The American television network NBC has announced that it is ending its business relationship with mogul and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump because of comments he made about Mexican immigrants during the launch of his campaign.

The network said it would no longer air the annual Miss USA and Miss Universe pageants, a joint venture between the company and Mr Trump. Miss USA has aired on NBC since 2003, and this year’s edition was set for 12 July.

“At NBC, respect and dignity for all people are cornerstones of our values,” NBC said in a statement.

Mr Trump replied that a “weak” NBC should prepare to meet him in court.

On Monday, Mexican media giant Televisa said it will no longer air the Miss Universe pageant and will not do business with Mr Trump on any other communication project.

Televisa, one of the largest TV groups in the hemisphere, said in a statement that Mr Trump’s “disrespectful” remarks offended the entire Mexican population. The company said it “strongly rejects all forms of discrimination, racism and xenophobia”.

A representative for Mr Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

NBC’s action comes less than a week after Univision similarly decided to ditch Mr Trump and the pageants. Mr Trump has also been a fixture on NBC as host of The Apprentice and its celebrity offshoot, and an agreement that he would no longer be on the show predated the current controversy.

Mr Trump said he anticipated losing the business relationship and that he’s not apologising for his statements because they “were correct”.

“Whatever they want to do is OK with me,” Mr Trump said in Chicago.

But in a statement issued by his company in New York, Mr Trump said “NBC is weak, and like everybody else is trying to be politically correct. That is why our country is in serious trouble.”

He said he would consider suing, as he plans to do with Univision. He also took a shot at NBC’s decision to demote, but not fire, news anchor Brian Williams for telling false stories about some of the reporting he was involved in.

“They will stand behind lying Brian Williams, but won’t stand behind people that tell it like it is, as unpleasant as that may be,” he said.

During his presidential announcement, Mr Trump said Mexican immigrants are “bringing drugs, they’re bringing crime, they’re rapists and some, I assume, are good people.”

He later said that his remarks were directed at US policymakers, not the Mexican government or its people.

EVENTS, birthdays and anniversaries on July 1.

National day of Canada.

1505: Seal of Cause granted by Edinburgh Town Council to the Incorporation of Barbers and Surgeons to practise their craft. It became the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

1543: England and Scotland signed Greenwich Treaties to secure peace.

1592: Charter granted to Sir Alexander Fraser of Philorth to found a university at Fraserburgh.

1836: North of Scotland Bank founded by Alexander Anderson and others in Aberdeen.

1837: Registration of births, marriages and deaths came into effect in England and Wales.

1843: The Union Bank of Scotland opened in Glasgow.

1858: Charles Darwin announced his theory of evolution in an address to the Linnean Society.

1867: Dominion of Canada was established under the British North America Act, with four provinces, masterminded by John Alexander MacDonald, first prime minister.

1897: The Klondike gold rush began in United States.

1907: The world’s first air force was established with the founding of the Aeronautical Division of the US Army’s Signals Office.

1910: Union of South Africa became a dominion of British Empire.

1912: The British Copyright Act came into force, protecting authors’ works for 50 years after death.

1916: British and French forces started offensive on the Somme. There were 60,000 British casualties on the first day.

1921: Jack Dempsey beat Georges Carpentier to retain world heavyweight boxing championship.

1929: The cartoon character Popeye the Sailor was created by Elzie Segar in the US.

1937: Telephone 999 emergency service came into operation in Britain.

1944: The Bretton Woods conference began with representatives of 44 nations formulating international monetary policy.

1946: United States tested atomic bomb over Bikini Atoll in Marshall Islands in the Pacific.

1960: Ghana was proclaimed a republic, with Kwame Nkrumah as its first president.

1967: Television in colour began on BBC2. Most of the first seven-hour broadcast was tennis from Wimbledon.

1969: Prince Charles was invested as Prince of Wales at Caernarvon Castle.

1977: Britain’s Virginia Wade won the women’s singles at the Centenary Wimbledon, beating Holland’s Betty Stove.

1987: Single European Act came into force.

1996: Tim Henman became the first British player for 23 years to reach the men’s quarter-finals at Wimbledon. He was defeated in the semi-finals.

1999: The Queen officially opened the new Scottish Parliament in its temporary home in the Assembly Hall at The Mound, Edinburgh, saying Scotland had stepped “across the threshold of a new constitutional age”.

2002: The International Criminal Court was established to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.

2007: A ban on smoking in all public and work places came into effect in England. A similar ban was already in operation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

BIRTHDAYS

Debbie Harry, singer, 70; Pamela Anderson, actress, 48; Dan Aykroyd, actor, 63; Geneviève Bujold, Canadian actress, 73; Olivia de Havilland, actress, 99; Trevor Eve, British actor, 64; Carl Fogarty MBE, motorbike racing champion, 50; Carl Lewis, Olympic sprint gold medallist, 54; Professor Sir David Lane, oncologist, 63; Adrian John Charles Hope, 4th Marquess of Linlithgow, 69; Ruud van Nistelrooy, footballer, 39; Liv Tyler, actress, 38; Peter Walwyn MBE, racehorse trainer, 82; Jeff Wayne, musician (War of the Worlds), 72; David Prowse MBE, bodybuilder and actor, 80; Missy Elliott, rapper and record producer, 44.

ANNIVERSARIES

Births: 1899 Charles Laughton, actor; 1903 Amy Johnson, aviator; 1904 James Cagney, actor; 1906 Estée Lauder, founder of cosmetics empire; 1925 Farley Granger, actor; 1934 Sydney Pollack, film director; 1954 Jim Farry, former chief executive, Scottish Football Association; 1961 Diana, Princess of Wales.

