{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"The Go Radio Business Show with Hunter & Haughey. Scotland’s Business Podcast.","title":"Scotland’s £5 Billion Warning: Hunter & Haughey Sound the Alarm","html":"<iframe width=\"100%\" height=\"180\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless src=\"https://share.transistor.fm/e/1cf1eff0\"></iframe>","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":2171,"description":"Air Date: March 1st, 2026\nHosts: Lord Willie Haughey and Sir Tom Hunter\nThis is a catch-up version of the weekly, Go Radio Business Show, Sundays from 11am.\nPLAY and HIT SUBSCRIBE, and NEVER miss an episode!\n\nIn this week’s episode, Hunter & Haughey tackle some of Scotland’s most pressing economic issues — from soaring business rates to the future of energy, employment, and growth. With trademark honesty and humour, they cut through political noise to ask the big questions: Where is Scotland headed… and who’s brave enough to tell the truth?\nBig Economic Decisions & Political Realities\nNorth Sea windfall tax may be reduced — potentially boosting investment and protecting jobs.\nScotland’s energy bills set to drop 7%, but confusion around energy caps remains.\nUK’s sky‑high energy costs are pushing investors away — and damaging competitiveness.\nScotland’s Fiscal Cliff\nIndependent bodies warn of a looming £5 billion gap between revenue and spending.\nShock revelation: 1 million Scots are projected to claim disability benefits in coming years — raising sustainability concerns.\nPolitical parties accused of avoiding honest conversations with voters.\nQuangos, Agencies & Accountability\nScotland currently has 133 quangos costing £6.6 billion to run.\nDebate over merging major bodies like Scottish Enterprise, SNIB, and others into one agency.\nTom calls for leadership that’s agile, honest, and focused on economic growth.\nBusiness Rates Uproar\nHospitality and other sectors escalating protests with nationwide billboard campaigns.\nSome business owners prepared to refuse payment altogether.\nCall for the Scottish Government to freeze or pause the rate system for 12 months.\nYoung People & the NEET Crisis\nAlarming increase in 16–24‑year‑olds not in education, employment, or training.\nConcerns that early disengagement leads to lifelong unemployment.\nIdeas from abroad: tiered youth wages (like in the Netherlands) to get young people into work.\nPractical suggestion: large‑scale youth...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/f3_Bcqs3gAP0Bg-D9wSlWNsMij_OS7pJBu9pV2YM-s0/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS8xNTgz/NTA4N2M5MTUzYzk3/MjJmNDcwMGMwNzA1/MTJmZi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}