Edinburgh is preparing for one of the busiest periods in its calendar as festival season gets underway this week, with the Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival both returning on Friday with thousands of visitors expected in the capital.
The city enters the season with continued disruption on Princes Street following the fire at the former Debenhams building, with closures expected to remain for at least another three weeks. Deputy first minister Jenny Gilruth will meet Edinburgh Council leader Jane Meagher this week to discuss support for the capital, including possible financial assistance, amid calls for a package similar to the £10 million provided after the Union Corner fire in Glasgow.
In Scottish politics, all eyes will turn to Scottish Labour this week, as nominations open in the contest to replace Anas Sarwar following his departure to join Andy Burnham’s government. Michael Marra, Monica Lennon and Joe Fagan have all announced their intentions to stand, with candidates required to secure nominations from three MSPs and three MPs to reach the ballot.
The contest has already become contentious, with Lennon accusing Scottish Labour of operating like a “private members’ club”, arguing that personal and factional ties are being placed ahead of a debate about the party’s future direction. The new leader, due to be announced in September, will face the challenge of rebuilding the party following a difficult Holyrood election result.
At Westminster, attention is focused on how quickly Burnham’s new government can deliver on early commitments around economic growth, public services and devolution. For Scotland, questions remain over how plans to redistribute power to local communities will reshape the relationship between Westminster, Holyrood and local government.
Away from politics, businesses and markets will also be closely watched as earnings season reaches its peak. A wide range of companies are set to report results over the coming days, offering further insight into business confidence, investment decisions and the wider economic outlook. On Tuesday, all eyes will be on BP's half-year results following its decision to sell its UK North Sea assets, with investors looking for signs of how the energy giant's renewed focus on financial discipline and portfolio reshaping is progressing.
In brief - Scotland's economy and business
Against the backdrop of continued pressure on Scotland’s retailers, Daily Business reports that Scotmid chief executive Karen Scott has been appointed chair of the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC). Scott said rising operating costs, global economic uncertainty and increasing policy demands continue to weigh on the sector, with implications for jobs, investment and the vitality of Scotland’s town and city centres. Succeeding Debbie Harding, Scott said she will work with the SRC to strengthen the industry's voice with policymakers and encourage a more coherent policy approach to support growth. Scott, who has worked in retail for 38 years, became Scotmid chief executive in 2024 and is only the second woman to chair the SRC since it was established in 1999.
The Times reports that Santander and TSB staff are bracing for potential job cutsfollowing Santander’s £2.65 billion acquisition of TSB. Unions are in talks over how employees in similar roles will be assessed as part of a redundancy process, with Santander yet to confirm how many jobs could be affected across the combined group. The merger is expected to deliver around £400 million in cost savings, bringing renewed focus to consolidation, efficiency drives and the future shape of the banking sector.
Solar power supplied a record share of Great Britain’s electricity in July, with solar farms and rooftop panels accounting for 14.4% of generation, surpassing the previous record of 12.4% set in May. The figure was 50% higher than the same month last year, as households and businesses continue to invest in solar panels, with installations reaching their highest level for the first half of a year since 2011. Energy minister Michael Shanks said the growth demonstrated that increasing homegrown power generation could help protect families and businesses from global energy price shocks, while supporting lower bills and skilled jobs.
OpinioNation - columns of interest
In The Guardian, Julian Coman argues that Andy Burnham's Catholic upbringing is more than a biographical detail and could prove central to how he governs. Contrasting Burnham's emphasis on solidarity, mutual obligation and the common good with the individualism that shaped the Thatcher era, Coman suggests his faith has informed priorities such as tackling rough sleeping, devolving power and rebuilding social cohesion. He argues Burnham's approach reflects a political philosophy rooted in Catholic social teaching, offering a potential response to the social fragmentation and inequality that have characterised recent decades.
Defending the value of a free press, Matthew Syed argues in The Sunday Timesthat independent journalism remains essential to exposing corruption and holding the powerful to account. Drawing on recent reporting into FIFA president Gianni Infantino’s failed World Cup commercialisation plans and investigations surrounding Donald Trump, he contends that well-resourced news organisations play a vital role in uncovering complex wrongdoing, challenging powerful interests and providing a counterweight to the misinformation and AI-generated content increasingly shaping public debate.
In the Financial Times, Polly Mackenzie explores why Britain’s high street crisisextends beyond the decline of retail, arguing that communities are losing vital spaces for connection, public services and civic life. She contends that measures such as business rates cuts are not enough and that the future of town centres depends on repurposing empty buildings for public services, education, housing and community uses. Mackenzie calls for a more active role for the state and local communities in tackling derelict properties and rebuilding high streets as places where people can live, work and gather.
Shifting the dial - recent research
New analysis from the Scottish Election Study has examined the reasons behind the SNP’s Holyrood election victory, finding that the result was shaped by a significant anti-SNP vote that failed to translate into a change of government.
The research found that around a third of Scots voted primarily to remove the SNP from power, while only 13% were motivated by keeping the party in government. However, with opposition support spread across Scottish Labour, Reform UK, the Scottish Conservatives and other parties, voters seeking change did not unite behind a single alternative.
The analysis highlights the challenge facing opposition parties in building a credible route to power in Scotland, despite significant dissatisfaction with the SNP.
The week ahead - fill your diary with key events
The Scottish Parliament is in recess until 30 August, and the House of Commons is in recess until 1 September.
Monday
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Nominations open in Scottish Labour party leadership election
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Canada: Civic Holiday, except Quebec. Financial markets closed
Tuesday
- Scottish students to hear results of National 4 and 5s, Highers and Advanced Highers
- US midterm primaries held in Arizona, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Washington
- Israel and Lebanon due to resume peace talks in Rome
- Members of the App Drivers and Couriers Union to protest outside the London offices of self-driving vehicle business Waymo, opposing the rollout of the company’s driverless cars across the British capital. Also, Scottish school and college qualifications results day
- US: former president Barack Obama turns 65
Wednesday
- Abandoned SpaceX rocket is set to crash into the Moon
- UK: July official international reserves data
- US: Wyndham Championship golf tournament begins on the Donald Ross-designed course at Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, the final tournament of the PGA Tour regular season
Thursday
- Earnings calls: Diageo full year
- Bolivia: President Rodrigo Paz to deliver his first State of the Nation address
- The Final Film Festival begins in London
- Anniversary of the first atomic bomb used in war on Hiroshima in 1945
Friday
- Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Edinburgh International Festival begin
- MCM Birmingham Comic Con begins
- UK: Q1 public sector productivity statistics
- Lloyds House Price Index
- Colombia: swearing-in ceremony for president-elect Abelardo de la Espriella
Sunday
- Singapore: National Day, which marks the country’s independence
- UK: the Round Britain and Ireland Race begins in Cowes in the 50th year of the circumnavigation sailing challenge