Deaths: 1860 Charles Goodyear, inventor of vulcanised-rubber process; 1884 Allan Pinkerton, Scots-born founder of the American detective agency; 1896 1924 Erik Satie, composer; 1974 Juan Peron, Argentine president; 1996 Margaux Hemmingway, actress; 1997 Robert Mitchum, actor; 1999 Viscount Whitelaw, politician; 2000 Walter Matthau, actor; 2004 Marlon Brando, actor; 2005 Luther Vandross, singer; 2006 Fred Trueman, cricketer and broadcaster; 2009 Mollie Sugden, actress.

The Channel Tunnel reopened yesterday after a three-hour shutdown caused by striking ferry workers who lit fires on the tracks.

In a day when a mix of striking ferry workers and desperate migrants caused transport chaos to travellers on both sides of the Channel, P&O Ferries chief executive Helen Deeble hit out with fierce criticism toward the British and French governments, as well as Eurotunnel.

In a statement she said: “When is the British Government going to stand up to ensure that we can all get to mainland Europe safely and securely? Every day that the disruption lasts costs UK plc millions of pounds.”

She pointed out that P&O Ferries employs thousands of people on both sides of the Channel and “this damaging and dangerous industrial action is now putting those jobs at risk”.

She added: “Let me be clear: the buck stops with the French government. They have shown that they can move swiftly to stop any disruption at the tunnel. But they have effectively abandoned any attempt to maintain security at the port of Calais, which makes a nonsense of European co-operation.”

Ms Deeble also blamed Eurotunnel for putting passengers in the middle of an industrial relations battle by not securing the jobs of workers involved.

Ferry services to and from Dover in Kent have been hit by the strike, which started at the northern French port at 2:20pm.

A Eurotunnel spokesman said: “Services restarted through the Channel Tunnel at 15:50 this afternoon. Eurotunnel will build up services progressively through this afternoon and this evening.”

The shutdown happened at the blockaded port of Calais about 12:45pm. It is understood that about 30 to 50 protesters cut their way through fences into the Eurotunnel site where they blocked the track with burning tyres.

Both Eurostar and Shuttle services were halted. It is the second time in week that services have been hit. The UK Government described the situation as “completely unacceptable”.

Crew members and catering staff on MyFerrylink services announced a strike after Euro-
tunnel, which owns the ships, sold the cross-channel service to rival operator DFDS.

The sale came after a competition authority ruling and left up to 600 jobs, including 70 in Dover, under threat.

Kent Police warned that the port of Calais would be closed until tomorrow while Euro-
tunnel described the situation as “grim”, particularly for freight traffic.

Ms Deeble also pointed out that “thousands of holidaymakers and lorry drivers (were) stranded without adequate facilities – even though our employees at the port have done their level best to keep them supplied with food and water”.

Of the protesters who have been taken away by the police, a Eurotunnel spokesman said: “We will be pressing charges against them for criminal and civil damage and putting people’s live in danger from their actions.”

The blockades, which affected all users of the French port, meant “the local environment is in chaos . . . there is gridlock,” he said.

In recent days, the pattern of migrant activity has spread from attacking trucks on motorways to trying to access the terminal, he added. The spokesman said: “There are migrants everywhere which means we have to control the trucks before they get to the site.”

Opticians chain Specsavers has opened a £500,000 branch in one of Scotland’s biggest shopping and leisure parks, creating 20 jobs.

The “state-of-the-art” store at Glasgow Fort offers six test rooms, a dedicated contact lens department and a new way of selecting and fitting customers’ glasses, using imaging software on tablet devices. It also houses a dedicated in-store hearing centre with soundproof booth.

The latest store opening at Glasgow Fort marks the progress of the park’s phase two development, which has welcomed Marks & Spencer, Fat Face and Wagamama, as well as introducing longer opening hours.

Phil Goodman, centre manager at Glasgow Fort, said: “We are very excited that Specsavers is now open. Customer interaction has revealed it is much anticipated, as style conscious wearers of glasses and contact lenses can enjoy the convenience of a more relaxed, leisurely experience of meeting their eyewear needs.”

Store director David Quigley added: “Our new store software is very clever kit and has a real wow factor for customers. It’s a quick and easy process which ensures a perfect fit every time.”

Glasgow Fort is home to almost 100 retailers and leisure operators including Topshop, Zara and TGI Friday.

Online grocer Ocado is hoping to agree an international tie-up before the end of the year after posting a hike in half-year profits.

The company, which delivers goods for both Waitrose and Morrisons, has seen its shares rise by 30 per cent over the last three months amid increasing speculation over a long-awaited deal to sell its technology to overseas retailers.

Chief executive Tim Steiner said Ocado was “excited by the possibility” of an international agreement, and the firm has set itself the target of signing a deal this year.

Half-year figures showed underlying earnings rose 
11.4 per cent to £38.2 million in the 24 weeks to 17 May, on revenues 18.2 per cent higher at £507.7m.

Steiner said the wider grocery market was hit by “intense” competition on prices, but added: “The resilience of our business model and increasing operational leverage also mean that we have grown operating profit despite these industry headwinds.”

FOOD is to the forefront at Scone Palace, writes Katrina Candy.

I can’t wait for the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust’s Scottish Game Fair at Scone Palace, not just because I can see the months of hard work by the organising team pay off and culminate in one of Scotland’s biggest and best outdoor events but also because this is the country’s Year of Food and Drink and this much-loved event will be the very embodiment of this initiative.

The tented village that appears on the Scone Palace parklands every July is the temporary home to all that is great about rural Scotland

And within its white canvassed walls, visitors of all ages from the UK and overseas enjoy the warm, friendly atmosphere and are encouraged to try their hand at various country pursuits.

One of the biggest structures is the food hall, a gigantic marquee full of the best artisan producers.

More than 50 food and drink specialists will be providing a true taste of Scotland and giving you the chance to buy the ultimate picnic. Food hall sponsors Ian Macleod Distillers will have their own whisky station and will be teaming up with award winning chef Tom Lewis on the Saturday to do a whisky and food pairing demonstration in the cookery theatre, sponsored by Graham’s The Family Dairy.

