Rebecca Mason, associate, looks at the top stories for the week ahead.
Silence may be golden, and for the SNP, it has been just that in recent months as the party shifted its focus away from the constitutional question in favour of seeking to strengthen the NHS and tackle child poverty.
However, that silence has now been broken as first minister John Swinney reaffirmed that Scottish independence will be “central” to the SNP’s 2026 election campaign. Speaking on Sunday, he declared that “Westminster doesn’t work for Scotland,” and championed independence and rejoining the European Union as the path to solving the nation’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, all eyes are expected to turn to the Holyrood chamber on Tuesday as MSPs prepare for a crucial first vote on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill. Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur, who introduced the member’s Bill, has expressed confidence that it has enough backing to progress to the next stage, but cautioned that the vote would be tight.
Although the first minister confirmed last week that he will vote against the Bill for ‘personal reasons’, other key cabinet ministers, including social justice secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville, have voiced their support, highlighting a clear divide among the SNP over the controversial proposals.
Across the border, prime minister Keir Starmer will today unveil his government’s plans to end what it has called the “failed free market experiment” in mass immigration by restricting skilled worker visas to graduate-level jobs and forcing businesses to increase training for local workers.
Labour hopes for it to be a defining moment in its efforts to regain political momentum, following a weekend which saw Reform take a 10-point lead in a BMG Research poll, suggesting a further major realignment of the UK’s electoral landscape.
Elsewhere, U.S. President Donald Trump will embark on his first foreign trip of his second term to the Middle East this week, nearly eight years since his first international visit to the region.
While many themes that shaped Trump’s 2017 remain relevant today, including his support for Israel and hardline stance on Iran, this visit will serve as a clear reflection of the president’s priorities, with White House officials noting that security issues will take a back seat during Trump’s stay. Instead, the focus will be on securing investment, trade, and technology agreements from wealthy regional leaders, highlighting his more restrained vision of America’s global role and his emphasis on delivering tangible economic wins to boost base at home.
In brief - Scotland's economy and business
The Highlands and Islands have been presented with a “once in a generation” opportunity to secure a £100bn of investment in green industries, according to a new research report. Some 251 large scale projects could create 18,000 jobs by 2040, marking a major turning point for the region’s economy and positioning it at the forefront of Scotland’s green energy future.
Prime minister Keir Starmer and Scottish secretary Ian Murray have called on the SNP Government to establish a clear strategy (£) for attracting contracts to the Dalzell steel mill in Motherwell and the Clydebridge steelworks in Cambuslang, with the goal of bringing both facilities back into full operation. In an exclusive article for Scotland on Sunday, Murray urged Swinney to seize the opportunity presented by last week’s landmark trade agreement with the United States, which eliminates import tariffs on British steel and aluminium. He emphasised that Scotland must now capitalise on this breakthrough to secure the future of its last remaining steel mills.
According to the Financial Times (£), the number of UK entrepreneurs closing viable businesses has reached the highest since the pandemic, driven by rising tax rates, particularly changes to business asset disposal relief in Rachel Reeves’ autumn budget. Amid economic uncertainty, 12,602 opted to liquidate in 2024-25 to avoid further increases - reaching the second highest on record.
The Herald (£) is reporting that between 2015 and 2024, the number of CalMac ferries cancelled on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services due to technical faults has risen by 531%, following years of criticism faced by the SNP on its failure to modernise Scotland’s ferry fleet and increased costs to taxpayers’ money.
OpinioNation - columns of interest
When personal meets political. In a powerful conversation on The Herald’s Unspun Live podcast, Glasgow MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy explains why she will be voting against the Assisted Dying Bill on Tuesday. As one of the few disabled MSPs in Holyrood, she shares how the Bill raises uncomfortable questions about how society views the value of different lives, and why, for her, this is a matter of principle as much as policy.
Will UK trade deals put more money in Scottish pockets? Prime Minister Keir Starmer, writing in The Times (£), attempted to reaffirm his commitment to Scotland’s economic future. Highlighting landmark trade agreements with India and the US, he argues these deals will “save jobs, boost industries, and drive growth” across the country. Positioning Labour as a stable, results-focused alternative to what he characterises as years of Tory mismanagement and SNP stagnation, Starmer urges voters to back Scottish Labour for a more prosperous and secure future.
Amidst Donald Trump’s non-stop political trolling, notably with an AI-generated image of himself as Pope, Jemima Kelly, writing in the Financial Times (£), asks a deeper question: is laughter ever appropriate in serious times? She defends genuine humour as a mark of thoughtful humanity, not a distraction from it. Citing historical shifts in attitudes to humour, she argues that we must protect laughter from both pomposity and cynicism, because, as the late Pope Francis observed, when we lose the ability to laugh or cry deeply, society suffers.
The week ahead - fill your diary with key events
Monday
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Westminster
- Oral Questions
- Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill: Remaining Stages
- UK Engagement with Space Committee – Oral Evidence
- UK: Keir Starmer to unveil immigration plan and white paper
Tuesday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- Stage 1 debate: Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill
- Members Business – S6M-17049 Gordon MacDonald: Constructure Skills for the Future
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In the Holyrood committee rooms
- Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee will consider the Housing (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 (Day 2)
- Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee will take evidence on hydrogen aspects of the Project Willow study – Plans for future of Grangemouth
- Health, Social Care and Sport Committee will take evidence on Right to Additional Recovery (Scotland) Bill
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Scottish Government data
- Labour Market Trends, May 2025
- Housing Statistics for Scotland, 2024
- Council Tax Reduction in Scotland, March 2025
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Westminster:
- Oral questions
- Westminster Hall debate: Reform of the standard method for assessing local housing need
- Planning and Infrastructure Bill – Debate
- Science and Technology Committee Oral evidence - Financing and Scaling UK Science and Technology: Innovation, Investment, Industry
- Business and Trade Committee Oral evidence – Industrial Strategy
- Energy Security and Net Zero Committee Oral evidence – Workforce planning to deliver clean, secure energy
- US: Start of Donald Trump’s visit to Saudi Arania, Qatar and UAE
Wednesday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- Portfolio Questions
- Ministerial Statement: Impact of UK Government Decisions on Scotland’s Social Care Sector
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In the Holyrood Committee rooms
- Economy and Fair Work Committee will take evidence on Grangemouth’s Industrial Future; consider a draft report on Employment Rights Bill (UK Parliament legislation)
- Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee will consider the Housing (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2 (Day 3)
- Rural Affairs and Islands Committee will take evidence on the Town and Country Planning (Marine Fish Farming) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2025
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Scottish Government data
- Scotland’s Devolved Employment Services: Statistical Summary, May 2025
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Westminster
- Prime Minister’s Question Time
- Westminster Hall debate: Impact of extended producer responsibility for packaging on glass packaging producers
- Scottish Affairs Committee Oral evidence – GB Energy and the net zero transition
- NATO: Meeting of foreign ministers in Turkey
Thursday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- General questions
- First Minister’s questions
- Members’ Business – S6M-17422 Ross Greer: Addressing the Impact of Second Home Ownership in Scotland
- Scottish Government Debate: Scotland in Today’s Europe
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Scottish Government data
- Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) Weighted Scotland Estimates, Wave 131
- UK: Britain’s GDP figures for Q1 2025
Friday
- Europe: European Political Community Summit in Albania.
Saturday
- Men’s FA Cup Final
- Europe: Inauguration of Pope Leo XIV
Sunday
- Women’s FA Cup Final