Breaking news

The Westminster Parliament will today discuss Mark Lazarowicz MP’s private member’s bill aimed at extending Holyrood’s powers to curb bad parking. 

At present there is uncertainty about whether this power has been devolved to the Scottish Parliament. 

If successful, the Edinburgh North & Leith MP’s bill would remove any uncertainty and allow Holyrood to tackle what he describes as ‘irresponsible parking which can be not just a nuisance but a real danger in the case of the elderly, children and people who may be visually impaired or disabled in some way’.

A new choir is starting in Edinburgh for relatives and friends who look after children in their families where a parent is unable to do so. 

Circle – a Scottish charity which supports such ‘kinship carers’ – has won Big Lottery funding for the project, which starts on 9 September in St Andrew’s and St George’s West Church on George Street.

REVIEWED BY RHYS FULLERTON 

‘I think each one of us has to get through these years of trial, without hope, and without despair.’ René Magritte in letter to John Byrne. 

In 1967, John Byrne was working in a carpet factory, unable to make a living from painting. He wrote a letter of admiration to Belgian surrealist artist René Magritte.

David Hill – better known to some for his tweets as @NewTownFlaneur – disagrees with those who want to retain St Stephen's chimes around the clock. Here he delivers a counterblast demanding peace and quiet at night ...

In the run-up to this month’s Scottish Independence Referendum, startling new figures about voting intentions have emerged.

We are not talking about YouGov’s results published yesterday, but the latest not-stricty-reliable monthly poll conducted by Cuckoo’s Bakery on Dundas Street.

Based on purchases of politically themed cupcakes up to 28 August, the gap between those intending to vote Yes and No has narrowed to 1.3%. 

Spurtle enjoyed this generous colourful painting which we found on its last day of exhibition at the White Space gallery on Howe Street yesterday. 

Margaret Anderson's piece is untitled, but its starting point is certainly botanical – possibly the thistles which have been a recurrent them in much of her work to date.

Anderson grew up in Scotland and Australia, is an occupational therapist for NHS Lothian, and graduated this year from  Edinburgh College of Art. We'll keep an eye out for her work in future.

New Town residents have objected loudly to the temporary silencing of the clock chime at St Stephen’s Church. 

Council officers required the action last week after four complaints and one query were received from neighbours – believed to be living in three new flats on St Vincent Place – concerning what they felt was excessive noise at night. 

Environmental Health visited the site and, in an official’s own words (shown to the Spurtle by a third party):

The deadline for Spurtle’s Summer Quiz passed at noon today. All the entries have now been scrutinised, checked, and a clear winner has emerged.

Thank you and well done to everyone who took part. Nobody scored 100%, but some of you came exceedingly close.

An honourable mention goes first to Adam Blackwood of Broughton Place. In addition to scoring highly, he recognised the painting of Echo (all the answers involved repetitions of some sort) and her connection to Narcissus (which is of course the name of the shop on Broughton Street where we maintain our postbox).

Of the capital’s major commemorations of the centenary of the First World War’s start, perhaps the most poignant is at the Scottish National Portrait Gallery (Floor 1) on Queen Street.

It comprises portraits, photographs and sculptures chiefly in the SNPG’s holdings, and a section centred on Peter Cattrell’s remarkable photography of the present-day landscape of the Battle of the Somme in which over 57,000 British men were killed or wounded on its horrific opening day, 1 July 1916.

Sadly,  Jean and Archie Bell of Bellevue died on 17th and 24 July, writes John Dickie. A shared obituary was published, and they also shared a service at Lorimer Chapel, Warriston Crematorium on 2 August.