19/05/2017 Reporting Scotland

Theresa May launches the Scottish Conservative manifesto,

saying she'll never let the union drift apart.

We will have reaction from the other parties.

The college lecturers' dispute is resolved.

Scallop fishermen are banned from a Highland loch where dredging

Could Celtic make history this weekend as the first Scots side

to complete an undefeated league season since the 19th century?

And billionaire philanthropist Andrew Carnegie is remembered

with the opening of a new complex in his hometown, Dunfermline.

The Prime Minister has promised a personal campaign

to preserve Scotland's place in the United Kingdom.

After launching the Scottish Conservative manifesto in Edinburgh,

Theresa May told BBC Scotland there was more to the union

She said, "We are at heart one people".

But opponents say Tory policies are divisive and damaging.

This from our political editor Brian Taylor.

Ruth Davidson said the Tories want to bring the SNP down to size, to

curb Nicola Sturgeon's ambitions. That is to send the SNP a clear and

unequivocal message. No to their unwanted plan for another referendum

on independence. To do that, she needs a little help. She claimed

Labour was engaged in civil war and urged Labour voters to switch. In

swathes of the country it is only the Scottish Conservatives who are

strong enough to take on the SNP, and in many places we can only win

if you join us. The Prime Minister said that she would handle Brexit

talks. She would consult Nicola Sturgeon but there was no place for

the First Minister at the Brexit negotiation table. That was for the

UK Government. The Tories say they would use cash returned from the EU

for a shared prosperity fund, spreading resources across the UK. A

promise no return to the Common Fisheries Policy, and they would

support North Sea oil and gas. Although this is a UK election, the

leader has also flagged up policies in devolved areas, education reform

and house-building. I am now travelling with the Prime Minister

across Scotland. Theresa May characterises contemporary politics

as a journey. Step one, the best possible deal from Brexit. Step two,

turn attention to the other union, the union of the United Kingdom.

Theresa May says it is her personal priority to strengthen that union.

Visiting an East Lothian all each firm, she said the UK worked for the

economy but there was more to the union than that. As well as being an

economic issue, is this an emotional issue for you as well? It is a

personal priority for me. There are good economic arguments for the

union but there are also, I think, the deep historic ties that we have.

If you look across the United Kingdom, we are four nations but we

are at heart one people. She declined to forecast how many

Scottish seats the Tories will take, and sidestepped questions about how

to measure wind Scotland might be ready for a second independence

referendum. Brian Taylor joins me now from Edinburgh. Why are the

Conservatives unwilling to spell that out. They do not want to say no

to a referendum because they do not want to sound arrogant or

undemocratic. But they set two criteria for the referendum, saying

Icher be after Brexit is not just settled in negotiation terms but

actually concluded and implemented. That could take several years. They

say there should be a second criterion, the issue of popular

consent. Theresa May was asked repeatedly at the news conference

how you measure that. Is it opinion polls, is it the election is

currently being held? The Tories declined to say. They are saying not

now during Brexit, but in practice they hope it is not ever. They hope

they can undermine, cajole people to turn away from the cause of

independence from the cause of nationalism and towards the cause of

unionism and the Conservative Party. They hope steadily over time to

pre-empt the issue of an independence referendum returning.

Naturally, there SNP opponents take a different view.

Elsewhere on the campaign trail in Scotland, the other main

parties have been attacking the Conservatives manifesto plans

for social care, pensions and the winter fuel payment.

Kezia Dugdale, being put to the test that Glasgow's Science Centre this

morning. The Scottish Labour leader is keen to highlight the importance

of subjects like technology and maps for Scotland's next generation, but

attention quickly turned to the older, and the Conservative

manifesto plans for less pension protection. This is a slash and burn

manifesto from the Tories which will Britt apart the fabric of society.

If you want to protect pensions, those benefits we invest in through

the tax system, it is only the Labour Party placed to do that.

Meanwhile, in Moffat, Nicola Sturgeon was seeing double, but the

triple lock was on her mind, too. The First Minister says the SNP

should be in the driving seat at Westminster to stand up

Conservatives. The benefit freeze, the removal of support from disabled

people, these are leading to what has been described as the greatest

increase inequality since Margaret Thatcher. The reason there are no

costings is because they don't want to talk about the reality. He has

been to the butcher, the baker, and now the candlemaker. Willie Rennie

continued his quirky campaign. The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader

also took time today to condemn the Conservative plans. It is a

cold-hearted, mean-spirited approach by the Conservatives. By cutting

back on social care and free school meals, cutting back on pensions, it

is going to damage the living standards of people who need

support. With less than three weeks until you go to the polls, it seems

these party leaders have found some common ground.