With Tom’s dynamic approach to cooking and the quality in Macleod’s Glengoyne malt collection, the partnership will offer visitors an opportunity to immerse themselves in this culinary experience and sample dishes such as venison game broth with a Glengoyne malt to accompany each dish.

On Saturday and Sunday, Three Sisters Bake will delight cake lovers and baking aficionados by demonstrating a range of baking and icing techniques. The sisters, whose food philosophy is to “delight the senses”, run two countryside cafes close to Glasgow and a catering business.

The girls will demonstrate a few of their café favourites including a colourful ombre cake and chocolate ganache icing.

The cooking demonstrations will be focussing on produce available in the food hall and Christopher Trotter (chef and food writer) will be the foodie in residence throughout the Fair, working with guest chefs and extolling the many benefits of game foods.

Throughout the Fair site, there are a variety of food vendors offering a range of foods from crepes and waffles to spit-roast pork.

The Fair provides GWCT Scotland (an independent wildlife and conservation charity) with an ideal platform from which to educate people about Scotland’s rich natural heritage, and presents an excellent opportunity for everyone to engage with the countryside.

The event allows visitors to discover more about the importance of conservation, Scotland’s game and wildlife management and sports not least via the main GWCT exhibit which will be delivered with partner organisation the World Pheasant Association.

Many breeds of pheasant, partridge, grouse, black game, ptarmigan and the majestic and endangered capercaillie will form a live exhibit.

It’s a chance to see, up close, some of these fabulous and rare birds and learn more about their ecology.

This is GWCT’s biggest educational event with its roots firmly in tradition but embracing the new innovations and trends in countryside management and pursuits.

And what better venue to promote game as a healthy, versatile food source than this?

Game management techniques have wide ranging benefits for a whole suite of wildlife.

Field margins, over-winter feeding, beetle banks, predation control, woodland design and many more features sustain wildlife populations while also delivering a harvestable surplus of game and thus an additional income in rural communities.

Now in its 27th year, the Fair goes from strength to strength and is an excellent day out for visitors from all walks of life.

Set the sat-nav for Scone Palace and tone your taste buds for a fantastic food adventure.

• Katrina Candy is head of PR and education at the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust (Scotland) www.gwct.org.uk
• The GWCT Scottish Game Fair runs from Friday 3 July to Sunday 5 July at Scone Parklands, Perthshire. For more information and ticket offers, log on to www.scottishfair.com

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An INDONESIAN air force transport plane ploughed into a residential neighbourhood in the country’s third-largest city of Medan shortly after take-off yesterday, killing dozens of people.

Television footage showed the mangled wreckage of the C-130 Hercules, a crumpled burning car and a shattered building that local media said contained a spa and homes. Smoke billowed from the site and several thousand people milled around nearby.

Air force chief Air Marshall Agus Supriatna said 49 bodies had been recovered and taken to Medan’s Adam Malik hospital.

The plane’s manifest showed it was carrying 50 people, according to North Sumatra police chief Eko Hadi Sutedjo, but the actual number might be higher. Mr Supriatna said there were 12 crew and more than 100 passengers on the plane before it reached Medan on Sumatra, one of Indonesia’s main islands. It had travelled from the capital, Jakarta, and stopped at two locations before arriving at Medan.

Many passengers were families of military personnel. Hitching rides on military planes to reach remote destinations is common in Indonesia, a sprawling archipelago that spans three time zones.

Indonesia has a patchy aviation safety record. Between 2007 and 2009, the European Union barred Indonesian airlines from flying to Europe because of safety concerns. The country’s most recent civilian airline disaster was in December, when an AirAsia jet with 162 people on board crashed into the Java Sea.

There have been five fatal crashes involving air force planes since 2008, according to the Aviation Safety Network, which tracks aviation disasters.

The crash of the transport plane, which had been in service since 1964, occurred just two minutes after it took off from Soewondo air force base.

Mr Supriatna said the pilot told the control tower that the plane needed to turn back because of engine trouble.

“The plane crashed while it was turning right to return to the airport,” he said.

Medan resident Fahmi Sembiring said he saw plane flying very low as he was driving.

“Flames and black smoke were coming from the plane in the air,” he said.

Mr Sembiring said he stopped not far from the crash site and saw several people rescued by police, security guards and bystanders.

Another man, Janson Halomoan Sinagam, said several of his relatives were on the plane when it left Medan headed for the remote Natuna island chain.

“We just want to know their fate,” he told MetroTV, weeping. “But we have not yet received any information from the hospital.”

The C-130 accident is the second time in ten years that an aircraft has crashed into a Medan neighbourhood. In September 2005, a Mandala Airlines Boeing 737 crashed into a crowded residential community shortly after take-off from Medan’s Polonia airport, killing 143 people including 30 on the ground.

CONSERVATION efforts around Scotland’s coast can help the environment and fishermen argues Calum Duncan.

There is sometimes a wee temptation to get carried away with good news, but this summer there are promising signs of change for Scotland’s seas – in the form of proposals to better safeguard 16 marine protected areas (MPAs) in our inshore waters, and thus help provide the breeding grounds for marine recovery.

When first mooted, MPAs were seen by some as a distraction. Better protecting parts of our seas would risk displacing activities elsewhere and only ever be a partial fix for the declining health of our whole marine environment. The reply from Scotland’s environment community was that, yes, we need ecosystem-based marine planning and improved fisheries management, but we strongly support MPAs also, as a significant tool to help start reversing the decline in the health of our seas.

We are well under way now. For the past three years, the Scottish Government has been busy prioritising the parts of Scotland’s seas that urgently need strategic management. It has been a complex, at times frustrating, process that has risked stakeholder fatigue – not least from fishermen, some of whom see it as an unwelcome addition to regulatory burdens.

As environmental advocates, we have tried to understand this, and have aimed at being constructive within the process. We have pressed for meaningful areas to be protected, and for management for the long-term good of our seas, and all who depend on their health.

