If you live in rural Britain, you don’t need an economist to tell you that the energy market is in free-fall. You see it every time you pass a petrol station forecourt, and you certainly feel it when you check the tank out the back of your house.
The banks have closed branches across the Highlands and customers have adapted. With Highland Council facing serious financial pressures, is it time to rethink permanent offices and take council services directly to the people who need them? There was a time when going to the bank meant visiting a branch.
Britain is preparing to spend tens of billions of pounds strengthening its electricity networks. But as battery storage becomes more widespread and communities develop their own energy systems, should we be asking whether every planned upgrade will still be necessary?.
The war between Russia and Ukraine is opening up another front, and it is one that could have implications far beyond the battlefield. Both countries are now attacking digital infrastructure, including the data centres that help keep modern economies functioning.
The owner of fashion brands Hobbs, Whistles and Phase Eight, TFG London, has been hit by a cyber attack affecting some of its IT systems. The company identified the incident on Sunday 11 October and is investigating with the help of external cyber security specialists.
The Representation of the People Bill is a substantial package of proposed changes to how elections are run in the UK. As of 12 October 2026, it is being scrutinised in the House of Lords, following its passage through the Commons.
Britain’s housing crisis is real, but blaming migration alone risks overlooking the workers, skills, taxes and businesses that newcomers can bring to the country. Should government be doing more to help people turn their potential into economic activity?.
The warning signs are appearing across Britain's high streets. Pubs are closing, major retailers are searching for new owners, and even successful shops are finding that the cost of occupying prominent premises can become difficult to justify.
The government is looking at the heating-oil market after households faced sharp price increases, cancelled orders and uncertainty about whether they were getting a fair deal. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has examined how the market operates and recommended stronger protections for consumers.
Quantum computing could create a new market for one of the world's scarcest materials. Canada has an established production capability, but the United States has its own supplies.
A European Commission decision has cleared the way for a four-turbine tidal energy project in Orkney. It is an important milestone, but the real test will be whether it leads to a commercially viable industry with lasting benefits for the north of Scotland.
Another escalation in the Middle East threatens to add to the pressure on diesel, petrol, heating oil and the cost of living. The danger lies not just in the attacks themselves, but in what happens to the oil supplies the world depends on.
The Chancellor John Healey will anounce the UK budget on 28 October 2026. Bill has dived into some places to see what would help Caithness and other rural areas.
Britain is spending billions of pounds on sickness benefits while the Department for Work and Pensions has failed to carry out millions of reassessments intended to check whether claimants still qualify for support. An investigation published by The Times on 11 October has revealed that around 1.8 million people receiving the health-related element of Universal Credit are waiting for a reassessment.
Supermarket bargains are tempting, but smaller bars, higher prices and changing recipes mean shoppers need to look beyond the special offer. Chocolate used to be one of life's affordable little pleasures.
Britain’s public finances are heading towards another difficult reckoning. With inflation rising, government borrowing becoming more expensive and public services under pressure, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned that the Chancellor faces some uncomfortable decisions in his Budget on 28 October.
Britain needs energy, the Treasury needs revenue and the North Sea needs investment. So why are two major oil and gas projects still waiting for the government to make up its mind? Britain is facing high energy costs, pressure on public finances and growing uncertainty about its future oil and gas supplies.
Highland Council is urging community groups to ‘apply now’ for its Winter Resilience Programme if they want grit bins in their local communities. The Highland Council’s winter service starts on Wednesday 14 October and the Council is ready to treat - according to its policy - the 6,787km of roads for which it has responsibility.
A UK trade mission to India has unlocked hundreds of jobs and new deals for businesses as Ministers and Mayors look to drive growth. Business, Environment and Scotland Secretaries arrive in India with one of the largest ever regional trade missions of businesses and northern Mayors.
History is full of investors who convinced themselves that prices could only go up. Artificial intelligence may genuinely transform the world, but that does not mean today's extraordinary investment boom will end happily for everyone.