Within the past hour, a deal has been struck to end the college

lecturers strike. Lecturers were Jude to walk out of three days next

week. Jamie MacColl I've joins me. What can you tell us? This had

escalated into the most serious industrial action in Scottish

education for 30 years, and at its heart was a dispute over pay.

Lecturers were angry that a deal reached last year to help equalise

pay at different colleges across Scotland had not been put into

practice. The colleges argued that pay could not be separated from

conditions. We have seen six strikes in recent weeks and that was due to

escalate to a three-day strike next week today, intensive talks took

place to try to head off next week's strike. A breakthrough happened, an

agreement has been reached in principle and the strike is now off.

Some of the details have still to be finalised but the crucial bit is

that lecturers will get their pay rise. But talks lie ahead when it

comes to sorting out differences in hours and holidays across the

country. But the crucial bit is that lecturers will get their pay

increase, the strike is over and this will be a huge relief to many

students who had been becoming increasingly concerned as exams and

deadlines approached. A key associate of Craig Whyte has

revealed that could have been misleading not to have revealed the

role of a ticket firm in the takeover. He was questioned about

cash flow projections made ahead of the buyout years ago. The

involvement of picketers, said to have helped fund the deal, was

removed. Craig Whyte denies fraud by pretending he was buying Rangers

with his own money. Scallop fishermen have been banned

from a Highland loch after a rare The emergency move follows

an investigation into damage caused to the flame-shell reef

on Loch Carron near Plockton. Our environment correspondent

Kevin Keane reports. This is scallop dredging, a

legitimate industry, key to the economy of communities along the

West Coast, but this sector is often in conflict with local creel boats,

and now conservationists. In a single go, one dredger caused huge

damage to this rare flame shell reef. It should be buzzing with

marine life, but instead Starfish had arms torn off, and broken shells

scatter the sea bed. As a result, an emergency marine protected area has

been declared, which makes dredging here banned. It was not completely

destroyed. Part of it was destroyed but much of it was still intact, so

this will allow that to recover. We will take measures over the period

to make this area permanent. The reef is rare but not unique. The

restrictions imposed today cover only the one at this site. There is

now much concerned that others close by remain unprotected. It is not

enough, simply not enough. It is one area of our inshore waters. And

everyone knows that we are not managing our inshore waters as well

as we should be. Local fishermen tell me it is unusual but not

unheard of to dredge for scallops in this part. But they emphasise that

the fishermen responsible for the damage were doing nothing illegal.

The Scottish Government says it is urgently looking at other sites, to

see whether they also need closing off.

A new system of training medical staff at the Royal Hospital

for Sick Children in Edinburgh is saving money

The mother of one young girl who was treated under

the new programme says it saved her daughter's life.

In a training room, a dummy is wired up to monitors. He is programmed to

assimilate a child with a deteriorating medical condition. He

was brought to the emergency department... A specialist team is

briefed on the background. Now they can respond to a call from the ward.

This is a PET in action, a paediatric emergency team. We want

to recognise the problem, start treatment and escalate as quickly as

possible to get the most senior and appropriately trained people into

the room. We managed to show that by generating that culture in the

hospital, whether the team are there or not, that behaviour in the

doctors reduces unexpected admissions. That is the training

over and the staff are going through a debrief. This training takes place

across Scotland roughly about once a year. The difference here is that it

is taking place once a week, and it is bringing together staff from

different departments. There is a cost involved, around ?75,000 a

year, but this study has found that the savings are potentially more

than ten times that. At home, cuddled up with mum, five-year-old

Natalia. She has long-term medical conditions and has to spend many

nights in hospital. Her mum, Ashley, recalls the night a paediatric

emergency team operating under the new system was called for her. They

did lots of things, giving her oxygen, antibiotics. It still wasn't

helping. And within a couple of hours she was in intensive care. If

they were not as quick at getting her into intensive care, she might

not be here today. As well as the cost savings, the doctors behind the

trial say that there is clear evidence that the number of deaths

also dropped. In the year before we introduced it, we had seven kids

tying after getting more and well on the wards. And in the two one-year

periods after, we had two each. Small numbers, but they clear trend.

It is difficult to prove it scientifically from one study in one

hospital, because lots of factors can come into that. Doctors are

analysing how the findings can be used in other units across Scotland.

Theresa May promises to not let the union drift

apart as she launches the Scottish Conservative manifesto.

Former Great British Olympian Zola Budd gears up

for the first Stirling Marathon on Sunday.

Now we return to the general election, and tonight we're

Aberdeen, with its dependence on the offshore industry,

has been suffering from the sharp drop in the oil price,

although in recent months there have been some signs of recovery.