Accordingly, we launched our “Don’t take the ‘P’ out of MPAs” campaign, aimed at government ministers. Our message echoed what many communities around Scotland’s coastline are also saying. The health of our seas is clearly failing and urgent action is needed. Over 4,700 people responded to the Scottish Government consultation. Communities up and down the country, from the Clyde to Wester Ross, contributed to a groundswell for conservation management. Their message was simple. The plans were too complex and lacked ambition.

The response from cabinet secretary Richard Lochhead has been impressive. He has listened and acted. The management proposals for the 16 sites are now simpler and stronger. Many will see restrictions on dredging, and have enlarged no-go areas for bottom-trawling.

A heartening example of where this will help sea life is in the Loch Sunart to Sound of Jura MPA, one of the few remaining strongholds for the common skate.

Tragically, this impressive two metre wing-spanned animal is no longer common, as a result of over-exploitation. This was due to its life-history making it unsuitable for targeted fishing. Committed sea anglers have since gone to great lengths to catch, tag and return the diminishing population, thus identifying the site’s importance.

Where previously the government’s proposal was to restrict dredging and trawling in just the deepest part of the Sound, now, following the advice of marine scientists and feedback from local communities, the proposal is to safeguard other deep areas and adjacent, shallower waters, where skate breed and feed. In short, this is an ecologically proportionate – and necessary – response to the urgent protection and recovery of a globally endangered species.

Progressive management like this is proposed for most of the other 15 sites, although there are still exceptions, such as Loch Fyne, where improvements could still be made. The response to the latest proposals from our fishermen has been incredibly significant – mainly because it is so mixed. “Mobile gear” fishermen who dredge the sea floor, mostly for scallops, face new restrictions in 3 per cent of our inshore waters, and are deeply concerned by the changes. But “static gear” fishermen, who use creels to fish, and have a much lower seabed impact, have been broadly supportive.

Some creelers (whose vessels constitute 70 per cent of the Scottish inshore fleet) even argue that the measures do not go far enough to resolve many of the contentious issues facing inshore fishery. Their representatives are urging more wide-ranging spatial management, similar to regulations long used by our Scandinavian neighbours.

As stakeholders across Scotland contemplate their response to the proposals, we entreat them to keep their eye on the grand prize. If we introduce management that encourages ecological bounce-back, inshore fish and shellfish productivity will be improved, lower impact fishing opportunities can be boosted, and marine tourism will be supported.

In addition, the measures will help address a much broader challenge that we face. Kelp forests and seagrass beds lock up millions of tonnes of carbon in the seabed every year. In protecting and encouraging the recovery of these “blue carbon” stores, MPAs can play their part in tackling climate change.

For all of us, the prize to keep in mind is the enhanced sea life which sustains us all.

• Calum Duncan is convener of Scottish Environment LINK’s marine task force www.scotlink.org

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MORE than 6,000 students in Scotland are having to resort to payday loans to make ends meet, new research has claimed.

Those north of the border are almost twice as likely to have turned to short-term lenders as the UK average, a report by student accommodation provider Unite Students found.

Across the UK, almost 32,000 students are using payday loans and similar high-interest debt to fund everyday living costs, the Unite Students Insight Report found.

But in Scotland the total is said to be 6,339 - almost 3 per cent of all students.

The figures are based on a survey of more than 8,500 university applicants, undergraduates and postgraduate students across the UK.

Iain Gray, Scottish Labour acting leader, said the statistics showed “how appalling the situation really is” for students north of the border.

Mr Gray, Labour’s education spokesman at Holyrood, criticised the Scottish Government and said: “Under the SNP Government the budget for bursaries and grants has been slashed by £40 million and student debt has soared.

“That’s £40 million less for students who have the talent and the drive but need extra support to get on in life.

“It’s thousands of kids who have the grades to access the best courses but can only get the extra support they need by borrowing more.

“Now we learn that thousands aren’t just borrowing more from the Student Loans Company, they are going to payday lenders like Wonga.

“The SNP should be ashamed of the mess they have made of student support in Scotland.”

Jenny Shaw, head of student services at Unite Students, said: “It is hard to imagine how taking out a payday loan is the right choice for any student looking to get their finances back on track.

“If a student is struggling financially there are a wide range of options and support services available.

“Universities and some students’ unions have student finance advisors who offer an excellent service.

“It’s worrying to see a greater proportion of applicants believe payday lenders are the way forward. We can only hope that expectation doesn’t turn into a reality.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “From 2015-16, our minimum income guarantee will provide students from the poorest households with £7,625 of living-cost support per year through a combination of loans and bursaries.

“This is the highest level of financial support available to students living at home in the UK.

“In addition, the latest Student Loans Company figures, published in June 2015, show that average student loan debt in Scotland is still the lowest in the UK.

“The provision of free tuition means that Scottish-domiciled students do not have to pay back loans of up to £27,000 that their contemporaries have to pay elsewhere in the UK.

“During their period of study, the poorest English students will accumulate around £12,000 more in student loan debt than the poorest Scottish students, if both groups access all of the loan they are entitled to.”

Belhaven Best owner Greene King today reported record annual sales but said attitudes towards drinking out in Scotland have changed following the introduction of tougher drink-drive limits.

The pubs and brewing group, which has just completed its acquisition of rival Spirit, also said the stricter regulations have trimmed like-for-like sales growth in the early weeks of its new financial year.

“Our Scottish business suffered in the year from the introduction of a lower drink-driving limit just before Christmas,” said chief executive Rooney Anand.

“We have mitigated the impact as much as we can through a number of initiatives. However, the lower limit has changed consumer behaviour towards drinking out in Scotland and we expect to see continued like-for-like sales weakness, at least in the first full year following its introduction.”

Despite the hit north of the Border and a “disappointing” World Cup, total revenues at Greene King rose 3 per cent to £1.3 billion in the year to 3 May, with sales at its managed portfolio of pub, restaurants and hotels reaching £1bn.

