News Archive

10/8/2026

Meta's Muse Glimmer: Is AI About to Move From the Cloud Into Your Computer?

For the past few years, the AI revolution has largely depended on one thing that most people rarely think about: the cloud.   Ask ChatGPT a question, generate an image or analyse a document and, in most cases, the request travels across the internet to powerful computers in a distant data centre.  

10/8/2026

Trade Unions Gain New Right to Access Workplaces

A significant change to the relationship between employers and trade unions is coming into force under the Employment Rights Act 2025.   From October 2026, trade unions will gain a new statutory right to access workplaces to meet and support workers, represent them, recruit members, organise union activity and help facilitate collective bargaining.  

9/8/2026

UK armed forces step up monitoring of increased Russian activity in UK waters

Royal Navy warships and helicopters spent 21 days on operations monitoring Russian activity in UK waters and the North Atlantic throughout July.   Maritime operations to monitor Russian activity up 25% across the first seven months of the year.  

9/8/2026

The Poor Pay More: Is Britain's Discount Economy Becoming Unfair

The Poor Pay More: Is Britain's Discount Economy Becoming Unfair? Tesco is currently offering customers who spend at least £60 in-store a fuel discount of up to around 8p a litre.  It is a perfectly normal supermarket promotion but it also highlights a much bigger problem.  

9/8/2026

Students, Pensioners and the Taxman: Why Is Some Government Support Taxed and Some Isn't?

A pensioner can find their State Pension added to their wages, private pension or other taxable income.  A student can earn money from work while receiving a maintenance grant that is not normally taxable.  

9/8/2026

When a Degree Became the New School Certificate: Has Britain Over-Qualified Its Workforce?

For many people now over 50, the route into a career was simple: leave school, get a job, learn the trade and work your way up.   Today, young people are increasingly expected to obtain qualifications before they can even get through the employer's front door.  

9/8/2026

Financial Cohabiting – Has Its Time Come?

Marriage, relationships and family have traditionally been the main reasons people share a home.  But as housing, energy and everyday living costs continue to rise, could a very different form of cohabitation become increasingly common — people living together simply because it makes financial sense? It might sound like an unusual idea.  

9/8/2026

University or Work? What Germany and China Can Teach Britain About Educating the Workforce

Britain has spent decades encouraging more young people into universities.  Germany has maintained one of the world's best known apprenticeship systems, while China has built an enormous vocational education sector alongside its universities.  

9/8/2026

Britain Has Been Taxing Its Way Out of Trouble for 20 Years But Where Is the Growth?

Britain has spent two decades trying to repair its public finances, raise more revenue, control spending and manage an ever-growing national debt.   Yet the underlying economy has become remarkably weak.  

9/8/2026

AI as Your Personal University: Could People Build Their Own Education Without Going to College?

AI as Your Personal University: Could People Build Their Own Education Without Going to College? For centuries, education has largely followed the same pattern: go to school, go to college or university, obtain qualifications and then enter the workforce.  Artificial intelligence is beginning to challenge that model.  

9/8/2026

Degrees, Jobs and the Missing Workforce: Are Britain's Employment Figures Telling the Truth?

Over the past 50 years Britain has sent ever more young people into further and higher education.  But has the country actually become more skilled or have we simply created a system where a degree is increasingly required to get a job that once needed no degree at all?.  

8/8/2026

 
Is It Already Too Late to Save Britain's High Streets?

Andy Burnham's latest focus on high streets reflects a growing political consensus: town centres matter, shops are closing, and something must be done.  Burnham has spoken about making high streets "the symbols of Britain's renaissance" and has highlighted the need to tackle vacancy and decline.  

8/8/2026

"Scotland is powering Britain's future defence" says Defence Secretary on first visit to Rosyth Shipyard and forces housing

Defence Secretary on his first visit to Scotland tours Babcock’s Rosyth facility and Service Family Accommodation in Edinburgh.   On his first visit to Scotland as Defence Secretary, Wes Streeting has today underlined the nation’s vital role in the UK’s defence.  

8/8/2026

 
Wick Town Centre - Another View

Another view of Wick town centre for those of you who do not live in Wick.   The £2million project to change the surrounding is complete.  

8/8/2026

UK Universities: Are Redundancies Really Being Driven by Falling Overseas Student Income?

Over the past two years, reports of job cuts, restructuring programmes and course closures have become increasingly common across the UK higher education sector.  A widespread perception has emerged that universities became overly dependent on international student fees and are now paying the price as overseas recruitment falls.  

8/8/2026

Andy Burnham's Employment Revolution: Could England Be Learning from Scotland?

The new government's plan to devolve employment support could transform the way people out of work are helped but Scotland has already been experimenting with a more local approach.  Could Burnham's English reforms eventually put pressure on Scotland to go further? There is an interesting development taking place almost unnoticed beneath the much bigger political stories.  

8/8/2026

Aldi and Lidl should be subject to the same rules as major supermarkets

CMA proposes that Aldi and Lidl should be covered by the same land agreement rules as the UK’s largest supermarkets to ensure customers get the best choice of where to shop.   CMA proposes to prevent Aldi and Lidl from blocking rival supermarkets opening close to their stores.  

8/8/2026

What Has the Museum Ever Done for Me?

"I never go to museums.  I don't visit art galleries.  

8/8/2026

Arts festivals put Scotland on global stage

Edinburgh’s festivals provide a “global platform” for Scotland as well as the artists who take part in performances, the Deputy First Minister has said.   Jenny Gilruth will attend the opening concert of the Edinburgh International Festival – All Rise – tonight along with Public Finance Minister Hannah Mary Goodlad.  

8/8/2026

 
Which Way to Hormuz? Alice, the Cheshire Cat and the World's Most Important Strait

When America says a deal is almost done, Iran says there is no deal and everyone is trying to work out which way the oil tankers are going, perhaps it is time to ask the Cheshire Cat for directions.   Alice found herself in Wonderland with a rather familiar problem.