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Win a Glamorous Train Trip Across Scotland

Why we like this sweepstakes:.

Enjoy unforgettable journey across the Scottish Highlands wile supporting nonprofit Black Voters Matter . Begin and end the trip in Edinburgh at the Balmoral Hotel, a legendary stay that has hosted princesses and Hollywood stars.

YOU AND A FRIEND COULD:

• Spend 3 nights aboard the Belmond™ Royal Scotsman train, one of the world’s most luxurious locomotives
• Indulge in daily multicourse meals and catch cultural entertainment onboard
• Disembark to explore silver-sand beaches, a waterfall and historic mansion
• Score flights to Edinburgh and 2 nights at the 5-star Balmoral Hotel

All aboard! Next stop: an unforgettable journey across the Scottish Highlands. Begin and end the trip in Edinburgh at the Balmoral Hotel, a legendary stay that has hosted princesses and Hollywood stars. Refreshed, you’ll board the Royal Scotsman and a butler will show you to your cushy private cabin. After checking out the dining, observation and spa cars, you’ll think, I’m never leaving this train. But once Scotland’s breathtaking scenery flies by, you’ll opt in for each off-board excursion, exploring the Silver Sands of Morar, hiking to a waterfall and marveling at a Gothic mansion.

Flights included.

Who You Will Help:

Black Voters Matter Fund Inc. (“Black Voters Matter”) works to increase power in marginalized, predominantly Black communities. And while effective voting is an important way for a community to determine its own destiny, that’s only one way the organization strives to build power. In addition to voting and electoral organizing, Black Voters Matter supports community-based organizations working on a wide range of issues such as mass incarceration, gentrification, health care, education and more. Your generosity will help Black Voters Matter protect voting rights, improve lives and strengthen communities.

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Travel Through the Scottish Highlands in a Luxury Train While Supporting a Charity

By elaine selna | dec 20, 2021, 3:30 pm est.

If you've been dreaming of getting out of your cramped house for a while, or just want to pretend like you're heading off to Hogwarts for a spell, Omaze is sponsoring a sweepstakes that can make these daydreams a reality. That's because the winner will snag a three-night expedition traveling through the Scottish Highlands on the Belmond Royal Scotsman train—all while supporting a charity.

Here's how it works: The winner will be flown to Edinburgh and stay in the five-star Balmoral Hotel, where the last book in the Harry Potter series was written, then they'll board the Royal Scotsman train to start their journey. On the train, they'll stay in a private cabin, which includes a butler who will show you around the locomotive. Experience spa treatments, formal dining, and plenty of other luxurious amenities while on board. Upon disembarking, the winner will also get to explore some incredible spots, like the sandy beaches of Silver Sands of Morar , plus get to tour a Gothic mansion and hike to a waterfall.

No donations are required for a single entry, but if you make a contribution, you'll have a better chance of winning. Donating $10 will give you 20 entries, $25 gets you 125, $50 gets you 500, $100 gets you 1200, and $150 gets you 2000. Also, when you enter any Omaze sweepstakes from now through Tuesday, December 21, you could win an additional $50,000.

Every donation supports Black Voters Matter through Charities Aid Foundation of America (CAF America) . Black Voters Matter helps "increase power in marginalized, predominantly Black communities." In addition to voting efforts, the organization also helps other community-based groups dedicated to working on other issues, including mass incarceration, healthcare, education, and more.

Entries are open until Friday, March 4, 2022, and the winner will be announced around Wednesday, March 23, 2022. Find out more here .

Sign Up Today: Get exclusive deals, product news, reviews, and more with the Mental Floss Smart Shopping newsletter!

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All aboard the express service to Glenfiddich: win a once-in-a-lifetime journey on The Royal Scotsman, A Belmond Train to the home of the World’s most awarded single malt Scotch whisky

By Condé Nast Traveller

It’s like something plucked from a Scottish whisky travel fantasy: hop aboard the opulent carriages of The Royal Scotsman, A Belmond Train, and voyage from Edinburgh to Dufftown and back, enjoying exclusive experiences and magnificent scenery along the way.

This bucket-list trip could be yours to look forward to thanks to Glenfiddich, one of the world’s most luxurious malt whisky brands – and the most awarded single-malt whisky out there. The journey to the home of Glenfiddich begins in Edinburgh and then heads towards Speyside to stop for an overnight stay in Dufftown, which will include an indulgent hosted dinner, tastings of several remarkable single malt Scotch whiskies and an exclusive behind-the-scenes distillery experience. 

Glenfiddich Distillery Still House

This rich heritage will be explored by the lucky winners, who will experience how the whisky makers of Dufftown create pioneering malts, with a celebratory lunch following the tour and tastings. Then it will be time to board the Royal Scotsman for an unforgettable overnight journey back to Edinburgh. The glamorous Belmond train is like a palace on wheels; known for its Edwardian elegance, plush suites and scenic Scottish routes, it also features an observation car, where you can breathe in the fresh Scottish air from an exhilarating open veranda.

As the legendary train winds past soaring peaks and through dramatic valleys, you’ll enjoy a unique dinner in a grand wood-panelled dining car, feasting on top Scottish produce presented with a modern flourish, hosted by Mark Thomson, Glenfiddich Ambassador to Scotland , accompanied by fine wines and the exceptional malt whiskies you’ll have been enlightened about during the day. 

After lively conversation with your fellow passengers, it will be time to retreat to your suite, where a bed clad in soft Scottish wools awaits to accommodate a blissful slumber.

Which Scottish town is the Glenfiddich Distillery located in?

Learn more about Glenfiddich here

Enter to WIN a Weekend Getaway for Two!

Entry dates, friday, september 15th, 2023 - wednesday, november 1st, 2023.

Want to take an unforgettable train ride and spend a weekend exploring Arizona’s charming Train Towns? Well, now you can! Enter this incredible giveaway for your chance to win two tickets on a scenic rail journey plus all the goodies that come with it! So start those engines – there are tons of ways to enter (no purchase required). Enter daily for the best chance to win!

Two Prizes • Two Lucky Winners!

Two prizes two lucky winners, (1) lucky winner will be drawn for grand prize williams package, (1) lucky winner will be drawn for verde prize package, 🏆 grand prize williams package, grand canyon railway & williams prize package.

This Weekend Getaway Package Includes:

• ​Lodging in Williams, Arizona
• (2) Train Tickets to the Grand Canyon Railway
• Dining Certificates
• Bearizona Passes
• Canyon Coaster Adventure Passes

Verde Prize Package 🎁

Verde canyon railroad & clarkdale prize package.

This Package Includes:

• (2) Train Tickets to the Verde Canyon Railroad
• Activities for Two

There are so many fun ways to enter!

👉click the facebook icon or google icon below to login and get started… good luck, pro tip: enter daily to earn more entries, and for the best chances.

Win a Yosemite Steam Train Trip for the Whole Family with Sugar Pine Railroad

We’re giving away Yosemite steam train trip for the whole family with Sugar Pine Railroad! Situated just outside Yosemite National Park, Sugar Pine Railroad offers narrated one-hour scenic logger steam train rides through the forest near Madera, California. This is the perfect addition to any family trip to Yosemite.

