Iain Banks announces he has terminal cancer

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Wednesday, 03 April 2013 13:43

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By a Newsnet reporter

Scottish novelist Iain Banks, author of The Wasp Factory, The Crow Road, and the science fiction series Culture, has revealed he is suffering from advanced cancer of the gall bladder and has just months to live.

The writer says he is weighing up the pros and cons of chemotherapy, however his prognosis is not good.

Labour might not scrap Bedroom Tax as Duncan Smith comes under pressure to back up £53 claim

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Monday, 01 April 2013 23:32

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By Martin Kelly

The Labour party, if it wins the next UK General Election, might not scrap the controversial Bedroom tax according to a Labour MP.

Dame Anne Begg, who is the MP for Aberdeen South, conceded in a Radio interview that there was no guarantee that the Labour party would abolish the legislation even if the party wins the 2015 UK General election.

‘Westminster’s Day of Shame’ as welfare changes come into effect

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Monday, 01 April 2013 11:01

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By Martin Kelly

Welfare reforms imposed by the UK coalition come into effect today on what has been described as a “day of shame” by the SNP.

The nationalists have claimed the changes highlight the UK government’s failure to protect the most vulnerable, as new legislation that includes the controversial Bedroom Tax take effect.

Tensions set to rise as BBC Scotland snubs Holyrood Committee for third time

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Tuesday, 26 March 2013 23:48

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By a Newsnet reporter

Tensions are set to increase between a Holyrood Committee and BBC Scotland management after the broadcaster refused to release results of an in-house survey which asked staff for feedback on planned job-cuts.

The survey was requested by Holyrood’s Culture Committee when BBC Scotland management appeared before it earlier this year following claims that staff morale was at an all-time low and concerns over the effects of job cuts at the station.

Basque ‘envy and joy’ at Scotland’s right to decide her future

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Monday, 25 March 2013 17:43

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By a Newsnet reporter

In an interview with the news agency Efe, Itxaso Atutxa the president of the Basque National Party’s executive in Bizkaia/Viscaya, has spoken of the “spectacular envy” that many in the Basque Country felt on hearing the news that Scotland’s independence referendum is to go ahead on 18 September 2014.

Ms Atutxa said that the Spanish government of Mariano Rajoy must “take note” of the events occurring in Scotland, and that the main Spanish unionist parties must “take a lesson” from it and permit a similar referendum in the Basque Country.

Boost for Yes campaign as poll shows dramatic narrowing of gap

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Sunday, 24 March 2013 12:19

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By Martin Kelly

The gap between those in favour of independence and those against has narrowed to just ten points according to a new survey.

Published in the Sunday Times, the new poll by Panelbase shows support for Yes at 36%, No at 46%, and ‘don’t knows’ at 18% – the narrowest gap in the campaign so far.

Catalonia may hold its indy referendum before Scotland

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Saturday, 23 March 2013 00:30

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By a Newsnet reporter

The ERC, the second party in the pro-independence coalition governing Catalonia, is urging its coalition partners the CiU to bring forward the date of Catalonia’s independence referendum.

Speaking to Catalan Radio on Friday morning, Oriol Junqueras, leader of the ERC, said that the Catalan referendum had to be held “urgently”, suggesting it be brought forward to 2013.