Busloads of party members, politicians, and observers of all sorts descended on Liverpool yesterday for the first day of the Labour Party’s conference. The event should be an opportunity to celebrate the party’s success at the general election and set out a clear vision of what Labour wants to achieve in office.
However, the first day of the conference was somewhat overshadowed by controversy surrounding donations, with cabinet ministers enduring often excruciating media interviews in which they were forced to explain the thousands of pounds gifted to them by Labour peer, Waheed Alli.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will speak at conference today, with the prime minister due to deliver his address tomorrow. Both will want to use this opportunity to regain control of the narrative ahead of the government’s first budget in October.
In Scotland, the SNP is gleefully welcoming the scrutiny of the Labour government and used the weekend to launch a new leaflet on Scottish independence. However, the party should probably tread carefully when it comes to the subject of donations given the ongoing investigation into party finances.
In brief - Scotland's economy and business
In The Times (£) this morning, Jeremy Watson highlights a report from Scottish Environment Link (SEL), which shows that both of Scotland’s existing national parks, Cairngorms and Loch Lomond & The Trossachs, generate over £700 million a year for the Scottish economy. SEL’s director, Deborah Long, said that the report strengthens the case for an additional national park in Galloway, which is currently under consideration, and further national parks elsewhere in Scotland.
The Herald (£) reported on Loch Lomond Distillers plans to expand its Glen Scotia distillery in Campbeltown after reporting a significant rise in pre-tax profit, reaching £12.4 million in 2023, despite challenges in the global whisky market, particularly in China.
Following Friday’s news of the collapse of construction firm iSG, Daily Businessreports its administrators are seeking other firms to take on the major project contracts that have been left in limbo. iSG, the sixth largest contractor in the UK, has an office near Glasgow, holds 69 active government contracts, and is best known for its work on prisons and police stations, as well as clients like Apple and Google.
OpinioNation - columns of interest
Ian McGowan, the CEO of Glasgow-based cybersecurity firm Barrier Networks, wrote a piece in The Scotsman (£) this morning discussing the need for all organisations to prepare for cyber-attacks. He highlights the recent attack on Synnovis, which caused serious disruption in many London hospitals, and suggests a range of actions to improve cyber resilience.
Tony Blair's former political secretary John McTernan penned a piece for The Financial Times (£) arguing that, while controversy over cutting winter fuel allowances for over 9 million pensioners persists, the party must effectively communicate the rationale for these decisions. He says that Starmer and Reeves need to articulate a hopeful vision beyond fiscal management if they want to successfully strengthen public services.
In a piece for The Courier (£), Rebecca Baird discusses some of the challenges facing live music venues, and questions whether the strategy of encouraging gig-goers to spend more is the right way to ensure their survival. Baird argues that the music industry may need to rethink its structure to ensure smaller venues thrive, possibly through ticket levies on larger venues or government support, rather than relying solely on audience spending.
Writing in The Times (£), Tom Calver discusses the increased politicisation of civil service pay. He notes that pay for senior civil servants has significantly declined since 2010, exacerbating the challenge of attracting qualified candidates. He argues this is creating a disparity between the public and private sector, making recruitment increasingly difficult for the civil service.
Shifting the dial - recent research
A poll by the Diffley Partnership shows 77% of Scots support onshore wind farms, with only 8% opposing and 12% neither supporting or opposing. Reducing dependence on imported energy (55%) and job creation (53%) were seen as key benefits.
Full findings from the poll, commissioned by developer Fred. Olsen Renewables, are being released at Labour Party conference today. The survey, conducted in late July, included 1,012 participants from across the UK, with 523 respondents from Scotland.
The week ahead - fill your diary with key events
Please note that Westminster is in recess until 7 October.
Monday
- Labour conference: chancellor Rachel Reeves to deliver her speech
- Post Office: Phase 7 of the Post Office inquiry to begin
- USA: Ryan Routh, charged with the assassination attempt on Donald Trump, is to appear in court while the former president speaks at a rally in Pennsylvania
- France: first day of the Paris Fashion Week
- Austria: International Atomic Energy Authority board meets in Vienna
Tuesday
- Labour conference: Keir Starmer to make his first conference speech as prime minister
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Holyrood:
- The health secretary, Neil Gray, will deliver a statement on the winter preparedness plan for the NHS
- The Scottish Government will lead a debate on ‘Scotland’s priorities’ ahead of the UK government’s budget on 30 October
- Heads of state and government gather in New York City for the UN general debate
- UK: statistics on average household income released
Wednesday
- Final day of Labour conference
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Holyrood:
- MSPs to debate additional support for learning in Scottish schools
- Gordon MacDonald MSP to lead a debate on the importance of the Scottish wholesale sector
- Former chair of the 1922 committee of Conservative MPs, Sir Graham Brady, to launch his memoir ‘Kingmaker’
- Ministers of foreign affairs from the G20 countries meet in New York City
Thursday
-
Holyrood:
- First Minister’s Questions
- Rona Mackay MSP to lead a debate to mark foetal alcohol spectrum disorder awareness month
- The Scottish Government will lead a debate to show solidarity with the people of Ukraine
- President Biden to hold talks with Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House
- Germany: first plenary session of the Thuringian State Parliament following the recent regional election victory of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party
- Agriculture ministers from the G7 countries meet in Syracuse, Sicily
- Pope Francis begins a four-day visit to Luxembourg and Belgium
- US: Q2 GDP figures released
Friday
- Scottish Conservatives announce the result of the party’s leadership election
- Japan: the Liberal Democratic party is also choosing a new leader after the incumbent, prime minister Fumio Kishida, announced he would not be seeking re-election
Saturday
- Northern Ireland: Ulster Unionist party conference opens
Sunday
- UK: Conservative Party annual conference begins in Birmingham
- Austria: parliamentary elections