Hundreds of airport staff in Edinburgh and Glasgow are set to strike during the peak summer holiday season, threatening significant disruption during the World Cup and the Commonwealth Games. Unite, the union, announced on Thursday that precise strike dates would be revealed in the coming days, with industrial action expected to coincide with these major events.

Around 370 workers at Edinburgh Airport Limited and approximately 320 employed by ICTS and Menzies Aviation in Glasgow have backed the walkout over ongoing pay disputes. Unite emphasised that ICTS staff are crucial for passenger security screening and processing flights, highlighting the potential impact on airport operations.

“Workers across Scotland’s largest airports have overwhelmingly backed summer strike action.

“This is a direct result of their very profitable employers’ refusal to make a fair pay offer,” Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said.

“The workers have no other option and the blame for this situation lies entirely with wealthy companies choosing to boost profits before people.”

A spokesperson from Menzies Aviation said: “We are disappointed the union has progressed industrial action in an attempt to disrupt flights at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports this summer.

“We have engaged constructively throughout and put forward a fair and workable offer for all parties that recognises the challenging operating environment caused by the Middle East conflict.

“Pay at both locations has consistently increased above inflation since the Covid pandemic, and our current proposal again exceeds inflation and aligns with agreements the union has reached with other ground handlers at Edinburgh and Glasgow. We hope an amicable resolution can be reached soon.

“Should industrial action take place, we have robust and proven contingency plans to minimise any potential disruption to our airline customers and their passengers, ensuring flights can operate as scheduled.”

A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “Constructive talks on pay were held today with Acas between Edinburgh Airport and its unions, including Unite.  

“Further talks are planned for early next week.”

A spokesperson for AGS Airports said: “We are aware of the regrettable developments involving Unite, Menzies and ICTS including threats to disrupt passengers’ holiday plans.

“Both Menzies and ICTS continue to engage in discussions with the trade Union as they work to find a resolution on the pay awards.”

In the North East, a £1.2 million scheme will support on-street charging for drivers without driveways, allowing them to power up at lower domestic electricity rates.

The funding comes from the Government’s electric vehicle (EV) pavement channels grant and will benefit more than a thousand families across the region.

Kim McGuinness, North East Mayor, said: “I am determined the North East leads the way in the transition to electric vehicles, and this funding will make EV ownership more accessible for more than a thousand families who don’t have a driveway.

“Where you live should not make a difference in whether you can choose an electric vehicle.

“This fund means families can charge at home, at cheaper residential rates, just like those with off-street parking already do – putting money back in people’s pockets and making electric vehicles a realistic option for far more people.”

The funding will allow local councils to install pavement charging channels – covered gullies that run beneath the pavement and allow a charging cable to safely connect from a home charge point to a vehicle parked at the kerb.

This discreet solution removes trip hazards while enabling convenient, low-cost charging.

The move supports the region’s goal to lead in clean transport and builds on the already UK-leading pace at which new EV charge points are being rolled out across the region.

Keir Mather, aviation, maritime and decarbonisation minister, said: “We’re investing £1.2m in the North East to make charging cheaper and more accessible, giving drivers the confidence to go electric.

READ MORE: ‘He was amazing’ – Heartbroken parents pay tribute to son after building site tragedy
READ MORE: County Durham thug spat in ex-partner’s face and threatened to petrol bomb her home
READ MORE: Brewdog pulls the plug on opening inside Durham’s Milburngate development

“This support is targeted at residents without private driveways so they can tap into domestic electricity rates and charge up for as little as 2p per mile.”

Residents will be able to take part in the pilot by applying through their local council, though application dates and criteria may differ depending on the area.

For more information, visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-the-electric-vehicle-ev-pavement-channels-grant

In The Mixer’s World Cup special

Get previews of every single team at the World Cup sent directly to your inbox, featuring the players to look out for, games you shouldn’t miss and Metro’s big England predictions.

GSC Grays gifted 16 computers to the East Durham Veterans Trust, based in Seaham, following an IT systems upgrade.

David Gray, chairman of GSC Grays, said: “We are delighted to be able to support this fantastic charity with the gift of the computers.

“The East Durham Veterans Trust delivers vital support for military personnel who have left the forces and helps them adjust to life outside the military along with their families.

Olivia Richardson, Central Operations Manager from GSC Grays handing over the computers to Andrew Cammiss The East Durham Veterans Trust (Image: Supplied)

“It’s an organisation that makes a real difference in the local community and GSC Grays are proud to play a small part in helping them continue their important work.”

