The SNP was first elected in 2007 with a promise to scrap the Tory-imposed council tax system but has since dodged the issue.

A failure to reform the “broken” council tax system is condemning some Scots to live in poverty while “protecting” the wealthiest, a leading charity has warned.

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) said the levy, imposed by the Tories more than 30 years ago, was “outdated, regressive and desperately needs reform”.

The SNP was first elected to Holyrood in 2007 on a manifesto that included a promise to scrap the system, but successive ministers have since dodged the issue.

The charity is calling on all political parties to commit to major legislative change on council tax in their manifestos ahead of the Holyrood election.

In a briefing published yesterday, JRF analysts said the current system is “unfair by design” and disproportionately hits the poorest people in Scotland.

More than one in 10 households on the lowest incomes are behind on their council tax bills, while for those in higher value homes it acts as a tax subsidy.

The current system was introduced in 1993 with payment rates based on valuations from 1991. Financial pressure on council budgets means a tipping point has been now reached, the charity warned.

The JRF wants politicians to implement a “genuinely proportionate property tax” – but warned that a lack of consensus among the parties should not be used as an “excuse for inaction”.

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It comes at a time households across Scotland face the latest round of inflation-busting hikes to their council tax bills from April 1.

Councillors in Glasgow this week signed-off a 5.9 per cent increase, while households living in the Borders face paying 8.5 per cent more.

North Ayrshire residents are set for a seven per cent hike while those in Renfrewshire will pay 7.5 per cent. Several councils, including North and South Lanarkshire, have yet to announce their annual increase.

The single largest hike announced so far is 10 per cent in Moray and Aberdeenshire.

Chris Birt, Joseph Rowntree Foundation associate director for Scotland, said: “For more than three decades, Scotland has been saddled with a council tax system which is deeply unfair, as well as unpopular.

“It means that some people on low incomes are having to choose between heating, eating, or paying their council tax bill, at the same time as subsidising the wealthiest in society.

“We know that for the next Scottish Government, meeting the nation’s legally-binding, cross-party child poverty targets by 2030/31 will require bold action at scale.

“A fair tax on housing wealth is part of what is needed, by cutting through the budget constraints that have limited investment in radical solutions to poverty.

“That’s why the next Scottish Government must prioritise council tax reform to create the fiscal foundations for a fairer Scotland, and why all parties standing in this year’s election must bring forward proposals for major legislative change on council tax.

“We need to break a 30-year cycle of hoping a problem will just go away.”

Shona Robison, the Finance Secretary, said: “The Scottish Government recently conducted a joint consultation with COSLA which explored potential reforms to the council tax system, supported by independent analysis from the Institute for Fiscal Studies. Throughout our discussions we recognised that any future changes must be grounded in evidence, and carefully assessed for their impact on households.

“The aim of our partnered work with local government, is to examine whether consensus around a unified position on council tax could be achieved – at present, consensus on reform doesn’t exist.

“The cost-of-living crisis continues to place burdens on households across the country and Ministers recognise this is unsettling for many people.

“That’s why more than £16 million has been allocated in the Scottish Budget 2026-27 to invest in the provision of free income maximisation support, welfare and debt advice services, including over £2m for a specific council tax debt project.”

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Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese has apologised for describing child sexual abuse survivor Grace Tame as “difficult”, saying his remark was misinterpreted.

In a one-word response during a rapid-fire questioning round at the Future Victoria conference on Wednesday, Mr Albanese described Ms Tame, the 2021 Australian of the Year for her advocacy for child sexual abuse survivors, as “difficult”.

He later clarified that he was referring to the very difficult life endured by Ms Tame, who was groomed and raped by her former maths teacher.

“If there was any misinterpretation, then I certainly apologise,” Mr Albanese told reporters.

“She has had a difficult life and that was what I was referring to. What Grace Tame has done is turn that difficult experience that she had into being a strong advocate for others.”

Following Mr Albanese’s apology, Ms Tame said: “What a patronising cop out from a total coward.”

“Straight from the Scott playbook,” she wrote on Instagram, referring to former prime minister Scott Morrison, with whom she had a strained relationship.

