Rebecca Mason, associate, looks at the top stories for the week ahead.
As temperatures fall from last week’s record-breaking heatwave, Wimbledon goers will be breathing a sigh of relief. Meanwhile, the race to be Britain’s next prime minister stays cool, with heir apparent Andy Burnham still unopposed.
Today in Manchester, Burnham will deliver a major speech outlining devolution at the heart of his economic agenda. He is expected to argue for the transfer of powers over planning, welfare and income tax to regional mayors, allowing communities greater control over local priorities. The approach aims to address the long-standing imbalance between the London and South East part of the country and the rest of the UK, which Burnham has long argued has come at the expense of the UK’s economic growth.
Questions remain, however, over what his agenda will mean for Scotland. It has been suggested that the Makerfield MP could seek to hand infrastructure spending(£) directly to Scottish city regions. In the North East, industry figures will be watching closely following calls for Burnham to revisit the UK government’s stance on oil and gas (£) to safeguard jobs and attract investment.
The King and Queen are preparing for a series of engagements as Royal Week gets underway. On Tuesday, King Charles will begin his official programme in Edinburgh with an investiture ceremony at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, before welcoming guests at the palace for the garden party alongside the Duke of Edinburgh and the Princess Royal.
In brief - Scotland's economy and business
Chief executive of the Royal Academy of Engineering Dame Tamara Finkelstein has warned that Scotland risks falling behind in engineering (£), with just 37% of businesses adopting advanced technologies like AI and robotics compared to 43% across the UK. She highlights a “missing middle” of medium-sized firms as the key weakness, with many family businesses slow to modernise despite Scotland’s strong universities and growing strengths in sectors like space, quantum and photonics. The Academy aims to work more closely with industry leaders to boost investment in new technology, aiming to lift productivity, strengthen supply chains and create higher-quality jobs.
Tilray Brands has invested around £50m since acquiring BrewDog earlier this year. The Scottish brewer and pub operator is now introducing US beer brands through its bar network and trialling a new community-focused pub model, giving residents, community groups and former Equity for Punks investors a formal role in shaping events and direction. The trial will take place in BrewDog’s reopened Inverurie bar and could be expanded across the UK if successful.
Edinburgh’s flagship festivals generated a record £852m for the Scottish economy(£) and £675m for the city’s economy last year. The findings show that around four million people attended last year and the festivals were the leading reason visitors choose to stay overnight in the city, prompting renewed calls for sustained multi-year public funding to protect Edinburgh’s future as a world-leading festival city.
Scottish filmmaker Maureen Hascoet has launched Vertical Scotland (£), an organisation designed to help Scotland capitalise on the rapidly growing vertical micro drama industry. As part of the initiative, Hascoet recently organised a pitching event between Scottish writers and micro drama streaming platform GammaTime. Two Scottish scripts have been shortlisted for possible commission, with production to be handled by Hascoet’s company, Firewalker Pictures. The industry is expected to generate around £10.3bn globally by the end of 2026.
OpinioNation - columns of interest
Burnham the Love Island “bombshell”. Julie Burchill describes his rise to the top of British politics as closely resembling a charismatic contestant on the UK reality TV show, praising his confidence, political instincts and working-class appeal. She suggests Burnham is well placed to become prime minister but warns that, like many reality TV stars, his popularity could prove short-lived once the initial excitement fades.
Following the announcement of a UK-wide ban on social media for under-16s, the Guardian's political correspondent Aletha Adu joined forces with the Guardian Australia's social media host and reporter Matilda Boseley to examine the UK’s plans, assess how Australia's landmark nationwide ban introduced last year is working in practice, and explore whether the move marks the beginning of a global reckoning over children's access to social media.
Former defence minister Tobias Ellwood writes that Britain risks making a mistake by treating drones and traditional warships as alternatives (£) rather than as complementary capabilities. He warns that replacing high-end frigates with smaller, cheaper vessels risks weakening the Royal Navy’s ability to protect and defend, as adversaries like Russia become more active. With most NATO nations increasingly spending on both, Ellwood argues the UK’s failure to do so reflects an inability to fund defence properly, warning this could undermine national security and economic growth.
