Two new council tax bands for homes worth more than £1 million – have your say
Views are being sought on plans to introduce two new council tax bands for properties worth more than £1 million and £2 million respectively to help fund local public services across Scotland.
A public consultation seeks responses on possible increases of around £720 and £3,600 above the current highest Band H council tax charges.
The final proposed rates for new Band I and Band J properties – expected to apply to fewer than 1% of properties – will be laid in Parliament for MSPs’ consideration following analysis of consultation responses and engagement with local government. Existing council tax protections, such as discounts, exemptions and the Council Tax Reduction Scheme, will continue to apply across all bands.
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance Jenny Gilruth said: “Our approach to tax is based on fairness – asking the wealthiest among us to contribute a bit more.
“As it stands, some multi-million pound properties have council tax bills that are not materially different from those faced by people living in far more modest homes.
“Our progressive approach to taxation helps to target investment in economic growth, deliver public services and support cost of living measures not available elsewhere in the UK, such as free tuition, free prescriptions and our plans for a £2 bus fare cap across Scotland.
“Additional revenue raised through these new council tax bands will be retained in full by local government to support the local services communities rely on – unlike the UK Government’s proposals for a similar scheme that are set to be returned to the Treasury.
“In launching this public consultation, we are keen to hear the views of people and communities right across Scotland.”
Tough new rules to crackdown on foreign money in UK elections
New rules include a cap on donations from those who’ve lived overseas and tougher checks on company donations
New safeguards to stop foreign money influencing UK elections, including a timebound cap on donations on those who move to the UK from overseas.
Tougher checks on company donations will ensure only legitimate UK-linked businesses can contribute, with donations assessed against profits rather than revenue.
Candidates will be required to prove campaign funding comes from legitimate sources, strengthening transparency and closing loopholes in political finance rules.
Foreign money influencing UK elections will be stamped out under a major package of reforms to strengthen political finance rules and protect British democracy.
The government will confirm today it will introduce a new timebound cap on large political donations from people who have recently moved to the UK, in effect creating a minimum amount of time someone must permanently be based in the country before they can donate over the cap to a political party or candidate.
Other new measures include stronger tests on company donations, new and tough transparency requirements for candidates, and the closing of loopholes that could be exploited by those seeking to interfere in UK elections.
The measures, announced as part of the government’s response to the independent Rycroft Review, will strengthen safeguards against foreign financial influence and reinforce the UK’s position as a world leader in defending democratic integrity.
Together, the reforms will ensure political donations are transparent, legitimate and firmly rooted in the UK, helping to safeguard elections for years to come.
Secretary of State Steve Reed said: “British democracy is not for sale. These tough new rules will shut down dodgy funding, stop foreign money influencing our elections and keep our democracy strong.
“By holding overseas donors to tougher standards and requiring candidates to prove where their funding comes from, we are taking world-leading action to protect the integrity of our elections and tackle the threats we face from abroad.”
Minister for Democracy, Samantha Dixon MP, said: “The overwhelming majority of people who take part in our democratic process do so honestly and transparently, but our rules must keep pace with new and emerging threats.
“These reforms will close loopholes that can be exploited by those seeking to influence UK politics through foreign money, while strengthening transparency around campaign funding and company donations.
“This means political decisions are made only in the interests of voters in the United Kingdom.”
Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones said: “For too long, foreign money, foreign bot farms and foreign powers have exploited the system, trying to warp our elections and sow division in our country for their own ends.
“We’re cracking down on those trying to buy – and sell – our democracy and putting the British people first. If you want to donate to our politics, you need to have legitimate and longstanding roots in our country.”
As part of the government’s response to the independent Rycroft Review today [Monday 6 July], new safeguards will be introduced to toughen the previously-announced cap on political donations of more than £100,000 from overseas donations.
Individuals returning to the UK will now be subject to the cap for at least a full calendar year to prevent the rules being dodged – not just those who are registered to vote overseas.
Companies will also face tougher checks, with political donations assessed against post-tax profits over the previous five years rather than revenue alone.
This means only legitimate UK-linked businesses will be able to donate in a way that is transparent, accountable and reflective of their real financial position. Anyone could set up a business with high revenue without needing to demonstrate how they operate and make money, or whether they’re paying tax in the UK. Having a profit-based system will make donations clearer and more accountable.