“I’ll take the badge of honour, though. That, and being called ‘absolutely outrageous’ by the Israeli defence minister. Must be doing something right.”

She earlier said, “‘Difficult’ is the misogynist’s code for a woman who won’t comply.”

The prime minister’s description of Ms Tame also drew criticism from several prominent figures on social media.

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young said: “Some of my best friends are ‘difficult’ women … (OK, all of them, and I love them for it!)”

Greens leader Larissa Waters said: “Labelling women as difficult won’t silence us.”

Ms Tame was 15 when her teacher, Nicolaas Ockert Bester, 58, began grooming and repeatedly raping her. He was later found guilty and served a year and nine months in jail. Ms Tame suffered a setback this week after the former teacher was deemed unfit to stand trial on separate charges linked to allegations that he had made social media posts that menaced or harassed her.

Ms Tame was named Australian of the Year in 2021 for her work advocating for child sexual abuse survivors, including her efforts to overturn laws in Tasmania that made it illegal for victims to speak publicly about their experiences.

Ms Tame, who was critical of the Morrison government for its response to allegations of toxic workplace culture in the parliament, refused to smile at an official event with the then prime minister in 2022. Footage of her expression during the meeting quickly went viral.

In the aftermath, Mr Albanese, then in the opposition, shared a photo of the pair, reflecting what he described as their warm relationship and called her a “powerhouse”.

Their relationship appears to have grown uneasy since Ms Tame drew criticism for using the phrase “Globalise the Intifada” during a pro-Palestinian rally this month.

The slogan “Globalise the Intifada” has appeared at some pro-Palestinian demonstrations, invoking the Palestinian uprisings against Israeli rule and calling for the expansion of resistance or solidarity efforts beyond the region.

The phrase is reportedly under consideration as the Australian government widens its crackdown in the aftermath of the Bondi Beach attack on what it alleges are hateful slogans.

Ms Tame’s remarks prompted calls from some critics for her Australian of the Year title to be stripped.

Mr Albanese did not criticise Ms Tame for her comments at the rally, but did object to a t-shirt she wore at an official reception for the 2025 Australian of the Year nominees bearing the slogan “F*** Murdoch”, referring to the media mogul. The prime minister said the T-shirt detracted from “what the day should be about”.

Two men have been charged with the alleged kidnap and murder of a pensioner in Sydney.

Police said the pair are due in court on Thursday in connection with the disappearance of Chris Baghsarian, 85, whose remains were discovered on Tuesday.

The New South Wales (NSW) Police Force said that just after 5am on 13 February, they received a report that Mr Baghsarian had been kidnapped from his home in the suburb of North Ryde, around 9 miles (15km) northwest of Sydney city centre.

In a statement on Wednesday, police said: “Early inquiries established that Chris Baghsarian was not the intended target of the kidnapping and had been taken in a case of mistaken identity.”

“Human remains confirmed as being Mr Baghsarian were located about 8am yesterday (Tuesday 24 February 2026) near a golf club in Pitt Town,” the force added.

At about 6.30am on Wednesday, detectives supported by the Raptor Squad, which targets serious and organised crime, carried out three search warrants in Kenthurst, Castle Hill and Lake Macquarie.

Footage of the operation shows officers forcing their way into two properties and two men being arrested.

A 29-year-old man was shown in handcuffs leaving a house in Kenthurst, and in Castle Hill, police detained a 24-year-old man.

Officers also seized vehicles, electronics and clothing.

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Police from the State Crime Command’s Robbery and Serious Crime Squad carried out the investigation.

Officers established Strike Force Chobat, specifically to coordinate the response to recover the 85-year-old.

Both men were charged with murder and kidnapping and refused bail.

They are due to appear in Blacktown Local Court on Thursday.

Cllr John Mann, who represents the Oatlands and Pannal division, has joined the party.

He said: “I have joined Reform UK as Britain is broken on a national and local level.

“Illegal immigration is out of control, the economy is flatlining, taxation is at a record high, it’s difficult to get a doctor’s appointment – the list of issues is endless.

“The other political parties have created this mess over the last two decades and have no answers.

