Latest News

Today

Could you survive without Microsoft? Inside the costs of digital dependence

When I arrived at work to discover that Outlook had vanished from my computer, I wondered how I was supposed to get through my working day.  No emails.  

Today

Canada Turns to Europe: How Trump's Aluminium Tariffs Are Reshaping North American Trade

The trade dispute between the United States and Canada is beginning to produce consequences that could extend well beyond the two countries.  Canadian aluminium producers are increasingly looking towards Europe for customers, while American manufacturers face the possibility that supplies they once took for granted may become more expensive or harder to secure.  

Today : Local Authority

Highland's £2.1 Billion Investment Gamble: Rising Interest Rates, Construction Costs and Energy Prices Create New Risks

Highland Council's ambitious 20-year investment programme was designed to modernise schools, roads and public buildings.  But higher borrowing costs, construction inflation and rising energy prices are raising questions about whether the original financial assumptions will still stand up.  

Today

Scotland's Budget: Is Westminster Giving with One Hand and Taking Away with the Other?

The Scottish Budget on 3 December will reveal how much financial room the Scottish Government really has.  Despite an additional £600 million from Westminster, falling capital funding, inflation and a substantial tax adjustment leave ministers facing difficult choices.  

Today

Britain's Solar Revolution: Could Those Without Panels End Up Paying More for Electricity?

Britain is experiencing a rapid expansion in solar power.  More households, businesses and public buildings are installing panels, encouraged by falling equipment costs, concerns about electricity prices and the desire to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.  

Yesterday : Local Authority

Almost £500,000 awarded to community transport groups across the Highlands

Community transport groups across the Highlands have been awarded grants totalling £498,000 to support local transport services in 2027/28.   The grants will support 34 community transport providers, including seven new recipients, whose services play a vital role in helping people access services, connecting communities and addressing local transport challenges.  

Yesterday

The New Technology Giants: Databricks, the AI Revolution and Britain's Race to Catch Up

A new generation of technology companies is attracting enormous investment, expanding at extraordinary rates and changing the way businesses operate.  One of the most striking examples is Databricks, an American company whose recent valuation reached $134 billion.  

Yesterday

When the Cloud Goes Dark: What the Microsoft Outage Reveals About Business Vulnerability

The global Microsoft outage on 12 and 13 November has provided another uncomfortable reminder of just how dependent modern businesses have become on a relatively small number of technology companies.   For thousands of organisations, the working day depends on services such as Outlook, Microsoft 365, Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive.  

Yesterday

The New Industrial Revolution: How AI Data Centres Are Transforming America – and What Scotland Can Learn

America is embarking on a new industrial revolution, but this time the factories are rather different.  Instead of producing cars, steel or machinery, they are producing something less visible but increasingly valuable: computing power.  

Yesterday

Ukraine’s drone pioneers bring battle-tested tech and high-skilled jobs to Britain

High-skilled jobs are coming to Britain as Ukrainian drone pioneers UFORCE expand their UK operations, bringing battle-tested technology developed on the frontline to the UK.   Battle-tested Ukrainian drone technology to be produced and engineered in Britain as £113 million National Wealth Fund investment boosts UFORCE expansion and manufacturing in the UK.  

Yesterday

 
Global clean electricity to cut bills and boost energy security

UK backs Türkiye’s ‘35 by 35’ pledge to increase electricity’s share of global energy use to 35% by 2035.   UK publishes clean electrification roadmap showcasing steps the UK is taking to unlock the benefits of electrification for families and businesses.  

12/11/2026

UK Economy Grows Again, But Is the Recovery Reaching Ordinary Businesses and Households?

Britain's economy continued to grow in September, but the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal an uneven picture.  While some business services and manufacturing industries are performing well, construction remains under pressure and there are signs that consumer-facing businesses are finding conditions difficult.  

12/11/2026

Milburn Review: Could Under-25s Lose Disability Benefits in Radical Welfare Overhaul?

The welfare system could be heading for one of its biggest changes in years, with young people aged 18 to 24 potentially losing access to two important sickness and disability benefits under proposals being developed by former Labour Health Secretary Alan Milburn.   The proposals, which are expected to feature in his government-commissioned review due to be published on 17 November 2026, could leave some young people with considerably less financial support than they receive today.  

12/11/2026

Trading Standards - Delivery Scams

At this time of year, with more people buying Christmas presents and Black Friday deals online, there is always an increase in delivery scams.   Scammers typically direct people to malicious websites by sending scam text messages and emails impersonating delivery companies which claim that you need to rearrange a missed delivery.  

12/11/2026

Trading Standards - Emergency Locksmith Scams

There have been more reports from across the country of scams related to locksmiths.  Consumers who have phoned locksmiths in an emergency have been quoted one price, then charged hundreds of pounds more once the work has been completed.  

12/11/2026

Britain's Industrial Recovery Remains Fragile as Manufacturing Struggles to Offset Declining Output Elsewhere

Britain's manufacturing industry is showing some encouraging signs of improvement, but the latest official figures suggest that the country's wider industrial recovery remains fragile.   Figures published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on 12 November show that total production output increased by just 0.1% during the third quarter of 2026, covering July to September.  

12/11/2026

Scotland's Housing Crisis: Why Are We Still Failing to Build the Homes People Need?

A look at the shortage of affordable housing, rising homelessness, struggling first-time buyers and the challenge facing Scotland's communities.   Scotland has a housing problem that has been developing for years, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.  

12/11/2026

Cyber attack fears soar in UK manufacturing and retail, but action plans lag behind

Since autumn 2024, the share of UK manufacturers worried that cyber attacks will hit their supply chains has risen almost sixfold, and wholesalers and retailers are more than five times as worried, reveals Parcelhero.   With AI concern rising too, and M&S, the Co-op, Jaguar Land Rover and Europe’s supermarket fridge hacks as warnings, half of retailers and over half of transport and storage firms still have no resilience action planned.  

12/11/2026

Britain's Trade Deficit Widens: Imports Surge While Exports Struggle to Keep Pace

Britain's trade position deteriorated significantly during the third quarter of 2026, with imports rising much faster than exports and the overall trade deficit widening by £6.2 billion.   The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), covering September and the three months from July to September, highlight a continuing weakness in Britain's trade in physical goods.  

12/11/2026

UK Construction Industry Struggles Despite September Improvement: Housebuilding Remains a Major Weakness

Britain's construction industry is showing signs of improvement in some areas, but the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal an industry still struggling to regain momentum.   Construction output increased in September, bringing some welcome relief after four consecutive monthly falls.