Views of key groups, including the Electoral Commission and Committee on Standards in Public Life, have been listened to and accepted the Rycroft recommendation, which stated corporate donation income tests should be amended to one based on post-tax profits, rather than revenue.
This will strengthen the rules already set out in the Representation of the People Bill, which outlines that companies making donations will be required to show a genuine connection to the UK or Ireland by demonstrating that they are headquartered in the UK, majority owned or controlled by UK electors or citizens and have generated sufficient revenue to cover the donation.
For the first time, candidates will also be required to prove that any campaign funding received before they become a candidate has come from legitimate sources.
Candidates will also be required to declare donations above £2,230 received prior to officially becoming a candidate, improving transparency even further. At present, donations received before the regulated election period are not covered by the same requirements, meaning funding from illegitimate sources could go undeclared and later be used to support a campaign.
This builds on the measures announced in March as part of the government’s initial response to the Rycroft Review, including the hard cap on political donations from overseas electors and a ban on crypto donations. The changes being made today will accept the rest of Philip Rycroft’s recommendations in full.
The major reforms will be taken forward through as amendments to the Representation of the People Bill, which returns to the Commons for Report stage next week [w/c 13 July].
The government ‘has been clear that they will act decisively to defend the UK’s democratic system from malign influence and the measures will safeguard the integrity, transparency and resilience of elections and political finance for years to come’.
Lumo has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the communities it serves by providing complimentary rail travel for a group of young interns from Dr Scott Arthur MP’s Edinburgh constituency during a visit to Parliament.
The five interns travelled with Lumo to Westminster as part of an educational visit designed to give them first-hand insight into the UK’s democratic process and the work of Parliament.
By supporting the visit, Lumo helped remove the cost of travel, enabling the group to experience national politics and public service while strengthening connections between communities and decision-makers.
The initiative comes shortly after Lumo was named the UK’s best value train operator, recognising the company’s commitment to delivering affordable, high-quality rail travel while connecting communities across its growing network.
Stuart Jones, Managing Director of First Rail Open Access, said: “At Lumo, we’re passionate about connecting communities, not just through affordable and sustainable rail travel, but by helping create opportunities for people across the regions we serve.
“Being recognised as the UK’s best value train operator reflects our belief that rail should be accessible to everyone. Supporting visits like this is another way we can help break down barriers and ensure young people have the opportunity to experience Parliament first-hand, regardless of their background.
“We’re proud to work with parliamentarians and local partners to invest in the next generation, broaden horizons and demonstrate that rail can play a positive role far beyond simply getting people from A to B.”
Dr Scott Arthur MP said: “It was a pleasure to welcome these interns from my Edinburgh constituency to Parliament. Opportunities like this can make a real difference in helping young people see how politics works in practice and understand how decisions are made.
“By supporting their travel, Lumo has helped remove a simple but important barrier and made it easier for them to take part in a valuable educational experience.
“I’m grateful for their support in helping open up access to Parliament and encouraging the next generation to engage with public life.”
Lumo operates affordable rail services connecting Edinburgh, Newcastle and Morpeth with London, with new services also serving Stirling, Motherwell, Carlisle and Preston. Through initiatives such as this, the operator continues to support education, social mobility and stronger links between the communities along its route.
With the Scottish Government aiming to deliver average savings of £0.5bn a year to public services over the next three years, Holyrood’s Public Service Reform Committee is seeking views on how achievable the proposed public sector reforms are.
The Committee has today launched a consultation asking how barriers to progress with reform can be overcome; how preventative approaches to spending can be promoted; and how the delivery of public services can be simplified.
As part of its pre-budget scrutiny work, the Committee will also consider whether there is sufficient clarity around how front-line roles, which are to be protected, are defined.
Speaking as the call for views launched, Committee Convener Bob Doris MSP, said: “A Spending Review demanding £1.5bn worth of public sector efficiencies, lays bare the need for us to understand the detail of how these savings are to be made and fundamentally, how they will shape public service delivery.
“Funds designated for prevention must also be put to good use and the simplification of services must lead to positive outcomes for both the provision of services and expenditure.
“We’d like to hear from those who lead, deliver, and rely on public services about what steps can be taken to remove barriers to more progress with reform, support preventative approaches, and ensure that efficiencies do not undermine frontline delivery.