“On the other hand, Reform UK has a clear vision and path for national, economic and social renewal.

“I look forward to implementing Reform’s wider vision to North Yorkshire and deliver the change the residents deserve.”

Cllr Mann has lived in Yorkshire for more than 30 years.

He previously worked as a government civil servant and personnel manager before retiring, and now runs a small independent business in the area.

A spokesman for Reform UK said: “We are delighted to welcome John to Reform UK.

“He is an excellent addition to our growing team of councillors as we build towards the May elections.”

Andy McGlinn has died following a medical emergency on Mount Rigi in Switzerland on Sunday.

A Scots man has died on a Swiss mountain, according to his loved ones, as tributes flood in for the “beloved soul”. Andy McGlinn, 50, reportedly passed away on Sunday at Mount Rigi.

Rescue crews raced to 1,798m mountain following reports of a medical emergency. Tragically, the pharmaceutical supply chain coordinator sadly passed away.

A fundraiser has now been launched in his memory to help “help cover funeral and memorial expenses”. Michelle Madden, who started the campaign, labelled Andy as a “kind” soul and said he died “doing what he loved”.

A tribute statement on the GoFundMe read: “Our beloved Andy McGlinn, only 50 years old, passed away suddenly last Sunday while doing what he loved on the Rigi. Andy was a kind, generous, and humorous soul – always there for his friends and family, offering support, laughter, and love in every moment.

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“His family, including those traveling from Scotland, are coming together to celebrate his life in Zurich. We are raising funds to support Rega who did everything they could to save him and also to help cover funeral and memorial expenses, and to support his loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.

“Any contribution, big or small, will help honour Andy’s memory and ease the burden on those he loved most. Thank you for your kindness and support.”

The incident occurred on what locals refer to as the ‘Queen of the Mountains’, which is situated near Lucerne in Switzerland and offers panoramic views of Lake Lucerne, Lake Zug and the Alps.

According to his LinkedIn, Andy has been based in Switzerland since 2007. He has worked a range of jobs, including as a planner and manager, at companies throughout Zurich, Cham and Schaffhausen.

He moved to the country after working in Irvine as a customer service advisor and acting in the customer service department of Hammersmith and Fulham Council.

Andy, who loved to travel, described himself as a “beer enthusiast” on social media and was a board member of a Zurich craft beer organisation. Another passion of Andy’s was weight lifting.

Despite moving from Scotland nearly 20 years ago, Andy remained passionate about his home country – even posting about his support for the country during the tartan army’s first appearance back at a Euros in 2021 since 1996.

A spokesperson from the police force in Schwyz said: “We can confirm that we were called out on February 22nd due to a medical emergency.”

To donate to Andy’s family, visit their GoFundMe page here.

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Peter Mandelson was released on bail this week after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Coming just days after the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, the images of the former US ambassador being led away by police will likely stick with viewers for some time.

The political ramifications of Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the US continue to reflect badly on Keir Starmer’s political judgment. While this is a story that will likely run and run, it is worth taking stock of how we got here.

December 19 2024: Mandelson appointed US ambassador

When Starmer chose Mandelson as ambassador, the general reaction was that it was a risk. The BBC pointed to his friendship with the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, and described him as “not a baggage-free choice”. This baggage, if being friends with a known paedophile was not enough, included having to resign from government twice during the New Labour years.

Matthew Lynn, in the Telegraph, went further, arguing that he would make a “terrible” ambassador because he was both “damaged goods” and “put politely … accident prone”. For balance, Tom Harris (also in the Telegraph) described Mandelson as a “political genius” and “the right man to deal with Trump”.

This was, ultimately, the gamble taken by Starmer and his team. They appointed a known associate of Epstein with a dubious ethical track record, but who was – as a Downing Street source told the BBC in February 2025 – “supremely political” and a “brilliant operator”.

May 8 2025: Front and centre of UK-US trade deal

“Cometh the hour, cometh the Mandelson”, read the Guardian headline the day after the UK and the US agreed to a trade deal. A deal which, not for nothing, may well have been unpicked by Trump’s response to the Supreme Court ruling his tariffs unconstitutional. The Times said that Mandelson had “proven the doubters wrong”, and called him the “Trump whisperer”.