We’ll be giving away 4 family packs (2 adults, 2 children) to 4 lucky winners! Interested in winning? First, you should subscribe to the Active NorCal Magazine , then keep reading.

Here’s how to enter the giveaway:

• Subscribe to the Active NorCal Magazine (subscribe here: https://bit.ly/3rCmEFA ).
• Like any of our posts on Facebook , Twitter , on Instagram and comment why we should pick you.
• That’s it! The winner will be chosen on March 25.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Active NorCal (@active_norcal)

Good luck, NorCal, and keep an eye out for more great giveaways coming up soon!

Active NorCal

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Your Question:

Quality Sightseeing since 1907

For over 100 years we've been making touring Scotland a quality experience for visitors from all over the World. Over the years our Scottish tours have been chosen by many thousands of travellers who want to tour Scotland in comfort and style.

Scottish Tours has a long and distinguished pedigree and we are proud to include the famed names of Scottish Motor Traction, Scottish Omnibuses and Eastern Scottish as part of our heritage. For more information on our history click here

Today we continue to offer our clients the highest standards of service and the very best value. You can tour Scotland with Scottish Tours confident in the knowledge that no one has more experience.

Tour Scotland with Scottish Tours. Discover the highlights of Scotland on a tour to Loch Ness, The Scottish Highlands, Skye and Loch Lomond.

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Win a Caribbean or European Cruise with Hits Radio

Win a 7 day Caribbean cruise or a 7 or 9 day European cruise with money towards flights. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 26th April 2024.

Win a 7 Night Villa Holiday to the Algarve with the Villa Agency

Win for you and up to seven guests a seven-night holiday in the Vale de Parra in Albufeira, Terras Altas. Flights and transfers are not included. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th April 2024.

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Win three nights at the Hillside Beach Club in Turkey with return transfers and a spa treatment. Flights are not included. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th April 2024.

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Win a trip for two on a Greek Island Adventure. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th April 2024.

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Win seven nights on the Costa del Sol for up to six guests and a £300 contribution towards airfares T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th April 2024.

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Win a golf holiday to Mauritius staying at the 5-star Heritage Le Telfair Golf & Wellness Resort T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th April 2024.

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Win a five-night stay in Rhodes at Boutique 5 Hotel & Spa on a half-board basis. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th April 2024.

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Win A Two-Night Stay At Hotel Telegraphenamt Berlin T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 01st May 2024.

Win a Holiday to Italy with Readers Digest and Citalia

Win an Italian summer getaway for two people including flights and accommodation worth £1,500. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 01st May 2024.

Win a Holiday to Whistler with Tourism Whistler

Win six nights in luxury accommodation in Whistler as well as return flights for two people, luxury transfers, activities and dining. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 03rd May 2024.

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Win a family trip to Lapland. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 06th May 2024.

Win an Expedition Cruise with Cruise Norway

Win a Swan Hellenic expedition cruise to Svalbard for two people with a hotel stay in Oslo and charter flights to Svalbard. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 07th May 2024.

Win Flights to Delhi with Brightsun Travel

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Win a 7-night stay at the Wyndham Grand Clearwater Beach in Florida for a family of four with flights. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 13th May 2024.

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Win a 10-night RV holiday with flights in British Columbia, Canada. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 15th May 2024.

Win a Holiday to Florida, Kenya or Zanzibar with Mr Kipling and Cadburys

Win a family holiday for 2 adults and 2 children with the choice of a Florida Holiday, Kenya Safari Experience or an All Inclusive Resort in Zanzibar. Flights are included. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 16th May 2024.

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Win a 14-day trip for two to South Africa & Mauritius T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 19th May 2024.

Win a Short Break to Austria with Active Traveller and St. Anton am Arlberg Tourism

Win a two-night stay for two in a four-star hotel in St. Anton on a half-board basis. Travel is not included. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 20th May 2024.

Win a Holiday to Los Angeles with Arighi Bianchi

Win a trip to Los Angeles in California USA for two people, worth £5,000. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 20th May 2024.

Win a stay in Provence with France Today

Win a two night stay and a Michelin meal in Provence. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 20th May 2024.

Win a Cycling Holiday to France with Brittany Tourism

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Win a Holiday to Slovenia with Gardeners World

Win a Slovenian guide group holiday worth approximately £3,200 including flights from London Gatwick Airport on 7th October, seven nights’ accommodation – four with half board – with return flights, transfers and guided tours included. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 27th May 2024.

Win a Holiday to Crete, Majorca or Ibiza with Jet2 and VK

Win a 7 night holiday for 4 people to a hotel in Majorca, Crete or Ibiza. Competition closes 28th May 2024.

Win a Stay on The Amalfi Coast with Marco Pierre White Restaurants

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Win a Honeymoon to the Maldives with Your London Wedding Magazine

Win a 5 night all inclusive honeymoon in the Maldives. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 31st May 2024.

Win a Trip to the Paris Paralympics with ParalympicsGB

Win tickets to four Paralympic Events in Paris this summer plus travel with Eurostar, three nights hotel accommodation and more. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 31st May 2024.

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Win a river cruise with riviera travel.

Win seven nights aboard a Riviera Travel river cruise ship in Europe (excluding the Douro), based on two people sharing a standard cabin in 2024 or 2025 T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 2nd June 2024.

Win a Two Night Stay at Chewton Glen

Chewton Glen, a five-star country house hotel and spa nestled in the New Forest in Hampshire, is giving away a two-night stay with dinner and breakfast T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 5th June 2024. Photo Credit: Chewton Glen

Win a Holiday to Orlando with Visit Orlando

You could win an amazing trip of a lifetime to Orlando in Florida. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 26th June 2024.

Win a £5000 Holiday with Newmarket Holidays

Join the Newmarket Holidays mailing list and you could win a holiday of a lifetime worth £5,000 T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th June 2024.

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Win a trip for two people to the Basque Country for 2 nights with surf and yoga lessons and more. Flights and transfers to France are included. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th July 2024.

AUGUST 2024

Win a luxury greek escape with angsana corfu resort & spa and weddings and honeymoons magazine.

Win six nights bed and breakfast at the Angsana Corfu Resort & Spa on Corfu. Travel and transfers are not included. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 31st August 2024.

SEPTEMBER 2024

Win a trip to switzerland with ricola sweets.

Win a holiday to Switzerland worth £1,300, plus a year’s supply of Ricola sweets. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th September 2024.

Win an Amazing Trip to California with Monster Energy

Win four nights in California including a wellness, surf, and ski or snowboard experience. T&Cs Apply. Competition closes 30th September 2024.

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The Bucket List Project

"it is better to live one day as a lion than a thousand days as a lamb.".

Win the Train Ride of a Lifetime on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

June 16, 2022 eric gamble.

Oscar Wilde once said, “If art is to have a special train, the critic must keep some seats reserved on it.”

