Paul Wilson

Andy Burnham is facing pressure over whether to approve the Rosebank oil field and Jackdaw gas field after previous Conservative approvals were quashed by the courts. Industry representatives argue that domestic production would support jobs, energy security and lower-emissions supply compared with imported LNG, while environmental campaigners and the Scottish Greens say new drilling would worsen climate change, fail to reduce bills and not protect long-term energy employment. Burnham’s call for faster investment in clean energy, made amid severe heatwaves, drought and wildfires, has been welcomed by climate groups but has not resolved the government’s decision on the two fields.

Paul Wilson argues that Christopher Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey should not be dismissed as a “woke-fest” because its central message is deeply conservative. The film reworks Odysseus as a guilt-ridden, introspective figure whose violation of Zeus's law of hospitality leads to suffering, and whose eventual choices emphasize duty, family, repentance and self-sacrifice. Wilson acknowledges controversy over diverse and transgender casting, but says these choices do not undermine the story. Despite objections from Elon Musk and other socially conservative critics, the film has achieved major box-office success and strong critical ratings, leading Wilson to recommend it as a significant and enjoyable adaptation of Homer's epic.

The first tariff-free shipment of Scotch whisky is due to travel from Manchester to Philadelphia after the United States removed its 10% levy on UK whisky. The £60,000 shipment of Aberdeenshire-produced Atlantic Proof Scotch will use fully digital trade documentation, reducing paperwork, costs and delays. Scottish and UK officials, along with industry representatives, say the change should support exports, jobs, investment and supply chains, although a new 10% US levy remains in place for other UK goods.