In his latest report, our political correspondent

Nick Eardley has been to the Aberdeen North constituency,

A city synonymous with oil and gas, an industry which brought wealth and

jobs. But after a slump in the price of oil, one in which some have been

left struggling. Like here. This food bank is one of nearly 40 in

Aberdeen and it is getting busier. A lot more than we used to get. It is

kept going by volunteers. They also sell donated items to locals. A food

bank varies between 20-25, up to excess of 50 individuals on a daily

basis. This time last year we were doing up to 100 food parcels a week.

We can now do up to 170. He blames welfare changes for rising demand.

It is to do with the ?20,000 benefit cap on families which stops them

claiming in excess of ?20,000. It has reduced a lot of payments for

people and reduced their disposable income. We put John's views to the

Conservative candidate. They have seen a big spike in demand. We

obviously want to support families and the caps were introduced because

we want to ensure that people are encouraged to go to work, and that

is why we want to improve job opportunities for people. She is one

of those trying to unseat the SNP's Kirsty Blackman. The welfare state

should be a safety net and it is not catching those people. The economy

is clearly not working for everybody. The weekly shop is much

more expensive than previously while wages are not rising. They don't

feel the economy is working for them. But is it working for others?

We travelled along union Street to speak to a local business owner. It

has been a tough time with the downturn in oil and gas. We are

still a popular venue but we are not getting the customers we used to

before. Until the last election, Labour held this seat since the

1930s. Labour has always been on the side of working folk and that is our

pitch again. A ?10 minimum wage, investment in education, more money

in the NHS, which will trickle to Scotland. Substantial cuts in some

people's wages, but they still have the same bills to pay. But we need

to look at a much wider economy. Did you have anything in mind?

Diversification is a buzzword and Dean Walker is something of an

expert, retraining oil and gas workers to cut. I think they are

glad not to be just relying on the oil and gas sector, and it being as

vulnerable as it can be and how quickly it can change. How is

business? Fantastic. Would you say the economy was working for you?

Absolutely. At the food bank, the views on diversification are echoed

by John is less optimistic about the future. I am not sure about the

economy in Aberdeen. I can only see it getting worse.

There are five candidates in the Aberdeen North constituency.

You can find more information on the BBC Scotland News website.

The Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says the club is on the brink of

"a unique bit of history" this weekend.

If the champions don't lose at home to Hearts on Sunday,

the Parkhead side will complete an undefeated league season

in Scotland's top division. That hasn't been done since 1899.

Another day, another set of awards for Celtic. This time, the sponsor

's manager and Player of the Year. No prizes for Sotec's greatest win

last night, just plaudits. That's magnificent! What a golfer Patrick

Roberts. In particular for Patrick Roberts, due to return to parent

club Manchester City, his captain would love him to stay. Yeah,

definitely. He's a top quality player, he's young. He's got a lot

of learning to do as well, but he will get better and better. Roberts

hasn't been the only Celtic star this season, Scott Sinclair made

quite an impact on his debut on day one. There was the Dembele Derby,

when a hat-trick humbled Rangers. After the League Cup was won in

November, the league title was wrapped up before Easter, 45 matches

in all domestic petitions, no defeats. On a point of creating a

unique bit of history, the players are very much focused on performing,

like we have been all season. There is a consequence to playing well and

winning. And for us, that will be the focus and the result of that,

hopefully, will be that we goes the season unbeaten. This weekend

promises to be a record-breaking one for Celtic on several fronts if they

can win. They two short of a new goals record and a victory away from

the most points in a season, and the most wins. So this group of players

is one match away from a piece of sporting history. Arsenal did it in

England in 2004, but not since the early days of football in the 1890s

have the Scottish champions gone through an entire season without

losing a match. That stat might need to be updated on Sunday afternoon.

The city of Stirling will host its first marathon on Sunday,

and there's a reunion taking place between two legends of the sport.

South African born Zola Budd competed for Great Britain

in the 1980s, often against Scotland's Commonwealth

The rivals will meet on the start line again, for the first time

in over two decades. Rhona McLeod reports.

