Ishan Crawford

A reader from Scotland has sparked fresh debate by calling on the BBC to create more local radio stations in Scotland and Wales, similar to those in England. In a letter published in a major newspaper on January 4, 2026, Stuart Walker argued that current national services fail to represent communities outside major cities, leaving residents in places like Dundee and Aberdeen without a strong local voice. Why Local Coverage Matters Now Communities in Scotland and Wales feel overlooked by the BBC's national radio setup. Walker pointed out that stations like Radio Scotland, based in Glasgow, often repeat national news…

Scotland's local councils have splashed out £63 million on golden goodbye payments to departing high earners since 2022, even as they face severe budget pressures and push through steep council tax rises. This spending, revealed in recent annual accounts, highlights a stark contrast between lavish exit deals for top staff and the financial hardships hitting everyday residents and services. Rising Costs Amid Financial Strain Local authorities across Scotland are under immense pressure from funding shortfalls, leading to service cuts and higher taxes for households. Yet, figures show a sharp increase in exit packages, jumping from £12.6 million in the 2022-2023…

Scottish Greens leaders are urging a major shift to clean energy in 2026, starting with a firm rejection of the Rosebank oil field. This call comes amid growing climate concerns, as experts warn that new oil projects could release massive carbon emissions and hinder net zero goals. Greens Lead Charge for Climate Action The Scottish Greens have kicked off 2026 with a strong push for real climate steps. Party spokesperson Patrick Harvie stresses that rejecting Rosebank is key to breaking free from fossil fuels. He points out the urgent need to tackle rising energy costs and the climate crisis. People…

Vaani Kapoor has flown to Scotland to start filming her role in the upcoming spy thriller Bell Bottom, starring alongside Bollywood star Akshay Kumar. The crew arrived a month ago to capture key sequences, marking a major return to work after pandemic delays in 2020, with the film now set for a 2021 release amid high anticipation. Excitement Builds as Shooting Resumes Vaani Kapoor shared her joy about resuming work after a five-month break due to global health restrictions. She was spotted at the airport heading to Europe, eager to dive into the project. This comes at a time when…

Scotland's Finance Secretary Shona Robison faces tough choices in the upcoming January 2025 budget that could shape the nation's economic path. With an extra 820 million pounds in funding from the UK government, experts say her decisions on spending and taxes will decide if Scotland boosts growth or slips further behind. Budget Details and Timeline The Scottish government plans to reveal its 2025-26 budget on January 13, a delay from the usual schedule due to the UK Autumn Budget. This comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced measures that give Scotland more cash through the Barnett formula. Shona Robison, who serves…

UK house prices climbed steadily through 2025, hitting an average of £292,000 in England by October, according to official data. Scotland and the North East led with strong gains, while London faced declines, highlighting a clear north-south divide amid economic shifts. This trend started early in the year, with May marking a key turning point. Prices rose 1.1 percent that month, bouncing back from April's drop, driven by factors like stable mortgage rates and buyer demand in affordable areas. Scotland Tops Price Growth Charts Scotland saw house prices jump 3.3 percent in the 12 months to October 2025, outpacing much…

A shocking mix up at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow led to one family cremating the wrong body last month. The error, blamed on human mistakes in the morgue, left two families in deep distress and sparked a full probe by health officials. Details of the Tragic Mistake The incident happened in November 2025 at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Scotland's biggest health center. Morgue workers wrongly labeled a body, which undertakers then handed to a grieving family for cremation. The family held a full service and cremated what they thought were their loved one's remains. Only after the…

Geologists in Scotland have gained rare access to a massive rock core from the Great Glen Fault, offering fresh insights into the Earth's history dating back hundreds of millions of years. This breakthrough came from drilling work tied to a major hydro storage project in Lochaber, with analysis ramping up in late 2025 to reveal how ancient faults shaped the landscape. The Discovery and Its Origins Scientists from the British Geological Survey recently examined a priceless rock core pulled from the depths of the Great Glen Fault. This fault line, stretching over 1,000 kilometers from Ireland through Scotland to Norway,…

A powerful storm named Éowyn struck Scotland in early 2025, causing widespread damage to key systems like power, water, transport, and telecom networks. Experts now warn that such events reveal deep links between these systems, leading to bigger problems that could worsen with climate change. What Happened During Storm Éowyn Storm Éowyn brought winds up to 114 miles per hour, hitting Scotland and nearby areas in January 2025. It left nearly one million homes without power across the UK and Ireland, with major outages in Scotland. The storm caused trees to fall, roads to close, and floods in some spots.…

Scotland's high streets are plunging into a death spiral, with hundreds of small retailers shutting down amid soaring vacancies and shifting shopping habits. As of late 2025, the number of retail businesses has hit a 15-year low, sparking urgent calls for government action to save local economies. The Alarming State of Scottish Retail Recent data shows a sharp drop in active retailers across Scotland. More than 900 businesses have vanished over the past decade, leaving town centers dotted with empty storefronts. The national vacancy rate for shops now stands at 11.4 percent, a figure that masks even worse conditions in…