And you might wonder what constitutes a special train? Is it a jolly joyride from one city over to the next? Or would you much rather think a special train takes you more along the lines of a magical journey through Scotland ?

I would choose the latter because if I’m going on a train ride, I would want it to be an incredible experience!

But those incredible experiences and magical journeys add up, don’t they? Not everyone can afford luxurious ‘special’ train rides presently, especially with how gas prices are shooting up and the costs of goods for simple household staples.

So, what do you do if it is on your bucket list to ride on your own special train to go on your magical journey? Well, for one lucky person, getting that train ride of a lifetime could be as easy as winning one!

Table of Contents

Win the Trip of a Lifetime on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express

If you could travel by air, road, or track, which would you pick? I would pick by track as well because it’s not every day you see the countryside from a train’s perspective. It’s much different from a highway laid out before you or fluffy clouds around what you can see from a 1×1 window. A train ride itself is an experience everyone should do at least once in their life.

And this is exactly why the latest giveaway from Omaze is truly incredible. When you enter the Win the Trip of a Lifetime on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express contest , you’ll t ravel on the luxurious Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train from Paris to Venice and back, while enjoying those majestic views including the Italian Dolomites! You may even be able to pop into a Paris Speakeasy while you’re there!

On top of that, you’ll be pampered by your own personal butler, the sounds of your resident pianist and the culinary indulgence of world-class cuisine! Now it really doesn’t get much better than that…or does it?

Yes! Yes, it does! Because not only do you get your special train ride of a lifetime and personal butlers with classy music and flavorful dishes, but you’ll also be spending two nights on the VSOE and six nights at 5-star hotels in Paris and Venice, with time to still explore the culture and the world-class charm surrounding it, like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, and pasting your eyes on the gorgeous architecture surrounding the City of Water.

The flights and 5-star hotels are included in your trip too!

Calling all fans of Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie! Here’s your perfect bucket list dream contest!

What if you already went on your magical train ride of a lifetime?

Even though Omaze covers the entire itinerary of the VSOE, you may have already gone on a train ride that was equally glorious as this one. Or perhaps you have an aversion to an entire city of water. Maybe you can’t swim?

That’s ok! Because Omaze has a backup plan for you. Omaze offers you the option to choose a cash prize instead of $30,000! You’ll be able to go on any magical train ride with this cash prize money!

Who does this help?

You got me. You must know me too well at this point. This contest is special because it helps the International Medical Corps with services and support to care for the dozens of countries dealing with strife, disease, and conflict.

One of the areas that will be benefiting will be Ukraine since they’ve become a desperate humanitarian crisis. Ukraine’s current situation is one of turmoil and conflict. Many people in these broken communities are in desperate need of medical and mental health assistance, and there are teams of people working to help them. This contest helps to support those teams by providing funding for medical and mental health services.

It also helps to raise awareness of the situation in Ukraine and the needs of those who are living in affect ed communities. By entering this contest, you are directly helping to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most. Thank you for your support!

Where do I enter to WIN?

Are you ready to enter to win the train ride of a lifetime and lap up the luxury of quintessential France? Let’s do it! All you have to do is Click Here to Enter to Win ! That’s it – simple as can be. But this contest is timely so make sure you enter before July 9, which is when this contest will close. The winner will be announced around July 27, 2022.

Just simply click the button below and go from there! By the way, here’s an extra perk for you – make sure you also enter Promo code: AFF50 for 50 extra entries into this contest !

Need my address?

So, is it on your bucket list to win this trip of a lifetime on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express ? Or will you take the $30,000 cash payout to chase other items on your bucket list? Either way, what a wonderful way to support the medical support of those helping struggling countries dealing with disaster and conflict. If you do win, be sure you send us a postcard from the City of Water!

Don’t forget to Pin this to your Favorite Bucket List Board!

Disclosure:  This post, “Win the Train Ride of a Lifetime on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express” may contain affiliate links. Using the links doesn’t cost you any extra, and it helps keep the site free, fun, and community supported! Eric & Darcee will never recommend a product that we don’t genuinely believe in, actually use ourselves, have researched, and trust. Please see the disclosure policy  for more information.

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MICHELIN Guide Honors 48 Orlando Restaurants in 2024

Seven Seas Food Festival at SeaWorld® Orlando

Virtual Tours

Look at this cool new tool for exploring Orlando!

Q2 Win a Trip

Q2 win a trip page, your chance to win visit orlando's family vacation sweepstakes.

Experience the wonder of Orlando at  SeaWorld® Orlando and race through the ice on the new Penguin Trek, an unforgettable family launch coaster adventure. This experience will transport guests to the depths of the Antarctic region, featuring the all-new thrilling family-launch coaster, Penguin Trek and offering an array of new food and drink options, a new retail store and the incredible penguin habitat! Also, enjoy the water thrills of Aquatica® Orlando , including the all-new Tassie’s Underwater Twist, the most digitally immersive waterslide experience in Florida.   

This deluxe package also includes accommodation at Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld , flights provided by Frontier Airlines, plus a rental vehicle. It’s your chance to dive into fun with a family vacation to Orlando — see sweepstakes details and enter today.

• Five (5)-Day/Four (4)-Night Stay at Renaissance Orlando at SeaWorld for a family of four in a deluxe room (quad occupancy), self-parking for one (1) vehicle for four (4) nights, and $100 dining credit and resort fee/taxes only 
• Admission for four (4) to SeaWorld Orlando with 2-day tickets and Aquatica Orlando with 1-day tickets during the stay 
• Twelve (12) SeaWorld/Aquatica meal vouchers and complimentary parking during trip 
• $250 flight vouchers for Orlando flights for the winner and three (3) guests, provided by Frontier Airlines 
• Rental vehicle from Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Complete the form below and you’ll be entered to win a dream Orlando vacation. Once you’ve arrived, share your favorite experiences on social media and tag us at @VisitOrlando.

You Could Win a Trip to Orlando

* Indicates a required field.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY . Begins 3/28/24, ends 6/26/24 at 11:59:59am ET. Open to legal U.S. residents in 48 contiguous U.S. and D.C., who are at least 21 years of age. Limit 1 Entry per person, per day. See Official Rules here for full eligibility restrictions, and complete details. Sponsor: Visit Orlando. Void in HI & AK, and where prohibited.

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Win a six-night railway Scotland tour with Ffestiniog Travel

“At last! Lancashire’s hills,” proclaims my friend, soaking up the scenery. Well, yes, in a sense they are — even though we’re in the wrong county. But I don’t like the look of those clouds. I may have promised Friend a big walk, but the weather suggests it’s a valley day, not an upland one.

So instead we visit a National Trust beauty spot nearby. It’s centred on one of the area’s many 19th-century industrial relics, which — thanks to a sustainable makeover 18 years ago — is as interesting as the woods and gritstone rock around it.

I tell Friend we must follow its beck until it reaches a market town, two miles southeast, that’s found fame in a television series. Meanwhile, he grumbles about the lack of promised hill-walking. “You’re all mouth and no trousers,” he mutters as we wander the streets. “Unlike this town,” I tell him — then whisk him off to a second market town, four miles southwest of the first.

