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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Scotland faces a looming fiscal gap. But that doesn’t mean cuts are inevitable. Giving evidence to The Scottish Parliament @jujupepe.bsky.social explained why "efficiencies" aren't enough to close the gap & provide the upfront investment needed to strengthen public services.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

How can Scotland close its looming fiscal gap to strengthen public services and deliver on its ambitions? Last week, our Senior Economist @hannawheatley.bsky.social spoke at the Scottish Government’s Tax Conference making the case for tax reform. Read more: www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Our economist @jujupepe.bsky.social gave evidence to the Scottish Parliament on Scotland’s just transition and the future of green jobs. Watch the clip below👇 And read our report, Delivering a Just Transition for Scotland’s Fossil Fuel Workers, for more: www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

More than 75% of planned ScotWind capacity is owned by parent companies outside the UK. Here our economist @jujupepe.bsky.social gives evidence to the Scottish Parliament on how Scotland could capture more of the wealth created off our coast to secure long-term returns for the people of Scotland.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Last year our research with @cmmonwealth.bsky.social found that 75%+ of planned capacity is owned by parent companies outside the UK. This means the majority of profits will flow overseas rather than be reinvested in Scotland. Explore our interactive map 👉 www.futureeconomy.scot/scotwind

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Audit Scotland’s new report echoes many of the shortcomings we identified with the ScotWind offshore wind leasing round. But more can be done to ensure the wealth generated by Scotland's offshore wind is widely shared. Read our full response: www.futureeconomy.scot/press/447-re...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

Scotland’s offshore wind is one of our greatest national assets. Tomorrow, Audit Scotland will report on how the ScotWind leasing round was run - putting fresh attention on who stands to benefit from the wealth our offshore wind creates.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Scotland’s new Programme for Government offers the clearest picture yet of the Scottish Government’s plans for the next five years. While there was much to welcome, Scotland’s looming fiscal gap was the elephant in the room.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Scotland's oil and gas workforce shrunk by more than a quarter in a decade. But our analysis shows the green energy workforce could grow by around 40,000 jobs by 2030. Here we set out why North Sea decline makes accelerating the green transition more urgent: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/619-fo...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

The First Minister has made eradicating child poverty his defining goal, but the Programme for Government did not rise to the scale of the challenge. Read our full response to the Scottish Government's poverty agenda: www.futureeconomy.scot/press/414-re...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

The Programme for Government includes some welcome measures on climate change, but elsewhere ambitious rhetoric is not matched by concrete policy. Read our full response to the Scottish Government's climate change agenda: www.futureeconomy.scot/press/383-re...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

While aspects of the Programme for Government are commendable, relying on optimistic efficiencies to close the budget gap poses serious risks. Read our full response: www.futureeconomy.scot/press/382-fe...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

NEW: Four reasons more drilling won't save the North Sea Our latest blog looks at why the economic case for further drilling doesn't stack up. And why long-term prosperity instead depends on accelerating the transition to green energy. Read in full: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/619-fo...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Scotland’s short-term funding boost masks a looming fiscal crunch. Public service reform alone won’t close the gap – tax rises are needed to protect services. Read our full response to the latest @scotfisccomm.bsky.social update: www.futureeconomy.scot/press/381-re...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

One notable exception: Aberdeen City was in the bottom 20% of UK local authorities, growing just 5.6%. That's the tail end of a longer story of gradual decline of oil and gas that is still working its way through the local economy.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 20/08/2026

Zooming out: since the Scottish Parliament was established in 1999, Scotland's GDHI growth has outperformed every English region except London.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Big claims need strong evidence. After Dan Neidle's analysis made headlines, @lmacfarlane.bsky.social challenged the evidence. Dan responded. Now Laurie revisits the debate and explains why the evidence remains less conclusive than many reports suggest. www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/589-a-...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

In our last instalment, we explored the poverty and inequality priorities for Scotland's new Parliament. This week, we're turning to the labour market and economy. Take a look at our 4 priorities below. 🧵

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

Funding Scotland's future starts with an honest conversation about tax. Scotland's new Parliament faces the most challenging fiscal outlook since the creation of devolution.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Did Scotland’s 48% income tax really lose revenue rather than raise it? Our Co-Director @lmacfarlane.bsky.social spoke to Holyrood Sources podcast about why the claim doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Watch the full discussion (from 20 mins): youtu.be/j03__bAAOGk?...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

This matters because small, entirely plausible changes to the model's assumptions can substantially change the estimated revenue effect. Under some scenarios, the estimated revenue loss disappears altogether.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Using an alternative HMRC dataset leads to the same conclusion. Growth in Scotland's highest incomes has historically been much more volatile than elsewhere in the UK.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 06/08/2026

Historical HMRC data show that growth in Scotland's top incomes has often differed markedly from the rest of the UK - including before Scotland adopted different income tax rates. That makes simple comparisons much less reliable.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

“Much of the reporting on this has been quite misleading.” Our co-director @lmacfarlane.bsky.social spoke to BBC ScotCast on claims that Scotland’s 48% tax rate has lost money.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Without a more compelling vision for economic renewal, Andy Burnham will struggle to succeed where his predecessors have failed, our co-director @lmacfarlane.bsky.social writes in @opendemocracy.net. Read the article in full: www.opendemocracy.net/scotland-has...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

