Sophie Taylor, associate, looks at the top stories for the week ahead.
Bright spring sunshine, International Women’s Day celebrations and Scotland’s Six Nations win against Wales (let’s forget the second half) made for an endorphin-boosting weekend. Hopefully you made the most of it before the “polar plunge” hits later this week.
Cloud has already been cast over minister for intergovernmental relations, Pat McFadden’s, plans to reform Whitehall when he appeared on the BBC’s Sunday Show, ahead of his full announcement today. The plans, aiming to make the government more efficient, would cut the number of civil servants based on performance-related measures.
And it’s not sunshine and rainbows for Reform UK, either, as the fallout from its suspension of Rupert Lowe MP on Friday continued, with the party’s leader, Nigel Farage, questioning the impact this will have (£) on its polling position. Lowe allegedly made threats of physical violence against the party’s chairman.
It’s set to be a significant week for peace negotiations as Saudi Arabia hosts US-led peace talks (£) with Ukraine on Tuesday. The two nations could agree a deal to pave the way for a “phased ceasefire” and bring Russia into negotiations, while the UK finalises plans for a European peacekeeping force.
Eyes are on Canada’s next steps in the Trump tariff battle after Mark Carney, former head of the Bank of England, was elected as the new leader of the Liberal Party, meaning he will immediately replace Justin Trudeau (£) as prime minister. Sovereignty has become the most pressing issue for the country, with Carney saying Canada would “never, ever be part of America in any way”.
In brief - Scotland's economy and business
With the Infrastructure and Planning Bill due to be presented to the UK parliament, a new report from the British Chambers of Commerce calls for government action to improve infrastructure and drive economic growth. Cancelled projects, a failing planning system and cost-overruns are cited as some of the trends contributing to a lack of business confidence.
Four trusts on the Cowal peninsula in Argyll have come together to create Cowal Community Energy, which is likely to bid against Scottish Power Renewables to take over the Cruach Mhor wind farm (£). If successful, the move could create the largest community-owned windfarm in Scotland.
Edinburgh Airport opened its new Stem Centre, designed to encourage people into careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The centre can host a full school class, with sessions delivered by volunteers across departments.
OpinioNation - columns of interest
Following Scottish Conservative leader, Russell Findlay’s, call for the school leaving age to be lowered, Sandy Begbie CBE, chief executive of Scottish Financial Enterprise, highlighted the value of apprenticeships (£) and their indispensable role in addressing skills gaps in Scotland in The Scotsman.
Jemima Kelly argued that the Democratic Party needs to offer the American public a serious alternative to Trump (£) by being braver in its communication and focusing on its positive vision in The Financial Times. Kelly says Democrats are too absorbed with Trump-bashing, which isn’t working in their favour.
“Gender equality cannot be seen as a zero-sum game that women can only win at the expense of men”, writes Pilita Clark in The Financial Times. Read Clark’s piece for an overview of current attitudes towards feminism (£) across the globe.
A new episode of The New Yorker’s podcast, “The Political Scene”, explores how America’s founders tried to tyrant-proof the constitutional system. Jeffrey Rosen, president and CEO of the National Constitution Center, explains that Trump’s rise is exactly what the founding fathers sought to prevent, and he analyses elements they couldn’t foresee – like modern technology and the party system.
The week ahead - fill your diary with key events
Monday
- Deputy first minister, Kate Forbes, secretary of state for Scotland, Ian Murray, and Argyll and Bute Council leader, Jim Lynch, will jointly sign a £70m rural growth deal, made up of £25m from both UK and Scottish governments, and £20m from the council and its partners
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Westminster
- Lords orders and regulations: Industry Training Levy (Construction Industry Training Board) Order 2025
- UK Engagement with Space Committee oral evidence: UK Engagement with Space
- Ukraine: Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrives in Saudi Arabia for peace talks
- UK: Civil service shake-up plan is unveiled; Westminster Abbey service marking Commonwealth Day
- US: China imposes tariffs on the US
- Reports: KPMG/REC UK Report on Jobs
Tuesday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- Scottish Government Debate: Supporting Households with Cost-of-Living Pressures and Rising Energy Bills
- Appointment of Chair to Environmental Standards Scotland
- In the Holyrood committee rooms
- The Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee will take evidence on operation of the Public Sector Equality Duty in Scotland
- The Finance and Public Administration Committee will take evidence on the Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill, Financial Memorandum
- The Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee will consider an approach to the proposed bill on heat in buildings and forthcoming draft climate change plan
- Suspected drug deaths in Scotland, October to December 2024
- Commons legislation: Employment Rights Bill, remaining stages (day one)
- General Committee debate: Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
- General Committee debate: Data (Use and Access) Bill
- Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee oral evidence: The Funding and Sustainability of Local Government Finance
- Industry and Regulators Committee oral evidence: The energy grid and grid connections
- European Affairs Committee oral evidence: The UK-EU reset
- Scottish Government data
- Westminster
- Fifth anniversary of the WHO declaring the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic
- Ukraine: The US and Ukraine expected to start peace talks in Saudi Arabia; European defence top brass meet in Paris to discuss Ukraine
- Belgium: Economic and Financial Affairs Council meeting of EU finance ministers in Brussels
- Greenland: General election
Wednesday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Equalities
- Members’ Business – S6M-16573 Audrey Nicoll: International Women’s Day
- In the Holyrood committee rooms
- The Rural Affairs and Islands Committee will take evidence on a climate transition for Scottish agriculture
- The Education, Children and Young People Committee will take evidence on the Scottish Attainment Challenge Inquiry, Post-Legislative Scrutiny
- Prime Minister’s Question Time
- Commons legislation: Employment Rights Bill, remaining stages (day two)
- General Committee debate: Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill
- Energy Security and Net Zero Committee oral evidence: Unlocking community energy at scale
- International Relations and Defence Committee oral evidence: The UK’s future relationship with the US
- Westminster
- Ukraine: Defence secretary John Healey meets defence chiefs in Paris
- Canada: G7 foreign ministers meeting in Quebec
- US: Trump imposes 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium imports
- Reports: EU and US February CPI inflation rate data; Bank of Canada interest rate announcement
Thursday
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In the Holyrood chamber
- First Minister’s Questions
- Ministerial Statement: Scottish Hospitals Inquiry Interim Report on the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neuroscience Edinburgh
- Scottish Government debate: Adoption of Innovation in Health and Social Care
- Reports: EU January industrial production figures; US February PPI inflation rate data; UK RICS Residential Market Survey
Friday
- Reports: UK January GDP figures; Bank of England inflation attitudes survey; EU Q4 labour market figures
Saturday
- UK: Post Office CEO Nick Read to step down