Finlay Whiteford, researcher, looks at the top stories for the week ahead.
As the sun rises over Scotland today, plenty will be breathing a sigh of relief.
The Tartan Army’s saltires were flying with trepidation last night as the national men’s football team survived a late scare from Belarus at Hampden to edge one step closer to next year’s World Cup.
And after the flag-waving and showboating of the UK parliament’s conference season, the SNP conference kicked off in Aberdeen this weekend with the constitutional question unsurprisingly the focus in this election year. First minister John Swinney received the support of his party to make the next election a de-facto poll on independence. Swinney’s strategy will see him declare a mandate for a second independence referendum if the SNP wins a majority of seats at the Holyrood election.
Although as analysts have pointed out, winning a majority of seats in the Scottish Parliament will be a huge task for the SNP and even if that does happen, the UK government could still block another referendum with no clear route for such a vote without the prime minister’s backing.
Yesterday, there were standing ovations for pro-Palestinian activists at the conference as Swinney described Friday’s ceasefire as ‘fragile.’ Under the terms of the Trump-arranged deal, Hamas has until 10 o’clock today to hand over all living hostages. Hostage exchanges began earlier this morning.
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In brief - Scotland's economy and business
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Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Ming Yang announced plans to invest £1.5bn in a new factory in Scotland (£) after over two years of ‘extensive discussions’ with governments at Holyrood and Westminster. MPs are under pressure to veto the final approval of the plans at Ardersier over security risks, despite the company being privately owned. Ming Yang is also seeking co-investment from entities such as flagship government organisation GB Energy.
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During a fringe event at the SNP conference this weekend, finance secretaryShona Robison said she believes the Scottish Government has ‘reached the limits of what [it] can do’ on income tax, arguing that the next administration must be ‘really, really bold’ with public service reforms and the proliferation of public bodies. Scottish residents earning £50k per year currently pay an additional £1,520 in income tax than English counterparts.
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The Telegraph quotes treasury sources as stating that Rachel Reeves will not cut public spending or significantly increase borrowing (£) to plug holes in public finances and will instead raise taxes on the wealthiest in the autumn Budget. According to reports, Reeves also plans to increase the headroom within the Budget above the £10bn of last year, meaning extra revenue needs to be found.
- Edinburgh-based leadership network Label Sessions is to partner with the Future Fashion Assembly in a new venture to tackle commercial and sustainability-related challenges in the fashion industry. Scott Reid writes in the Scotsman that the venture will aim to bring innovative concepts from the drawing board to the market in just 100 days.
OpinioNation - columns of interest
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In yesterday’s Observer, Róisín Lanigan laments that anti-intellectualism is ‘having a moment’ in politics, music and Gen Z pop culture. Citing Keir Starmer’s recent repeal of university targets alongside Taylor Swift’s ‘sonically abusive’ new album, Lanigan urges us to embrace the often-embarrassing quality of intelligence and bookishness despite the social stigma attached.
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Writing for the Sunday Times Scotland, Alex Massie claims that the Scottish Parliament ‘cares more about stolen dogs than lost lives.’ (£) This week saw the Right to Recovery (Scotland) Bill rejected by MSPs at stage one, while a bill banning dog theft – which is already illegal - was backed earlier this month. Massie argues that Holyrood is ‘forfeiting its right to respect’ by prioritising ‘misconceived’ legislation over real change in Scotland’s drugs crisis.
- ‘It might be you next.’ In Sunday’s Press and Journal, its former deputy editor David Knight writes of RAAC-affected residents in Torry, who view a recent £10million settlement deal with Aberdeen City Council as a ‘false dawn’ in the long-running saga. While the SNP conference takes place in the city, Knight frames the battle for justice and compensation as one of conscience in government, and whether the Scottish Government can ‘step up and take [historic mistakes] on the chin.’
The week ahead - fill your diary with key events
Monday
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At Westminster:
- Oral questions on Housing, Communities and Local Government
- SNP annual conference in Aberdeen concludes with the first minister’s speech
- IMF and World Bank begin annual meetings in Washington
- The recipient(s) of the Nobel Prize in Economics will be announced in Stockholm, Sweden
Tuesday
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Scottish Government data
- Labour Market Trends: October 2025
- Alcohol Consumption and Harms Dashboard: Summer 2025
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At Westminster:
- Oral questions on Energy Security and Net Zero
- Adjournment debate on the impact of the energy profits levy on northeast Scotland
- The Treasury Committee will take oral evidence on the 2025 budget
- The Communications and Digital Committee will take evidence from Ofcom on the implementation of the Online Safety Act
- The Business and Trade Committee will take evidence on financing the real economy
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UK government data
- Labour market statistics: October 2025
- Results: Bellway (FY), BlackRock (Q3) Citigroup (Q3)
- Ed Miliband and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey speak at the Energy UK annual conference in London
- IMF publishes its latest World Economic Outlook report
Wednesday
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At Westminster:
- Prime Minister’s Question Time
- Sustainable Aviation Fuel Bill: third reading
- Scottish Affairs Committee: private meeting on GB Energy and the net zero transition
- The Energy Security and Net Zero Committee will take evidence on energy prices
- The Financial Services Regulation Committee will take evidence on the growth of private markets following post-2008 reforms
Thursday
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At Westminster:
- Oral questions on Culture, Media and Sport
- Biodiversity beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: second reading
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UK government data (ONS):
- Monthly GDP estimate: August 2025
- Construction output in Great Britain: August 2025
Friday
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UK government data (ONS):
- Company insolvencies: September 2025
- Public opinions and social trends, Great Britain: September 2025
Saturday
- Scottish Liberal Democrat party conference in Glasgow
- Sanctions are to be reimposed on Iran as UNSC resolution 2231 expires
- The Royal National Mòd concludes in Lochaber