Over the last year or so, I’ve reported on a range of indicators that the Scottish economy is strengthening and often is doing so more than the UK was a whole. Unlike the GDP and GERS data which, for Scotland, are based on unreliable estimates, there are objective measures nearly all of which have been good news. See for example:
And another one: ‘Scotland Revealed as Top Place in UK to Launch New Business’
40% increase in number of new Scottish businesses mainly under SNP government
‘Fewer Scottish businesses failing in 2017’
Scottish businesses showing signs of greater health than those in the rest of the UK
Note in many of these reports, the role of the Scottish Government in supporting and promoting positive change in the Scottish economy.
Today, in Insider, we read of another sign of business strength and confidence:
‘Profits warnings from listed companies in Scotland fell to their lowest in six years in 2017, according to the latest profit warning report from EY. The final quarter of 2017 also saw the lowest Q4 total – three – for Scotland since 2011, when there was just one. There were 13 profit warnings in total from Scotland in 2017, down from 19 the previous year.’
https://www.insider.co.uk/news/profit-warnings-scotland-hit-six-11934170
Putting everything together:
- Low unemployment
- Low youth unemployment
- Increased demand for industrial and office space
- A trade balance surplus
- Increased new businesses
- Business confidence
- Oil prices surging
- Massive new oil and gas discoveries
- Renewables energy generation reaching new peaks
- Universities at the centre of innovation
- Massive tourism increases
- Government competence
and you have real evidence of an economy that is thriving and that has the resources and the potential to boom once the levers of control are located in Scotland.
Talking-up Scotland 
Another good Scotland story but it will not suit the Tories.
Highland councillors have approved plans for an alloy car wheels factory near Fort William.
The new factory would create hundreds of jobs and be developed as part of a £120m investment by GFG in the smelter site.
Aluminium from the Lochaber Smelter would be used to manufacture up to two million wheels a year for the UK car industry.
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I gather Repscot did mention this last night.
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Given the relative ease with which you are able to locate these stories, I imagine that the broadcast and print journalists, if they have been paying attention in journalism classes, rather than drawing willies on each other’s notebooks, will be aware of these sources, too.
You are clearly presenting them as a counterweight to the pretty negative reporting, as well as from a partisan position – but, you have never been covert about that. These journalists are entitled to express opinions and make evaluations, but let’s have some pretty factual reporting, the selection of a range of stories and then, separately analysis or comment.
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Insider and Scottish Business News Network must be regular reads for them so they’re choosing not to report these stories.
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I’m sure Fluffy’s shiny new Parliamentary Assistant will be trumpeting all this good news regarding the Scottish economy any day now – just as soon as he finds his way to Scotland from Leicestershire South constituency. Alberto Costa is a Scot but one who couldn’t get elected as aTory at home so carpet-bagged his way down south to find a comfy Tory billet in Leicestershire. Curious that Fluffy and May have appointed Alberto when they have such a magnicent array of talent to choose from amongst The Colonel’s Dandy Dozen. I guess even Fluffy wasn’t prepared to take on one of those charmers. Makes The Col. look bad though – ‘cos the candidate selection the Tories applied in Scotland meant they were all personally selected by Col. Davidson – and not one of them is reckoned to be sufficient quality to be promoted to Lance Corporal by Theresa.
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