“Our scrutiny will help shape the Scottish Budget before it is finalised, so contributions at this stage are especially valuable.”
The Committee is keen to hear from leaders in the public sector; community planning partnerships; trade unions; academics and think tanks; third sector representatives and staff who deliver services within or on behalf of the public sector.
The call for views closes on Friday 14 August 2026 after which the Committee plans to take oral evidence, before reporting to Parliament late October/early November this year.
The Scottish Government aims to deliver on average £0.5 billion in savings through efficiencies per year for the next three years (2026-27 to 2028-29):
To what extent are these savings achievable, and how will they shape public service delivery?
What progress is being made towards achieving these efficiencies?
What are the barriers to achieving greater efficiency and how can these be addressed?
How should the Scottish Government best present the extent of any realised efficiencies in the annual budget publication, including providing clarity on whether these are expected to be recurring savings?
The Fiscal Sustainability Delivery Plan aims to achieve an average reduction of the public sector workforce of 0.5% per year over five years.
To what extent is this target achievable and how will it shape public service delivery?
What progress is being made towards achieving this target?
What actions can the Scottish Government take to ensure these workforce reductions are delivered in a managed way which best supports effective government and public service delivery?
The PSR strategy states that it will protect frontline services. To what extent is there sufficient clarity about how frontline roles are defined and how efficiencies in back-office functions can be delivered in a way that minimises impact on the delivery of public services?
Beyond the financial benefits that the Public Sector Reform (PSR) Strategy aims to achieve, what are the key outcomes that reform should be aiming for?
The PSR Strategy includes 18 different workstreams which aim to remove barriers to reform. One workstream focuses on “simplification”, recognising that “complexity of processes, structures and reporting requirements is a key barrier to effective and efficient service delivery”. “Prevention” is one of three pillars providing structure to the Strategy.
What should the Scottish Government’s priorities be under its simplification workstream and what level of savings can be achieved through this approach?
What progress has been made to date with preventative budgeting?
How should the forthcoming Budget support greater progress towards preventative budgeting across the devolved public sector? Please set out any barriers and how these can be addressed.
What changes to the Scottish Government’s approach to budget-setting are needed to effectively deliver public service reform?
The Scottish Government included an upfront Invest to Save Fund of around £30 million in the 2025-26 and 2026-27 Scottish Budgets for reform projects that will deliver ongoing savings and support the delivery of the PSR strategy.
To what extent is the Invest to Save Fund delivering projects that achieve ongoing savings?
How are successful outcomes from this Fund being shared more widely across the public sector?
A new inquiry into the affordability and sustainability of Scotland’s tax and spending plans has been launched. It is the first Holyrood parliamentary inquiry from the newly formed Finance and Public Administration Committee.
In particular, the investigation will assess the viability of the Scottish Government’s plans to bridge the anticipated £4.77 billion fiscal gap by 2029-30.
The Committee will also consider how the Government’s approach to taxation fits in with its wider plans to ensure the sustainability of public finances.
The Committee’s ‘pre-budget scrutiny’ inquiry is intended to influence the government’s budget preparations later this year.
A call for views is open now.
Finance and Public Administration Committee convener Clare Haughey MSP said: “Our first inquiry of the new parliamentary session involves asking fundamental questions about Scotland’s public finances.
“Are the government’s tax and spending plans affordable and sustainable? How will Ministers bridge the £4.77 billion fiscal gap that’s anticipated by 2029-30. And how will the government respond to inflationary pressures on the Scottish Budget, including in relation to the cost of living?”
“We’ll also want to look at how the Scottish Government should use its financial flexibilities – such as borrowing, bonds, the ‘mutual finance model’ and the Scotland Reserve – to manage budget pressures.
“Our job is to influence the government’s budget preparations and ensure Parliament has transparency on Scotland’s tax and spending plans.”
The committee has launched a call for views asking 11 questions to inform written evidence for its new inquiry.
The call for views opened on 29 June and runs until 14 August 2026.
There must be a pause on all hyperscale data centre proposals in Edinburgh and East Lothian until the Scottish Government can put guidance in place to ensure there is minimal impact on the climate and local communities, say the Scottish Greens.