Friend is impressed by its neoclassical town hall, opened in the mid-1870s. “Oh, there’s nothing shoddy about this place,” I tell him. “Although you couldn’t say that about some towns east of here. Shall we take a look?”

“No, we’re going for a walk,” he insists.

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When I remind him how hard it can rain in these parts, his patience snaps. “Stop trying to police my day!” he cries.

Half an hour later we’re on the moors, above a reservoir, three miles northeast of the first valley town. “Happy?” I ask.

“As an escaped convict,” he purrs.

The questions

1 What’s the name of the National Trust beauty spot? 2 What’s the name of the second market town?

The winner and guest will enjoy a six-night, self-guided Highland Adventure railway holiday from Ffestiniog Travel. Included in this well-paced itinerary are stops in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Fort William and Oban, as well as return travel along the magnificent West Highland Line. The fifth day is spent on the celebrated Jacobite steam train, with Loch Lomond, Rannoch Moor and the Glenfinnan Viaduct among the scenic highlights.

En route, accommodation will be B&B in four-star hotels, while rail travel is in standard class. If the winner would prefer a different trip, Ffestiniog Travel is offering a £2,000 voucher to be used against an alternative holiday in its 2023 programme.

Ffestiniog Travel is owned by a charitable trust and profits support the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland railways. For details of its international programme of tours see ffestiniogtravel.com.

The prize must be taken as one package and is valid until December 31, 2023. It must be taken when the Jacobite train is operational, excluding July, August and public holidays. The holiday must be booked at least six weeks before the departure date.

The prize does not include travel from or to the winner’s home, food and drink, personal expenditure or incidental costs, other than where mentioned. All elements of the prize are subject to availability. A voucher alternative, to the value of £2,000, can be used towards an alternative Ffestiniog Travel holiday.

The winner may be required to participate in reasonable publicity on behalf of the Prize Provider and the Promoter. The competition closes at the end of February 15, 2023.

How to enter

Can’t see the competition form? Enter at thesundaytimes.co.uk/wherewasi

Last week’s prize

The answers are the Grove of Narberth and Pendine . Paul Ives from Croydon wins a villa holiday for two on Hydra, Greece, with the Luxury Travel Book.

Sign up for our Times Travel newsletter and follow us on Instagram and Twitter

what you'll do

You’ve got your passport and most fabulous outfit packed, so the only thing left on your to-do list? Hop aboard the luxurious Venice Simplon-Orient-Express of course! Because the next stop is Venice. But wait, there’s more. 

Before departing to the City of Water, you’ll revel in the decadence of a 5-star hotel in Paris while spending your days at the must-visit Louvre, Eiffel Tower and devouring all the macaroons to fill your heart’s content. Then, off to Venice for the dreamiest itinerary including canals, architecture and gelato all day, everyday! It doesn’t stop there.

Whoever said travel was only about the destination itself was seriously missing out! This once-in-a-lifetime overnight journey from Paris to Venice and back is anything but travel as usual. Aboard the world-class VSOE, wake up to countryside beauty as your train traverses the striking beauty of the Italian Dolomites. Or mingle with passengers in the Bar Car (the train’s social hub) as you soak in the old-world elegance of a resident pianist playing the baby grand. Did we mention there’s a butler on board too? 

The Orient Express has got it all. The only thing missing? You.

Flights and 5-star hotels are included for both ends of your journey.

No donation or payment is necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes.

who you'll help

International Medical Corps provides urgent healthcare services, psychosocial support and care to citizens of countries dealing with disaster, disease and conflict. The war in Ukraine has become a desperate humanitarian crisis and the Emergency Response Drawdown Fund is providing urgent relief. Teams inside Ukraine and in the surrounding region are responding to the conflict by expanding access to medical and mental health services for those living in affected communities as well as working to help refugees. 

This experience raises funds for Charities Aid Foundation America (“CAF America”), a US-registered, 501(c)(3) public charity. 100% of donations for this experience go to CAF America, which will then grant the donations, minus the experience fees and costs, to International Medical Corps (the “Designated Grantee”). For more information, see the “Fundraising Transparency” section below.

stuff our lawyers want you to read

NO PURCHASE, PAYMENT, OR DONATION OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.  A PURCHASE, PAYMENT, OR DONATION WILL NOT INCREASE THE CHANCES OF WINNING.  Capitalized terms used and not defined below have the respective meanings assigned to them in the Official Rules, available   here .

1.                 Winner(s) :

One (1) grand prize winner (the “ Winner ”) and one (1) guest (“ Guest ”)

2.                 Sponsor :

Omaze, Inc. (referred to herein as “ Omaze ” or “ Sponsor ”)

3.                 Designated Grantee:

International Medical Corps (Federal Tax ID # 95-3949646) (“ Designated Grantee ”).

This Experience is part of a fundraising campaign for Charities Aid Foundation America (“ CAF America ”), which is a globally recognized United States 501(c)(3) public charity. 100% of donations raised in this Experience go to CAF America, who will then grant the donations, minus experience fees and costs, to the Designated Grantee. For more information, including how much goes to the Designated Grantee(s), the expected timeframes in which the Designated Grantee(s) will receive the grants, and the rare instances when CAF America may reassign donations to another nonprofit, see the “Fundraising Transparency” section, below.  

All Designated Grantees are pre-validated by CAF America to confirm they meet CAF America’s applicable eligibility requirements to receive grants. So long as the identified Designated Grantee remains eligible to receive grants from CAF America, CAF America will distribute grants to Designated Grantee out of the donations raised in this Experience.

4.                 Deadline to Enter :

This Experience begins May 9, 2022 at 12:00 a.m., Pacific Time, and ends July 8, 2022 at 11:59 p.m., Pacific Time (the “ Entry Period ”). Sponsor is the official timekeeper.

5.                 Entry Limit :

The maximum number of entries for any one person into this Experience (the “ Entry Limit ”) is six thousand (6,000), regardless of the method of entry.

6.                 Potential Winner Notification : 

A random drawing will be conducted on or after close of Entry Period.  Winner will be drawn from among all valid entries received by Sponsor during the Entry Period. Potential Winner will be notified, on or after the close of Entry Period and must timely respond in accordance with the terms and deadlines stated in the  Official Rules .

Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received during the Entry Period.

7.                 Prize Provider(s) :

Omaze and Quintessentially Travel Limited (each a  "Prize Provider ").

8.                 Prize Details :

(a)         The Grand Prize . Winner will receive two (2) tickets on the 2024 Venice Simplon-Orient-Express running overnight from Paris to Venice and returning overnight to Paris; Round-trip flights, four (4) nights of 5-star hotel accommodations in Paris, and two (2) nights of 5-star hotel accommodations in Venice for Winner and Guest (the “ Grand Prize ”). The Grand Prize is strictly limited to those elements described in this Section 8.  Any Grand Prize elements not specifically described in this Section 8 may be determined by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion. Sponsor may, in its sole and absolute discretion, present Winner with one or more Grand Prize options, from which Winner may choose one. However, Winner is not guaranteed or entitled to have the ability to request or demand any Prize elements that are not specifically stated in this Section 8.

