News Archive

4/10/2026

Take off for passengers as government scraps extra charges when flying

Airlines will be required to seat children under the age of 14 with a parent or accompanying adult free of charge.   extra charges for parents sitting with their children scrapped across airlines to help people with the cost of living.  

4/10/2026

30% boost to UK military transport aircraft availability under new deal

MoD extends £190 million contract with Airbus to maintain the RAF's A400M Atlas fleet, boosting aircraft availability while sustaining over 350 UK jobs.   £190 million contract extension with Airbus to support RAF’s A400 Atlas fleet, retaining more than 350 UK jobs.  

3/10/2026

Bluetongue Comes to All of Scotland: What the New Restrictions Mean for Farmers and Food Prices

Scotland has effectively accepted that Bluetongue is no longer a problem confined to one part of the country.   From Saturday 3 October 2026, the whole of Scotland became a Bluetongue Restricted Zone after the Scottish Government extended the zone that had previously covered south-west Scotland.  

3/10/2026

 
The dawn of the age of the exoskeleton

This year, members of Seattle Mountain Rescue have been setting off into the wilds of the US Pacific north-west wearing an unusual piece of kit.   They’ve been hiking into the wilderness with powered assistive devices attached to their hips and legs.  

3/10/2026

Digital Government: Can Technology Really Make the State More Efficient?

Britain has spent years being told that digital technology will transform government.   Paper forms will disappear and Services will become easier to use Artificial intelligence will reduce bureaucracy.  

3/10/2026

America Sends More Troops to the Middle East: Why Britain's Diesel Prices Could Be Next to Rise

The United States is sending thousands more military personnel and another aircraft carrier strike group towards the Middle East.   This isn't simply a few extra troops being moved around.  

3/10/2026

The Next Food Price Shock? Why Britain's Farmers Are Facing a Double Hit From Diesel and Fertiliser

Britain's diesel crisis has so far been discussed mainly in terms of motorists, hauliers and the cost of transporting goods.   But there is another group feeling the squeeze which could eventually affect every household in Britain.  

3/10/2026

Access to Work Under Pressure: Could Changes in Westminster Undermine Scotland’s Push to Get More Disabled People Into Work?

There is an important change taking place in the way disabled people are supported into work, and it raises a particular question for Scotland.   The UK Government is reviewing and tightening the operation of Access to Work, a scheme which provides practical and financial support to disabled people who need help to start or remain in employment.  

3/10/2026

Investment Fraud: How Criminals Can Make You Believe Your Money Is Making Money

There is something particularly sinister about investment fraud.   It does not necessarily begin with somebody stealing your money.  

3/10/2026

 
What is money, really? - Richard Murphy

What is money? We use it every day, but most of what we are taught about money misrepresents what it actually is.  In this Understanding Economics video, I explain why money is not a physical thing at all.  

2/10/2026 : Local Authority

 
Wick and Thurso Jobs secured and bus services strengthened through D&E Coaches acquisition

Highland Council-owned D&E Coaches has confirmed the acquisition of Stagecoach’s Thurso and Wick bus operation securing local jobs.  This will protect vital services and strengthening public transport provision across the Highlands.  

2/10/2026

Britain's £2 Diesel Problem: Why the Haulage Crisis Has Not Fully Hit Us Yet

Britain has just passed a significant milestone that could eventually affect the price of almost everything we buy.   Average diesel prices have reached £2 a litre, according to the latest RAC Foundation analysis, while the RAC says the national average reached 199.18p a litre at the end of September, above the previous record set in 2022.  

2/10/2026

Is Britain's Economy Really as Gloomy as It Looks? The Good News Hidden Behind the Budget Storm

It is becoming difficult to open the news without finding another reason to worry about Britain's economy.   Diesel has reached around £2 a litre.  

2/10/2026

Get the Woolly Jumpers Out – Heating Oil Is Still Sky High

If you live in Caithness and heat your home with oil, there is probably no need for anybody to explain to you that heating oil is expensive.   You have probably already checked the tank and you may even have checked the price twice, just in case the first time was a mistake.  

2/10/2026

Rail Fares Are About to Change Again – But Will ScotRail Be Different?

Britain's railways are preparing for another major overhaul of the way train fares are set.  For passengers, the words “dynamic pricing” may immediately suggest the airline model, where the price of a seat can rise sharply as demand increases.  

2/10/2026

The Budget Traitors: Who Will Survive the Chancellor's Castle?

There could hardly be a better night for the BBC to bring back The Celebrity Traitors.   Twenty-one celebrities have entered the Scottish castle, where nobody knows who can be trusted and everybody is wondering who will be the next to disappear.  

2/10/2026

Syngenta's £2.2m Question: Should Taxpayers Fund Multinationals That Can Still Walk Away?

There is a much bigger question hiding behind the shock announcement that Syngenta is considering closing its Grangemouth operation and putting 377 jobs at risk.   It is not simply whether the Scottish Government can persuade the company to stay.  

2/10/2026 : Local Authority

 
Highland Council proceeds to procurement for a new electric Corran Ferry

The Highland Council has reached another significant milestone in the delivery of a replacement Corran Ferry, with the procurement for a new electric vessel.   Funded through a £58 million investment from the Inverness and Highland City-Region Deal, including £28 million from the Scottish Government for the new electric vessel, £20 million from the UK Government and £10 million from The Highland Council towards landside infrastructure, the project will deliver a modern replacement ferry service for one of Scotland's busiest single-vessel crossings.  

2/10/2026

US Mortgages Hit 7.28%: Why Britain's Borrowers Should Be Watching the Bond Market

A mortgage rate of 7.28% might sound like an American problem.  It isn't and the latest jump in US mortgage rates should make British borrowers pay much closer attention to something that rarely gets mentioned around the kitchen table: the bond market.  

2/10/2026

Britain Has 90 Days of Oil – So Why Could We Have Only 40 Days of Diesel?

There is something about Britain's current diesel position that ordinary motorists could be forgiven for finding rather confusing.   The Government is reassuring people that Britain has adequate fuel supplies and that there is no immediate shortage.