There is a wave of proposals currently lodged with councils across Scotland. If every proposal is approved, they would consume up to 6000 megawatts of power.
That equates to 1.5 times more than our entire country uses in a day.
In Edinburgh and East Lothian, 4 proposals have been put forward to the local authorities to build hyperscale data centres.
Without a national strategy in place, and no real definition of what a “green” data centre should look like, there is little in the way of guidance for councils to follow when they are assessing the suitability of these plans.
Scottish Greens MSP Kayleigh Kinross-O’Neill said: “A lot of local people are concerned about the impact that this application would have on our local environment and the community in Lothian.
“It’s time for a halt to all hyperscale developments until there is a national strategy and guidance in place for councils to consider them.
“Developments like this can have a catastrophic environmental impact, taking up far too much water and power. It’s no wonder that local people are so concerned about what it would mean.
“The huge expansion we are seeing is bad for people and planet, and is mainly about enriching giant AI companies.
“Communities around the world have experienced energy price rises as a direct result of similar developments.
“We don’t want the same thing to happen in Edinburgh.”
Scotland’s recent election tells us something important about the national mood (writes ALISON NOLAN).
The return of an SNP-led administration under John Swinney, the rise of the Greens, the fragmentation of traditional party loyalties, the emergence of Reform UK at Holyrood, and low voter turnout together point to a political landscape that is more divided, volatile and uncertain than at any point since devolution began.
At the same time, COSLA’s recent white paper on strengthening local democracy argues that Scotland must rebuild democratic participation and place power closer to communities. These are not separate conversations. The central question facing Scotland’s new administration is not simply how to govern, but how to rebuild trust, participation and civic confidence in an age of fragmentation.
That is where libraries matter.
For too long, libraries have been framed narrowly: as cultural amenities, repositories of books, or discretionary local services under financial pressure. Those roles remain important, but they no longer capture the full significance of libraries in modern Scotland. Libraries are democratic infrastructure.
In communities across Scotland, libraries remain among the very few public spaces that are free, trusted, accessible and open to everyone. You do not need money to enter. You do not need an appointment, a referral or permission. At a time when many civic spaces have disappeared from public life, libraries remain embedded in communities across the country.
The election exposed a growing sense of democratic disconnection. Turnout fell in many parts of the country. Political loyalties are becoming more fluid and polarised, while public debate is increasingly shaped by social media algorithms, misinformation and distrust. At the same time, Scotland’s new government faces enormous pressures, from public service reform and child poverty to digital exclusion and growing demands for more local decision-making.
Libraries can help Scotland respond to all of these challenges. Democracy is strongest when decisions are made closest to communities but local democracy requires more than changes to governance structures. It also requires trusted local spaces where people can access information, build confidence, participate in discussions and connect with one another. Libraries already provide that infrastructure.
Every day, libraries help people access digital public services, apply for jobs, develop literacy skills, connect with their communities and navigate increasingly complex information environments. They host community groups, youth activities and public events, while increasingly helping people understand online information, artificial intelligence and the digital systems shaping modern life.
In practice, libraries already do the work of democratic participation. We simply do not always describe it that way.
Imagine if libraries were recognised formally as civic participation hubs in every community: places where citizens’ assemblies, local consultations and participatory budgeting discussions could happen; where young people could develop media literacy and critical digital skills; and where communities could engage with regeneration, climate transition and public service reform.
Much of this is already happening quietly across Scotland’s library network. The challenge now is whether national policy catches up with that reality.
If Scotland is serious about prevention, community empowerment and democratic renewal, libraries cannot continue to sit at the margins of policy discussions. They should be recognised as part of Scotland’s democratic and social infrastructure, alongside schools, health services and community organisations.
Democracy depends on more than elections and institutions. It depends on trust, participation, shared spaces and equal access to information. Libraries provide all four. In the Scotland emerging from this election, that may make them more important than ever.
Alison Nolan
Chief executive, Scottish Library & Information Council (SLIC)
To mark the 10-year anniversary of Brexit, Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP for Edinburgh North Western, Alex Cole-Hamilton has today highlighted their party’s plans to rejoin the single market and boost defence ties with the EU.
The Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP warned that Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson’s Brexit experiment has failed.
Estimates suggest that Brexit costs the country £90 billion in lost tax revenue every year.