This was the moment, as I previously outlined in the Conversation, of supreme triumph. And it was widely seen, across the political spectrum, as vindication of the risk Starmer took.

September 8 2025: Birthday messages to Epstein released, Mandelson fired

The wheels came off with the release, by a US congressional panel, of a 238-page scrapbook given to Epstein for his 50th birthday. In it, Mandelson’s multi-page message to Epstein described him as his “best pal”. Mandelson said that he regretted “very, very deeply indeed, carrying on that association with him for far longer than I should have done”.

Starmer was initially supportive of Mandelson in the Commons, but sacked him after newly surfaced emails showed that he had sent supportive messages to Epstein when he faced charges of soliciting a minor in 2008. The BBC later reported that Number 10 and Foreign Office officials were aware of these emails prior to Starmer’s defence of Mandelson at prime minister’s questions, but that Starmer himself was not aware of the contents.

January 30 2026: Further Epstein files released

The release of further information about the close relationship between Mandelson and Epstein pointed to potential criminality. The emails, published by US officials, suggest that Mandelson passed privileged and market-sensitive information to Epstein during the fallout of the financial crisis. This led to the police investigation for misconduct in public office. Mandelson’s position, according to the BBC, is that he has not acted in any way criminally and that he was not motivated by financial gain.

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February 4 2026: MPs approve the release of documents

A House of Commons debate was held surrounding the release of files related to the appointment of Mandelson as US ambassador. Starmer initially suggested that files which could damage diplomatic relations or national security would be exempt from release. However, after an intervention from Angela Rayner, the government agreed to include a cross-party parliamentary committee in the process. The BBC has subsequently reported that these documents could number over 100,000.

February 23 2026: Mandelson arrested

Mandelson was arrested Monday night on suspicion of misconduct in public office, and released on bail Tuesday morning. Mandelson has claimed that his arrest was based on the “complete fiction” that he was a flight risk and planning to flee to the British Virgin Islands (which have an extradition agreement with the UK). It has now emerged that Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle passed information to the police ahead of the arrest.

What happens now?

Misconduct in public office is notoriously difficult to prosecute and tends to rely on a three stage test: that the accused must have been acting in an official capacity at the time of the alleged offence, that they wilfully misconducted themselves and that that conduct falls “so far below acceptable standards that it amounts to an abuse of the public’s trust”.

Legal experts suggest that the latter is an incredibly high bar. In this instance it might well be the case that simply leaking information does not meet that bar, and that the police will need to show some kind of material gain or beneficial exchange. Either way, Mandelson will ultimately be required to return to a police station when he will either be charged, have his bail extended or face no further action.

Further questions, naturally, will also be asked of Starmer’s judgement. A Cabinet Office due diligence report into Mandelson’s appointment is reportedly expected as early as next week. The document is said to have warned of the “reputational risk” of making him ambassador.

If this is the case, it could reignite conversations about Starmer’s leadership and a potentially bruising night in the Gorton and Denton byelection on Thursday won’t help. Though Starmer’s replacement in most circles is now being discussed as a matter of when, not if.

In the end, Starmer is learning the hard way – just as Boris Johnson did before him – that standards matter in British politics. It is not enough, as Starmer did when he updated the ministerial code, to just talk a big game. One cannot say that “restoring trust in politics is the great test of our era” and then do very little to actually address the root cause of that trust.

Locals have submitted objections, citing an overbearing scale in the plan, and arguing there would be a loss of privacy, a loss of daylight

Two new social housing blocks have been planned for the site of the former Mount Masonic Hall in East Belfast.

Councillors at Belfast City Council have agreed a site visit on land at 45 Park Avenue, off Holywood Road.

Next month elected reps will consider at the City Hall Planning Committee an application to demolish Mount Masonic Hall, for the erection of 35 social housing units in two blocks.

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The plan includes proposals for associated private, shared, communal, and public space, 29 private car parking spaces, new vehicle and pedestrian access from Park Avenue, improvements to pedestrian steps linking Strandburn Drive to Sydenham Park, and demolition of a garage. The application is by Newpark Homes (NI) Ltd.

