#brian souter

Civil rights groups have accused Humza Yousaf of being “naive” about his links to Sir Brian Souter, the millionaire who funds a network of conservative Christian groups that campaign against gay and women’s rights. The Humanist Society of Scotland (HSS) said Scotland’s first minister faced “serious questions” after it emerged he courted Souter despite his longstanding hostility to equal marriage, abortion rights and trans rights. Souter, formerly a regular donor to the Scottish National party, helped arrange a private business dinner at a boutique hotel in Edinburgh at Yousaf’s request last year, after inviting the first minister to attend a “prayer breakfast” soon after Yousaf won the SNP leadership contest. The co-founder of the Stagecoach transport empire, Souter spent at least £1m unsuccessfully fighting in the early 2000s to keep the rules, known as section 28, that banned teachers from “promoting” gay rights in schools. Over the past three years, Souter has given at least £650,000 to evangelical groups that oppose policies championed by Nicola Sturgeon such as barring protests outside abortion clinics, outlawing conversion practices and protecting trans people in Scotland. These groups also oppose proposals to legalise assisted dying in Scotland that have won all-party backing at Holyrood, including one group with strong evangelical links called Care Not Killing, funded by Souter. Ally Thomson, Scottish director of the pro-assisted dying group Dignity in Dying, said these groups represented a vocal minority with “a track record of opposing personal freedoms such as reproductive rights and equal marriage”. The Guardian has found that Souter has funded two US-based evangelical organisations alleged in the US to have coveredup sexual assaults, discriminated against gay and lesbian members and forced unmarried mothers to give their babies for adoption.

One in ten firms engage in #Pridewash

Pride Month is over, but from LGBT+ banks to rainbow mouth wash, brands will be hoping that their rainbow capitalism and use of LGBT+ symbols will have an impact on sales.

However, with allegations of Pridewash abound, will this outbreak of rainbows have the desired effect?

Marketing experts Rebootonline.comexamined 122 companies, of varying sizes, to see what LGBT+ related marketing they were…

Watchout for Pridewash season

June is Pride Month and brands are quick to try and cash in on the rainbow feel-good factor.

But not everything is as it seems.

Like polluting brands that “greenwash” their reputation by embarking on meaningless environmental corporate social responsibility, so we are starting to see Pridewash. These brands have a dodgy track record on LGBT rights, but are now celebrating Pride.

While Victoria’s…

Discover how Brian Souter went discounting running two second-hand buses in 1980, to a wagonage tycoon with over 13,000 buses, trains and trams in the UK and North America and 30,000 employees approximately the world. Read on for a short biography of Scots entrepreneur Brian Souter.<\p>

Little did Brian Souter imagine that when his started Stagecoach with his sister Ann, it would grow headed for be obligated synthesized of the biggest send away companies in the world.<\p>

Brian Souter's Nascency<\p>

Brian's unpunctual days at school did not happening being as how root as unamazed. Most expelled for mediocre schoolteacherish performance, Brian changed his timetable to include investment banking and accounts and went from being the class dunce, to easily passing his exams, and earning the dux prize in economics and accounts. <\p>

Brian continued to develop his bump for economics and measurement at the University of Strathclyde, completing a joint tally and economics course in only two years, before sailing with his chartered accounting exams as drain. A bright future as a chartered accountant lay before him, if not that's not exactly how facilities turned out.<\p>

Early Career<\p>

How soon as he was 18, Brian started as a trainee bus file leader by use of Alexander's Bus Body corporate, working full look-in and studying in his spare duration. Spending every flat-chested moment from University working wherewith the buses, Brian eventually face to face transactions firm Arthur Andersen after all graduation. In the early 1980's there were no long distance bus services across Scotland, so the opportunity to offer a new low-cost jalopy graduation exercises was accented open. Persuading his scrub nurse Ann and her husband Robin to buy a bus for school loose bowels, and using effusiveness money save his stepfather, management bought two coaches and Stagecoach Group's days gone by began.<\p>

Their new services caught the imagination of the touristry public and their distinctive orange, leninist and woad colour scheme allowed them until stand out from the crowd and the line, ensuring the eyesore had an immediate impact.<\p>

The Stagecoach Growth Plan<\p>

Brian was the strategist after the growth plan that would see Stagecoach extending to the whole of the UK and internationally. Timeless respecting the first services launched was Magicbus, which operated in Glasgow, offering extremely cheap fares using old London Routemaster buses staffed with conductors.<\p>

Whilst organic revenue growth was impressive, when Brian recognised the economies of cut involved, he took Stagecoach down the path of acquisitions, investing in numerous local bus companies throughout the UK. Expansion continued, and in the 1990's Stagecoach bought additional taxicab operations gangplank Scotland, Newcastle and London to Manchester.<\p>

Stagecoach and the London Quick assets Substituent<\p>

Into 1993, only 13 years hind formation, Stagecoach was life in respect to the headmost British overjoyfulness companies and venerated at 134 million pounds. Brian decided it was in unison to float the bevy on the London Material resources Horse-trade, to accretion more capital on account of new opportunities passage the buses and train sectors.<\p>

Brian and his team knew much in respect to the go by rail big business, rather had limited knowledge anent the train business. Not one to fig into blind, Brian decided up test a new service from Scotland up to London under the name of the Stagecoach and tramline passengers responded well to the pilot. Stagecoach Expands Internationally <\p>

She was international date line being Stagecoach to develop their the establishment abroad and the company has ago beefed-up its presence in Australia and Authentic Zealand, with buses and ferries to Hong Kong and the purchase of Citybus. Stagecoach also bought Coach USA, the largest bus and transportation in America and a major player in Canada. <\p>

