Blog Profile / Douglas Fraser
| URL : | http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/correspondents/douglasfraser/ | |
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| Filed Under: | Politics / UK Politics | |
| Posts on Regator: | 273 | |
| Posts / Week: | 2.8 | |
| Archived Since: | July 6, 2011 | |
Blog Post Archive
To boldly go: America's new tech frontier
There are places where you can almost touch the economic power and see global change taking place. Standing on the Bund in Shanghai, for instance, watching the river cargo hurry to market, and looking across to the gleaming Pudong business...Show More Summary
Letter from America: Buy and cell
The search for a cure to cancer is not one for the impatient, or those short of money. But at least one small team of Scottish researchers may be getting close to something significant. They are developing and trialling a drug that may...Show More Summary
Ian Marchant: philosopher chief
You only occasionally get insights into the thinking of the captains of industry. More often than not, they have a prepared line to take, and fear thinking out loud for fear of how an original thought might affect those dreaded stakeholders, not least shareholders. Show More Summary
Banking on more competition
Four years ago, Edinburgh looked doomed. Its two giant banks had required enormous rescue packages. I was fielding questions - mainly from London - about how the Scottish capital would handle the disaster for jobs, supplier companies and the self-confidence of the Scottish financial sector. It's been an often painful process for everyone. Show More Summary
Legal wrangle warning over Scots oil
"The questions on the energy question, which is never far from the economic part of the independence debate, are how you assess both risk and return, and how much appetite for risk - both downside and upside - Scottish voters will have...Show More Summary
Energy's alternating currents
Four trillion pounds: the possible value of oil and gas under Scottish waters. That's four thousand billion. It was a tantalising prospect of a lot of lucre looking out from the front of a Sunday paper this past weekend, potentiallyShow More Summary
Growth pains or pleasure?
It's the question of what would happen to economic growth. Or to put a bit more simply: would Scotland be better or worse off if it were independent? At least one serious survey suggested that could be the decisive factor for many voters. Show More Summary
Cable wants RBS prosecution decision
What Vince Cable seems to have in mind is the possibility of using his department's power to ban individuals from being company directors - not only in senior financial jobs, but in any company. And he feels constrained in taking action...Show More Summary
Cross-border banker bashing
There's public pressure, an appetite for some exemplary bans and a bit of mischief-making behind Vince Cable's call for faster action on Scotland's banks. The business secretary's mischief-making is clear from the recipient, Lord Wallace...Show More Summary
Scots currency pact case 'not clear'
The currency Scots use matters to them, as it does in any country. People want to know their coins, notes, savings and investments are securely backed. So the choice of the pound, the euro or a new Scottish currency is of fundamental importance to the debate on Scottish independence. It's also quite a complex one. Show More Summary
Banknotes warning 'scaremongering'
My wallet currently contains pictures of Sir Walter Scott, the Forth Bridge, Culzean Castle and the Glenfinnan Viaduct. One of the banknotes has been signed by the Royal Bank of Scotland's Stephen Hester: others by Lord Dennis Stevenson. Show More Summary
Scottish Independence: Take Note
My wallet currently contains pictures of Sir Walter Scott, the Forth Bridge, Culzean Castle and the Glenfinnan Viaduct. One of the banknotes has been signed by the Royal Bank of Scotland's Stephen Hester: others by Lord Dennis Stevenson. Show More Summary
Rangers movie: The Whyte Stuff
There's an endless supply of barely-known or shell companies and international connections with which Craig Whyte can keep the Rangers' plates spinning, more than a year since he lost control of the club. And in case money runs tight...Show More Summary
Long-awaited springtime for Scotland's economy?
Much media attention may be on a funeral in London, but let's not overlook some surprisingly positive news about the Scottish economy. I'll leave others to ponder the irony of it, or perhaps the link to Margaret Thatcher's legacy. But...Show More Summary
Rangers: Craig Whyte's expensive 'no'
"Fraudulent", "fanciful" and "not at all convincing": just some of the recent court findings about Craig Whyte. It reaches the "inescapable conclusion" that if he didn't lie to his business partners, then he was either "reckless" orShow More Summary
Scotland's debt 'could be lower'
A new volley of statistics has been fired during the past week by the Scottish government. To what end? Well, the political intention is clear: to kill off the notion that Scotland is incapable of paying its way. That used to be an argument...Show More Summary
Scottish independence: go figure
A new volley of statistics has been fired during the past week by the Scottish government. To what end? Well, the political intention is clear: to kill off the notion that Scotland is incapable of paying its way. That used to be an argument...Show More Summary
Dishonours system for entitled bankers
A cull of pension entitlements, directorates and honours is now catching up with some of the individuals who led Britain's banks into financial catastrophe. Fred Goodwin was singled out for vilification over his role at Royal Bank of...Show More Summary
What if there had been no Marmite Margaret?
Love her or loathe her, it's probably a bit obvious to say Margaret Thatcher provoked strong opinions. And looking back as one who came of age in the 1980s, she - and the myths built around here - made for an extraordinary presence. It sometimes feels now that the 1980s could not have happened without her. Show More Summary
Sir David Murray's firm in £97m loss
There's a direct line between the losses suffered by Sir David Murray's company and today's damning report about Halifax Bank of Scotland. Sir David was one of the big players who enjoyed the confidence of the bank, as it boosted his...Show More Summary