Latest News

28/9/2026

Will the Christmas Card Die This Year?

Will the Christmas Card Die This Year? Rising postage, fuel and household costs are putting another old Christmas tradition under pressure Will this be the year when the Christmas card finally starts to disappear?.   Perhaps not completely.  

Today

US Diesel Threat: How Worried Should Britain Be About £2.50-a-Litre Fuel?

There are increasingly alarming headlines about the possibility of diesel reaching £2.50 a litre, or even higher, in Britain.   The immediate trigger is the threat of restrictions on US diesel exports.  

Today

Is Your Scottish Council Tax Suspiciously Cheap – Or Are You Paying Too Much?

A recent article from the Resolution Foundation asked an intriguing question about council tax in England: "My council tax is suspiciously cheap." It is a good question to ask in Scotland too.   The Scottish council tax system has a feature that can easily be forgotten.  

Today

Forever Chemicals: What Does England’s PFAS Problem Mean for Caithness?

Reports of contamination by so-called "forever chemicals" in parts of England are raising questions about how much is known about these persistent substances in Scotland.   The issue has become particularly prominent in parts of Lancashire and Cumbria, where investigations have found PFAS contamination in rivers, groundwater and land.  

Today

New First-Time Buyer Scheme: What It Means for Scotland and Caithness

A new government-backed scheme is being proposed to help first-time buyers in England overcome one of the biggest obstacles to getting onto the housing ladder: finding a deposit.   Prime Minister Andy Burnham announced the new Your First Home scheme on 26 September, with further details due to be confirmed by the Chancellor at next month's Budget.  

Today

Caithness This Past Week: Jobs, Transport, Dounreay and the Future of the Far North

It has been a busy week for news in Caithness, with stories ranging from the Wick and East Caithness by-election to a spectacular lorry fire, disruption on the A9 and railway, new flights to Wick and some important developments around Dounreay and Scrabster Harbour.   Taken individually, some of these stories may appear to have little connection with each other.  

Today

America Has a Bond Problem. Britain Has One Too – Why Governments Can't Simply Push Interest Rates Down

America Has a Bond Problem.  Britain Has One Too – Why Governments Can't Simply Push Interest Rates Down Governments have considerable power over economies, but there is one market they cannot completely control.  

Today

Help to Buy Is Back – But What Happens When More Buyers Chase Too Few Homes?

The Government is bringing back a version of Help to Buy in England, but there is an important question hanging over the scheme.   What happens when you give more people the ability to buy homes in a market where there are still not enough homes? The new scheme, called Your First Home, was announced on 26 September and is expected to be confirmed at next month's Budget.  

Today

Chinese Cars, EU Tariffs and Britain: Is There Any Easy Way Out?

Britain is facing an awkward choice over Chinese cars.   The European Union is pressing the UK to raise tariffs on Chinese-made vehicles and bring its trade policy closer to the EU's approach.  

Today

America's Mortgage Warning: What Happens When Houses Become Too Expensive to Buy?

America's housing market is beginning to show some warning signs.   This does not mean another 2008 financial crisis is developing.  

Today

Britain Has Chosen Defence. But Who Pays the Bill in Scotland?

Britain has made a major choice.  Defence spending is going up, and the Government has made clear that it intends to make national security one of the highest priorities for public spending.  

Today

The Cost-of-Living Squeeze Is Building Again – From Diesel and Energy to Food and Taxi Fares

For households trying to keep control of their finances, the worrying thing about the latest cost-of-living pressures is that there is no single cause.   Instead, several different costs are beginning to move in the same direction.  

Today

Taxes Can Rise Without Tax Rates Rising

How rising prices and frozen tax allowances can quietly increase the Treasury's income.   There is a curious feature of taxation which is easy to miss when we concentrate on the headline tax rates.  

Yesterday

England gets £210 million to bring boarded-up high streets back to life – what is Scotland doing?

The UK Government has announced a £210 million package aimed at bringing boarded-up and derelict buildings back into use across England.   The money is intended to tackle one of the most visible signs of decline in many British towns: empty shops, shuttered buildings and town-centre properties that have gradually become part of the landscape rather than places where people live, work or spend money.  

Yesterday

 
Sixth powerful attack submarine departs Barrow-in-Furness for sea trials

UK and Euro-Atlantic security will soon be boosted, as the Royal Navy’s sixth powerful attack submarine departs from Barrow-in-Furness.   Latest Astute Class submarine, HMS Agamemnon has sailed from the BAE Systems shipyard in Barrow-in-Furness.  

Yesterday : Advisory / Counseling Services

September is Scottish Start-Up Month – could your business idea become a reality?

September has become a month when Scotland's aspiring entrepreneurs are being encouraged to take a closer look at an idea that may have been sitting in the back of their minds for some time.   Scottish Start-Up Month, led by Business Gateway, has returned for 2026 with a simple message: if you have an idea for a business, this could be the month to take the first step.  

Yesterday

 
Government’s digital employment tools help thousands take the next step into work

Tens of thousands of jobseekers have already benefited from the Government’s new digital employment support tools, helping people build CVs, prepare for interviews and take the next step into work.   Around 20,000 people have used DWP’s Work Hub CV builder since launch in June.  

Yesterday

Turning 70 Does Not Mean Giving Up Driving – But the Rules Could Be Changing

For many people, reaching 70 used to be seen as the age when you might start thinking about giving up driving.   That is no longer the case.  

Yesterday

British companies to access prized Ukraine data to develop AI drone swarms

British companies will gain access to a goldmine of battlefield data from Ukraine for the first time to develop new AI models for advanced drone swarms.   New AI-enabled drone swarms will be made in Britain, using battlefield data from Ukraine.  

Yesterday

Are Today's Wars Becoming Another Spanish Civil War – With the Great Powers Fighting by Proxy?

The Spanish Civil War began in 1936 as a bitter internal conflict over the future of Spain.   It soon became something much bigger.