Founded by Andrew Cammiss, the Trust is located at the Dawdon Youth and Community Centre.

Since 2021, it has supported more than 1,300 veterans and family members by providing early intervention, casework support, wellbeing programmes, and pathways into specialist services.

Their work has been recognised nationally with the trust becoming a Valour Recognised Centre, part of the government’s Veterans Strategy, delivering a nationwide network of support centres to help the 1.8 million veterans across the UK.

GSC Grays is an independent firm of Chartered Surveyors, Land and Estate Agents operating throughout the UK but principally within the North of England and the Scottish Borders.

A councillor has claimed their response on the use of the Crisis and Resilience Fund is ‘materially inaccurate’

A council row has broken out on the use of a new crisis fund to support a voucher scheme for families during school holidays. The financial support provides supermarket vouchers worth £10 per child per week, but previously they were worth £15.

The decision came after the government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) ended on March 31, which was previously used to fund the holiday scheme. Cambridgeshire County Council has earmarked £2.7m to fund the scheme, but there are calls to provide more funding from the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) of £5.3m per year which replaced the HSF.

Cllr Bryony Goodliffe said that a Freedom of Information request had shown that using the fund for vouchers “was not ‘banned’” as the council leadership had said in “repeated public statements in full council, in response to public questions to council and committees”.

In a written question submitted to the county council, the Labour councillor said that as recently as March, they claimed guidance said the fund “may not be” used for the blanket provision of vouchers to those on free-school meals.

Cllr Goodliffe said the guidance actually says that it “may or may not be” used for this purpose and the FOI proves the council was told this in January 2026.

Cllr Alison Whelan, chair of the communities, social mobility and inclusion committee, provided a written response which said the wording had been changed on March 20.

She added: “This phrase, like its predecessor, needs to be read in context of the rest of the sentence as it makes clear that ‘blanket’ provision is not acceptable, as individual assessments are required for all support”.

She said this understanding “aligns with the interpretation by other councils” and they will be discussing how to use the CRF at a committee meeting in June.

Cllr Goodliffe, speaking at a meeting of Cambridgeshire County Council, said she believed the response “is materially inaccurate” and “therefore risks misleading the council”.

Cllr Whelan replied that “it’s not appropriate to comment” and “the question was asked and the question was answered”.

Prosecutors also claimed examination of his phone indicated he may have been in contact with up to 30 women

A Belfast man allegedly drugged and raped young women suffering from addiction as part of a campaign of sexual exploitation, the High Court heard on Thursday.

Trevor Donaghy, 45, is accused of attacking two vulnerable victims injected with substances and luring a third into prostitution.

Prosecutors also claimed examination of his phone indicated he may have been in contact with up to 30 women.

Details emerged as Donaghy, of Ainsworth Drive in the city, was refused bail on a total of 20 new charges involving three complainants.

He faces multiple counts of rape, supplying cocaine and administering a substance with sexual intent, along with further offences of aiding and abetting rape and controlling prostitution for gain.

Donaghy is already facing prosecution over separate allegations of trafficking another young woman with reading and writing difficulties.

He allegedly gave her drugs in return for sex and arranged to have other men pay him to sleep with her back in 2021.

Donaghy has denied those claims and described their relationship as being “friends with benefits”, the court heard.

While previously on bail for those charges, detectives pursued an investigation into separate complaints from three other women in connection with alleged incidents during 2021 and 2023.

Crown counsel said they were among 30 females identified following analysis of the defendant’s phone.

The others were either unwilling to engage with police, accepted being willing sex workers or denied a relationship with Donaghy.

Some have also been assessed as too mentally unwell to co-operate.

However, one of the three alleged victims claimed she met Donaghy as a teenager in the grip of a worsening drug addiction.

He initially provided cocaine, cannabis and pregabalin before insisting she had to “earn” her supply by having sex with him, according to her account.

The defendant also allegedly encouraged her into prostitution, posting photos on a sex worker website and lending his car to meet punters.

During police interviews Donaghy admitted supplying drugs and having consensual sex with her, but denied all other accusations.

A second woman claimed she was raped by him on three separate occasions.

In one incident she passed out after smoking crack at his home, the court heard, waking up the next morning naked from the waist down and in pain.

On another occasion she allegedly let him inject her with what was believed to be liquid cocaine, expecting it would give her a high.

“Instead, she became sick, dizzy and remembers asking him not to inject any more, but he continued to do so,” the prosecution barrister said.

“She remembers him on top of her but couldn’t fight him off and she then lost consciousness.”

The third complainant told police Donaghy attacked and raped her after she went to his house to buy drugs.

