News Archive

12/10/2025

 
Could digital currencies end banking as we know it? The future of money

Throughout history, control over money has been one of the most powerful levers of state authority.  Rulers have long understood that whoever issues and manages the currency also commands the economy and, by extension, society itself.  

12/10/2025

 
Russia is turning to African women and conscripted North Koreans to tackle its defence worker shortage

US president Donald Trump has said Ukraine could win back all of the territory it has lost in the ongoing war, but Russia's president Vladimir Putin shows no signs of wanting a peace deal, or reducing the military offensive.   Instead, night after night Russia continues to launch hundreds of drones and missiles at Ukraine, killing civilians and destroying homes, public buildings and infrastructure.  

12/10/2025

British travellers told to expect checks under EU's Entry-Exit System

Travellers to Europe, including Brits, subject to new entry registrations from today under a phased implementation of the EU's new digital border system.   The Entry Exit System (EES) requires non-EU citizens to register at the EU border by scanning their passport and having their fingerprints and photograph taken.  

12/10/2025

Royal Marines' bullseye shot stops £35m illegal drugs shipment in the Middle East

It comes as the latest in a series of drug seizures by the Royal Navy in the Gulf region.   Royal Marine snipers disabled a drugs boat speeding across the Gulf of Oman as frigate HMS Lancaster dealt a £35 million blow to the illegal narcotics trade.  

12/10/2025

Greater Anglia is latest train operator to be nationalised

Rail services between London, Essex and Cambridgeshire have been brought into government ownership after the third train company was nationalised today 12 October 2025.   Greater Anglia will soon be joined by West Midlands Trains, which will be nationalised on February 1, 2026.  

12/10/2025

 
U.S./China Tariff Shock - What It Means for UK Business

The United States has fired a fresh salvo in its economic standoff with China, announcing a sweeping 100% tariff on all Chinese imports effective from 1 November 2025.   Framed as a national security measure, the move is poised to reshape global supply chains, rattle markets, and send ripple effects across the Atlantic with UK businesses caught in the crosscurrents.  

12/10/2025

What work means to working-class young men in an age of increasing automation

For years we've been warned that technological advances and artificial intelligence (AI) are set to sweep people out of work.  But when we think about whose jobs are really under threat, the answer isn't quite so simple.  

12/10/2025

Gold and Silver Values Soar Even Higher As Dollar Falls

Gold and silver prices are soaring to new record highs due to geopolitical and economic uncertainty, with investors flocking to these assets as a safe haven.   Silver, in particular, is outpacing gold, driven by a combination of investor fear, strong industrial demand for its use in technology and green energy, and a tight supply.  

12/10/2025

What could burst the AI bubble?

Some of the world's biggest tech firms have soared in value over the last year.  As AI evolves at pace, there are hopes that it will improve lives in ways that people could never have imagined a decade ago - in sectors as diverse as healthcare, employment and scientific discovery.  

11/10/2025

 
Trading Standards - Storm Damage - Find Trusted Traders & Report Issues

Following Storm Amy there is likely to be an increase in roofing and property maintenance scams, with cold callers knocking on doors and offering to repair damage on the spot, providing high quotes for repair work.   If your property needs repair or maintenance work carried out, make sure you find the right trader.  

11/10/2025

Women out of employment in their late 50s harder-hit by state pension age increases; enhanced targeted support should accompany future increases

Raising the state pension age boosts finances but hits women out of work in their late 50s hardest.   Increasing the state pension age is a coherent way for the government to ease pressure on the public finances from rising longevity at older ages.  

11/10/2025

Trading Standards - Recognise Misleading and Aggressive Sales Practices

According to a recent survey we carried out, almost half of Scots (46%) have experienced an aggressive or misleading sales transaction, with 33% believing they have been misled into completing a sales transaction.   Do you know how to recognise misleading or aggressive sales practices and what to do if you experience them?.  

11/10/2025

 
Trading Standards - Delivery Scams

43% of respondents to this year's Big Scottish Scam Survey had experienced a delivery scam.   Scammers typically direct people to malicious websites by sending scam text messages and emails claiming that you need to rearrange a missed delivery.  

11/10/2025

More Children Need Support - But Are They Getting It? Comparing England and Scotland's School Systems

Across England, the number of children receiving support for special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) has soared over the past decade.   The proportion of pupils with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) nearly doubling.  

11/10/2025

DWP Launches Historic Crackdown on Benefit Fraud with 5,000 New Inspectors

In a sweeping move to tackle benefit fraud and protect public funds, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has recruited 5,000 new inspectors—the largest expansion of its enforcement team in decades.   The initiative is part of a £9.6 billion plan to reduce fraud and error in the welfare system over the next five years.  

11/10/2025

Changes to UK visa and settlement rules after the 2025 immigration white paper

On 12 May 2025 the government published a white paper policy document called Restoring control over the immigration system.  The document proposed some changes to make it harder to move to and settle in the UK, with a view to reducing immigration.  

11/10/2025

Government's proposed unemployment insurance benefit could save billions annually

Enhanced unemployment insurance to reward jobseekers while reducing support for long-term claimants of contributory disability benefits.   The government plans to introduce a new ‘unemployment insurance' (UI) benefit to replace the two current contributory out-of-work benefits.  

11/10/2025

Trading Standards - Challenge Poverty Week

This is Challenge Poverty Week, an annual awareness-raising campaign led by Poverty Alliance Scotland.   Over the last few years, rising costs have led to a rise in illegal money lending and people in financial difficulties may feel that they have no option but to turn to a loan shark.  

11/10/2025

What property-tax reform could look like in UK and will Scotland will follow

The idea of overhauling Britain's property taxes has moved from occasional debate to active policy discussion.  Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been reported to be exploring major changes.  

11/10/2025

Should the UK Ban Buy-to-Let and Focus Solely on Building New Rental Homes?

As the UK grapples with a deepening housing crisis, a provocative question is gaining traction.  Should the government ban buy-to-let investments and instead focus exclusively on building new properties for rent? With over 1.3 million people on social housing waiting lists and private rents consuming more than 30% of household income, critics argue that the buy-to-let model has distorted the housing market.