(i)         Approximate Retail Value (“ ARV ”): $40,000.00 (USD)

(ii)        Anticipated Prize Fulfillment Date: TBD by Prize Provider in it sole and absolute discretion; provided, however, that travel must be booked by July 8, 2024. Winner will be requested to provide three (3) separate dates of preferred travel and Prize Provider will work towards fulfilling at least one (1) of those dates. Additionally, a minimum of six (6) weeks lead time prior to the preferred departure date is required for booking, and Winner and Guest passports must be valid for travel with a minimum of six (6) months of the date of departure. The holidays are subject to availability and blackout dates will apply. Blackout dates include peak Christmas, Easter and summer holidays (July 25 to August 15, annually). Once the package is booked it is non-changeable and non-refundable.

(iii)       Prize Fulfillment Location: Paris, France and Venice, Italy

(iv)       Any Taxes or Fees Covered: None

(b)         Cash Alternative . If Winner does not wish to take delivery of the Grand Prize, does not wish to accept one of the Grand Prize options presented by Sponsor (as applicable), or Sponsor determines that it cannot timely deliver the Grand Prize to Winner, for any reason, including without limitation due to legal restrictions, a force majeure event, failure of construction, or any other reason, the Winner may elect to take a cash alternative of $30,000.00 (USD) (the “ Cash Alternative ”). No additional prizes or compensation of any kind will be provided if the Cash Alternative is awarded.

Winner must advise Sponsor in writing on or before deadline provided in writing from Sponsor, as to Winner’s election . If Winner does not timely notify the Sponsor in writing that Winner is electing to accept the Grand Prize, then Winner shall forfeit the opportunity to elect the Grand Prize, and Winner will automatically receive the Cash Alternative and not the Grand Prize.  Winner’s decision between accepting either the Grand Prize or Cash Alternative cannot be changed by Winner for any reason.

Sponsor reserves the right to require Winner to take the Cash Alternative and remove the option of the Grand Prize if the Winner does not wish to accept one of the Grand Prize options presented by Sponsor (as applicable), or the Grand Prize cannot be fully awarded or otherwise delivered to Winner on or before the Anticipated Prize Fulfillment Date(s) stated above, for any reason, including without limitation due to a force majeure event, legal restrictions, supply chain disruptions, Prize supplier cancellation or delays, or failure of construction.

Except as explicitly stated, all Prizes are awarded as is, without any representations or warranties, and cannot be transferred, sold, substituted, or redeemed for cash by Winner. Unless noted in the Prize details in this Section 8, Winner is solely responsible for all taxes, costs, and fees associated with Prize receipt, ownership, and/or use.  In order to accept the Grand Prize, Winner and Guest must accurately complete and timely return all documentation required by Sponsor and/or the Prize Provider.

All third-party names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 

9.                 Eligibility and Restrictions :

This is a Grand-Prize Experience (as defined in Section 5 of the   Official Rules ). Notwithstanding anything in the Official Rules to the contrary, including Section 4(A)(i) of the Official Rules, an individual who has won the grand prize in any Grand-Prize Experience (as defined in Section 5(A) of the Official Rules) at any time is eligible to win this Experience.  Individuals may not win more than one prize within a Secondary Promotion (as defined in Section 5(B) of the Official Rules) in connection with this Experience.

Age to enter:  You must be at least 18 years old to enter.  Guest must be at least 18 years old, provided, however, that Sponsor may, in its sole and absolute discretion, allow for Guest to be younger than 18 years old if (i) the Winner is the parent/legal guardian of the Guest, or (ii) the parent/legal guardian of the Guest provides written consent.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, no individual younger than 5 years old may be a guest.

Prohibited Persons.   In addition to those prohibited persons identified in Section 4(A) of the  Official Rules , any employees, officers, and/or directors of the Designated Grantee(s) of this Experience are not eligible to enter or win this Experience.

Health and Safety : Sponsor and/or Prize Provider may require that Winner, and any Guest(s), (i) attest to having received certain vaccinations, including, without limitation, a COVID-19 vaccination, and provide proof of the same (in a format determined by Sponsor and/or Prize Provider in its sole discretion), and/or (ii) provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test (testing and proof of results in a format determined by Sponsor and/or Prize Provider in its sole discretion) in order to accept the Grand Prize.  In the event a Winner, and any Guest(s), are unable to produce proof of vaccination and/or a negative COVID-19 test reasonably satisfactory to Sponsor and/or Prize Provider, Sponsor reserves the right to require that Winner take the Cash Alternative (if provided) or substitute an alternate Prize of equal or greater value in its sole discretion.

In addition to all of the other requirements stated in these Experience Rules and the  Official Rules , if the Potential Winner is a Canadian resident, (s)he must correctly answer a mathematical skill-testing question to be eligible to be confirmed the Winner.

Entry is subject to all applicable international, federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited.  See  the   Official Rules  for more details.   In certain jurisdictions, local rules and laws may restrict or prohibit the award of certain prizes or impose additional restrictions on participation.

10.              Winner Confirmation & Verification :  

Potential Winners are subject to confirmation and verification by Sponsor per the terms and restrictions stated in the   Official Rules .  As part of the Winner confirmation and verification process Sponsor may conduct background check(s) on a Potential Winner (and any Guests of Potential Winner) except where legally prohibited.  Background checks may occur without any additional notice to Potential Winner and/or prior to awarding the Prize(s), as may be permitted by law. Participation in an Experience constitutes Participant’s authorization to such background checks, without Sponsor providing additional prior notice or seeking additional authorizations or consents from Potential Winner.

*          *          *

Combo Promotion Terms - May 16 - 20, 2022

The $100K May Big Dream Monthly Giveaway x Grand-Prize Experiences promotion starts May 16, 2022 at 12:00 a.m., Pacific Time, and ends May 20, 2022 at 11:59 p.m., Pacific Time. This promotion is valid for the $100K May Big Dream Monthly and Grand-Prize Experiences only. During this promotion, when you enter any Grand -Prize Experience on Omaze.com, you’ll also receive the same number of entries into the $100K May Big Dream Monthly Giveaway, all subject to each Experience’s Entry Limit, which may be found in Section 5 of the applicable Experience Rules. Each entry awarded in connection with this promotion will constitute a single, independent entry in the applicable Experience, will be treated the same as any other entry to the Experience and will have the same chance of winning as any other entry. See the applicable Experience Rules under “Stuff our lawyers want you to read” here:  Win $100K in the May Big Dream Monthly Giveaway ;  Grand-Prize Experiences

Combo Promotion Terms - July 4 - 8, 2022

The Eastern & Oriental Express x Venice Simplon-Orient-Express promotion starts July 4, 2022 at 6:00 a.m., Pacific Time, and ends July 8, 2022 at 11:59 p.m., Pacific Time (“ Promotion Entry Period ”). This promotion is valid for the Eastern & Oriental Express and Orient Express Experiences only. When you enter one of these Experiences, you’ll also receive the same number of entries into the other, all subject to each Experience’s Entry Limit, which may be found in Section 5 of the applicable Experience Rules. Each entry awarded in connection with this promotion will constitute a single, independent entry in the applicable Experience, will be treated the same as any other entry to the Experience and will have the same chance of winning as any other entry. See the applicable Experience Rules under “Stuff our lawyers want you to read” here: Win the Trip of a Lifetime on the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express ; Win A Dream Vacation on the Eastern & Oriental Express

*          *          *

Fundraising Transparency

This Experience is part of a fundraising campaign for Charities Aid Foundation America (“ CAF America ”), which is a globally recognized United States 501(c)(3) public charity (Federal Tax ID # 43-1634280). CAF America retains exclusive control over all donations raised in this Experience.