But operating profits fell 1.7 per cent to £256.2 million, which the firm blamed on lower like-for-like sales growth and the disposal of 275 pubs to Hawthorn Leisure.

Anand said the group has made a “steady” start to its new financial year, with sales up 0.6 per cent at its managed estate during the first eight weeks, although he said the new drink-driving regulations in Scotland had trimmed like-for-like sales growth by half a percentage point.

Shareholders are in line for a 4.8 per cent increase in the final dividend to 21.8p a share, to be paid on 14 September.

Anti-cancer drug developer NuCana has bolstered its team with the appointment of Chris McGuigan as chief scientific officer.

McGuigan, currently professor of medicinal chemistry at the Cardiff School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, invented the ProTide technology that Edinburgh-based NuCana uses in its search for anti-cancer treatments.

ProTides create compounds that bypass key resistance mechanisms that limit the activity of many current chemotherapy drugs, and NuCana’s lead product, Acelarin, is entering phase 3 studies with patients.

McGuigan, who describes himself as a “drug hunter”, said earlier studies “have shown the potential of ProTides to define a new era in cancer treatment”.

NuCana chief executive Hugh Griffith said: “We look forward benefitting from Chris’s leading scientific knowledge as we further develop and target the commercialisation of our ProTide technology in oncology.”

The company last year raised $57 million (£36.3m) from investors including Sofinnova Partners, Sofinnova Ventures, Morningside Ventures, Alida Capital International and the Scottish Investment Bank.

HEALTH chiefs are under fire over their decision to close the children’s ward of a hospital for six weeks over the summer as a result of staff shortages.

NHS Lothian has been accused of “complete and utter failure” in not resolving the staffing problems at St John’s Hospital in Livingston.

Campaigners warned parents faced long journeys to reach the Sick Kids Hospital in Edinburgh, which will now take inpatients who would otherwise have been treated at the West Lothian facility.

The paediatric ward has not been properly staffed for three years and senior doctors have said the 14-bed unit is staffed “on a wing and a prayer” with doctors and nurses regularly asked to work extra night shifts and at weekends.

NHS Lothian announced yesterday that inpatients will not be admitted to the ward from tomorrow, although it will still be open during the day, from 8am to 8pm, to deal with appointments and referrals.

There is no change to maternity and neonatal services at the hospital.

Ellen Glass, of the Action to Save St John’s campaign, said the closure was “an absolute disgrace”.

She said: “I couldn’t believe it when I heard. This is not a new problem, it has been going on for some time.

“It’s very difficult for people in West Lothian to get to the Sick Kids. It’s not like the ERI where there is a direct bus.”

And she voiced fears for the long-term future of the ward.

“If they close it for six weeks now, what guarantee is there they don’t come back and say, ‘We managed OK, we can just close it totally’?”. The hospital previously closed for similar reasons for three weeks in the summer of 2012.

Lothian Labour MSP Neil Findlay said: “This is a complete and utter failure from the SNP government in Edinburgh and NHS Lothian to address staffing problems at St John’s.

“Despite having three years to learn the lessons of 2012, the same problems have reared their heads again, with the long-term future of the ward in doubt.

“A ward shouldn’t have to shut down so that hard-working staff can get the annual leave they are legally entitled to.”

Jim Crombie, NHS Lothian’s chief officer of acute services, said the closure decision had not been taken lightly.

He said: “We are fully committed to maintaining and indeed expanding the role of St John’s Hospital as one of Lothian’s three major acute hospital sites, but if we don’t make changes now to the operating hours of the children’s ward, we run the risk of having to make an unplanned closure at a few hours’ notice, which would lead to the sudden diversion of patients.”

“We have relied on our dedicated staff from St John’s and across Lothian to work additional hours to provide these important services, but we cannot continue to rely indefinitely on a small number of staff working excessive hours.”

Health secretary Shona Robison said the closure was a temporary arrangement.

SEE ALSO:

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DAVID Cameron has promised to make a decision on a new runway for Heathrow by the end of the year after a report controversially recommended the UK’s biggest air hub is expanded.

In a report after a £20 million three-year inquiry Sir Howard Davies has recommended that while a new runway at Gatwick is deliverable, the government should build one at Heathrow.

The recommendation for a new runway at Heathrow sparked wildly different views and fresh political controversy.

Business leaders and unions welcomed the prospect of a new runway but local campaigners vowed to continue protests against expanding Heathrow.

Labour’s shadow transport secretary Michael Dugher promised that Labour would support the government in a quick decision to expand Heathrow which he described as “the biggest decision for UK plc in decades”.

Mr Cameron is faced with furious opposition from his own Tory benches with London mayor Boris Johnson, who had wanted a new airport built on the Thames estuary east of London, saying the expansion will “never happen”.

Richmond MP Zak Goldsmith, who is favourite to be the next Tory candidate for London mayor and has campaigned against expanding Heathrow, warned that it “will severely damage the environment” and add to “the worst noise pollution problem in Europe”.

Meanwhile, it is understood that International Development Secretary Justine Greening, who also represents a west London seat, could resign over the issue. In 2009 Mr Cameron said “no ifs, no buts” in ruling out a new runway at Heathrow but yesterday he appeared to be ready to agree to it.

Under pressure from acting Labour leader Harriet Harman in Prime Minister’s Questions,

Mr Cameron said a decision would be taken by the end of the year.

“It is important now that there is a very detailed report that we study it,” he said. “A decision will be made by the end of the year.”

Mr Cameron refused to be drawn on the options set out in the report, saying the government had to be mindful of its “legal position” or it could “endanger whatever decision that is made”.

Later a Downing Street spokesman said “all ministers” would be expected to not comment on the report.

Green groups attacked the announcement because of the likely impact on the environment.

Greenpeace UK executive director John Sauven said: “Davies’ preferred option of a third runway at Heathrow is an environmental and political minefield. It would jeopardise the UK’s climate targets, worsen air pollution in London, and open up a political can of worms for David Cameron.”

