News Archive

6/6/2026

 
New proposals to cut bills with community batteries

Families and businesses could benefit from cheaper energy through the use of community batteries.   Families could save on bills by storing cheaper renewable able electricity and using it when demand is highest.  

6/6/2026

 
More leading researchers brought to the UK, while Horizon Europe performance strengthens

UK research organisations attract new wave of 10 leading international researchers, and new performance stats highlight UK’s progress as part of Horizon Europe.   UK research organisations attract new wave of 10 leading international researchers to drive breakthroughs in clean energy, life sciences and advanced technologies through UKRI’s Global Talent Fund.  

6/6/2026

 
Thousands of seafarers across the Channel set for better pay and protections under new government proposals

The new laws will extend and strengthen seafarer protections beyond UK territorial waters.   Thousands of seafarers working across the Channel to benefit from proper rest periods, fair pay, and stronger protections as the government goes further to make seafarers’ lives fairer, safer and better.  

6/6/2026

Sales of Thermal Underwear Are Up As People Anticipate Even Higher Energy Costs Next Winter

there is quite a lot of evidence that many UK households have been changing their spending habits to prepare for high winter energy costs, although it is often more accurately described as "coping strategies" than formal preparation.   Around 11 million UK households planned to buy warming gadgets or clothing to reduce heating costs.  

6/6/2026

 
UK-led Operation Interflex enters new phase of specialist training for Ukraine

June 2026 will mark four years of Operation Interflex, a UK-led multinational training programme that has trained more than 63,000 Ukrainian personnel as infantry soldiers, leaders and instructors.   The fifth year of the successful and highly valued programme will herald a new phase of specialist training designed to build long-term capability.  

6/6/2026

The great Highland waiting game: how the Wick and Thurso health hubs vanished into the long grass — and why the £100 million Thurso schools project is heading the same way

Rural Scotland has learned to live with delay.  It has learned to live with promises that arrive on glossy consultation boards and vanish into the fog of “funding pressures”.  

6/6/2026

The City of London Is Under Pressure – But Reports of Its Decline Are Greatly Exaggerated

For generations, the City of London has been one of the world's great financial capitals.  It has financed empires, survived wars, weathered financial crises and adapted to countless economic revolutions.  

6/6/2026

 
Companies agree to stronger workers’ rights in clean energy

Offshore wind supply chain companies and trade unions back the government’s Offshore Wind Fair Work Charter.   Workers in coastal towns and industrial heartlands are set to see stronger protections, as offshore wind supply chain companies and trade unions back the government’s Offshore Wind Fair Work Charter.  

6/6/2026

Energy price cap, fuel costs and inflation over the next few months

From 1 July 2026, the Ofgem energy price cap jumps about 13%, taking a typical dual‑fuel Direct Debit bill to around £1,862 a year across Great Britain.   Analysts’ forecasts suggest a further, smaller rise or plateau into October–December 2026, keeping annual bills close to or just under £1,900 on typical use.  

6/6/2026

Scotland’s Economy in June 2026: An Inflection Point Hidden in the Data

The June 2026 Scottish Economic Bulletin arrives at a moment when the global economy feels as if it has been knocked off its axis once again.  Scotland is not in recession, nor is it booming; instead, it sits in that uneasy middle ground where growth is technically positive but confidence is draining away.  

6/6/2026

Nasdaq Fall Triggers Interest Rate Fears In USA And May Create A Bond Market Shift

The Nasdaq has had a very sharp reversal over the past few trading days, culminating in its worst session for more than a year on Friday.   The immediate trigger was a stronger-than-expected US employment report.  

6/6/2026 : Local Authority

The slow unravelling of a promise: why the £100 million Thurso schools project may already be drifting into delay

The announcement of a six‑week consultation on the future of Thurso High School should have been a moment of clarity — a sign that after years of discussion, Highland Council was finally ready to move from aspiration to action.  Instead, it has exposed a deeper truth about the state of capital investment in the Highlands - The numbers no longer add up.  

6/6/2026

The Iran–Hormuz Oil Shock and Its Ripple Effect on the UK Economy - Oil Price To Mortgage Rates

The escalation of conflict between the United States and Iran around the Strait of Hormuz has created one of the most significant geopolitical energy shocks in recent years.  While the fighting itself is geographically distant, the economic consequences are already being felt strongly in the United Kingdom through fuel prices, inflation, and financial markets.  

6/6/2026

Why rural Scotland feels inflation sooner and more sharply

Rural Scotland doesn’t just experience the cost‑of‑living crisis — it amplifies it.  The same inflationary forces hitting the rest of the UK land harder north of the Central Belt because distance, climate, infrastructure and market size all turn national pressures into local burdens.  

6/6/2026

USA And Iran Exchanges of Fire Threaten More Tightening Of Hormuz

The situation around the Strait of Hormuz has pushed oil markets into one of their most sensitive phases in years, and the latest US–Iran escalation is exactly the kind of trigger that traders fear most.   The Strait of Hormuz is not just another shipping route.  

5/6/2026

Share of innovative UK businesses falls by 19 percentage points in a decade

The share of UK businesses classed as innovation-active fell to 34% in 2022-24, deepening concerns about a long-term decline in business innovation and the country's future competitiveness.  This figure compares to 53% just a decade earlier, a drop of 19 percentage points.  

5/6/2026

A Warning That Oil Buffer Stocks Now Being Used Faster Than Replacement

The U.S.  Energy Information Administration is warning that oil buffer stocks are running down faster than expected.  

5/6/2026 : Local Authority

New ‘Better Off Calculator’ to support Highland residents and improve financial outcomes

The cost of living continues to place significant pressure on household finances, which affects the affordability of essential goods and services, particularly home energy, food and fuel.   As these pressures persist, access to high‑quality advice, and clear information about the financial help and support available to residents across Highland is more important than ever.  

5/6/2026

The Dreaded VAT Question: Shrink or Grow? A Highland Perspective

Few issues divide small business owners more than the VAT threshold.  In theory, it is a simple line: once your turnover passes £90,000 in a rolling twelve‑month period, you must register for VAT.  

5/6/2026

United States Latest Ukraine Support From Proposal to Delivery: How the Ukraine Support Act Becomes Real Support

The Ukraine Support Act, introduced by Representative Gregory Meeks, is designed to provide $8 billion in military financing loans, extend the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) through 2027, and impose new sanctions on Russia.   On paper, it looks like a decisive package.