(a)   How it works :  Omaze and CAF America work together to offer incredible Experiences, like this one. You don’t have to donate to enter, but if you do, 100% of your donation goes to CAF America, who then distributes the donations, minus the Experience fees and costs, to the nonprofit(s) identified on the experience page (the “ Designated Grantee(s) ”). Our model allows CAF America and the non-profit grantees to spend less time worrying about raising funds and instead focus their energy on doing awesome work.

(b)  Where your donation goes : For Omaze Owned Experiences, like this one, 15% of the total donations goes to the Designated Grantee(s) via a grant from CAF America. (If there are multiple Designated Grantees, then this amount is equally distributed to each). CAF America retains a small percentage of the total donations (less than 1%) to cover its own operating costs. Omaze uses the remaining amount to pay for the Experience costs, such as Prize costs, payment processing fees, and advertising to awesome people like you, and to cover our operating costs of providing and maintaining the technology and team that makes this all happen. Owned Experiences have higher costs associated with prizing and promotion, which is why a larger percentage goes to Experience costs.

(c)   Designated Grantee Eligibility :   Before every Experience, CAF America confirms the Designated Grantee(s) as eligible to receive grants. In the rare case where, after the launch of an Experience but before distribution of the donations, a Designated Grantee fails to maintain eligibility (per CAF America’s grant-making policies and/or applicable laws), then CAF America may (i) withhold distribution of the donations until the Designated Grantee is eligible or (ii) reassign the donations to another nonprofit that supports a similar cause. If CAF America reassigns the donations to an alternate organization, the Experience page will be updated to identify what entity(ies) received the grant(s).

(d)   When will the Designated Grantee get the money?  Omaze sends 100% of donations from this Experience to CAF America within 2 business days of Omaze’s receipt of the donation. The speed at which CAF America distributes the donations to the Designated Grantee(s) depends on the classification of the Experience and can be anywhere from 2 weeks after Omaze received your donation to 90 days from the close of the Experience. In circumstances where a Designated Grantee fails to maintain eligibility to receive grants, the above grant distribution timeframes may be impacted.

For Experiences where the grant amount is a percentage of total donations ( e.g. , Premiere and Owned Experiences), CAF America will distribute the donations via multiple grants throughout the duration of the Experience, usually within 10-15 business days following CAF America’s receipt of donations from Omaze.

For Experiences where the grant amount is a percentage of Adjusted Donations (total donations minus Experience costs), CAF America will distribute donations after reconciliation of all Experience costs (usually within 15-90 days following the close of the Experience).

Copyright ©2021 Omaze, Inc. All third-party names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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Delta Is Giving Away an Epic Trip to the Paris Olympics This Summer — but You Have to Enter Soon

Courtesy of OnLocation

The Paris Olympics is a sought-after ticket this summer, but Delta Vacations is making sure one lucky sports fan gets there in style with a free vacation package to see Team USA in the City of Lights.

The grand prize winner will receive a trip for two to the Paris Olympic Games, Delta Vacations shared in a statement with Travel + Leisure , complete with round-trip main cabin Delta flights, a 6-night stay at a 5-star hotel in Paris, and tickets to six Olympic Games sessions, including the closing ceremony, men’s marathon swimming (which is expected to take place in the Seine ), beach volleyball, and more. The giveaway sweepstakes is open to travelers 21 years old and older through 11:59 p.m. ET on April 24.

Olympic fans must follow @deltavacations on Instagram to enter and comment on the sweepstakes post with their favorite vacation memory. Entrants must tag a friend in the post and use the hashtag “#DeltaVacationsSweepstakes.” The sweepstakes is limited to one entry per person.

The Olympic Games are set to kick off on July 26, and tickets are increasingly hard to come by. Travelers hoping to book a package for the games can still do so with the official hospitality partner, On Location , including packages with a hotel included.

Travelers who book an official hospitality package will also be able to visit the Team USA House , located inside the historic Palais Brongniart building. In the past, the Team USA House was reserved for athletes, their guests, and VIPs.

Beyond the Olympics, travelers who book a trip with Delta Vacations can save big since Delta Air Lines SkyMiles are worth at least 15 percent more when used to book a Delta Vacations trip. Travelers can also use those miles to cover the entire cost of a trip, including when booking hotels, transportation, and excursions.

Green Energy

• Electric train
• Los Angeles

The Las Vegas–LA electric high-speed rail line just broke ground

Brightline West, a future electric high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and Los Angeles, broke ground today in Nevada.

On December 6, 2023, Electrek reported that the Biden administration awarded Brightline West $3 billion in funding. The money was part of $6 billion previously earmarked for high-speed rail, and came from the Biden administration’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law as part of its Federal-State Partnership Program. (The other $3 billion will go to the public high-speed Los Angeles to San Francisco rail project, which has more than 100 miles of a high-speed line under construction.)

Brightline West will be a privately owned, 218-mile, all-electric high-speed rail service that will include a flagship station in Las Vegas (pictured above), with additional stations in Apple Valley, Hesperia, and Rancho Cucamonga. At speeds of more than 186 miles per hour, trains will take passengers from Las Vegas to Rancho Cucamonga, which is 37 miles east of downtown Los Angeles, in just 2 hours and 10 minutes – twice as fast as the normal drive time. 

Florida-based Brightline Holdings is expected to model the Las Vegas-LA rail line on its high-speed route between Miami and Orlando – the US’s only privately owned and operated intercity passenger railroad.

Brightline West estimates it will remove 3 million cars from I-15 annually, reducing over 400,000 tons of carbon emissions annually. It also anticipates creating an astounding 35,000 union jobs. The federal funding will enable the project, which is aiming to open by 2028, to begin construction.

Rick Harnish, executive director of the national nonprofit High Speed Rail Alliance , said today:

This is a transformational investment in American trains. Getting a high-speed line in operation this decade will show Americans this terrific way to travel. If you have ever felt frustrated by traffic gridlock or airport hassles, a better future just got closer.

Top comment by Al

I'm very excited to see this project completed. I never go to Vegas personally, but I think the more Americans that are introduced to the beauty of high speed rail, the less resistance there will be for future projects.

And why do people profess that the money spent has simply disappeared? That money went to jobs in the area and across the nation, both directly and indirectly. I've read that the economic multiplier is about 1.8, I don't understand how you have an issue with that.

