Whenever a new political party prepares for government, one question always follows close behind. "How will it pay for its promises?".
When people hear that oil prices are rising, one of the first questions they often ask is: "But has the world actually run out of oil?". Usually, the answer is no.
For many people, having a job is seen as the route to financial security. But what happens when the job itself is uncertain?.
For many people, the biggest question about the economy is not whether GDP is growing or whether inflation has fallen. It is much simpler: "Am I better off than I was a few years ago?" A new report from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) argues that, for millions of households, the answer is still no.
Just a few weeks ago, many analysts thought oil prices would remain relatively stable through the summer. Instead, Brent crude has climbed back above $84 a barrel, raising fresh concerns about what might happen next.
If you've tried to follow the stream of major energy projects proposed for Caithness over the past few years, you could be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed. There are wind farms, battery storage facilities, substations, transmission lines, converter stations, worker accommodation, harbour improvements and new electricity infrastructure.
A new ONS Business Insights survey reveals a sharp year-on-year rise in heat-related disruption to manufacturers. With retail businesses close behind and concerningly, far fewer transport & storage firms have taken action to adapt to temperature increases than manufacturers or retailers, warns the home delivery expert Parcelhero.
Scotland is often described as an energy-rich nation. We generate huge amounts of renewable electricity.
A family in Scotland and a family in England can sometimes receive different levels of financial support, even though they live in the same country system. That can seem surprising.
Drive across Caithness, Sutherland or the Highlands today and it is impossible to miss Scotland's energy revolution. Wind turbines dominate many skylines.
It is one of the questions many people ask every time their electricity bill arrives. Scotland regularly produces more electricity than it needs.
Every government faces difficult financial decisions, but Scotland's choices are becoming increasingly complex. On one hand, tax revenues have been rising.
The price of oil is climbing once again as tensions in the Middle East take another dangerous turn. After fresh exchanges of attacks involving the United States and Iran, financial markets have reacted quickly, with Brent crude moving back towards the $80 a barrel mark.
For most people, their home is their biggest financial asset. So whenever Scotland's constitutional future is debated, one question inevitably arises: What would independence mean for Scottish house prices? Would property values fall because of uncertainty? Would they rise because Scotland gained greater control over its economy? Or would the long-term impact depend on decisions made during the transition? The reality is that no one can know exactly what would happen.
Moneyfacts UK Mortgage Trends Treasury Report data reveals fixed mortgage rates have recorded their biggest monthly reductions since October 2024. Product choice rose and the churn of mortgage deals was stable.
For centuries, Scotland's economy has been shaped by energy. Coal powered the Industrial Revolution.
A UK Government announcement about supported housing recently highlighted a question that often causes confusion in Scotland: When Westminster changes welfare rules, do people in Scotland always receive the same benefit? The answer is not always straightforward. Some welfare benefits are controlled by the UK Government.
The debate about Scotland's welfare system is often framed around one question Who should make the decisions? Should welfare remain mainly controlled by Westminster, with Scotland receiving benefits through a UK-wide system? Or should Scotland have full responsibility for designing and funding its own social security system?. But behind the political debate sits a much bigger question: Could Scotland afford it? Taking control of welfare would not simply mean gaining new powers.
For much of the last half-century, Scotland's energy story has been dominated by one industry. Oil and gas transformed Aberdeen from a regional city into an international energy centre.
When countries go through major political change, one question often matters more than almost any other. Will people choose to move in, or move away? For Scotland, population trends are already one of the biggest economic challenges.