Johnson rules out Indyref2 while he is Prime Minister

The Greens will field candidate in all five Edinburgh constituencies

BORIS Johnson has ruled out granting a second independence referendum while he is Prime Minister.

Despite Nicola Sturgeon insisting “things have changed” since the 2014 vote, the Prime Minister insisted there was no reason to go back on the “assurance” that it had been a “once-in-a-generation” decision. “I don’t think people in this country think referendums are very wonderful for harmony,” he said.

Ms Sturgeon has said she will make a formal request before Christmas for the power to hold a referendum, whoever wins the general election.

Boris Johnson has ruled out allowing Indyref2 while he is in Downing Street

In a TV interview yesterday she said: “Our future is on the line and it’s a choice of what kind of future we want.”

Labour has unveiled plans to upgrade almost every home in the UK with energy-saving measures to tackle the climate crisis and bring down household bills.

The party said work to install loft insulation, double glazing and renewable and low carbon technologies in nearly 27 million homes by 2030 would create 450,000 jobs and cost the government £60 billion.

Promising the largest investment project since the Second World War if Labour wins the December 12 election, the party claimed the “warm homes for all” pledge could cut carbon emissions by 10 per cent.

Labour has unveiled plans to upgrade almost every home in the UK with energy-saving measures

The UK Government confirmed yesterday the freeze on benefits introduced by George Osborne will end in April.

Universal Credit and other welfare payments will rise 1.7 per cent in line with inflation and the state pension will increase by 3.9 per cent, the Department for Work and Pensions said.

Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey said the move was possible because the Tories had built a strong economy. But Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn criticised the Tories for imposing the freeze in the first place and pledged his party would introduce “a much more humane, humanitarian system”

Candidates named for Edinburgh seats

Conservatives have chosen Morningside councillor Nick Cook as their candidate against Labour’s Ian Murray in Edinburgh South.

Almond councillor Graham Hutchison will be the party’s candidate in Edinburgh West against Lib Dem Christine Jardine.

And veteran candidate Iain McGill has been named as the Tories’ choice for Edinburgh North & Leith, held by Deidre Brock for the SNP.

Meanwhile the Greens have confimed they will fight all five constituencies in the Capital.

City Centre councillor Claire Miller will stand in Edinburgh East; Southside/Newington councillor Steve Burgess in Edinburgh North and Leith; Kate Nevens in Edinburgh South; Ben Parker in Edinburgh South West; and Elaine Gunn in Edinburgh West.

Edinburgh Greens co-convenor Kate Nevens said the election would be dominated by Brexit and a Green vote would be a vote for Scotland to stay in the family of European nations.

“However, we know there are thousands of voters who share our despair about the way that Brexit is crowding out the urgency of tackling the climate emergency. Our children will be astonished and betrayed if we don’t put that right”.