That’s a BBC Scotland headline from yesterday! Have they forgotten their role in keeping our spirits down? The headline writer does seem to have but the main body of the text has lots of wee ifs and buts to keep your feet on the Union ground. They call it balance. I call it subtle propaganda. I’ve just ignored the negatives. Here IS the news:
Scotland won a record number of investments from overseas in 2016,
There were 122 foreign direct investment deals done over the course of last year, up from 119 in 2015.
The EY Scotland Attractiveness Survey showed Scotland was the second most popular part of the UK to invest in behind London.
This is the fifth year in a row that the country has been in that position.
Three Scottish cities were in the UK’s top 10 for attracting FDI in 2016, according to the research, with Glasgow fifth after a 27% increase in the number of such projects in 2016.
Scotland’s attractiveness in the eyes of investors is more in line with previous years.
Scotland has firmly secured its position as an attractive destination for FDI in the UK, with a further increase of projects from the record-breaking surge of inward investment in 2015.
For the second year in a row we have attracted more projects than ever before – with 2016 up 2.5% on 2015’s previous record – and Scotland has been the top UK region outside London in every one of the past five years.
We enjoy resources few nations can match, including one of the most highly-educated work-forces in Europe, a long-standing reputation for innovation and an internationally-regarded brand.
Today’s attractiveness survey indicates these assets continue to be recognised on the world stage, with a substantial number of projects from the US, France and Germany.
In fact, more than one in 50 of the investment projects across the whole of Europe are located in Scotland.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-business-40003117
Talking-up Scotland 
Heard the radio report on this ……. It was all good news …..But the BBC employee felt obliged to bring up that numbers of jobs per project were down (slightly)……. It was just about her only input into the interview ….. So obvious, lots of folk must have picked up on it.
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Saw this yesterday and was immediately hit by the “ah but we’re still a wee shitey country” bit put in for “balance”. They seem incapable of leaving a good news story as just that..a good news story.
Is it just me or does the same “balance” principle not apply to bad news stories?
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Good point, typically not.
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Ah , the BBC , the best harbingers of doom and gloom Scotland has , what would we be without them .
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A bit happier?
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Glad to see this, thanks. I’m trying to work out where the Times got their take on it with this article in Monday’s edition: Overseas Investment in Scotland Plummets?
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/overseas-investment-in-scotland-plummets-3cmw0p9f2?shareToken=a6bfb34ac16ee843c8a918688bcce12d
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Interesting. Thanks. A good example of why you can easily get the wrong idea with the dismal ‘science’ of economics.
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How it could/should have been reported:
Scotland achieves best inward investment performance on record
Scotland achieved record-breaking levels of inward investment in 2015, with an all-time high for the number of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects.
A total of 119 projects were secured last year – a significant 51% increase on the previous year, and more than double the UK’s 20% increase.
Scotland surged past the South East in the overall UK regional league table to claim second place behind London.
In 2015 Scotland achieved a record 119 FDI projects
At 11% its share of all UK FDI projects is at a ten year high
Scotland’s growth rate (51%) outpaced the UK’s (20%)
Employment from FDI in Scotland is up 52%
Software was the top performing sector, with 19 projects and a 170% increase.
http://www.ey.com/uk/en/issues/business-environment/ey-attractiveness-survey-2016-scotland
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