SNP slammed for ‘mind-boggling’ food price cap plans Retail The Scottish government has been criticised for its “mind-boggling” plans to impose price caps on major retailers operating in the country, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Aldi. The Scottish National Party (SNP) has published a draft bill for the policy, which has been dismissed as an “unnecessary exercise” by leading retailers. SNP leader John Swinney’s initial [...]
Scotland’s tax hike may have backfired as receipt falls Economics The Scottish government’s decision to raise the top rate of income tax may have backfired, according to analysis by the lawyer Dan Neidle. Neidle’s research on tax data suggested that a decision to increase the top income tax rate to 48 per cent led to lower receipts. HMRC data from 2024-25 suggested that the Scottish [...]
Former SNP chief admits embezzling £400K of party funds to ‘bankroll lavish lifestyle’ Politics The former chief executive of the Scottish National Party, Peter Murrell, who is also Nicola Sturgeon’s estranged husband, has been remanded in custody after pleading guilty to embezzling hundreds of thousands of pounds from the party. Murrell pleaded guilty on Monday morning when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh. Murrell admitted using “false [...]
City analysts brand SNP food price cap ‘hair brained’ May 19, 2026 Top city analysts have slammed the SNP’s pledge to cap food prices as “hair brained,” as the party’s leader refuses to walk back from the policy. City broker Shore Capital said the SNP’s proposals to cap the prices of some foods would risk diminishing choice, hampering investment in Scotland’s food industry and could even threaten [...]
The absolute insanity of the SNP’s plan to cap the price of food May 19, 2026 The political drama (or farce) of Westminster politics will dominate the news agenda for the rest of the summer. The high-stakes Makerfield by-election next month will be followed by a Labour leadership election – or, possibly, a coronation – leading to a change of Prime Minister and an entirely new policy agenda. The consequences of [...]
Some Scots to get bank holiday to celebrate Fifa World Cup January 5, 2026 Some Scots will enjoy a bank holiday this year to celebrate the national team’s return to the Fifa World Cup. Scotland qualified for the event – co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico – to reach their first World Cup since 1998. And Scottish First Minister John Swinney has said that 15 June will [...]
Trump hails relationship with Starmer – but no steel exemptions yet July 28, 2025 In a Scottish golfing holiday that has swiftly given way to a multi-sided international summit, Keir Starmer has held a bilateral meeting with Donald Trump which has spanned from the UK-US trading relationship to immigration policy and international conflicts. Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds had tempered expectations of immediate steel tariff progress ahead of the meeting, [...]
India launches air strikes on Pakistan, as UK ready to ‘support’ deescalation May 7, 2025 The UK is ready to “support” both India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions following an exchange of fire between the two nations, a minister has said. Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the situation in Kashmir was “hugely worrying”, just hours after signing a billion pound trade deal that had been three years in the making. [...]
Grangemouth: Green future for oil refinery needs £3.5bn, report finds March 19, 2025 Delivering a green future for the Grangemouth oil refinery will require around £3.5bn in private investment, a report has found. The long-awaited Project Willow study, which itself cost £1.5m, sets out nine options for the future of the industrial cluster in central Scotland. Hundreds of jobs are set to be lost this year when the [...]
It’s time for England to stop subsidising Scotland and Wales December 4, 2024 The devolved nations are living on another planet economically because England essentially pays for their deficits. This has to stop, says Paul Ormerod Every single pensioner will continue to receive payments towards their winter fuel. This is not some fantasy world in which the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has abandoned one of her flagship policies. It [...]