The Edinburgh Reporter October 2022

2 NEWS

Editorial

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Editor: Phyllis Stephen

Designer: Felipe Perez

Photos: Martin P McAdam

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Letters to the editor

Dear Editor

As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, we welcome any action to

prevent the very real possibility of more people ending up

homeless on our streets.

Since the start of the pandemic, charities have seen a rise

in the number of homeless Armed Forces veterans seeking

their help – some report an increase of 50%. We are also

seeing people with more severe and complex needs.

When someone has served their country, the least we can

do is support them when they make the move back to civilian

life. Yet every year thousands of veterans end up sleeping

rough, sofa surfing or living in unsuitable hostels because

they’re unable to access housing and slip through the net.

The cost-of-living crisis will only make the situation worse.

The Armed Forces Covenant states that anyone who has

served should face no disadvantage and that veterans who

are especially vulnerable should be prioritised for support.

It’s vital that when someone needs help with housing, they

are asked whether they’ve served in the Forces. If they have,

this should be recorded. Once identified, they can be directed

towards support that’s available.

We are concerned that without action, things will get

much worse. A more coordinated approach between local

authorities, housing providers, homelessness charities and

veterans’ organisations is needed.

No one wants to see more veterans on our streets this

winter. Those that have served, often through the most trying

of times, deserve better.

Richard Gammage, No Homeless Veterans Campaign

http://www.nohomelessveterans.org.uk

THERE ARE 6,000 copies of the Edinburgh Reporter distributed

through a network of city businesses and public buildings.

The paper is also distributed at Stockbridge Market on the first

weekend of the month. You will find copies at Farmer Autocare,

Summerhall, Art & Craft Collective, EICC, LifeCare on Cheyne

Street, Coffee Angels, The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh and

Western General Hospital, and some city supermarkets. There are

also outlets at Birthlink on Lower Gilmore Place, the Watershed on

the canal and Bothy Coffee on Heriot Row.

If you can, please subscribe to have your copy delivered to you.

It helps us to cover the overheads of bringing the news to you in

print and online. We distribute door to door in selected streets. If

you would like us to include your street then please contact us.

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SINCE I LAST wrote this column we
have both a new Prime Minister and a
new King. These are rare events at the
best of times, but rarer still to have both
in one week.
The fact that Her Majesty The Queen
died in Scotland meant that the first
parts of the regal farewell took place in
the capital. Edinburgh took centre stage
with the Accession Proclamation by the
Lord Lyon King of Arms at the Mercat
Cross, and a procession from The Palace
of Holyroodhouse. Her Majesty lay at
rest in St Giles’ Cathedral for a day.
Some 30,000 people are believed to
have filed past the coffin in Edinburgh
before Her late Majesty was taken to
Edinburgh Airport and flown south to
London. Some queued through the
night for the opportunity to say a
private farewell and pay their respects.
The scenes on Edinburgh’s streets
showed that the monarch herself was
held in high esteem. Whether or not the
monarchy itself is remains to be seen in
the next few years, but there were some
protesters on the Royal Mile who hold a
strong view that the Royal Family
should be consigned to history.
A 22 year-old woman was arrested at
the proclamation ceremony and two
men were arrested during the
procession from Holyrood to the
cathedral for breach of the peace.
Civil liberties groups have criticised
the police for an aggressive response,
and have said it is an abuse of the
right of free speech. The woman was
part of a group which booed during
the ceremony to proclaim Charles as
King, but she stood silently holding
a placard demanding the abolition of
the monarchy.
These may be looked back upon as
turbulent years with a pandemic and a
likely recession following it.
In Edinburgh and in London the
Queen’s children processed behind her
coffin to the funeral services held there.
This was a very public demonstration of
both grief and mourning for a queen
who had been on the throne for longer
than many of us have lived - the end of

an era, and a time for taking stock and

considering doing things differently.

The new Prime Minister and her

newly appointed Chancellor, Kwasi

Karteng, are also doing things

differently. Ms Truss was one of the last

people, if not the last, to have an

audience with the Queen at Balmoral.

Edinburgh photographer, Jane Barlow,

took the now famous photo of Her

Majesty waiting by the fire at Balmoral

for the Prime Minister to arrive to ask

her to form a government.

Following the Chancellor’s first

mini-budget the pound tumbled to an

historic low and the Bank of England

intervened in the bond markets.

Another statement from the Chancellor

is expected on 23 November but experts

think he may have to speak up before

then to allow people who want to

borrow money to buy homes to proceed

with any kind of certainty. In the

meantime without waiting buyers there

could be a fall in the housing market.

With the cost of living crisis already

having an effect, there will undoubtedly

be more people who need help from

food banks, and who will live in

fuel poverty.

2022 may yet be our own Annus

Horribilis as Queen Elizabeth said in a

much quoted speech in 1992 at

Guildhall to mark the 40th anniversary

of her own accession.

Phyllis Stephen, Editor

Above: HM Queen’s coffin going to St Giles, Prince Charles

pictured last year at Holyrood. Below: Accession Proclamation