Liberal Democrats have unveiled plans for a new Growth and Defence Partnership with the EU. This would mean:
The UK immediately beginning talks to rejoin the single market and customs union, boosting trade with Britain’s biggest market and tearing down barriers for businesses.
Forging a new defence pact with our European allies underpinned by a new European Security Council to improve coordination of Europe’s rearmament.
Rebuilding trust and economic ties with our partners in Europe, putting the UK on a path towards EU membership in the long-term.
Alex Cole-Hamilton also said that Reform UK should use their voice in parliament to explain how they would fill the £90 billion blackhole without backing Liberal Democrat proposals.
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:“Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson are the authors of the failed Brexit experiment. They have cost our country £90 billion every year.
“This is money which is being taken away from nurses, doctors, teachers, patients and pupils all across Edinburgh.
“Liberal Democrats have announced bold new plans for a Growth and Defence Partnership with the EU. It’s how we can cut bills for local people, give our children a better future and help keep everyone in Edinburgh safe.
“Our plans would stop the chaos and end the crisis. If Reform don’t like them, they should use the voice they now have in parliament to explain what they would do instead.”
On Tuesday, 23 June, 2026, at the High Court in Edinburgh, Peter Murrell was sentenced to five years and three months in prison.
This follows the 61-year-old’s conviction, on 25 May, 2026, of embezzling funds in excess of £400,000 from the Scottish National Party.
Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston had oversight of Police Scotland’s investigation into the embezzlement, Operation Branchform.
ACC Houston said: “Today’s sentencing of Peter Murrell – and a sentence of such duration – is proof that those who flout the law, who break the trust of those around them, and who embezzle vast sums of money will not escape justice, regardless of how high a profile or role they may hold.
“Operation Branchform has been an extremely detailed, complex and intricate enquiry, carried out over a protracted period of time in order to ensure a thorough investigation which fully exposed the extent of this wrongdoing, committed over a sustained period of time.
“Murrell occupied a significant position of privilege and power in public life in Scotland, entrusted to oversee the day-to-day operations of the country’s governing political party. His undeniably deliberate and calculated actions to mislead and steal for his own personal gain has proved his disregard for those who placed their trust in him.
“People came forward and told us of their sense and experiences of things not being right, and they are to be publicly commended – their statements, combined with our investigations, have led to the outcome we see today.
“Through ongoing close work with key criminal justice partners, including the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, this enquiry resulted in the compilation of such a robust case that an early admission of guilt was secured, enabling proceedings to conclude sooner rather than later.
“My sincere thanks go to the officers and staff of Police Scotland, who have committed their specialist knowledge, professionalism, commitment and expertise to this matter from start to finish, and without whom we would not have been able to achieve justice.
“Work remains to be undertaken in regards to the Proceeds of Crime Act relating to this case by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Police Scotland, and in particular the Cyber and Fraud Unit, will assist in this process and in any further investigations which may be required.”
Brexit anniversary highlights ‘our focus must be firmly on the future’
Scotland’s future is in the European Union as an independent country, Europe Minister Stephen Gethins has said on the tenth anniversary of the UK’s Brexit referendum.
The Scottish Government continues to support strengthening the UK-EU relationship, ensuring Scotland’s voice is represented, and on advancing Scotland’s long-term constitutional options.
Ahead of the expected second UK-EU leaders Summit, the Scottish Government is calling on the UK Government to ensure the negotiations on a food, drink and farming agreement, emissions trading, and youth mobility all deliver the fullest possible outcomes for Scotland and ensure Scotland’s interests are clearly represented.
Minister for Europe and External Affairs Stephen Gethins said: “Ten years on from the referendum, the decision to leave the EU has caused nothing but harm to Scotland.
“Businesses face barriers that did not exist before, households are under greater pressure, and young people have lost opportunities to live, learn and work across Europe.
“Recent efforts by the UK Government to improve relations with the EU are welcome but far from enough. Going forward, there must be much closer cooperation in areas including trade barriers, energy and mobility – as a bare minimum.
“Our focus must be firmly on the future, and I believe that Scotland’s brightest future is as an independent nation and member of the European Union. That is the challenge of the next decade.”
This follows the 61-year-old’s conviction, on 25 May, 2026, of embezzling funds in excess of £