Terry Scuoler, chief executive of EEF, the manufacturers’ organisation, said: “Heathrow is a global freight hub and the clear preference for manufacturers with a business need for aviation expansion.

“This recommendation that Heathrow should be allowed to expand is the right one for industry and the country.”

John Holland-Kaye, chief executive of Heathrow Airport said: “This debate has never been about a runway, it’s been about the future we want for Britain. Expanding Heathrow will keep Britain as one of the world’s great trading nations, right at the heart of the global economy.”

But Gatwick Airport’s chief executive Stewart Wingate said: “Gatwick is still very much in the race.

“The commission’s report makes clear that expansion at Gatwick is deliverable.”

THE NEW owners of Gleneagles Hotel have pledged to plough “significant sums” into the Perthshire venue following its sale by spirits giant Diageo.

After months of talks, the Johnnie Walker and Smirnoff producer has sold the hotel and golf courses to a group of private investors led by London-based hospitality group Ennismore.

The value of the deal was not disclosed, but is understood to be worth up to £200 million. Ennismore – owner of London’s Hoxton Hotel – said it would be retaining the management and 900-strong workforce at the venue, which hosted last year’s Ryder Cup.

Sharan Pasricha, founder and chief executive of Ennismore, said: “We plan to operate Gleneagles as a standalone business – alongside the Hoxton – to ensure that its management team can preserve the special appeal of this Scottish landmark. We will be proud guardians of this asset, ensuring that the service levels and visitor experience for which Gleneagles is renowned are preserved and enhanced in the years to come.”

Gleneagles, which opened its doors in 1924, has more than 230 bedrooms, 850 acres of grounds and three championship golf course. It was owned by British Rail until 1981, when it was sold to a consortium of Scottish businessmen. In 1984 the resort was bought by Perth-based distiller Arthur Bell & Sons, which was acquired by Guinness the following year, before both were absorbed into Diageo.

Gleneagles managing director Bernard Murphy said: “We have enjoyed a great relationship with Diageo over the last three decades, culminating in the hosting of what has been described as the best-ever Ryder Cup on the PGA Centenary Course last September. The business is going from strength to strength and bookings for the summer are strong. This is in no so small part thanks to the hard work of our team of 900 dedicated staff. In the meantime, it’s very much business as usual for our members, staff and guests, and forward bookings will be unaffected.”

During the year to 30 June 2014, Gleneagles generated revenues of £43.5m and made an operating profit of £2.6m.

Diageo chief executive Ivan Menezes said the drinks group was “proud” to have owned the venue for the past three decades “but the hotel is not a core business for us and therefore following the success of the Ryder Cup we feel this is an appropriate time to realise value through this transaction”.

He added: “I am pleased that Diageo’s brands, especially our Scotch brands, will continue to be an important feature at this iconic Scottish hotel. We wish Ennismore and all the staff at the hotel a successful future.”

The deal was welcomed by Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, who said: “Tourism is a vital part of the Scottish economy, creating jobs and sustaining communities.

“We are particularly pleased that Ennismore has recognised, and clearly values, the important role this resort plays both locally and nationally by making an early pledge to invest ‘significant sums across this estate’ to build on Gleneagles’ reputation.”

Ennismore, founded in 2011, owns two Hoxton hotels in London and the brand will this month expand overseas with a site in Amsterdam, with further projects planned in New York and Paris.

l A Highland tourism business that includes four hotels and a medieval castle is being sold as the founder retires almost 40 years after starting out with a single property.

Former merchant seaman Ian Cleaver started Highland Heritage in the mid-1970s when he bought the Royal Hotel in Tyndrum, and built it into an £8m turnover company that uses its own fleet of 16 liveried coaches to bus tourists to the hotels in Tyndrum, Dalmally and Oban. Colliers International is inviting offers and has not named a price.

ALEX Salmond received £13,500 for ‘newspaper columns and interviews’ in the first three months of 2015, it has been revealed.

Details of the payments made to the former leader of the SNP were disclosed in Mr Salmond’s official register of interests at Westminster.

The money was paid to the Chronicles of Deer firm, a private company that receives the former First Minister’s publishing earnings.

As MP for Gordon, Mr Salmond takes home £67,000 a year, and donates both his MSP’s salary and pension to the Mary Salmond Trust charity, named in honour of his mother and founded in 2007.

The register for Mr Salmond, who was elected to represent the Gordon constituency with 27,717 votes, states: “£13,500 received by Chronicles of Deer... This related to articles and interviews in the period January to March 2015.”

A Labour spokesman told the Herald: “At a time when thousands of working families are feeling the pinch the former First Minister is doing very well for himself.

“With a newspaper column on top of jobs as an MP and MSP he looks to have settled back into Westminster life very well.”

A spokesman for Mr Salmond added: “Mr Salmond has declared his interests according to the rules. He has made it clear that he will not draw two salaries, donating his MSP salary to support youth and community causes in the North East of Scotland.

“That Trust has already benefitted over 250 organisations and individuals to the tune of over £100,000.”

Elsewhere in the registers of interest, London mayor Boris Johnson has been paid £88,000 for a book ‘as yet unwritten’ from publishing firm Hodder & Stoughton while also picking up nearly £23,000 for writing a weekly newspaper column.

• View the full Register of Members’ Financial Interests here (PDF) >>>

SHE was dubbed “the most ­dangerous woman in Britain” during the general election ­campaign, apparently striking fear into the hearts of male ­politicians the length and breadth of Britain.

Now First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has added the title of “most influential woman” to her list of accolades, as she was ranked top in the BBC’s Woman’s Hour power list of female influencers.

Ms Sturgeon – who has previously not featured in the annual top ten list – saw off competition from American Vogue editor Anna Wintour, who came in second, and actor and director Angelina Jolie, who has also been praised for her work as an humanitarian ambassador.

