Latest News – Martin Whitfield MSP
Torness lifetime extension welcomed
Martin Whitfield MSP has welcomed EDF's announcement that Torness Power Station's operating life will be extended for two additional years to March 2030. Commenting on the decision, Mr Whitfield said: “This is good news for Torness power station, its workforce and contractors, the local economy, and for Scotland’s energy security. "The decision will also benefit energy consumers, as Torness continues to be crucial to meeting the demand for clean electricity, with its capability of powering more than two million homes. "It also underlines the importance of nuclear remaining a reliable part of a balanced energy mix for many years to [...]
Martin supports winter food collection
Martin Whitfield MSP has joined East Lothian Foodbank volunteers at Tesco's Haddington store to support its annual winter food collection. The 2024 Winter Food Collection ran from 28th-30th November, in partnership with food charities FareShare and Trussell. The collection takes place in stores nationwide with donated goods being redistributed to people who are facing hardship over the winter. Martin Whitfield MSP said: "I've been supporting East Lothian Foodbank's collections for a number of years now and never fail to be impressed with the generosity expressed by so many local people. "While it remains unacceptable that such a large number of [...]
Backing respect for shopworkers campaign
Martin Whitfield MSP has visited his local Co-op store in Prestonpans to discuss the issue of the growing violence, threats and abuse experienced by retail staff and the link with shop theft. Retail trade union Usdaw launched shocking statistics from its annual survey during this year’s Respect for Shop Workers Week. Interim results from over 4,000 retail staff responses show that in the last twelve months: 69% have experienced verbal abuse. 45% were threatened by a customer. 17% were assaulted. 70% of these incidents were triggered by shoplifting and two-thirds of those were linked to addiction. Mr Whitfield met Co-op [...]
World AIDS Day is ‘more than a ribbon’
Today (Sunday 1st December) is World AIDS Day and this year the Terrence Higgins Trust (THT) is emphasising that the day is about ‘more than a ribbon’. The charity's campaign says that the day is about remembering everyone lost to HIV, as well as a promise to support people living with HIV, a pledge to end new cases of HIV by 2030 and a stand against HIV stigma. In Parliament, Martin Whitfield MSP joined parliamentary colleagues in wearing their ribbons during this week’s FMQs and during other engagement throughout the week. THT also hosted a World AIDS Day Reception with [...]
Martin supports Christmas Jumper Day
Martin Whitfield MSP is supporting Save the Children ahead of the charity’s annual Christmas Jumper Day fundraiser taking place on Thursday 12th December by donning his favourite festive knit. Last year, Christmas Jumper Day raised a total of £3 million for children in Scotland, the UK and around the world and over 1.5 million children and teachers and 1 million workplaces took part in fundraising event. Funds raised will help children get access to food, healthcare and education. This year has been far from easy for families living on the lowest incomes in Scotland, and part of the money raised will also [...]
Motion celebrates Strutter’s first flight
A motion has been tabled at the Scottish Parliament celebrating the first flight of “Sophie” the Sopwith 1 ½ Strutter and congratulating the East Lothian-based Aviation Preservation Society of Scotland (APSS) team who built and flew the plane. Martin Whitfield MSP, who has closely followed the progress of the Strutter construction project over the last few years, last visited the project earlier this year and committed to mark the plane’s first flight at Holyrood. Following the group’s recent public announcement that the Strutter finally took its first flight in September, Mr Whitfield laid his motion highlighting the APSS’s remarkable achievement [...]