Dayna Bass

The roll-out of heat pumps in Scotland is struggling due to limited access to low-cost finance for solar and battery energy storage systems, according to a new report from Solar Energy Scotland. This issue has led to a concerning dip in heat pump installations despite a notable rise across the UK. Sluggish Growth in Scotland's Heat Pump Adoption Solar Energy Scotland’s chair, Josh King, has raised alarms over the decline in air source heat pump (ASHP) installations in Scotland. Although the UK saw a 21% increase in ASHPs installed in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period…

In a country brimming with rugged coastlines, storybook castles, and remote glens, the title of best place to stay in Scotland is no small accolade. But in 2025, it’s not Skye or Edinburgh that’s stolen the spotlight — it’s Port Appin, a coastal village so modest it doesn’t even boast a high street. Now named by The Times as the year’s top destination for serenity-seekers and scenic escapes, Port Appin is having a moment. A tiny west coast hamlet nestled between Loch Linnhe and the peaks of Argyll, it has quietly become the blueprint for a modern Highland retreat: unplugged,…

The latest report from the Scottish Fiscal Commission, led by economist Graeme Roy, offers one of the clearest warnings yet: demographic change, rising health costs, and faltering productivity are aligning into a slow-motion disaster. Add to that a political class more interested in managing headlines than balance sheets, and the conclusion becomes unavoidable—Scotland’s devolved spending model is broken. Mild voices, loud warnings Roy, alongside Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General for Scotland, represents the country's unofficial fiscal conscience. Their offices are tasked with producing cold, impartial data—numbers, trends, projections. Yet their findings, particularly over the past five years, have grown louder…

A decision that could reshape UK equality law is coming next week — and it's already sparking fierce debate across the political and legal spectrum. On Wednesday, April 16, the UK Supreme Court will deliver its judgment in For Women Scotland Ltd v The Scottish Ministers. At stake: a defining answer to what "sex" means in the Equality Act 2010 — and whether that meaning can be altered by a Gender Recognition Certificate (GRC). The ruling is expected around 10am and will be streamed live from Court 1. With interest from activists, politicians, and legal observers alike, the spotlight is…

It has been nearly a year since the Scottish Government formally declared a national housing emergency, yet the situation on the ground shows few signs of improvement. New figures suggest the delivery of homes — particularly affordable housing — is in sharp decline. The private sector is often blamed, but leading voices within the industry argue that the roots of the problem lie elsewhere: in how we understand, allocate, and plan to deliver land. The most recent quarterly housing statistics, published on 25 March 2025, paint a bleak picture: A 7% drop in overall new home completions year-on-year A staggering…

Nearly a third of private renters in Scotland are having a hard time covering their rent, with many cutting back on essentials just to stay housed. That’s according to new data compiled by SafeDeposits Scotland, whose charitable trust used sources like the Scottish Household Survey and census figures to form a sample of 1,000 private sector tenants. The snapshot isn’t comforting. Rent stress is now a widespread reality, with affordability slipping further out of reach. Rent Payments Becoming a Monthly Stress Test For 32% of tenants, paying rent each month isn’t just a challenge — it’s a real burden. Of…

EDINBURGH – Nurses, midwives, and healthcare staff in Scotland have been offered a new two-year pay deal totalling an 8% increase, as part of a package aimed at keeping NHS Scotland salaries ahead of inflation and the highest in the UK. The offer, announced Tuesday by Health Secretary Neil Gray, comprises a 4.25% rise in 2025–26 followed by a 3.75% increase in 2026–27. If accepted, it would cost the Scottish Government approximately £701 million and be underpinned by an inflation guarantee, ensuring annual rises are always at least 1% above CPI. A high-stakes offer The proposal comes amid wider tensions…

Scotland’s new First Minister is pushing for closer links with the United States—just days after Donald Trump reimposed punishing tariffs that could hit the heart of Scotland’s export economy. In New York for Tartan Week, John Swinney struck a confident tone. But behind the tartan and handshakes, concern is mounting over the future of Scotch whisky sales in America—Scotland’s biggest overseas market. Tariffs Cast Shadow Over Tartan Week The US president’s decision to reintroduce tariffs on EU and UK goods—branding the move part of “liberation day” from what he claims are unfair foreign trade rules—has thrown a wrench into the…

Scotland’s Business Minister Richard Lochhead has launched a two-week visit to China and Japan aimed at strengthening economic, cultural and academic ties, as the country seeks to expand trade beyond Europe amid a volatile global market. Whisky, Seafood—and Gaming The trip underscores the rising importance of East Asia to Scotland’s economy. Whisky exports to Japan rose 7% last year, placing it among the top markets by value. Meanwhile, whisky and seafood exports to China have tripled since 2005, according to the Scottish Government. Mr Lochhead will use the visit to promote Scottish innovation in traditional and emerging sectors alike—from distilleries…

Scotland’s fire and rescue services are battling a fresh wave of wildfires this spring, with several blazes reported across the country amid growing warnings that emergency budgets are under unsustainable pressure. Crews were dispatched to southern Scotland on Friday evening to fight a wildfire that rapidly spread over a large forested area, The Guardian reported. Firefighters remained on scene through Saturday afternoon as containment efforts continued. The latest incident follows a string of wildfires over recent days, including a 1.5-mile-wide blaze reported Thursday and a separate grass fire at Gartur Moss in Port of Menteith, Stirling, earlier in the week.…