Image source, Renfrewshire Council

It all began with exotically patterned, delicate woollen shawls which were originally from Kashmir but European manufacturers began to produce cheaper versions to meet demand.

From roughly 1800 to 1850, the weavers of the town of Paisley became the foremost producers of these shawls.

Unique additions to their hand-looms and Jacquard looms allowed them to work in five colours when most weavers were producing paisley using only two.

The design became known as the Paisley pattern.

The shawl went out of fashion in the 1870s, but the pattern that had decorated them is still popular around the world today.

Labour MSP Neil Bibby says both titles are important and showcases Scotland's culture.

Mr Bibby says his contribution will focus mainly on Paisley as he was born, brought up and still lives there.

The Labour MSP says the Paisley pattern shaped the town's social heritage.

He says the town's abbey connects the town's present and past.

Image source, PAISLEY2021

In April the streets of Paisley were filled with the sound of saxophones in a unique tribute to one of the town's most famous sons.

About 25 musicians took part in a mass outdoor rendition of the iconic sax solo from Gerry Rafferty's Baker Street.

It was organised as a tribute to the late singer who would have celebrated his 70th birthday that month.

Paisley-born Rafferty died aged 63 in 2011, after a long illness.

Read more here.

Image source, PAISLEY2021

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Liam Kerr says Paisley's bid focuses on improving the town and he says a successful bid would boost the economy by £172.

Mr Kerr also backs Dundee's bid to be the 2023 European Capital of Culture.

A 17-year-old Lego builder and film-maker is helping to promote Paisley's bid to become UK City of Culture 2021, external.

Morgan Spence made a short Lego animation which features some of the town's best-known buildings, products and celebrities.

Singer Paolo Nutini, actor Gerard Butler and artist and playwright John Byrne are among those recreated as Lego figures for the film.

Morgan said he wanted to show off what Paisley had given to the world.

Read more here.

Image source, JSHPIX.CO

Paisley is to be given financial support from the Scottish government if it wins the UK City of Culture title.

The Renfrewshire town is one of five contenders vying for the accolade in 2021, which is to be announced by the UK government in December.

Other bidders in the competition are Coventry, Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland and Swansea.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said Paisley made a significant contribution to Scotland's "rich cultural life".

She said: "Scottish ministers have been consulted on the plans being submitted by Paisley to support the delivery of the bid.

"The Scottish government is including its contribution to the Paisley bid within its spending review plans as will the national agencies."

Read more here.

Tory MSP Liam Kerr says his party support both bids and recognise the significant contributions that Paisley and Dundee bring to Scotland.

Mr Kerr says, if successful, Paisley will become the third UK city of culture.

The Tory MSP says he visited the Love Street in the town during the 1980's for football away days.

He says he is delighted to see Paisley in the running because there are game changing results with the title.

Image source, DUNDEE2023

Taken from the DUNDEE2023 website, external:

"We want DUNDEE2023 to bring the city together, to connect people and places through events and amazement. We want to look outward to the rest of Europe, to make connections through our shared creativity that strengthen our ties and make us truly European.

"We want our whole city and its region to be animated by this glorious year, and to feel and be a part of it. We want Dundonians to feel brilliant and not be shy about showing it. We want them to meet people they never dreamed of meeting, and to see incredible things they will never forget. We want to party in the parks, and country dance with new countries.

We want to celebrate our identity and challenge it as well – to ask where we belong, and who our neighbours are. We want a young Lithuanian to point to us on a map and say ‘that’s where my friend lives’. We want a gran in Stobswell to learn circus skills from a Hungarian teenager. We want to go beyond the city limits – literally and metaphorically."

Ms Hyslop says she wants to recognise the community engagement around Paisley's bid.

The culture secretary says this is a tale of two places as she goes on to talk about the City of Discovery.

She says Dundee can be a beacon to the rest of the world.

Ms Hyslop says it is little wonder that Dundonians are striving to become the next European Capitl of Culture following Glasgow's success in 1990.

She says the strap line for the bid is "Be Brilliant".

Image source, Paisley 2021

Taken from the Paisley 2021 website:, external

"Paisley's bid for UK City of Culture 2021 is part of a wider push to use the town's unique cultural and heritage assets to transform its future.

"Winning the 2021 culture title will have significant benefits:

• It will create the equivalent of 4,700 jobs over the next decade and boost the local economy by £172m, leaving a lasting legacy for all of Renfrewshire;
• It means a programme of major events and world-class culture, bringing an estimated 1.7m attendances in 2021;
• It will bring much-needed footfall and boost our plans to build a new long-lasting town centre economy with culture, heritage, events and tourism at its heart;
• Involvement in culture is proven to be good for people's health and well-being. Our 2021 year will offer culture for all, and create opportunities for everybody in Renfrewshire to access those benefits;
• Plus, it is already raising awareness of Paisley's internationally-significant story, helping to transform the town's image at home and abroad, and building a new sense of pride in Paisley."

Find out what's on, external

Read more here, external

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop says we are here to debate two places Paisley and Dundee.

Ms Hyslop says Paisley is not a city but, Scotland's largest town has the ambition to be one.

The culture secretary says Paisley's big journey has been inspiring and there has been extensive community engagement.

She says a year-long programme of events have been organised for the bid.

Image source, bbc

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop begins with some Dickens, from a Tale of Two Cities.

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

"We had everything before us.”

The Scottish government will now lead a debate in support of Paisley's 2021 UK City of Culture and Dundee's 2023 European Capital of Culture Bids.

Image source, bbc

LIb Dem MSP Liam McArthur asks what assurances Ms Cunningham can provide that the four LEZs won't undermine initiatives elsewhere in Scotland.

Ms Cunningham says this is a separate area of funding and air quality is an issue for the whole of the country.

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham says the government does have a good record and Scotland does have better air quality than rUK.

Ms Cunningham says the government are putting significant funding into this.

She says she will not talk about Barnett consequentials and that is a question for Finance Secretary Derek Mackay,

Image source, bbc

Green MSP Mark Ruskell welcomes the statement on behalf of the Greens but says perhaps the statement is three years too late.

Mr Ruskell asks about funding for the LEZs and he asks for all the Barnett consequentials from the UK government's spending on NO2 be spent on the same here in Scotland.