An interesting side story to emerge from analysis of the latest GERS figures concerns where exactly Scottish spending per head of population is higher than for the UK as a whole. The overall advantage in 2024-25 was 14%, i.e. for every £100 spent per person on UK public services the Scottish figure is £114. This degree of ‘advantage’ is well recorded and has been maintained … [Read more...] about GERS and what it tells us about the de-prioritisation of health spending in Scotland
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Should the Scottish Government fund public interest journalism?
Scotland is in the middle of a long, slow media collapse. Newsrooms are shrinking, as is the audience. Social media is awash with influencers boosted by dark money. Public trust is eroding. And still, the Scottish Government hesitates. This week, Holyrood hosted a cross-party meeting on public interest journalism. It was part of a discussion that has been going on for a couple … [Read more...] about Should the Scottish Government fund public interest journalism?
Is Reform really overtaking Labour?
Much has been made of the news that Reform has overtaken Labour in voting intentions in a recent poll. The poll, produced by market research agency Find Out Now, put the Conservatives on 26%, Reform on 24% and Labour on 23%. Most recent polls show that Labour is still ahead of Reform, but only by a small margin. So while it is too early to say that Reform is beating Labour, it … [Read more...] about Is Reform really overtaking Labour?
Balgy Gap and the missing loop in the grid
I am going to start by telling you a wee story that I think sheds a light on a wider issues with Scotland’s energy system.Yesterday, we drove around the “Balgy Gap”. This is ten kilometres of road in the northwest Highlands which has no access to mains electricity. The road is in good shape - it is on the NC500 and is busy in the summer. It was built in the 1960s to join the … [Read more...] about Balgy Gap and the missing loop in the grid
Let’s reverse the decline in Scottish journalism
Scotland’s newspapers are some of the oldest, and were once among the most prestigious, in the world. But there are few foreign correspondents left. None of our newspapers has a staff correspondent covering Ukraine - a major war in Europe! - or a foreign correspondent on the staff at all. In an age rife with disinformation and lies, we desperately need this expertise … [Read more...] about Let’s reverse the decline in Scottish journalism