Scotland's new Parliament will be decisive for the country's just transition. Our new briefing sets out five priorities on climate and nature to move beyond ambition towards delivery. 🧵

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Devolving power away from London is Andy Burnham’s big idea. In our new blog, we look at how devolution has benefited Scotland — and what it could deliver for England ⬇️

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

🚨 NEW: Devolution is Andy Burnham’s big idea for Britain — but critics argue Scotland is proof it doesn’t work. Our new blog debunks the myths and identifies key lessons for England. 👇 Link below

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

The transition to net zero represents one of the greatest economic opportunities Scotland has seen in generations. But will Scotland’s new MSPs seize it? Now is the time to close the gap between bold ambition and delivery. Our new briefing sets out how. www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

For Scotland's new Parliament to succeed, it must move from long-term ambition to credible implementation. What should its priorities be? Read our new blog by @hannawheatley.bsky.social: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/520-wh...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

NEW: May’s election reaffirmed Scotland's commitment to delivering a just transition. What must the new Parliament do to deliver this in practice? Our new briefing identifies the key policy priorities for the new parliamentary term 🧵

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

This is why Scotland shifted from annual targets to carbon budgets in its new Climate Change Plan. But slow progress in recent years means a lot of ground must now be made up. Success depends on turning ambition into delivery across transport, buildings, land use and industry.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 03/06/2026

Our research shows that a just transition could create 40,000 more energy jobs than will be lost, but it won't happen by accident. 🎥 Watch our 1-minute summary by @jujupepe.bsky.social 📗 Read our report: www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

Scotland’s new parliament faces major questions on climate action, economic security and public investment. Future Economy Scotland will continue publishing analysis and commentary on the challenges ahead. Read our latest newsletter & sign up for updates👇 mailchi.mp/736475c7cbe5...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 28/05/2026

If we want a fairer and greener Scotland, we must be honest about how we pay for it. As members of #TaxJusticeScotland, we’re urging the First Minister to use the powers he has to tax wealth more fairly. Read the open letter: taxjustice.scot/wp-content/u...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

Watch @lmacfarlane.bsky.social explain more, and read the full report: www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

Polling was clear: the defining issue of this election was a broken economy. If the new Parliament is serious about economic renewal, it must embrace a far bolder approach to policymaking. 📖 Read our latest blog: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/489-a-...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 13/05/2026

The SNP have secured a fifth consecutive election victory — but what does this mean for Scotland’s just transition? In short: The SNP committed to net zero, renewables and support for workers in transition, but questions remain around delivery, funding and long-term investment.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

The Scottish election campaign is over. The difficult part starts now. Scotland’s new parliament faces: - Squeezed public finances - Pressure on public services - Mounting climate pressures - Political fragmentation - Persistent poverty and inequality

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 07/05/2026

Today's Scottish election comes at a pivotal moment for Scotland’s just transition to net zero. We've looked at the manifestos of Scotland’s main political parties to assess how credible & deliverable their plans are in responding to the challenge. Read here: www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Ahead of tomorrow’s Scottish election, we’ve looked at what party manifestos mean for a just transition - and there's a clear divide. The choices on offer will shape not just whether Scotland transitions, but what kind of economy emerges in the process. 🔽 www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 05/05/2026

It’s election week 🗳️ Our report compares party manifestos across four areas: 🌍 Climate and nature 🏦 Funding the transition ⚖️ Poverty and inequality 👷‍♀️ Labour market and economy Read the full analysis: www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 29/04/2026

📣 NEW: What do Scotland’s 2026 election manifestos mean for the just transition? Today we release an independent, evidence-based assessment of how manifestos match the scale of the challenge.🧵

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

£17,000 - roughly how much more the average full-time worker in Scotland would be earning today if pre-2008 wage trends had continued. Instead, weak pay growth has coincided with steep rises in essential costs. Read our latest Election Spotlight for more: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/488-el...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

Our analysis shows that if wages had instead grown as normal since 2008, the average worker would be nearly £17,000 a year better off. For many households, this is the difference between economic security and living on the breadline. Read our analysis in full: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/488-el...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Since 2021, median earnings have risen by 31%. But the price of many essentials has increased far faster. 🥚 Eggs: +61% 🍫 Chocolate: +54% 🥩 Beef: +66% 🔥 Natural gas: +70% 🫒 Olive oil: +119%

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

For many households, £320 a week is not abstract. It is the difference between financial security and constant pressure. Read the full analysis by @jujupepe.bsky.social, @hannawheatley.bsky.social and @lmacfarlane.bsky.social. 👉 www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/488-el...

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

Today, the average full-time worker in Scotland earns £40,238 a year. If wages had continued to grow at their pre-2008 trend, that figure would be £56,918. A gap of nearly £17,000 a year.

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 22/04/2026

🚨Scotland’s wages have been stuck for nearly two decades. In our latest Election Spotlight, we calculate Scotland's missing pay rise, examine why living standards have stalled, and show why pay is central to the coming election. 🧵

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Future Economy Scotland @futureeconscot.bsky.social · 17/04/2026

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🌱 It's time to accept reality - private finance isn't going to fix Scotland's nature crisis. It's time for a reset in Scotland’s approach to nature restoration. New blog by @hannawheatley.bsky.social www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/460-ti...

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