Read more: The US’s busiest rail corridor just got a $16.4B boost – why that’s huge

Photos: Brightline West

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FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Michelle Lewis is a writer and editor on Electrek and an editor on DroneDJ, 9to5Mac, and 9to5Google. She lives in White River Junction, Vermont. She has previously worked for Fast Company, the Guardian, News Deeply, Time, and others. Message Michelle on Twitter or at [email protected]. Check out her personal blog.

Michelle Lewis's favorite gear

MacBook Air

Light, durable, quick: I'll never go back.

Because I don't want to wait for the best of British TV.

Rail spikes hammered, bullet train being built from Las Vegas to Los Angeles

LAS VEGAS (AP) — A $12 billion passenger bullet train linking Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area was dubbed the first true high-speed rail line in the nation on Monday, with the private company building it predicting millions of ticket-buyers will be boarding trains by 2028.

“People have been dreaming of high-speed rail in America for decades,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg before taking a stage with union representatives and company officials at the future site of a terminal to be built just south of the Las Vegas Strip. “It’s really happening this time.”

Buttigieg cited Biden administration support for the project that he said will bring thousands of union jobs, boost local economies and cut traffic and air pollution.

Brightline West, whose sister company  already operates a fast train  between Miami and Orlando in Florida, aims to lay 218 miles (351 kilometers) of new track almost all in the median of Interstate 15 between Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga, California. It would link there with a commuter rail connection to downtown Los Angeles. A station also is planned in San Bernardino County’s Victorville area.

Company officials say the goal is to have trains exceeding speeds of 186 mph (300 kph) — comparable to  Japan’s Shinkansen  bullet trains — operating in time for the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028.

“I believe we’ll look back at today and say, ‘This was the birth of an industry of high-speed rail,’” Brightline Holdings founder Wes Edens said Monday.

The company aims to link U.S. cities that are too near each other for air travel to make sense and too far for people to drive.

Las Vegas has no Amtrak service. The idea of a bullet train to Los Angeles dates back decades under various names including DesertXpress. Brightline West acquired the project in 2019, and company and public officials say it has all required right-of-way and environmental approvals, along with labor agreements.

Brightline received Biden administration backing including a  $3 billion grant  from federal infrastructure funds and recent  approval to sell  another $2.5 billion in tax-exempt bonds. The company won federal authorization in 2020 to sell $1 billion in similar bonds.

Brightline West says electric-powered trains will cut the four-hour trip across the Mojave Desert to a little more than two hours. It projects 11 million one-way passengers per year, with fares that Edens said will be comparable to airline ticket costs. The trains will offer rest rooms, Wi-Fi, food and beverage sales and the option to check luggage.

Officials hope the train line will relieve congestion on I-15, where drivers often sit in miles of crawling traffic while returning home to Southern California from a Las Vegas weekend. An average of more than  44,000 automobiles per day  crossed the California-Nevada state line on I-15 in 2023, according to Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority data.

Florida-based Brightline Holdings’  Miami-line debuted  in 2018 and expanded service to Orlando International Airport last September with trains reaching speeds up to 125 mph (200 kph). It offers 16 round-trips per day with one-way tickets for the 235-mile (378-kilometer) distance costing about $80.

Other fast trains in the U.S. include Amtrak’s Acela, which can top 150 mph (241 kph) between Boston and Washington, D.C. But fast train connections for other U.S. cities have been floated, including  Dallas to Houston ;  Atlanta to Charlotte, North Carolina ;  Chicago to St. Louis ; and  Seattle to Portland, Oregon.  Most have faced delays.

In California, a proposed 500-mile (805-kilometer) rail line linking Los Angeles and San Francisco was approved by voters in 2008, but has been beset by  rising costs and routing disputes . A 2022 business plan by the California High-Speed Rail Authority projected the  cost had more than tripled  to $105 billion.

Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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Ex-tabloid publisher testifies he scooped up possibly damaging tales to shield his old friend Trump

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Politics latest: Humza Yousaf scraps speech as he battles for future - but Sky News understands he won't be resigning today and is 'coming out fighting'

Scotland's first minister Humza Yousaf is battling to save his job as he faces a motion of no confidence. Listen to this week's Electoral Dysfunction podcast with Beth Rigby, Ruth Davidson and Jess Phillips while you scroll.

Friday 26 April 2024 09:38, UK

• Yousaf to cancel speech as he fights for his future
• Sky News was told last night the first minister would not be resigning and instead would be 'coming out fighting'
• Connor Gillies: The optics are tricky for Yousaf
• Rwanda bill causing migrants to head for Ireland, country's deputy PM says
• 'When they start caring about us, maybe we'll care back': Politics Hub special explores breakdown in trust between voters and politicians
• Serena Barker-Singh:  Stark and bleak view from Target Towns voters
• Latest  Electoral Dysfunction podcast explores what the local elections will bring
• Live reporting by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill

The optics are "tricky" for Scotland's first minister as he cancels a major event while embroiled in a fight for his political future, Sky's  Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies says .

Humza Yousaf is cancelling a speech he was due to deliver on independence in Glasgow this lunchtime, Sky News understands ( see previous post ).

Connor says it has been an "incredibly troubling time" for Mr Yousaf after the Scottish Greens said they would join opposition parties in backing a no-confidence motion in him next week ( see post at 6.30am ).  

It comes after Mr Yousaf ended a power-sharing agreement with the Greens yesterday in a move Connor says "backfired, potentially sensationally".

"No one predicted what would happen in the last 24 hours," Connor says. 

"What will happen in the coming 48 hours? Who knows..."

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf is to cancel a speech he was due to deliver on independence in Glasgow this lunchtime, Sky News understands.

The first minister's future is in the balance after the Scottish Greens said they will join other opposition parties in backing a motion of no confidence in him next week ( see that post at 6.30am ). 

However, he will not be resigning today, Sky News understands.

A source close to Mr Yousaf told  Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies  last night that he will not be quitting and is "coming out fighting" ( see post at 8.38am ).

The government "wants the credit" for falling inflation, but "didn't want to take the blame" for rising inflation, Labour's shadow business and trade secretary tells Sky News

"I think that inconsistency is fair to point out," Jonathan Reynolds says. 

He was responding to a question on whether, when blaming the government for rising costs of energy, food and fuel, his party can really say it wouldn't have been the same under a Labour government. 

He says Labour would look at why inflation was higher in the UK than in comparable countries and what it can change in future. 

He says the UK's "very significant exposure to fossil fuels, particularly gas prices," was partly to blame.

"That's why Labour's plan is for that sprint to clean, renewable energy and more nuclear energy to make sure we are never as exposed as that again."

People in Scotland "need change", shadow business and trade secretary Jonathan Reynolds tells Sky News, after Scottish Labour said they will back a motion of no confidence in First Minister Humza Yousaf. 

"It really does take something to make the Conservative group in Westminster look stable and organised, but the SNP have managed to provide that," he says. 

He says when he is in Scotland people tell him "they don't have one failing government, they've got two".

