JOHN SWINNEY ANNOUNCES £30M SCOTLAND TOGETHER FUND

John Swinney has announced a £30 million fund to support community groups working to tackle racism in Scotland. The First Minister unveiled the three-year Scotland Together Fund at the SNP’s annual conference in Aberdeen on Saturday. He said the money would help groups build links between communities and address tensions. “We will back them with a new three-year £30 million Scotland Together Fund to give them the tools they need to push back the tide of racism in Scotland,” he told delegates.

Swinney said the fund would provide support over several years for grassroots projects across Scotland. He said those projects would seek to improve people’s quality of life and help them access support on a range of issues. Protests took place in Scotland over the summer, including in Glasgow, where some turned violent and non-white people were targeted in the city centre. Swinney linked the announcement to his concern about racism and groups he described as “the far right”.

Swinney told delegates that everyone who chooses to live in Scotland was welcome, regardless of where they were born, who they worship or who they love. He said all residents could contribute to Scotland’s future. “Words are not enough. Scotland belongs to all who live here,” he said. Swinney said the fund would aim to build bridges between groups and create a more inclusive society.