Since the Scottish election, much of the debate has focused on the fiscal challenges facing the next Scottish Parliament — framed as a choice between raising revenue or cutting spending.

Communities across Scotland could receive £165m each year from onshore wind energy, if host communities have the right to a share in their local windfarm. Scotland’s wind sector could become a powerful source of local income, but only if communities have their stake. cles.org.uk/blown-away-f...

A broken economy was the defining issue of this election — and for good reason. If the new Parliament is serious about fixing it, it needs a far bolder approach to economic policy. My latest for @futureeconscot.bsky.social:

NEW: Today, 129 MSPs arrived at Holyrood to take their oaths of office. The new parliament faces a clear choice: more of the same, or a path towards economic renewal? Read @lmacfarlane.bsky.social's new blog on the opportunities that lie ahead:

“As this new parliament begins, Scotland stands at a crossroads. One path leads to more of the same. The other points towards economic renewal.” My new @futureeconscot.bsky.social blog on the the need for fresh thinking in this parliament:

Three of the UK’s nations have elected pro-independence parties. The fourth is drifting towards English nationalism under Reform. These islands are constitutionally broken. Yet the UK government still acts like it’s 1997.

At this election, Scots face the starkest choice on economic policy since devolution. Parties have set at out widely divergent views on tax and spend — with huge implications for the role of the state.🧵

🏦 "There is an urgent need for channelling long-term finance towards major social, environmental, and economic challenges." IIPP Professor @mazzucatom.bsky.social and @lmacfarlane.bsky.social analyse the mission-oriented role of the BNDES & KfW banks. 🔗 Learn more here: buff.ly/uQ8pjDY

Malcolm Offord says he’s a very wealthy man. So what would Reform’s tax cuts mean for him? Even on an MSP salary alone, he’d sit in the top income decile — and benefit significantly.

How do party manifestos stack up against a just transition? Our new report breaks down the policies behind the promises 👇

NEW: How do party election manifestos measure up on delivering a just transition? Today we’re publishing @futureeconscot.bsky.social's deep dive into each party’s policy platform. 🧵 👉 www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

📣 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.🧵

The UK Government is reportedly considering a rent freeze ❄️ Scotland already did this back in 2022, to mixed success. Some lessons to reflect on 🧵

This is not the time to be watering down the windfall tax.

A new study claims charging VAT on Scottish private schools will leave the state worse off by £180m a year. That’s a big claim. But it rests on some VERY shaky assumptions 🧵

🚨 The Daily Record has highlighted our latest findings on why the cost of living remains one of the biggest issues facing voters in Scotland 🧵 www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politic...

The cost of living is a top issue for voters, and rightly so. Over the past 5 years, the price of essentials has risen more than 2x faster than wages. Olive oil? Nearly 4x faster.

Excellent thread from @lmacfarlane.bsky.social unpacking our latest analysis on Scotland's cost of living crisis - featured in the Daily Record today with a pretty intense picture ⬇️ www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politic...

A remarkable stat from our new cost of living analysis: 👉 Real pay grew more in a *single year* in the first Scottish Parliament than it has in the 17 years since 2008. We’ve forgotten what progress looks like.

NEW: What’s driving Scotland’s cost-of-living crisis? Households have been squeezed by a pincer movement of weak wage growth + rising prices. Our new @futureeconscot.bsky.social deep dive on the cost of living 🧵 www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/488-el...

🚨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. 🧵

Finally finished reading the manifestos for the Scottish election. Some initial reflections on the economic side 🧵

Reform: “Austerity is a myth because nominal spending rose since 1999” Incredible

“It’s time to face facts: nature is a public good and meeting targets will require coordinated public investment. We can’t waste any more time waiting for private finance that simply isn’t going to materialise.” @lmacfarlane.bsky.social on Aberdeen’s pullout from ScotGov’s nature restoration PPP

I’m doubtful this will happen, and it doesn’t seem particularly well-designed. But it’s clear the cost of living crisis will force parties into far bolder territory than they’ve so far been willing to go.

EXCLUSIVE in @theguardian.com: a £100m nature finance deal collapsed - & MSPs weren’t told. Featuring our work on nature restoration and a new guest blog, it’s clear: private investment isn’t going to deliver the nature restoration Scotland needs. Read coverage: www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

NEW: Private finance won’t fix Scotland’s nature crisis - only public investment can. As featured exclusively in today's @theguardian.com, private investment isn’t going to deliver the nature restoration Scotland needs. Read our new guest blog by Tom Gegg: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/459-pr...

