Rebecca Mason, associate, looks at the top stories for the week ahead.
Scotland lost its Six Nations opener this weekend amid swamp-like conditions in Rome.
Meanwhile, Labour has been equally bogged down amid ongoing revelations about Peter Mandelson and questions surrounding the prime minister’s judgement. Starmer will be hoping the resignation of his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, starts to dry things out, but the storm clouds look likely to rumble on.
McSweeney said that he took “full responsibility” for Mandelson’s appointment and recognised the damage that had been caused to the party.
Starmer moved quickly to stabilise his team and quiet his backbenchers, appointing Vidhya Alakeson and Jill Cuthbertson as his acting joint chiefs.
Nigel Farage has seized on the turmoil, predicting Starmer “won’t be far behind [McSweeney]” following what he anticipates will be a bad result for Labour in the upcoming May elections. Farage will also be holding a rally in Birmingham this afternoon.
Current and past Scottish political leaders paid tribute over the weekend to former health secretary, Jean Freeman, remembering her for her contribution to public life and decisive actions during the Covid-19 pandemic. Freeman died following a short battle with cancer.
Later this week, the final quarter GDP estimate for 2025 will be announced. It is anticipated to register a modest rebound compared with the previous three months, supported by increased activity in November and clarity for businesses following the Autum Budget.
In brief - Scotland's economy and business
- Kays of Scotland, a small 15-person factory in Mauchline, East Ayrshire, is supplying curling stones used at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics (£), continuing a tradition that has served nearly every Winter Games since 1924. The team harvests rare Ailsa Craig granite off the West Coast of Scotland every five to ten years to create the curling stones, which are prized for their durability and water-resistant properties.
- Shoplifting in Scotland has risen sharply by 129%, with 48,564 recorded crimes in the year to September 2025, new figures from Police Scotland reveal this morning. Daily Business reported that Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar blamed the rise on falling police numbers and said communities are experiencing “chaos on our streets.” He has pledged to restore local policing if elected first minister in May.
- Tighter UK immigration rules proposed to cut net migration by 100,000 a year by 2029 through tougher settlement rules, higher salary thresholds, and stricter English requirements could see depopulation in Highland communities worsen (£), reported The Herald. For example, Kinlochbervie High School has capacity for 182 pupils and currently enrols 33, with this forecast to drop to 31 by 2034/35. Professor David Bell said greater opportunities in cities like Glasgow and Edinburgh mean people from rural areas may be attracted to leave, impacting regional economic growth.
OpinioNation - columns of interest
- Janet Christie in The Scotsman draws parallels between the recent Peter Mandelson and Prince Andrew scandal, and Regency drama Bridgerton,noting both worlds feature entitled elites engaging in inappropriate behaviour while protected by wealth and status. She suggests that while Bridgerton at least offers beauty, humour, and inclusivity, real-life politicians lack the honesty, principles, and moral compass voters deserves.
- Dominic Lawson argues in The Sunday Times that Nigel Farage’s politics “begins and ends in the boozer” than coherent policy. He suggests that while Farage dominates headlines, far less scrutiny is given to Reform UK’s poorly costed ideas, such as a pub-for-child benefits swap that could add an estimated £10bn to public spending, alongside cuts to crypto taxes, which have prompted further doubts about the party’s economic credibility and seriousness.
- Professor Graeme Roy and senior lecturer David Waite at the University of Glasgow argue in The Herald that while Edinburgh is now one of the UK’s strongest performing city regions, boasting high productivity, a skilled workforce, and strengths in finance and innovation, the capital faces many internal challenges, including homelessness, housing shortages and transport pressures. For progress to be made, they suggest that regional development commitments similar to Glasgow by the Scottish Government must be made (£), creating better co-ordination across Scotland’s devolved governance structure.
Shifting the dial - recent research
From Angela Rayner’s second home controversy to Lord Mandelson’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein, a series of scandals under Keir Starmer’s leadership appear to be weighing on Labour’s reputation with voters. A new YouGov poll for The Sunday Times reveals that nearly a third of respondents (32%) now view the party as ‘sleazier’ than the last Conservative government, while 25% see it as less so.
The survey also found 43% of voters, including a significant share of Labour supporters, believe Starmer has handled the issues poorly, with half of all respondents saying he should stand down as prime minister.
The week ahead - fill your diary with key events
Monday
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Westminster
- Oral questions: Home Office
- General debate: UK-India free trade agreement
- Reform UK's leader Nigel Farage to deliver a major speech at rally in Birmingham
- Prince William begins a three-day visit to Saudi Arabia
- Ghislaine Maxwell to appear before the US House Oversight and Government Reform Committee
Tuesday
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In the Holyrood committee rooms
- Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee will take evidence on the Draft Climate Change Plan; Scottish Government’s Budget 2026-27
- Finance and Public Administration Committee will take consider the Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 (Day 1).
- Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee will consider a draft Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1 report.
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Scottish Government Data
- Modern Apprenticeship Statistics 2025-26, Quarter 3
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Westminster
- Oral questions: Energy security and Net Zero
- Westminster Hall debate: Independent Water Commission Final Report
- Defence Committee – Oral evidence: One-off session on Undersea Activity
- Business and Trade Committee – Oral evidence: UK trade with US, India and EU
- US: US Government officials testify before House committee over immigration crackdown
Wednesday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- Portfolio Questions: Rural Affairs, Land Reforms and Islands; Health and Social Care
- Scottish Labour Party Business: Health
- Scottish Labour Party Business: Justice
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In the Holyrood committee rooms
- Rural Affairs and Islands Committee will take evidence on the Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2026; Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill at Stage 2 (Day 2); consider draft report of Draft Climate Change Plan
- Criminal Justice Committee will reflect on the budget proposed for 2026-27 and Scottish Spending Review
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Consulting Scotland
- Consultation on proposed amendment to the Environmental Noise (Scotland) Regulations 2006
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Westminster
- Oral questions: Northern Ireland
- Prime Minister’s Question Time
- Scottish Affairs Committee – private meeting: Securing Scotland’s Future: Defence Skills and Jobs
- Work and Pensions Committee – Oral evidence: Employment support for disabled people
- Treasury Committee – Oral evidence: Business rates
Thursday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- General Questions
- First Minister’s Questions
- Portfolio Questions: Social Justice and Housing
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Scottish Government Data
- Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS)
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Westminster
- Oral questions: Transport
- UK: GDP estimate for Q4 2025 and trade data
Friday
- House of Commons in recess until 23 February
- EU: German Chancellor Friedrich Merz addresses the opening of Munich Security Conference
Saturday
- Valentine’s Day
- Lunar New Year celebrations begin in Vietnam
Sunday
- 15 years since Larry the cat was recruited from the Battersea Dog and Cat home and installed as head rat catcher at Downing Street