She claimed in a separate incident he provided a white bodysuit and injected her with a substance which made her drowsy.

Counsel added: “She remembered going into a bedroom and four or five men coming in one by one, unzipping the body suit and raping her.

“She saw the men giving Donaghy money (and) afterwards he gave her more drugs.”

Opposing bail, the prosecutor contended: “Any woman that is involved with him intimately is at risk. It is an insidious and dangerous risk.”

Defence barrister Paul Burns stressed Donaghy provided full accounts to police in which he denied allegations made against him.

Suggesting possible issues around the credibility of the complaints, Mr Burns went on: “He described a lifestyle with various women at that stage of sharing drugs and having consensual sexual relationships.”

Refusing to release Donaghy on bail again, Judge Patrick Lynch KC cited the risks of re-offending and interference with witnesses.

The judge also stated: “Even on his own case he is guilty of supplying drugs as a man in his forties to teenage girls.”

For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here and sign up to our daily newsletter here.

Asked whether he would be out campaigning in Makerfield, Sir Keir said: “Yes, and I’ve said to the whole Labour movement that I want everybody to be involved in the campaign, whatever other discussions are going on, it’s really important – that’s a straight fight between Labour and Reform.

“We’ve managed to put ourselves in a position where we kind of are in the position that we are in the league, and I’ve said that we wanted to finish strong for ourselves as much as anything, so we’re approaching the game as we would any other game. There’s a lot to play for Brighton, for Bournemouth, for all the other clubs surrounding that, so we’re well aware of that.”

More than 1.7 million pensioners across Great Britain are now receiving Attendance Allowance, but claimants must report certain changes in circumstances or risk having their payments reduced or stopped

Over 1.7 million pensioners throughout Great Britain are currently in receipt of Attendance Allowance, a tax-free, non-means-tested benefit available to those aged 66 and over. However, recipients must notify the relevant authorities of certain changes in their circumstances without delay — or risk having their payments of up to £458 a month reduced, suspended or even facing a financial penalty.

Guidance issued by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is unambiguous: failing to declare a change could result in overpayments, fines or even prosecution. Even short-term changes, such as a period of hospitalisation, can have an impact on eligibility.

Attendance Allowance is administered by the DWP to assist pensioners with additional costs arising from disability, long-term illness or physical or mental health conditions. Following the annual uprating in April, payments now stand at either £76.70 per week at the lower rate or £114.60 at the higher rate.

Attendance Allowance is no longer accessible to claimants with a Scottish postcode, who instead receive Pension Age Disability Payment through Social Security Scotland. Both benefits are paid at identical rates and operate under broadly similar eligibility criteria.

DWP regulations stipulate that claimants must contact the Attendance Allowance helpline promptly should their condition change, their care needs increase or decrease, or their personal circumstances shift in any way that could affect their claim, reports the Daily Record.

If you are uncertain whether a change warrants reporting, the wisest course of action is to ring the helpline and seek clarification — as overlooking it could jeopardise your weekly payments. DWP guidance on GOV.UK also cautions: “You could be taken to court or have to pay a penalty if you give wrong information or do not report a change in your circumstances.”

The guidance proceeds to outline changes claimants are required to report, which are detailed below.

Reporting a change in circumstances

Should your circumstances alter, your Attendance Allowance payments may rise, fall or cease entirely.

You must contact the Attendance Allowance helpline immediately if:

• The level of help you need changes or your condition worsens or improves
• You go into hospital or move into a care home (you’ll need the address, dates and details of how the stay is funded)
• A medical professional has said you may have 12 months or less to live
• You plan to leave the UK for more than four weeks
• You go into prison
• You change your name, address or bank details
• You want to stop your claim
• Your doctor changes
• Your immigration status changes

If you are uncertain whether something constitutes a change, it is preferable to contact the DWP and verify rather than risk an overpayment or suspended claim.

Reporting a change if you need more help

You should also contact the DWP if you now require additional assistance due to a disability or illness – even if you are not currently receiving that support.

This includes requiring:

• Help with personal care such as dressing, eating, getting in and out of bed, bathing or using the toilet
• Supervision to stay safe during the day or at night

You should report a change if tasks are taking considerably longer, causing discomfort, or you need physical assistance such as something to lean on.

Attendance Allowance is not restricted to physical conditions. You may also qualify for a higher rate if you need more help due to:

• A mental health condition
• Learning difficulties
• A sensory condition, such as being deaf or blind

The Attendance Allowance helpline is 0800 731 0122 and operates Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm.