For decades, people in the UK tended to view air conditioning as something that belonged elsewhere. It was associated with office buildings, hotels and hotter countries rather than their own homes.
The winds that sweep across the Western Isles have shaped the region for centuries—sculpting its machair, powering its fishing fleets, and defining the rhythm of island life. Today, those same winds are at the centre of a debate that reaches far beyond Lewis: a debate about how Scotland should pursue its renewable‑energy future, and what communities must weigh when global climate goals meet local realities.
Part 2 of the series: Scotland at the Crossroads – Money, Markets, and the Economics of Independence. Few questions in the independence debate carry as much weight or as much confusion as the question of currency.
Views are being sought on plans to introduce two new council tax bands for properties worth more than £1 million and £2 million respectively to help fund local public services across Scotland. A public consultation seeks responses on possible increases of around £720 and £3,600 above the current highest Band H council tax charges.
Councillor resignations over taxi‑licence scandal Highland Council saw three resignations after the licensing committee allowed a convicted rapist to retain his taxi licence. The decision triggered widespread anger across Caithness and beyond, with residents questioning how such a ruling was possible.
The Scottish Government's latest Economic Bulletin paints a picture of an economy that is continuing to grow—but only just. While Scotland has avoided recession, growth remains weak and businesses and households continue to face pressures from higher costs, global uncertainty and subdued consumer confidence.
The UK's savings system is dominated by ISAs and pensions. Together, they account for most personal savings.
Aluminium may not be something most people think about every day, but it is one of the most important industrial metals in the modern economy. It is used in everything from cars and aircraft to food packaging, beverage cans, construction materials, electrical equipment and household appliances.
New rules include a cap on donations from those who've lived overseas and tougher checks on company donations. New safeguards to stop foreign money influencing UK elections, including a timebound cap on donations on those who move to the UK from overseas.
Government steps up action to protect children with toy safety rules. Government launches Call for Evidence to ensure toy safety rules are fit for a modern age It will examine emerging risks including chemical safety and AI-enabled toys Part of wider action to crack down on unsafe products, strengthen consumer protections, and provide clarity to businesses to support trade and growth Children will be better protected from unsafe toys under new plans to ensure the UK’s toy safety framework is fit for the modern age, giving parents peace of mind that the products they buy are safe, whether purchased on the high street or online.
More than 300,000 residents in supported housing and temporary accommodation will no longer face a drop in income when increasing their working hours, under new rules laid in Parliament today [Monday 6 July 2026]. Residents in supported housing and temporary accommodation previously faced a “cliff edge” loss of income when increasing their working hours New changes to the welfare system which encourage work and ensure it always pays come into force in October.
NATO air policing conducted by F-35 jets from European aircraft carrier for first time in boost to High North security. Britain’s Carrier Strike Group, led by HMS Prince of Wales, is helping to defend Europe and the North Atlantic, with F-35 jets conducting NATO air policing operations from the deck for the first time.
Many major tech companies have pledged to pay their fair share of the costs associated with generating and transmitting more electricity to serve large data centers. But ratepayers across the United States are worried about the potential costs they might have to bear.
The UK is sanctioning Russian actors involved in the development of deadly toxins Novichok and Epibatidine, linked to the deaths of Alexei Navalny and Dawn Sturgess. The UK is sanctioning Russian actors involved in the research, development and production of the deadly Novichok nerve agents and the lethal toxin Epibatidine used in the poisoning of Alexei Navalny and Dawn Sturgess.
Student Loans are becoming an interesting political issue because reports suggest the UK Government is considering making the student loan system in England more generous again. Possibly by increasing the salary threshold at which graduates start repaying, or reducing the amount they repay.
For more than half a century, Britain has pursued a remarkably consistent ambition to encourage more young people to go to university. It has been one of the most successful education policies in modern British history.
For many younger people, it is almost impossible to imagine becoming a bank manager, engineer, surveyor or senior civil servant without first obtaining a university degree. Yet for much of the twentieth century, that was precisely how Britain developed many of its most capable professionals.
Part 1 of a series: Scotland at the Crossroads – Money, Markets, and the Economics of Independence. Other articles will be publish in the coming week expanding the topic about various aspects of how money, savings mortgages etc might be treated under an independent Scotland without bias one way or another.
Europe’s energy crisis is often spoken about as something triggered by war, sanctions, and sudden disruption. But in reality, it has evolved into something more structural: a long-term rebalancing of where Europe gets its gas, how much risk it is willing to tolerate, and how far it is prepared to go—literally and politically—to secure supply.
Every few years Britain seems to rediscover the same argument. Student loans are too high.