" They desperately want governments in both jurisdictions working together in a way which is about tackling the real problems people face," he says. 

He was responding to a question on whether Labour in Scotland were "putting party above country" by backing the tabled no-confidence motion and calling for new elections in Scotland.  

He says people across the UK are facing a choice between a "changed Labour Party focusing on growing the economy, or more chaos is under the Conservative Party across the UK or the SNP in Scotland".

"People want a chance ....  to have their say on those things," he says.

"The sooner they get it across all of the UK, but particularly in Scotland, the better it will be."

Mr Yousaf's political future hangs in the balance as the Scottish Greens, Labour and Lib Dems all say they will back the motion put forward by the Conservatives ( see post at 6.30am ). 

However, Sky News understands the first minister will not be resigning today ( see post at 8.38am ).

Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf will not be resigning today, Sky News understands.

A source close to Mr Yousaf told Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies last night that he will not be quitting and is "coming out fighting".

It comes after speculation late last night that he could on the verge of going.

Connor says it is unclear though whether a speech on independence will go ahead as planned later.

Mr Yousaf is facing a political crisis after the Scottish Greens said they would vote against him in a motion of no confidence.

The first minister had decided to bring the power-sharing deal between his party the SNP and the Scottish Greens to an end this morning, sparking the dramatic row.

The government's Rwanda bill "can't be justified," the shadow business and trade secretary tells Sky News as he is asked whether Labour would still scrap the scheme if it is shown to be effective. 

Jonathan Reynolds says he "strongly disagrees" that the law is already acting as a deterrent after Ireland's deputy prime minister said the threat of deportation to Rwanda is causing migrants to head for Ireland instead of the UK ( see post at 7.10am ).

"This is not really a deterrent, this is all about politics," Mr Reynolds says.

"We don't think the scheme can be justified. We don't think it can be justified on cost. We don't think it is effective. 

"We think there are proper, serious things you can do with that resource that would make a real impact on the problem of illegal migration."

He adds: "Just look at how this affects the perception of Britain around the world as well - a huge cost to our reputation as a serious country.

"So no, I'm afraid I cannot justify the Rwanda scheme at all in any way."

The controversial Safety of Rwanda Bill, which declares the African nation a safe country to deport asylum seekers to, became law yesterday after it was passed by parliament earlier this week. 

A question about who would be eligible to be sent to Rwanda under the government's new law appears to have left policing minister Chris Philp confused. 

In an awkward exchange on Question Time, an audience member asks him whether people who arrive in the UK from the Democratic Republic of Congo could be sent Rwanda, despite a long history of conflict between the neighbouring nations. 

The audience member asks: "Had my family members come from Goma [a city on the Democratic Republic of Congo's border with Rwanda] on a crossing right now, would they then be sent back to the country they are supposedly warring - Rwanda?"

"Does that make any sense to you?"

Mr Philp replied: "No, I think there's an exclusion on people from Rwanda being sent to Rwanda."

After the audience member clarified that his parents were "not from Rwanda". 

The Conservative MP then appeared to ask: "Well, I mean, Rwanda is a different country to Congo isn't it?

"It's a different country?"

The comment sparked laughter from the audience as shadow health secretary Wes Streeting looked in surprise around the room.

Mr Philp continued: "There is a clause in the legislation that says if somebody would suffer, I think the phrase is 'serious and irreversible harm' by being sent somewhere, they wouldn't be sent.

"So there is that safety mechanism built into the legislation."

The Rwanda Bill became law on Thursday after being granted Royal Assent. 

The prime minister has said the first flights will get off the ground in 10 to 12 weeks. 

Read more here:

The battle for a town that no one there wants.

Sky News is reporting from Grimsby in the run-up to the general election as one of its Target Towns - a key constituency prized by both Conservatives and Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

But it turns out that Grimsby doesn't really want them.

It hasn't always been a town doused in apathy. 

In 2016, 70% of people here voted to leave the EU - one of the highest results in the country - and in the 2019 election, the constituency turned Tory for the first time since the Second World War.

But five years on, polling by Sky News found that since then, the number of people saying they "almost never" trust the British government to place the needs of the nation above the interests of their own party has nearly doubled - from 26% to 49%.

It's a stark but bleak view. Voters described both leaders as uninspiring and uninteresting.

When asked what they make of the current prime minister, words like "weak" and "performative" were used. 

Voters couldn't make their minds up about the Labour leader, saying they were unsure about him or his policies.

The lack of a clear dividing line between the two parties could be a problem in the general election, especially as both parties have been trying to show a bit more leg this week ahead of a fully-fledged election campaign.

Labour has shown a hint of more radical policies, with their announcement on aiming to nationalise railways within five years. 

But have they waited a bit too long to impress the people of Grimsby?

The Conservatives ratified their Rwanda policy into law, but voters here weren't hugely enthused by that either, with one member of the audience tonight proclaiming they care much more about housing and the environment. 

They asked - why is the centre of political debate about Rwanda and a policy we don't really care about?

Apathy might override this election.

By  Jennifer Scott , political reporter

Voters in Grimsby - one of Sky News's election Target Towns - have been offering their views on politics, politicians and "broken promises".

The electoral battle in Grimsby and Cleethorpes,  the Target Towns , will be fierce. Labour will need an 11.7 point swing to win this newly-merged constituency back from the Conservatives.

In 2019, residents in Grimsby voted Tory for the first time since the end of the Second World War. The old Cleethorpes constituency was always more of a bellwether, having voted Conservative since 2010.

However, it has shed some of its rural, Conservative-voting residents in the merger.

Speaking on the  Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge , small business owner Shannon said she might not vote in the next general election later this year as she "just can't trust anything anybody says".

She said she has felt this way since Brexit - something Grimsby was overwhelmingly in support of - because "we were promised 'x' and 'y' and it hasn't happened, so I'm just totally disengaged from it".

Asked whether local MPs on the panel - Conservative Lia Nici and Labour's Melanie Onn - could change her mind, Shannon said "possibly", but reiterated how let down local people feel.

"We're promised a lot, but it's never delivered," she said. "Talk of things happening... and then it doesn't happen and people are just fed up... have been told this is what we're going to get, but it doesn't actually happen. And that's why people have just lost faith."

Following the prime minister's trip to Europe this week, Beth Rigby , Jess Phillips and Ruth Davidson examine whether Rishi Sunak is convincing on the world stage and ask if his announcement on defence spending will help the Conservatives' chances in next week's local elections.   

And after the Rwanda bill was passed this week - is this another win for the prime minister or a policy that he should have dumped months ago?   

Plus, what's the future for Scottish First Minister Hamza Yusuf following the breakdown of the coalition between the SNP and the Greens. Ruth Davidson who was the leader of the Scottish Conservatives gives her verdict.   

And how do MPs get deselected if they behave badly and can you become an MP if you have a past?  The team answer more of your questions. 

Listen here to the latest episode of Sky's Electoral Dysfunction podcast:

👉 Tap here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts 👈

Email Beth, Jess, and Ruth at  [email protected] , post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444.

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