Put that behind you and I might start fast! All joking aside, the

start may not be as fast as before, but these two women are serious in

their intentions for the Stirling Marathon. Zola Budd was the

controversial import to the British team for the Los Angeles Olympic

Games in 1984, and that drama was followed by another as America's

sweetheart went tumbling. Dekker is down! The World Champion and one of

the favourites is now flat out on the infield. Now aged 50, Zola

coaches at an American university, her running is for fun, and the

Stirling Marathon presented a unique appeal. I jumped at the chance

because of the history. I love history. To be able to run in an

environment like this, it is really privileged. People are spoiled by

being around this history, and they don't really appreciate it as much a

someone like me from somewhere else, and not having access to this. I

mean, this is amazing. So what about long-time rival Liz McColgan, the

ultimate competitor? Who will have bragging rights for the over 50s

soup but that title? Gone are the days when I am worried about who I

beat. I am more worried about having gel in my hair now! I just want to

go round and enjoy it. For me, personally, because I was an elite

athlete, you don't get the same enjoyment because everything is so

focused on winning, you missed the fun side of it. For me, personally,

to go out and enjoy that aspect of it, it will be amazing. You are

going to be lining up alongside Liz McColgan, is there any rivalry at

all, a tiny bit, perhaps? I think the marathon is a discipline that

teaches you humility. I still have that apprehension, will I finish

not? Is it going to be OK or not? Yes, I respect the distance. 6500

will respect the distance on Sunday, but there are views and plenty of

history along the way. The story of the philanthropist

billionaire Andrew Carnegie is remembered with the opening

of a new complex in Dunfermline, As well as the world's

first Carnegie Library, it houses a museum, galleries

and reading rooms. And while it bears

the industrialist's name, it also celebrates other people

from the town who've gone Our arts correspondent

Pauline McLean reports. This is the first public library

Andrew Carnegie built. Opened in 1883 in the town where he was born,

it was the first of 2500 built worldwide in his name. But now this

19th-century treasure is at the heart of a 21st century complex,

which brings all the town's cultural collections under one roof. There's

a really rich history and heritage here. This building is a fantastic

building, but what happens in the building is important. It is about

the library, but also telling the Dunfermline story, telling the story

of the people of Dunfermline, whether that is the history we have

gathered in, which is so rich, or the objects on display. From Kings

to musicians, the town has many different stories to tell. Even if

some of them are surprised to find themselves in a museum. It makes you

feel old. You are in a museum! I am really chuffed. This was where the

band was born. We formed here, we are named here. We are Dunfermline.

We still live here. There is even a thread running between the local

mill and the Queen's wedding dress, silk made in secret in 1947. She

turned up for work one day, the bosses said, you are not doing your

normal work, Barbara, sit at the loom, there is an extra bowl of

water and cloth, keep your hands extra clean. She says she only

discovered she was making special silk when she received an invitation

to the wedding. Ten years in the planning, the complex is already

open for business, but local school children were among the first to

visit. They heard stories of the people that made their town and took

its name around the world. Time for the weekend

weather forecast. It has been sunny for some of us

today, but most of us have had fairly cloudy skies with drizzle

down the east coast. You can see more clearly on the satellite

picture, there is the strip of sunshine around the west Coast.

Elsewhere, cloudy, and rain affecting eastern parts of the

country as well. As we head through the next few hours, that wet weather

edging westwards. The few showers across the south-west as well. As we

head overnight, cloudy and increasingly damp with outbreaks of

rain, mist and Merc to Shetland and at times around the closed as well.

Not a cold night, around eight Celsius in towns and cities. What it

means is, starting the weekend, it is cloudy and dank. For the central

lowlands, northwards, brain in first light, central belt southwards, a

cloudy start, but as we head through the afternoon, more bright and sunny

spells. But fairly frequent and at times heavy showers, a rumble of

thunder in the mix. By mid afternoon, around 4pm, sunshine

coming through, particularly through South Ayrshire towards Kintyre, but

eastwards, it could be heavy. North and central lowlands, likely to

still be fairly cloudy at this point with fairly light and patchy rain,

but persistent nonetheless. We will start to see an improvement as the

rain pulls away. It will be a slow process. Wind freshening in the

east. If you are walking or climbing more than Rangers, cloudy and damp.

The wind is light coming from the west. Temperatures there around

four. A number of heavy showers develop, the odd rumble of thunder

but bright spells interspersed, too. The rest of the afternoon into the

evening and overnight, showers still with us. But sunshine to end the day

across the south-west quadrant of the country. The general theme as we

head overnight toward Sunday, low pressure responsible for Saturday's

whether pulling away, high-pressure starting tonight in from the

continent. For most of us, Sunday is a better day whether - wise.

Clouding over by the afternoon and a little weather front tickling the

west Coast. East of that, unsettled, but on balance, Sunday is better

than Saturday. That is the forecast. Now, a reminder of

tonight's main news: Sweden drops a long running rape

investigation into the Wikileaks founder Julian Assange,

he calls it an important victory. And Theresa May launches

the Scottish Conservative manifesto, saying she'll never let

the union drift apart. I'll be back with the headlines

at 8pm and the late bulletin just Until then, from everyone

on the team around and across the country,

have a very good evening.