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One of Glasgow’s key traffic arteries could grind to a halt after control room workers voted to strike in a bitter pay dispute. The Clyde Tunnel, used by tens of thousands daily, now hangs in the balance. The threat comes as GMB union members, who manage tunnel safety systems, rejected a 3% wage offer and demanded a better deal. They’re asking for a 6.5% rise — about £1 an hour more — arguing their work is critical, and frankly, underappreciated. What’s at stake: 65,000 daily vehicles and a city’s commute Roughly 65,000 vehicles pass through the Clyde Tunnel every weekday.…

Thousands of homes across Scotland are officially not fit for human habitation — and the problem is far worse than many believed. A dramatic rise in homes falling below legal standards has exposed what campaigners now call an “endemic of disrepair,” with damp, mould, and unsafe conditions plaguing both public and private housing stock. While the Scottish Government is preparing new legislation to fix the crisis, The Herald can reveal that nearly 100,000 privately rented homes will remain untouched by proposed reforms — leaving some of Scotland’s most vulnerable tenants behind. The Shocking Scale of the Crisis According to the…

A landmark UK–EU trade agreement, hailed by some as a lifeline for exporters and slammed by others as a political surrender, is redrawing the post-Brexit landscape for Scottish industry. Announced in London by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and European Council President António Costa, the deal is already causing political and economic ripples from Peterhead to the Hebrides. A Divided Reaction Across Scotland The new agreement removes many of the export barriers that have plagued UK-EU trade since Brexit — slashing red tape, removing health certificates for many food and drink products, and allowing some previously banned shellfish back into…

Trade deal expected to slash costly delays and bureaucracy that have hindered Scotland’s leading food export since Brexit Scotland’s iconic salmon industry welcomed yesterday’s announcement of a UK–EU trade deal, describing it as a critical breakthrough that will reduce red tape and costly delays at the border — improvements that industry leaders say have been costing salmon exporters an estimated £3 million annually since Brexit. Salmon Scotland, the representative body for the UK’s largest food export sector, said the new agreement removes most routine physical checks and the requirement for export health certificates for food and drink destined for the…

Business tycoon pushes for radical rethink of Scotland’s economic model, with innovation and intent at the heart of a new strategy Scotland needs to think less like Stockholm and more like Singapore if it wants to reverse its long-term economic decline, according to entrepreneur and philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter, who is calling for a bold, business-led transformation of the country’s strategy. A new Oxford Economics report commissioned by Hunter paints a stark picture of stagnation in Scottish productivity, education, and health outcomes — and draws a provocative comparison between Scotland and the high-growth city-state of Singapore. “The status quo is…

Balance Power has secured unanimous planning approval to develop a 29.9-megawatt battery energy storage system (BESS) in East Ayrshire, Scotland, marking a significant step forward in the UK’s energy transition and local energy resilience. The Coylton-based facility, slated to go online by summer 2026, will be comprised of 18 battery units across a 2.67-hectare site and has been designed to store surplus renewable electricity during periods of peak generation, discharging it when demand is highest. Approved by East Ayrshire Council following what the company described as “extensive community consultation,” the project underscores growing momentum behind battery storage as the UK…

The UK government’s latest post-Brexit trade agreement with the European Union—touted by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer as a “win-win”—has triggered a furious backlash from Scotland’s fishing industry, which accuses Westminster of trading away the future of coastal communities in exchange for smoother EU access for exporters. Announced at the first formal UK-EU summit under Starmer’s leadership, the 12-year deal cements access for European vessels to UK waters until 2038. In return, Britain will benefit from reduced food export checks and a new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) framework that ministers say will ease cross-border trade friction. Fury from Scottish Fishing…

NHS Scotland’s healthcare workers have backed a pay deal that will boost their salaries by a combined 8% over the next two years. The agreement, welcomed by the Scottish government, covers nurses, midwives, paramedics, and other essential staff — but notably excludes doctors, whose pay talks run on a different track. What the Deal Means for NHS Workers According to Scotland’s Health Secretary Neil Gray, around 170,000 NHS staff will see their pay increase in two stages. First, a 4.25% rise will come into effect in 2025-26, followed by another 3.7% bump the year after. This package includes an “inflation…

The Dumyat Hill Race has just marked its 50th running, drawing nearly 450 participants from across Scotland this year. What began as a simple wager in the early 1970s has grown into a cherished tradition for runners and hill enthusiasts alike. From a Casual Bet to a Challenge for the Ages Back in 1971, a University of Stirling lecturer tossed down a £1 bet claiming no one could sprint to the summit of Dumyat Hill and back within an hour. It sounded like a tall order given the rugged terrain and the steep climb involved. But a university student thought…

Staff at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) are inching closer to a formal strike vote amid fears over compulsory redundancies. Unions representing lecturers and support staff have backed industrial action if the university does not guarantee job security. Rising Tensions as Staff Demand No Compulsory Redundancies The Education Institute of Scotland (EIS) and Unison recently held consultative ballots among their members at UWS. Results showed overwhelming support for strike action if necessary, with 85% of EIS members and 75% of Unison members ready to move towards a formal ballot. David Belsey, assistant general secretary of the EIS,…