The judging panel was chaired by journalist and broadcaster Emma Barnett, and also included human rights lawyer Helena Kennedy QC, Radio 1 DJ Gemma Cairney, columnist Sarah Vine and Whistles chief executive Jane Shepherdson.

They said they had focused on identifying a range of women who have “an exceptionally large impact” on people’s lives, not just because of their job title but because of their personal ability to influence others.

Ms Barnett described Ms Sturgeon as “both the power broker and the influencer”, saying that she “wields a huge amount of ­influence” due to her power in relation to both the UK union and the European Union.

She said: “Those who influence usually have the ear of the traditionally powerful, but are one step removed. Sometimes, as in the case of Nicola Sturgeon, they will be both the power ­broker and the influencer.”

The list also included Kath Viner, who was appointed as first female editor of the Guardian earlier this year, Camilla Cavendish, director of Downing Street’s policy unit and singer and songwriter Sia, who has written songs for stars including Madonna, Beyoncé, Celine Dion, and Rihanna, negotiated a contract with her label that stipulated that she would not have to tour or do press. The list also included Caitlyn Jenner, who has been described as the most famous openly transgender person in the world.

Ms Barnett added: “Most of the women in our list are the key influencers behind the most influential people’s decisions, from Camilla Cavendish whispering policy suggestions in to David Cameron’s ear to Sia deciding what tunes Beyonce and Rihanna belt out on their next respective albums.”

SNP MSP Sandra White said: “This is fantastic news for Nicola Sturgeon, the SNP and women across Scotland. No doubt she will be honoured to top the list. As Scotland’s first female First Minister, Nicola has worked hard to show women and girls across Scotland that they can achieve their dreams if they work hard enough.”

Speaking on a live broadcast of Woman’s Hour from the BBC’s Edinburgh studio, Ms Sturgeon said the “dangerous woman” comment was “the nicest thing the Daily Mail have ever said about me”.

She added: “I don’t think it’s particularly dangerous to want to live in a world that’s fairer; to spend money on health and education rather than weapons. I don’t feel that’s dangerous.”

we always hope that hot summer days will be spent relaxing outdoors, eating ice cream, sipping cold drinks and cheering Andy Murray to another victory at Wimbledon.

So it comes as a bit of a rude jolt to be told that we should instead be watching the horizon for signs of a smoggy haze, worrying about the impact that it might have on us and our children’s health.

The pollution levels predicted in Edinburgh today are not the kind of off-the-scale readings that have been seen in some of Europe’s major cities over the last year or so. There won’t be the kind of smog that has made London look like a scene from an old Sherlock Holmes movie and motorway traffic certainly won’t be restricted to 20kmph as it was in Paris in the spring in an attempt to stop a spike in pollution levels.

The worst we are likely to see, according to the experts, is the kind of summer haze in the distance that we will all have seen before on particularly hot days. But the unpleasant part is the warning that what we might see is effectively a light smog caused by air pollution.

Today is not only expected to be the hottest day of the year to date but also the worst for pollution. World Health Organisation pollution limits are likely to be broken for the third time this year. Vulnerable people, such as those with heart problems, are being warned to pace themselves outdoors if they start to feel any untoward symptoms.

These kind of problems will inevitably lead to growing demands for low emission zones where the worst polluting vehicles are banned. This is a timely reminder of the importance of steps to make cycling and walking safer and more attractive in the city, as well as investing in high quality public transport, whether that is trams, buses or rail. If these steps don’t start to work though, more drastic measures will be needed.

A DISCLOSURE scheme which allows men and women to ask police about a partner’s violent past is to be extended nationwide following a successful trial.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon yesterday announced the initiative, dubbed Clare’s Law, will be rolled out across the country later this year.

It follows a six-month trial in Aberdeen and Ayrshire which encouraged people to request details of criminal convictions from police if they had concerns about being in an abusive relationship.

The pilot followed the success of a disclosure scheme already adopted in England and known as Clare’s Law after 36-year-old Clare Wood, who was murdered in Salford, Greater Manchester, in 2009 by a man she had met on Facebook.

During the Scottish pilot, 59 applications were lodged for information, leading to 22 disclosures being made.

Ms Sturgeon said: “There is no excuse or place for domestic abuse in Scotland and we need to do all we can to ensure we protect people from what is an abhorrent crime.

“I announced earlier this year new funding of £20 million over the next three years to step up our work to tackle violence against women.

“We are working in partnership to combat domestic abuse and we see Police Scotland’s disclosure scheme for domestic abuse as a vital step forwards. The victims of this unacceptable behaviour are predominantly ­female but males are also targeted.

“We must make sure that everyone is offered protection and information which reduces the risk of harm. I firmly believe that people who have concerns that their partner may have a history of domestic abuse should be able to find out.”

The First Minister was joined at an event in Glasgow yesterday by Miss Wood’s father, Michael Brown.

Miss Wood, 36, was strangled and set on fire by her ex-boyfriend George Appleton.

The mother-of-one met Appleton on Facebook, unaware of his history of violence against women, including repeated harassment, threats and the kidnapping at knifepoint of one of his ex-girlfriends.

Mr Brown, who is originally from Aberdeen, said: “I very much welcome the national roll-out of the disclosure scheme across Scotland. It is heartening to see the success of the pilots and to know that the people given these disclosures will now hopefully not be victims of domestic abuse.

“Saving lives and protecting people has to be our ultimate aim; this is what makes all of our efforts worthwhile.” Under the Scottish pilot, anyone with concerns was encouraged to fill out an online form for ­information.

The scheme was split between the “right to ask” and the “power to tell”, which allows the authorities to warn someone they believe to be at risk.

Chief Constable Sir Stephen House said: “We will not tolerate domestic abuse. We will tackle it and we will remove those who present the risk because we want to prevent it destroying the lives of its victims and those children who too often witness this abuse.

“By expanding this scheme, there is the potential to protect hundreds of people and to stop them become the victims of abusers, either directly or indirectly. And it is a clear signal to those who would abuse others that they cannot hide and their abusive history will be disclosed if it means protecting others.”