Locals have submitted objections, citing an overbearing scale in the plan, and arguing there would be a loss of privacy, a loss of daylight and overshadowing results if the application was approved.

Objectors also raise concerns about a loss of existing views and visual amenity, inappropriate density and overdevelopment in the application. Issues of noise, disruption, and construction impact have also been raised.

It is understood that the applicant has made amended plans after engaging with objectors.

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A federal judge in Oregon late Wednesday ordered narrow changes to hydropower dam operations on the Columbia and Snake rivers in the Pacific Northwest in order to help salmon, saying that the Trump administration’s plans for the massive structures would harm salmon runs that are “disappearing from the landscape.”

The ruling came in a decades-long legal effort by the states of Oregon and Washington, Native American tribes and conservation and fishing groups to ensure better protections for migrating salmon, which are killed in large numbers by the massive dams.

In a landmark 2023 deal that paused the litigation in favor of finding long-term solutions, the Biden administration promised to spend $1 billion over a decade to help restore salmon while also boosting tribal clean energy projects.

But last year the Trump administration torpedoed that agreement, calling it “radical environmentalism” that could have resulted in the breaching of four controversial dams on the Snake River, and the plaintiffs went back to court.

U.S. District Judge Michael Simon in his ruling Wednesday lamented what he described as the “disappointing history of government avoidance and manipulation instead of sincere efforts at solving the problem.”

“One of the foundational symbols of the West, a critical recreational, cultural, and economic driver for Western states, and the beating heart and guaranteed resource protected by treaties with several Native American tribes is disappearing from the landscape,” Simon wrote. “And yet the litigation continues in much the same way as it has for 30 years.”

A dispute over water and spill levels

Oregon and the other plaintiffs had asked Simon to lower the levels of reservoirs behind the dams, which they argued can help fish travel through them faster, and increase the amount of water spilled past them, which can help fish pass over the dams instead of through turbines. The federal government sought higher reservoir levels.

Simon ordered that reservoirs remain at the same level as last year and wrote the changes in his order were “narrowly tailored” and essentially maintained the status quo.

“The Federal Defendants have, for years, maintained a safe and reliable power system and dam operations with the nearly the same spill levels as ordered here, and with the same reservoir levels from 2025,” he wrote.

Amanda Goodin, an attorney with the environmental law firm Earthjustice, said she was “incredibly relieved and happy that he ordered the levels of spill that he did.”

“If the government had been allowed to implement their proposal it would have had really, really devastating consequences for salmon,” Goodin said.

The Justice Department and National Marine Fisheries Service did not immediately respond to requests for comment after business hours Wednesday. The Bonneville Power Administration, which markets the electricity from the dams, referred an inquiry to the Justice Department.

In court filings, the federal government called the request a “sweeping scheme to wrest control” of the dams that would compromise the ability to operate them safely and efficiently for power generation, navigation and irrigation. Any such court order could also raise rates for utility customers, the government said.

Dams altered life in massive area

The Columbia River Basin, spanning an area roughly the size of Texas, was once the world’s greatest salmon-producing river system, with at least 16 stocks of salmon and steelhead. Today, four are extinct and seven are endangered or threatened. Another iconic but endangered Northwestern species, a population of killer whales, also depend on the salmon.

The construction of the first dams on the Columbia River, including the Grand Coulee and Bonneville in the 1930s, provided jobs during the Great Depression as well as hydropower and navigation. They made Lewiston, Idaho, the most inland seaport on the West Coast, and many farmers continue to rely on barges to ship their crops.

But the dams hurt salmon in a number of ways, including by forcing them through turbines, warming the slow-moving water in reservoirs to inhospitable temperatures, and greatly slowing the migration of juvenile fish to the sea. Juvenile salmon once reached the ocean from the upper Snake River in two or three days as swift currents pushed them along. Now, the journey past eight dams can take weeks, during which time they are exposed to more predators.

