Laurie Macfarlane

Overall, this represents nothing short of a wholesale rewriting of post-WWII US policy — both domestic and foreign.

We knew this already, but the paper sets this out more clearly than anywhere else. And there will be big consequences for all countries.

Well worth a read.

The strategy is clear that the US will fiercely resist any taxation or regulatory measures that “unfairly” target US corporates

They will also demand that allies give sole-source contracts to US companies, and “push out” foreign companies that seek to build infrastructure

On economic strategy, the focus is on balanced trade, reindustrialisation and reshoring, access to critical minerals, defence capabilities, and energy and financial sector “dominance”.

It claims American policy will be unashamedly “pro-worker”.

The strategy is scathing about Europe, claiming the continent is facing the prospect of “civilizational erasure” and will be “unrecognizable in 20 years or less”.

Proposed actions include “cultivating resistance to Europe’s current trajectory within European nations” 👀

For the western hemisphere, the strategy introduces the “Trump corollary to the Monroe doctrine”

The administration’s escalating aggression towards Venezuela can be understood very clearly in this context, and I suspect we’ll see more of this.

Unsurprisingly, the strategy has a strong focus on countering China’s rise and the wider Indo-Pacific.

Priorities include ending “predatory” industrial strategies, trading practices and “industrial espionage” — and securing US access crucial resources and minerals.

The document begins by lambasting the US’s post-war role promoting global trade, multilateralism and foreign interventionism.

The US should only interfere if nations “directly threaten our interests”. Based on the rest of the strategy, this includes quite a few countries…

The Trump administration’s new National Security Strategy is crucial reading to understand the US’s economic and geopolitical ambitions.

Some key takeaways 🧵 www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...

Does the Scottish Government issuing bonds make sense? Expert gives verdict AN economic expert has claimed the Scottish Government issuing bonds is “more about politics than economics”, questioning claims it would lead…

“There’s no economic reason why Scotland shouldn’t have more borrowing powers.”

Our co-director @lmacfarlane.bsky.social spoke to The National about the Scottish Government’s plan to issue bonds:

Does the Scottish Government issuing bonds make sense? Expert gives verdict AN economic expert has claimed the Scottish Government issuing bonds is “more about politics than economics”, questioning claims it would lead…

“What we’re doing is shifting one source of borrowing to another that is potentially more expensive.”

I spoke to The National about the Scottish Government’s plan to issue bonds.

TLDR - I’m not convinced 👇

Thanks to Mercedes Villalba MSP for raising our proposals to take public equity stakes in offshore wind in Parliament this week.

And to @gillianamartin.bsky.social for agreeing it’s “the right thing to do” — we look forward to seeing more on this 👏

YouTube video by Future Economy Scotland Can private finance fix the nature crisis?

Missed this week’s webinar on ‘Can private finance fix the nature crisis?’

The full recording is now available to watch on our YouTube channel 🎥

How will the UK Budget impact Scotland’s public finances? Our deep dive on how Rachel Reeves's budget will impact Scotland.

More on this in @futureeconscot.bsky.social’s full budget analysis here:

www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/358-ho...

I think there is a case for taxing property income at a higher rate.

But as most landlords in Scotland already pay higher tax rates than rUK, the question is whether the Scottish Government is happy to increase them further.

The choice the Scottish Government faces is whether to:

📈 Follow the UK in creating differentiated tax rates for property income, OR

📉 Retain the status quo and absorb a ~£30m loss from the block grant adjustment.

The UK budget increased the rate of tax on property income by 2%. As a devolved area, the Scottish Government needs to decide how to respond.

Scottish landlords already pay different income tax rates to rUK: most pay more, but some pay less.

After weeks of speculation, Rachel Reeves finally delivered her Budget. But how will it impact Scotland?

Highlights in 🧵
Read our full analysis 👉 www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/358-ho...

Our new analysis unpacks what the Budget means for Scotland 👇

Alongside big ticket items, there are quite a few smaller fiddly changes…

Can private finance fix the nature crisis?

In this clip from yesterday’s webinar, Laurie Macfarlane breaks down the 3 reasons why market-led solutions won’t save Scotland’s woodlands and peatlands.

Watch full recording to learn about what might: www.futureeconomy.scot/posts/355-wa...

While the autumn budget contained some welcome measures, it falls short of what the UK and Scotland need.

Read our full response: www.futureeconomy.scot/press/221-re...

Our webinar — ‘Can private finance fix the nature crisis?’ — is starting in an hour

Still time to register below 👇

Can private finance fix the nature crisis? Join Future Economy Scotland for a webinar exploring how to scale up nature restoration in line with a just transition.

Our webinar is TOMORROW & there are only a few tickets remaining!

Join our Co-Director @lmacfarlane.bsky.social and Senior Economist @hannawheatley.bsky.social for a discussion on whether private finance can fix the nature crisis.

🗓️25 Nov 12:30-1:30pm

👇Book now: www.eventbrite.com/e/can-privat...

It was great to join the Skotia podcast to talk all things ScotWind with Dave Moxham from the STUC.

Listen here:

The Oxford Handbook on the Greening of Economic Development Abstract. Economic development, in its traditional formulation, ignores the impact of choices made regarding energy, resources, and finance. The standard c

Thanks to John Mathews and Arkebe Oqubay for pulling together such an excellent compendium.

Available here:

Delighted to get my hands on this new book which features a chapter I co-authored with @mazzucatom.bsky.social on state investment banks.

It’s packed with essays covering every aspect of green economic development, published by Oxford University Press.

We’ll be discussing the findings of our recent report, and there will be plenty of time for questions and discussion.

Read more here: www.futureeconomy.scot/publications...

Can private finance really fix the nature crisis? Come along to our webinar next week to hear more

🗓️ 25 Nov, 12.30-1.30

More info below 👇

And explore our interactive map with @cmmonwealth.bsky.social to see who currently owns ScotWind projects – and who stands to benefit 👇

Watch our video on why the people of Scotland need a stake in our energy future 👇

bsky.app/profile/futu...

It’s great to see the NWF, GB Energy and SNIB come together to take ownership stakes in offshore wind

This is the kind of joined up, proactive public investment we need much more of 👇