As the Gulf conflict intensifies in March 2026, the global fashion industry is facing a "double-exposure" crisis that is set to significantly raise prices for clothes and shoes. For many years, the sector has relied on cheap energy and seamless logistics—two pillars that are now crumbling.
Oil shocks don't just make filling up the car more expensive. They drain spending power from households, push up business costs, and expose the structural weaknesses of economies that rely on imported energy.
As global tensions rise and the economic outlook grows more uncertain, households are facing a difficult question. Should we keep spending to support the economy or pull back and protect ourselves?.
Moneyfacts' average two-year fix residential mortgage rate has risen from 4.83% at the start of March to 5.35% today. It’s the highest since March 2025.
Fuel prices in the Highlands have always moved to their own rhythm, but the latest surge feels different. With diesel in Wick already sitting at 173.9p per litre, and even Tesco undercutting the town‑centre forecourt, the question is no longer abstract.
The last day has seen coordinated or near‑simultaneous attacks on major refineries in Kuwait, Israel, and across the Gulf region. These are not symbolic targets.
The Scottish Government's new national guidance states clearly that vaping should not be allowed in schools under any circumstances. This applies to: all pupils, including S6 pupils aged 18 who can legally buy vapes all school grounds all school‑related activities off‑site (trips, events, transport) The message is simple: vapes, nicotine products, alcohol, and illegal drugs are all inappropriate in a school setting, regardless of age.
ScotRail has announced plans to replace its high speed trains (HSTs) following a successful procurement process. A contract has been awarded to Beacon for the provision of twenty-two Class 222 trains, and to Alstom for the associated technical support, spares, and maintenance services.
At its meeting ending on 18 March 2026, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) voted unanimously to maintain Bank Rate at 3.75%. Conflict in the Middle East has caused a significant increase in global energy and other commodity prices, which will affect households' fuel and utility prices and have indirect effects via businesses’ costs.
New ONS figures show UK goods exports jumped by £2bn in January, with an increase in exports to both EU and non-EU countries. However, US tariff changes and the impact of the Iran conflict mean 2026's strong start may swiftly falter, warns the international delivery specialist Parcelhero.
Borrowing: the difference between total public sector spending and income was £14.3 billion in February 2026. This was £2.2 billion more than in February 2025, largely because of the timing of central government debt interest payable (see Figure 2), and the second highest February borrowing since monthly records began in 1993, behind that of 2021.
No not rises, but fewer cuts than previously expected. Most economic analysts had expected the Bank of England to start cutting rates early in 2026.
Scotland's Strategic Role, Ageing Population, and the Future of the UK Armed Forces** For decades, Scotland has lived with the slow withdrawal of anchor employers: the closure of military bases, the shrinking of the oil and gas sector, the centralisation of public services, and the long decline of traditional industries. Rural communities especially in the Highlands have felt this most acutely.
Practical steps for getting through the next wave of rising costs — from fuel to food to heating Life in the Highlands has never been cheap, but the next year is shaping up to be one of the hardest in recent memory. Rising fuel prices, stubborn food inflation, high electricity costs, and slow‑to‑fall mortgage rates are combining into a pressure wave that will hit rural households earlier and harder than the rest of the UK.
British Army begins retiring iconic Land Rover fleet after 70 years of service. British soldiers will use a new fleet of thousands of modern vehicles, following the start of the retirement of the iconic Land Rover fleet.
The Middle East war is not just a military conflict — it is the biggest economic disaster most of us will ever see. Two weeks in, the closure of the Straits of Hormuz has already triggered a global economic crisis that will hit every country on earth.
Four years after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the world is bracing for another energy crisis. The US-Israel bombing of Iran and then the blockade of the strait of Hormuz have forced up the price of oil.
Support worth up to £26,000 by a child's 16th birthday. One parent families are being urged to check if they are eligible for social security support this National Single Parents Day (21 March 2026).
A new Defence scheme to transform support for forces families with young children will be rolled out across the UK from September 2026. A new Defence scheme to transform support for forces families with young children will be rolled out across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from September 2026, the Defence Secretary has announced today.
There's a truth that polite politics in Edinburgh and London rarely acknowledges. Rural Scotland cannot survive on small businesses, tourism, and good intentions alone.