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With the general election campaign in full swing, the UK parliament will officially be dissolved on Thursday with no further business until after the July 4 vote. The decision to have a snap election has also seen a record number of Conservative MPs standing down, including former prime minister Theresa May and secretary of state for levelling up Michael Gove. How long before Gove follows Ed Balls to Strictly? The current prime minister has attempted to shake-up the party’s narrative, following a rather soggy start outside No 10 last week by announcing, as part of the Conservative manifesto, to reintroduce mandatory national service at 18. Home secretary James Cleverly was making the Sunday rounds to defend the move, saying that the £2.5 billion-per-year plan, would not include jailtime for those who refuse to comply – but he did not explicitly say how the plan would otherwise be made compulsory. In Scotland, Labour and the SNP will have an opportunity to outline their offers to the electorate at the Prosper Forum business conference on Thursday, where both Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar are due to deliver keynote addresses. Elsewhere, election season is coming to a head with polls closing this week in South Africa, Iceland, India, and Mexico. And as the US election begins its summer stretch ahead of the November vote, on Tuesday closing arguments will happen in former president Donald Trump’s “hush money” trial. If found guilty, Trump would become the first former president or current presidential candidate to be criminally convicted in the US. It now appears this is the only criminal case against Trump that will go to trial before November’s election. The Israel/Gaza conflict is top of the agenda as EU foreign ministers gather in Brussels today joined by the Arab League Secretary-General and foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, the UAE, and Qatar. The meeting comes ahead of the joint recognition of Palestinian statehood by Ireland, Spain and Norway, which is scheduled to take effect tomorrow. Finally, in case you missed it, last week we had a double-header View from the Street. You can read founding partner Malcolm Robertson’s take on the rain-soaked election announcement and its foreboding shadow over the Conservative prospects on July 4, while client manager John Cumming argues that a Labour victory could end up being welcome news for the SNP as it looks further ahead to the 2026 Holyrood election. |
In brief - Scotland's economy and busines
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As it releases its annual business plan this week, the Scottish National Investment Bank is outlining its latest investment objectives. But chairman Willie Watt is also sending a warning in The Times (£) that budget cuts from the Scottish Government could constrain the bank’s future investments and self-sustainability.
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According to Daily Business, the Institute for Fiscal Studies is sending a new warning about the UK’s public finances and calling for an “open and robust discussion” over the next few weeks of campaigning to identify real solutions.
- The Herald (£) reports that zero-hour contracts have hit a record high in Scotland, as Labour targets the practice in its election manifesto.
OpinioNation - columns of interest
Former Scottish first minister Henry McLeish argues in The Scotsman (£) that a potential Labour government will need fresh thinking to build on the legacy of devolution initiated a quarter-century ago by Tony Blair.
With former health secretary Michael Matheson’s iPad scandal back in the news this week, Ian Macwhirter writes in The Times (£) that any attempt by John Swinney to defend his SNP colleague risks his own political standing with voters.
Fresh from the UK’s largest property and infrastructure forum, Euan Pirie analyses in The Scotsman (£) whether income strip funding could deliver an important solution to Scotland’s current housing emergency.
And are we approaching peak self-promotion in the workplace through our everyday communication? Pilita Clark questions in the Financial Times (£) whether the once-humble email sign-offs are now going too far.
Shifting the dial - recent research
According to the Diffley Partnership’s most recent Understanding Scotland survey of Scottish households – released this month – pessimism is on the rise with 62% of Scots saying things are headed in the wrong direction. That’s up from 58% just this past February and is the highest ever recorded in the series.
The week ahead - fill your diary with key events
Monday
- Late May bank holiday
- World Health Assembly opens: deadline for submission on pandemic preparedness accord
- French parliament begins debate on end-of-life legislation
- British Tomato Fortnight (to June 9)
Tuesday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill - Stage 3 proceedings
- In the Holyrood committee rooms
- Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee to consider its approach to scrutinising the Housing (Scotland) Bill at Stage 1
- Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee to consider the Circular Economy (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2
- NHS Waiting Times
- Closing: Disclosure Scotland fees: discounting, waivers and accredited bodies consultation
- No events until 9 July
- Scottish Government data
- Consulting Scotland
- Westminster
- British Retail Consortium shop price index
- Closing arguments in Donald Trump’s hush money trial
- Joint recognition of Palestine by Ireland, Norway and Spain to take place
Wednesday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- Portfolio questions: Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; NHS Recovery Health and Social Care
- In the Holyrood committee rooms
- Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee to hear evidence from Nicola Sturgeon MSP on the Inquiry into A9 Duelling Project
- Reports: GDP First Quarterly Estimate; GDP Monthly Estimate for March; College Performance Indicators 2022-23
- Scottish Government data
- South African parliamentary and presidential elections
Thursday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- First Minister’s Questions
- Debate: A Vision for Health and Social Care in Scotland
- Westminster
- Formal dissolution of Parliament
- Prosper Forum in Edinburgh with deputy first minister Kate Forbes and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar giving keynote addresses
- Sam Altman among speakers at AI for Good summit
Friday
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Consulting Scotland
- Closing: Investing in Planning: a consultation on resourcing Scotland’s planning system
- Business Insights and Conditions Survey (BICS) Weighted Scotland Estimates
- Nationwide May house price index
- World No Tobacco Day
Saturday
- Iceland presidential election
- Polls close in India for parliamentary elections
- UEFA Champions League final: Real Madrid v Borussia Dortmund
- Latest Boeing Starliner planned launch date
- Rupert Murdoch and Elena Zhukova’s wedding
- Liam Gallagher begins Definitely Maybe tour
Sunday
- Mexico presidential election
- 12P/Pons-Brooks ‘devil comet’ makes closest passage to Earth
- 30 years ago: Chinook crash on Mull of Kintyre