Shifting the dial - recent research
Charlotte Street Partners and the Diffley Partnership published their latest Understanding Business quarterly report today, which measures the outlook, perceptions and challenges for business across Scotland.
June’s results paint a mixed picture of how Scottish businesses are responding to the current economic and political landscape. Key findings include:
- The hike in business rates is adding pressure on many Scottish businesses, with nearly seven in ten (69%) reporting an increase compared to last year.
- Two-thirds (65%) expect that the price of their goods or services will increase over the next quarter, a rise of four percentage points since March. Businesses continue to identify increased workforce costs (33%) and the price of utilities (32%) as key drivers of price rises.
- Confidence in Scotland’s elected leaders remains low, just over one month since the beginning of the new parliamentary term. Only four in ten (41%) believe the Scottish Government is taking action to address the concerns of Scottish business, while just over a quarter (28%) say the same about the UK government, representing a drop of five percentage points from March.
- Overall, 65% of businesses agree that Scotland is a good place to employ people, to run a business (64%) and to invest (61%), despite concerns.
The week ahead - fill your diary with key events
The Scottish Parliament is now in recess until 30 August 2026.
Monday
- Andy Burnham to lay out economic agenda in a speech in Manchester
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Westminster
- Oral Questions: Work and Pensions (including Topical Questions)
- Estimates Day: debates on estimates relating to the Cabinet Office
- House of Lords Oral Questions: UK’s food security; Addressing the skills shortage in the construction sector
- Public Accounts Committee evidence: Regulation of water, energy and broadband
- Wimbledon Tennis Championship begins
Tuesday
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Scottish Government data
- Housing Statistics for Scotland Quarterly Update: June 2026
- Scottish Landlord Register Data: May 2026
- Energy Trends Q1 2026
- National Drug and Alcohol Treatment Waiting Times: Jan-March (Q4) 2025/26
- Alcohol Consumption and Harms Dashboard: Spring 2026
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Westminster
- Oral Questions: Justice (including Topical Questions)
- Estimates Day: debates on estimates relating to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport
- Westminster Hall debate: Contribution of nationally significant energy infrastructure projects to communities
- House of Lords Oral Questions: Reforming university student finance
- Business and Trade Committee: China and the UK economy
- Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee – Oral evidence: Modernising Elections
- Treasury Committee evidence: Tax and duty non-compliance on high streets
- King and Queen arrive in Edinburgh: Holyrood Palace garden party
- UK revised Q1 GDP estimates
- HMRC house sales figures
- British Retail Consortium June Shop Price Index
Wednesday
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Westminster
- Oral Questions: Science, Innovation and Technology (including Topical Questions)
- Prime Minister’s Questions
- Motion: Taxation (Energy and Vehicles) Bill: Business of the House
- House of Lords Oral Questions: Potential role of innovation and technology in reducing drink-driving
- Work and Pensions Committee evidence: Realising potential – Delivering the Child Poverty Strategy
- Scottish Affairs Committee evidence: The future of Gaelic Broadcasting
- Energy Security and Net Zero Committee evidence: Managing the future of UK oil and gas
- Launch window opens for German rocket company, RFA, which hopes to launch its first rocket from SaxaVord Spaceport on Unst. Launch window could last several weeks
- UK energy price cap comes into effect
- Ireland’s six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union begins
- Former MSP, Colin Smyth, to appear in court on drink driving charges
- Nationwide House Price Index
- Canada Day
Thursday
-
Westminster
- Business and Trade (including Topical Questions)
- Business Statement: Business Questions to the Leader of the House
- Debate: Debate on a Motion relating to the National Audit Office
- House of Lords Short Debate: Assessment made of the contribution of live music to the UK’s culture and economy
- Bank of England Q2 Bank Liabilities Survey
Friday
- The Duke of Edinburgh, patron of The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award, will host young people from across Scotland and the north of England for a Gold Award celebration, to mark their achievements
Saturday
- 2026 Tour de France begins in Barcelona
- 250th anniversary of the United States’ Declaration of Independence