🚨 Election Spotlight: Eradicating Child Poverty in Scotland Scotland has made real progress but 110,000 more children must be lifted out of poverty to meet 2030 targets.

Scotland has shown that ambitious policy can bring child poverty down. But action needs to be stepped up in the next Parliament to meet targets. Our new analysis ⬇️

🚨NEW: Scotland’s ‘social contract’ keeps 65,000 children out of poverty Child poverty would be significantly higher if Scotland’s poverty rate matched the UK’s. But there’s more work to do ⬇️

The latest oil shock has led to a resurgence of North Sea petro nationalism. I’ve written for @the-breakdown.bsky.social on the illusion of plenty behind Reform, Tory and SNP claims that red-green wreckers are sabotaging our energy security by blocking drilling. www.break-down.org/north-sea-na...

Scotland’s renewable energy should benefit all of us. We’re backing the movement for: ♻️ Community-owned renewables 🍃 A public stake in offshore wind 🏭 Renewable manufacturing based in Scotland Join the #OurPower movement 👉 bit.ly/Our-power

Scotland is one of the least densely populated places in Europe. Not a single “small boat” has landed here. This is utterly absurd.

🗣️ The first in our new ‘Election Spotlight’ series. We explore the gap between Scotland’s climate ambition and delivery — and what the next Parliament must do to close it.

Alexander Dennis’s decision to close its Falkirk factory is a huge collective failure. As I wrote last year, it’s what happens when public money is used to back overseas rivals over Scottish industry:

We welcome the @scottishgreens.org pledge to replace Scotland’s Air Departure Tax with a Frequent Flyer Levy, as our recent paper set out. Here’s why it makes sense 🧵⬇️

The world energy shock is coming — it will deepen inequality in ways we've seen before. Our new @newstatesman1913.bsky.social piece argues that without urgent government action, the Strait of Hormuz crisis will ripple through our economies and rip apart our societies. Here's why. 1/

NEW: We often hear that Scotland’s more progressive income tax is “driving people out the country.” New HMRC data shows the opposite. Far more taxpayers are moving to Scotland than leaving it. Let’s look at the data 🧵

Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations was published 250 years ago today — and remains one of the most misunderstood economics books. On Wednesday I’ll debating why Smith still matters with a great panel in Edinburgh. 🗓️ 11 March, 18:30. More info + tickets: www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-smith-...

“The Scottish Government has moved from evidence-based opposition towards strategic ambiguity.” It was great to speak to @theferret.scot for this deep-dive on the Scottish Government’s evolving position on oil and gas:

What climate action? Stronger public services? Dignified social security? If so, we need fairer taxes says @lmacfarlane.bsky.social at Scottish Parliament. I explore the urgency and need to do so in this blog for @oxfamscotland.bsky.social for #TaxJusticeScotland. taxjustice.scot/blog/a-tripl...

Was great to see so many people at our event in Parliament last night. Clearly lots of appetite for bold tax reform in the next parliament. Thanks to all the speakers, and to everyone who gave up their evening to join us 🙏

To mark the 250th anniversary of the publication of Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations, our co-director @lmacfarlane.bsky.social has been invited by Edinburgh's Library of Mistakes to discuss the role of capitalism in shaping the next 50 years. 🗓️ Wed 11 March, 18:30 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-smith-...

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Today at the Scottish Parliament we’re discussing 5 tax reforms from Funding Scotland’s Future - our new report from Future Economy Scotland on how to fund a fairer, greener Scotland. 📕 Download your copy of the report. www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

Tomorrow, join our co-director @lmacfarlane.bsky.social as he discusses the transition to net zero, for the next episode of foreCASt - the @citizensadvicescot.bsky.social's election insights series. 🗓️ 10.00 - 11.00am, Tuesday 3 March www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/forecast-t...

The weaponisation of AI continues apace. One day we’ll look back on this as the moment we crossed the rubicon into a far more dangerous and volatile world. Props to Anthropic for having at least a shred of morality.

📢 Our new report, Funding Scotland’s Future: Tax Reform for a Just Transition, has made the front page of @scotsman.com. It sets out credible, progressive reforms that could raise £2.3bn a year, support climate goals, and protect those on lower incomes. ⬇️ www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

NEW: Scotland can raise £2.3bn a year to protect its social contract and reach net zero, according to our new report released today. Watch👇 Read on for more 🧵

Great to see @futureeconscot.bsky.social’s new fiscal policy report on the front page of today’s Scotsman 💪

📢 New @futureeconscot.bsky.social report: 'Funding Scotland's Future' One question stifles progress in Scotland more than any other: 'how will we pay for it?' Our new report provides some answers 🧵