Linda Rodgers, chief executive of Edinburgh Women’s Aid, added: “More than 2,000 women used our services last year. We welcome anything that makes women safer and we look forward to working with our partners in police in government towards a Scotland where everyone, no matter what their community, can live without fear.”

Figures released last week showed the number of domestic abuse incidents recorded by police rose by nearly two per cent in the past year.

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POLICE Scotland has criticised the SNP government’s controversial plans to have state-appointed guardians for every child, stating that “there is a lack of clarity” about the role of the force in overseeing the scheme.

The force warned that the recently merged single service may not have the capacity and resources to cope with policing the plan, to have one point of contact for all under-18s.

There may not be “efficient or secure systems” in place to “manage wellbeing concerns” Police Scotland stated in a stark warning on the prospect of ensuring the safety of children assigned state guardians. Under the government’s plans, a single point of contact would be allocated, such as a teacher or health visitor, to look out for the welfare of all children.

Critics have said the plan “gives monitoring power to the state” and would severely damage the level of trust between parents, teachers and health workers.

Police Scotland warned that such a “significant change for all authorities including Police Scotland” could make it harder to identify at risk children.

The scathing criticism of the legislation was made by Police Scotland chief superintendent Alan Waddell, who is one of the most senior figures in the force, in a briefing paper entitled “Police Scotland Corporate Risk Register” for the Scottish Policy Authority on behalf of the service.

The authority is in charge of the entire policing budget for Scotland as well as being responsible for the force’s governance.

Mr Waddell, in his report to the body, said that the new law would have “cost implications”.

Police Scotland’s “confidence and reputation may be negatively impacted”, the chief superintendent said, due to the lack of clarity about what the force’s role would be in presiding over the named person scheme.

The warning from Police Scotland came after a consultation found many of the bodies that will be responsible for implementing the proposals, including councils, health boards and voluntary sector groups, are still unclear about the role of the named person.

Mr Waddell expressed concern about the lack of a “Named Person Service” to oversee the government’s legislation and work with those named as state guardians for children.

He said: “Police Scotland does not currently have a consistent process on how such risk and concerns are identified, triaged managed and shared.

“There is a lack of clarity as to the expectations, roles and responsibilities; therefore it is unknown at this time if current systems, models and process in PSoS [Police Scotland] can support this legislative change.”

“In the absence of a national functioning Named Person Service, there is a concern that partners do not have efficient or secure systems in place” to preside over safety issues.

Mr Waddell added that the change could “impact on our ability to accurately assess vulnerability”, which will come as a major blow to the SNP government.”

Scottish Conservative education spokeswoman Liz Smith said the intervention from Police Scotland showed the force was “very sceptical” about the named person plan as she attacked the policy as “sinister”.

She said: “It’s extremely concerning and telling that Police Scotland now have issues with the SNP’s named person policy.

“The very organisations who are supposed to make the policy work are now very sceptical that it can work in practice.

“It’s just another example of why the named person nonsense which is peddled by the Scottish Government flies in the face of common sense.

“It is very clear now that the SNP scheme lacks guidance and showcases just how sinister the policy is with the named person having too much power.”

Calling on the Scottish Government to scrap the policy, she added: “The more parents find out about this policy, the more they object to it because they believe it will threaten the important level of trust that there should be between parents and health and social care workers and, of course, between parents and teachers.”

A total of 149 organisations and 133 individuals contributed to the debate surrounding the scheme, with concerns also raised about the “unrealistic” demands the provision could place on busy professionals.

The measure is currently the subject of a legal challenge at Edinburgh’s Court of Session, with a judgment expected later this year.

The No To Named Persons (NO2NP) coalition has appealed an earlier decision by Lord Pentland to refuse a petition for a judicial review of the legislation. However, the Scottish Government insisted that ministers would press ahead with the named person legislation, which it said would improve support for parents.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “We consulted widely on the draft statutory guidance to accompany the legislation on Getting it Right for Every Child (Girfec) that the parliament passed last year.

“We are now considering the independent analysis of the consultation responses. When in place, parents will be advised of the health visitor, teacher or other individual who is their child’s named person, available as a single point of contact for help, support or advice.

“There is no obligation on parents or children to approach their named person. But our hope is that people will feel increasingly confident about asking for support should they need it.”

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COUNCILLORS have given the go-ahead to the £850 million Edinburgh St James project.

They backed the plans by nine votes to five during a special meeting at City Chambers on Wednesday.

There had been a dispute over the kind of stone which would be used, with protests that the developer’s preference of limestone was out of keeping with the Capital’s heritage.

But a majority planning committee dismissed the concerns to approve the development without condition.

Developers TH Real Estate had warned that if a condition requiring sandstone rather than limestone cladding was including, it could have put the project at risk.

Conservationists claimed that councillors “hold the people of Edinburgh in such low regard”, warning that the city’s World Heritage status would be jeopardised by the decision.

Concerns had been raised over the use of limestone, which was described by planner as “alien” and “detrimental” to the New Town.

Marion Williams, director of the Cockburn Association, said: “Sadly Edinburgh’s Planning Committee decided that limestone is OK on the primary façades of the St James development against the advice of Historic Scotland, the World Heritage Trust, the planning officers and the Cockburn Association.

“All are concerned that the World Heritage status will be affected by the use of this alien stone in such a sensitive location and a development of this enormity.

“Cllr Mowatt didn’t think the citizens of Edinburgh would know the difference between limestone and sandstone. Councillors clearly hold the people of Edinburgh in such low regard.

“We did our best to persuade the councillors but economic development over Edinburgh’s unique identity wins the day again. We could have both.”

Development director Martin Perry said: “We are absolutely delighted that the City of Edinburgh Council has backed our vision for Edinburgh St James.

“We are now focused on the next phase of our plans for this landmark development – providing Edinburgh with a brand new, vibrant and exciting place to live, visit and shop in the heart of the city.”