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by Ben Macpherson Eradicating poverty and fighting for social justice are some of the central reasons why I got involved in politics. So how do we turn those ambitions into actions and make real change in our communities? As we recognise Challenge Poverty Week (October 1st-6th), I’d like to share a few thoughts about...

by Ben Macpherson The long weeks of the school summer holidays are upon us and there’s even been some sunshine on Leith… Albeit some heavy rain too… For many families in our area, whether there’s sunshine or not, the school summer holidays are a happy period. They are often a time for a break...

by Ben Macpherson What does the future hold? It’s a question we all think about once in a while, especially at key moments in our lives like before leaving school, starting a new job, settling down or moving to a new place. A degree of uncertainty in life is inevitable, sometimes important for moving...

by Ben Macpherson “Yesterday, we were your immigrants of today. Before us, there were others. There were always others, dear restless, many-hued Europe.”  This line from Kapka Kassabova’s Love Letter to Europe is a powerful evocation of how wrong the Brexit process feels to most of us in Scotland. As many of you will...

by Ben Macpherson As we approach the festive season and reflect on the past year, a lot has happened in Leith. The renovation of Leith Theatre, for example, brought us another hugely successful Hidden Door festival, as well as ‘Light on the Shore’ as part of the Edinburgh International Festival, and there have been...

by Ben Macpherson There has always been a strong sense of active citizenship in Leith –  Leithers aren’t short of opinions, and that’s a good thing! It’s because we want to look out for each other, show that we care about our community, and that we want it to grow in a positive way...

 Ben Macpherson  September 26th 2018 As Scotland’s main port for some 600 years, for centuries Leith has been enriched by a myriad of different cultures, as people from around the world have made here home. From Irish and Italian migration in the 19th century to Leithers from all across the European continent living here today...

Ben Macpherson  September 5th 2018   It’s been another superb and highly successful summer for our city, where once again Edinburgh has hosted world-class cultural activity and underlined itself as a world-class place to visit, work, study and perform. Once again our city has welcomed the world to enjoy our famous Scottish hospitality and experience the...

by Ben Macpherson. Published September 18th 2018 Leith has always had its own vibe – something different and dynamic. Something naturally energetic and engaging. Something distinctive from the more traditional feeling of Edinburgh city centre. As another Leither columnist, Sandy Campbell, puts it so well: “Leith is a state of mind.” And when it...

By Ben Macpherson.  Published on  September 6th 2018 From reducing fuel poverty to tackling climate change, from developing new technology to strengthening our economy, the provision and production of energy in Scotland is an ever and increasingly important issue. That’s why the SNP Scottish Government is taking strong and determined action to make Scotland...