The plaintiffs, which include the state of Oregon and a coalition of conservation and fishing groups such as the National Wildlife Federation, filed the motion for a preliminary injunction, with Washington state, the Nez Perce Tribe and Yakama Nation supporting it as “friends of the court.”

Opponents of the injunction include the Inland Ports and Navigation Group, which says increasing spill to benefit fish can hinder navigation, disrupting the flow of commerce and hurt the economy.

“The order increases the risk of harm to infrastructure, listed species, and public safety while failing to demonstrate that there will be benefits to listed salmon and steelhead,” the organization said in a written statement.

However, the dams are also a main culprit behind the decline of salmon, which regional tribes consider part of their cultural and spiritual identity.

The dams for which changes are being sought are the Ice Harbor, Lower Monumental, Little Goose and Lower Granite on the Snake River, and the Bonneville, The Dalles, John Day and McNary on the Columbia.

___

Johnson reported from Seattle.

After almost 18 years away from EastEnders, Clare returns to find her stepdad Nigel battling advanced dementia, and she’s left absolutely shattered by what she sees. But alongside the heartbreak is something else: a lingering feeling that she’s been brought back too late.

Clare arrives after just hearing about Nigel’s condition for the first time. The man she once adored barely recognises her, and the opportunity she’s clearly been holding onto for years, to say sorry, to make things right, feels like it’s slipped through her fingers.

And in Clare’s mind, that timing doesn’t feel accidental.

As Gemma Bissix explains: ‘Clare has always wanted to come back and see him, and when she does find out he’s got dementia, I don’t think she realises how advanced it is. Clare feels like Julie has done it to get back at her; she feels like Julie has only called her at this late stage as a punishment. In Clare’s mind, it does feel quite cruel because I think Clare really wanted the chance to apologise to her dad.’

Clare and Nigel have been estranged for years, and that distance weighs heavily on her. The last time viewers saw her, she was causing chaos and leaving a trail of destruction behind her. But beneath the bravado, there’s always been something much sadder driving her behaviour.

‘The last time we saw her in the show, she was a bit of a maneater, and a bit more of a con artist, and those actions probably came from her inner trauma, and having no one to discipline her because her mum died when she was young, and when Nigel met Julie, I think Clare felt really pushed out. All Clare wants is the love of her dad, and she can see that she might not have that again, and she’s missed her opportunity, so it’s really heartbreaking for her.’

It’s that sense of missed opportunity that makes her return so painful to watch. Clare isn’t just facing Nigel’s illness; she’s confronting years of regret.

Of course, there’s tension with Julie. Old wounds don’t magically disappear. But with Nigel’s health deteriorating so rapidly, both women are forced to reassess what really matters. Any bitterness has to take a back seat.

There is, however, an unexpected source of comfort.

Clare initially clashes with Lexi, dismissing her as an interfering kid. But that quickly changes. As Gemma reveals: ‘On first impression, she thinks Lexi is a bit of an interfering child, but later they bond, and Clare realises that they were the same age when they both lost their mum, and I think there’s a really poignant connection between them both. It’s a link that has happened organically which is the beauty with long-running shows like EastEnders.’

Lexi makes her feel understood, and in a time and a place where she feels so alienated by Julie, and so detached from Nigel.’

‘It’s healing that Clare sees the love that Nigel had for Lexi, and when he mistakes Lexi for Clare, it gives her comfort as it reminds her how much Nigel did love Clare when they were young.’

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It’s a beautifully full-circle moment. In the middle of heartbreak, Clare finds connection and a reminder that she was loved, even if things fell apart later.

Behind the scenes, the return has clearly meant just as much to Gemma as it does to fans.

‘It was a long time coming, and I was just so chuffed because I haven’t seen Paul Bradley in over 20 years and so to be able to reconnect with him and work with him again felt like time had stood still. It was like no time had passed at all, and Paul is exactly the same lovely person he was before. Nigel’s dementia is portrayed as devastatingly real, something that resonates with so many families watching at home.’

The big question now is what happens next. With Nigel’s condition worsening, and emotions running high between Clare and Julie, difficult decisions lie ahead about his future care.

But for Clare, the damage already feels done.

She’s back. She’s facing the past. But she may have arrived just a little too late.

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