Latest Articles & News

If Grangemouth was in England, would it be saved?

Westminster has stepped in to save a British steel plant from closure on grounds of national security. But they haven’t done the same for Grangemouth. Even Labour MP for Grangemouth Brian Leishman and many other MPs for the surrounding areas have said if Scunthorpe can be saved, so can the sole Scottish oil refinery. The SNP's Westminster leader Stephen Flynn has also called for the Grangemouth refinery to be nationalised. 

Continue reading

Child poverty now 35% higher in England than Scotland

UK figures released last week show that child poverty rates are now 35% higher in England than in Scotland.

Annual statistics show compared with the previous year’s statistics, relative child poverty in 2023-24 reduced from 26% to 22% in Scotland while absolute child poverty fell from 23% to 17%. UK Poverty statistics show compared with the previous year’s statistics, levels of relative child poverty at 31% and absolute child poverty at 26%.

Continue reading

UK Government's failure to back Grangemouth shows contempt for Scotland

The UK Government said last week that it will put £200 million towards investing in an alternative future for Grangemouth Believe in Scotland has serious doubts that the full £200 million will actually materialise or be used as anything other than boosts for large companies given the (co-investment with the private sector nature of the funding). But the plant - which made £107 million profit last year - is still closing and Scotland will be left without oil refining capacity is a major oil producing nation which is madness. 

Continue reading