This week’s news agenda looks set to be dominated by the spate of violence that continued across the country over the weekend. Prime minister Keir Starmer yesterday warned that rioters would “regret” taking part in “far-right thuggery” and, in Scotland, first minister John Swinney called for an end to “unhelpful speculation”about an unrelated event in Stirling, which drew racially charged online commentary.
In case you missed it, associate partner Anna Dickens touched upon this issue in last week’s View from the Street. Anna analysed the cost of misinformation online and looked at industries that may point to a better solution – well worth a read.
Meanwhile, the race to be the next Scottish Conservative leader officially kicks off on Thursday. The contest had surprise entrants last week with deputy leader Meghan Gallagher declaring her candidacy, along with South Scotland MSP Brian Whittle. Meanwhile, the party faces the looming threat of Reform UK, which plans to stand candidates in every Holyrood seat at the 2026 election. How the candidates will face down this challenge is one of the key questions likely to shape the contest.
SNP sources briefed The Herald over the weekend on the fierce selection battle expected in the lead up to 2026, with no rules yet fixed on for the process. Candidates in marginal central belt seat will be fighting it out for a spot at the top of the selection list.
In brief - Scotland's economy and business
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Donald Trump would be the “greatest president” for Scotland, according to his son. Eric Trump spoke to STV at the Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire at the weekend. When pressed on the issue of tariffs on Scottish goods, imposed during Trump’s previous presidency, Eric Trump admitted that the measures “very well could have” affected the Scotch whisky industry. The policy is thought to have cost the sector £600m. The comments come ahead of another heated week in the presidential race, with rival Kamala Harris expected to select her running mate by Wednesday.
- Following last week’s announcement of a deal to save the infrastructure firm, Harland & Wolff, the GMB Union called on the Scottish and UK governments to protect the 400 jobs at the company’s Scottish shipyards.
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Scotland’s financial services sector is more confident about its future under the new Labour government at Westminster, according to data from the quarterly KPMG Financial Services Sentiment Survey. Businesses identified regional infrastructure and greater devolution as drivers of anticipated growth.
- Finally, Scottish Conservative finance spokesperson, Liz Smith, accused senior SNP figures of having their “head in the sand” over the viability of free university tuition.
OpinioNation - columns of interest
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In an interview with The Times, Edinburgh Council leader Paul Lawrence admits that the organisation must prioritise keeping the city clean and fixing potholes over more ambitious projects. Lawrence says the visitor levy, due to be introduced from 2026, will allow the Council “headroom” to prioritise the culture sector. Lawrence’s comments come as a Freedom of Information request revealed the total expected cost ofrepairing Scotland’s roads has risen to £2.56bn. Scottish Labour spokesperson Alex Rowley blamed “brutal” cuts to local authority budgets.
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Edinburgh West MP Christine Jardine hit out at Labour’s decision to axe £1.3bn in funding for AI and tech projects in yesterday’s edition of The Scotsman. The cuts cast uncertainty over a major supercomputing project from the University of Edinburgh, in which the university has already invested £31m. Constitution secretary Angus Robertson today joined her in condemning the decision, adding that he was seeking a meeting with the first minister over the issue.
- Oliver Smith relays his journey to the summit of Schiehallion in The Financial Times, meditating on the mystery and beauty of Scotland’s ‘magic mountain’.
- The Economist explores the challenges Kamala Harris’ economic messaging will face in key swing states.
The week ahead - fill your diary with key events
The Scottish Parliament is in recess until 31 August, and Westminster is in recess until 2 September.
Monday
- Bank of England to publish its monthly update on international reserves
- Sentencing expected of former British Virgin Islands premier Andrew Fahie
Tuesday
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Scottish Government data
- Monthly apprenticeship statistics published
- A&E activity and waiting times published
- Scottish students to receive results for their national, higher and advanced higher courses
- British Retail Consortium-KPMG July retail sales monitor published
- 79th anniversary of the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima by the United States
Wednesday
- Kamala Harris’s self-imposed deadline to name her running mate
Thursday
- Scottish Conservative leadership campaign officially begins
- Recruitment & Employment Confederation and KPMG report on jobs
Friday
- The Japan Meteorological Agency forecasts the possibility of the El Niño weather pattern forming
- 50th anniversary of the resignation of president Richard Nixon
Sunday
- Final day and closing ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic games