Finlay Whiteford, associate, looks at the top stories for the week ahead.
Andy Burnham will travel to Antalya, Turkey this week for COP31. His brief visit, expected to last no more than a day, is seen by some as an attempt to show climate consciousness after approving the Jackdaw gas field last month and a potential Rosebank approval on the horizon. His government is also expected to drop its electric vehicle target this week, which currently aims for 80% of new cars sold to be electric by 2030.
Burnham will be accompanied by foreign secretary Ed Miliband, a key architect of the COP30 climate deal, as well as energy and net zero secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh.
Capitalising on the climate theme of the week, STUC published research(£) into the ownership of ScotWind projects, demonstrating that three-quarters of capacity is owned by foreign entities.
Conversations about the EU will continue this week in preparation for a landmark EU summit, where a range of deals on agriculture, food, and education will be signed. Over the weekend, the leaders of Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Denmark went beyond that scope and called for the integration of the UK into the EU’s internal electricity market.
Tech markets are once again under pressure this week following the news that Nvidia’s CEO admitted having an affair with a suspected Chinese spy. Meanwhile, Democrats are pledging to tackle allegations of corruption and improper corporate influence (£) on the White House, and continue their opposition to data centres. In Edinburgh, a protest march is being organised against AI hyperscale data centres on Saturday.
In brief - Scotland's economy and business
Days away from the launch of its sixth title, Grand Theft Auto has reached a level of success which the Scottish games industry has struggled to replicate. In The Sunday Times, Greig Cameron examines why (£), and looks at what hope there could be for our smaller developers to play a part in the next gaming phenomenon.
The Scottish Government’s minister for tertiary education, Alyn Smith, has called for Scotland’s college sector to be “revolutionised”(£) to secure its future. Speaking to The Scotsman, Smith said the further and higher education landscape is “cluttered” and that he is “not here to defend” institutions or programmes “if they are not delivering as well as they could be”.
University of Dundee spin-out company PhaSER Biomedical has had its grant funding renewed by the Gates Foundation, worth around $2.7 million over two years. Its proprietary 8HUM technology allows drugs to be tested in a way which better mimics the metabolic pathways of humans.
A cabinet office minister told the FT this weekend that the pace of AI investment is “too low” in the UK (£), and that data centre construction needs to accelerate to keep pace with global competitors. Dan Tomlinson’s comments came despite US midterm elections being heavily influenced by data centre concerns – a polarising debate which he believes his government can avoid by being “clear-eyed” about AI risks.
OpinioNation - columns of interest
In The Herald, Brian Taylor asks whether our politicians understand that Scots are “thoroughly sick of partisan contention” (£) and the typical politician’s answer. He adds that for the good of everyone, our two governments should search for consensus on issues like public sector reform, industry and economic policy, rather than taking cheap shots over areas of disagreement.
When the role of a manager changes from managing humans to managing AI agents, what does this mean for their role and pay grade? Pilita Clark writes in the FT about the difficulties of paying people to manage robotic workforces (£).
Herald columnist Mark Smith writes about the “glacial” progress on much-needed new railway stations around Scotland (£), and the role of Transport Scotland in delaying them. Despite recognised local economic benefits, plans for stations near Winchburgh, Hawick and Peterhead remain blocked by a lack of funding and cross-agency communication between Transport Scotland and Network Rail.
The week ahead - fill your diary with key events
Monday
- COP31 begins in Antalya, Turkey
- UK military leads the first major military exercise run by the Multinational Force Ukraine
- Booker Prize 2026 winner announced
- Two-day G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Paris
- Russell Brand to be sentenced after being found guilty of rape and sexual assault
Tuesday
-
In the Holyrood chamber
- First Minister’s Questions (backbench members)
- Ministerial statement: winter resilience
- Scottish Government debate: the BBC and public service broadcasting in Scotland
-
In the Holyrood committee rooms
- The Education and Gaelic Committee will take evidence on Qualifications Scotland and apprenticeships
- The Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee will take evidence on broadcasting and news from Ofcom and union representatives
-
Scottish government data
- Scottish modern apprenticeship statistics, Q2 2026
- British Retail Consortium retail sales monitor (October 2026)
- Two days of Russia-Ukraine peace talks to begin in Abu Dhabi
Wednesday
- Remembrance Day
-
In the Holyrood chamber
- Portfolio questions: Social Justice and Housing; Economy, Tourism and Transport
- Scottish Labour debate: education
-
In the Holyrood committee rooms
- The Finance and Public Administration Committee will take evidence on the implications of the UK Budget for the Scottish Budget
- The Transport Committee will take evidence on Scotland's bus services
-
Westminster
- Prime Minister’s Questions
- The Treasury Committee will take evidence from the chancellor on this year’s Budget
- Scottish Affairs Committee will take evidence on Scotland’s whisky industry and the dual role of the Lord Advocate
- Public inquiry into group-based child sexual abuse in Scotland begins
- Andy Burnham attends the COP31 climate conference in Antalya
Thursday
-
In the Holyrood chamber
- First Minister’s Questions (party leaders)
- Stage one debate: Scottish Local Government Elections (Candidacy Rights of Commonwealth Citizens) Bill
-
Westminster
- First evidence sessions of the Building Safety (Remediation of Unsafe Cladding etc) Bill Committee
- ONS UK GDP estimate (Q3 2026) and trade estimate
- European Political Community summit in Dublin
Friday
- Welsh Labour conference begins, running until Sunday
Saturday
- King Charles III celebrates his 78th birthday
- Edinburgh: activists to march against hyperscale AI data centres, thousands are expected to be in attendance
Sunday
-
BAFTA Scotland awards