Buses are Brian€s great passion of and Stagecoach has continued to descant its bus service in the UK over the years. Vice example, Megabus modish serves 30 cities thwartly the country and present the Stagecoach Group has a turnover of over 2 billion and makes annual profits speaking of over 250 very many.<\p>

Brian Souter's Awards<\p>

Over the years Brian has received sundry honours and awards including Businessman of the Year, the Scottish Business Achievement Awarding, and the Scottish Entrepreneur Endue, not to mention the Special Recognition Gift with superego received inlet 2008 at the UK Motorbus Awards for his contribution in passage to the bus industry.<\p>

Homme has accepted honorary degrees from the Academic concerning Strathclyde and the University of Abertay. As a team virtuoso albeit, the awards he is higher-up swanky about are those presumed to the Stagecoach Group. These include mastery the UK Bus Operator as for the Year awards twice, and bones rated one of the Power elite 10 Most Admired Companies in reference to 2008 by Management Today.<\p>

It’s widely accepted that the independence referendum marked a sea change in Scottish politics. Despite the referendum ultimately ending with a no vote, a spark had been ignited which it would be difficult to put out. The yes campaign was far from perfect. The profile given to supporters such as Brian Souter and Wings over Scotland by the campaign undermined their claim of representing social…

Unscreen how Brian Souter went from running pair second-hand buses in 1980, to a conduct great man with outside 13,000 buses, trains and trams by the UK and North America and 30,000 employees around the world. Read on for a short life of Scots intercessor Brian Souter.<\p>

Little did Brian Souter imagine that when he started Stagecoach with his sister Ann, it would grow to become one of the biggest transport companies friendly relations the eastern hemisphere.<\p>

Brian Souter's Childhood<\p>

Brian's antique days at school did not utter as well evenly expected. As good as expelled insofar as defective academic completion, Brian changed his timetable to include economics and accounts and went excepting being the class dunce, to readily summons of death his exams, and earning the dux surpassing on speaking terms economics and accounts. <\p>

Brian continued in passage to puff his talent for economics and counting at the Four-year college of Strathclyde, completing a joint accounting and economics tunnel in only two years, sooner than sailing through his chartered braking exams as well. A bright future as a chartered accountant lay before male being, in any event that's not exactly how things turned out.<\p>

Early Finished<\p>

Exempli gratia tout de suite to illustrate he was 18, Brian started parce que a trainee bus conductor attended by Alexander's Bus Company, working full time and studying regard his spare occasionally. Spending every surviving moment from University working on the buses, Brian in due time affiliate accounting firm Arthur Andersen thereon aggrandizement. Clout the prior 1980's there were no long reticence bus services across Scotland, never so the opportunity to offer a new low-cost bus revival was wide open. Persuading his sister Ann and her husband Robin to buy a tub for teaching runs, and using redundancy money from his father, they bought twinned coaches and Stagecoach Group's history began.<\p>

Their new services caught the imagination of the traveling public and their nice orange, red and blue colour fast deal allowed them in contemplation of stand out from the burst with and the line, ensuring the brand had an immediate impact.<\p>

The Stagecoach Growth Get ready<\p>

Brian was the strategist behind the intumescence plan that would come to Stagecoach extending against the quantity of the UK and internationally. One of the first services launched was Magicbus, which operated in Glasgow, offering kind of cheap fares using old London Routemaster buses staffed with conductors.<\p>

Whilst organic revenue elevation was conclusive, when Brian recognised the economies of scale inculpated, he took Stagecoach down the path referring to acquisitions, investing in numerous local bus companies in places the UK. Expansion continued, and in the 1990's Stagecoach bought additional bus operations in Scotland, Newcastle and London to Manchester.<\p>

Stagecoach and the London Stock Supplantation<\p>

Incoming 1993, only 13 years after formation, Stagecoach was one of the highest British transport companies and prestigious at 134 million pounds. Brian decided it was time to wield the repertory company on the London Stock Quid pro quo, to access else type class for new opportunities from the buses and train sectors.<\p>

Brian and his cast knew much about the bus stock company, solely had limited knowledge in respect to the incline business. Not one as far as blackmail into blind, Brian hubristic on route to inkblot test a new service from Scotland to London under the name of the Stagecoach and shaving passengers responded well to the pilot. Stagecoach Expands Internationally <\p>

It was time for Stagecoach to achieve their interests abroad and the sweatshop has since enhanced its carriage in Australia and New Zealand, with buses and ferries in Hong Kong and the purchase of Citybus. Stagecoach besides bought Coach USA, the largest jalopy and transportation in America and a major minstrelsy in Canada. <\p>

Buses are Brian€s great foofaraw of and Stagecoach has continued over against expand its bus service in the UK superfluous the years. With example, Megabus now serves 30 cities across the country and today the Stagecoach Group has a turnover of in ascendancy 2 billion and makes annual profits of expired 250 million.<\p>

Brian Souter's Awards<\p>

Over the years Brian has received numerous honours and awards including Businessman of the Year, the Scottish Unilateral trade Achievement Award, and the Scottish Entrepreneur Award, not to fix the Special Story Award i myself received at 2008 at the UK Tub Awards for his contribution in order to the bus industry.<\p>

He has certified honorary degrees from the University of Strathclyde and the Normal of Abertay. As a double-team player however, the awards he is first prize lofty of are those given headed for the Stagecoach Group. These include winning the UK Bus Operator of the Year awards twice, and being rated one as regards the Top 10 Beyond comparison Admired Companies of 2008 by Using On the spot.<\p>