Business for Scotland reacts to Humza Yousaf’s first Programme for Government
Today, Humza Yousaf lays out his first Programme for Government since taking over as leader of the SNP and First Minister. Yousaf, who ran for leadership on a platform of continuity and synergy with the previous administration, has stated that he hopes to reset his government’s relationship with the business community. Business for Scotland has defined the Scottish Government relationship with business after years of strained and lackluster engagement as desperately in need of a complete root and branch overhaul.
How will changes to tax duties affect Scotland's whisky industry?
Whisky and drinks production in general is a vital industry for the Scottish economy. Distilling provides thousands of jobs and contributes millions to Scotland, and the wider UK’s, exports. Recently, Rishi Sunak has announced that the UK is changing how it classifies duty payments on alcoholic beverages, which will have a significant impact on the whisky industry, with businesses arguing that the effects could be ‘catastrophic’. In this article, we will review how whisky and other distilling industries contribute to the Scottish economy and the full scale of the impact of these changes to businesses in Scotland.
20 minute neighbourhoods - a guide to local living
In April this year, the Scottish Government published a consultation paper titled ‘Local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods’. The paper lays out the Scottish Government’s plans to introduce ‘20 minute neighbourhoods’ in an effort to increase access to services, reduce carbon emissions, rejuvenate local economies and improve physical and mental wellbeing.
To achieve a wellbeing economy, practice wellbeing philosophy
Dr Robbie Mochrie is a Senior Lecturer in Economics at Heriot-Watt University and a frequent contributor to the National on the Scottish economy.
The UK Gov is holding Scotland back in the race for hydrogen power
Scotland has ambitions to play a lead role in the green hydrogen economy. But the UK Government’s lack of a coherent strategy is holding it back and it is now falling behind the EU and the USA. Here we take a look at some key issues.
The Bank of England’s inflation strategy has the UK sleepwalking into a mortgage crisis
The next financial catastrophe in the UK will be laid at the feet of the Bank of England and will come in the form of a housing crisis
The UK’s “Weak” National Grid is Crippling Scottish Business
The UK’s privatised national energy grid is “weak” and nowhere near where it should be to support the transition to green energy. For some privileged people like Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, the lack of capacity can be overcome – he paid tens of thousands to upgrade the grid near his home to heat his personal swimming pool.
Scotland’s EU trade slowly strangled by Brexit red tape
For 16 months in a row, exports from the UK have fallen, due to Brexit. Businesses say they are losing their EU customers. They prefer to avoid the Brexit-related customs checks, delays and uncertainty that dealing with Scottish business now entails, by switching to suppliers in the single market.
Five Ways the UK’s Immigration System is Hurting Scotland
It is clear that the UK Government’s approach to immigration is not working. It is unsuccessful in curbing immigration and has only resulted in treating anyone who tries to come to the UK as subhuman, with the Illegal Migration Bill being criticised for breaking international law.
The UK public thinks high prices and lower incomes are here to stay - Poll suggests
Research published by polling firm Ipsos Mori has found that the UK public has among the lowest confidence in its economy of any country. The poll, conducted between the 24th March and 7th April 2023 featuring 23,309 respondents from 29 countries, found that six in ten people in the UK believe it will take at least a year for inflation to return to normal levels, this is the lowest of any nation surveyed, other than Sweden. 46% also believe that their income after taxes and bills will fall in 2023/24. Continual policy failures by the UK Government lie at the heart of this economic mess – if Scotland is to become economically prosperous, independence and rejoining the EU are essential.