers’ union Aslef has agreed a two-year pay deal with ScotRail. The agreement will mean no return to last year’s dispute with the Scottish government-owned operator, which rumbled on until September. Drivers will now see paternity, maternity and adoption pay boosted in a bid to improve “family friendly conditions” on the railway, as well as a 3.6 per cent pay rise backdated to April 1 2025.