There was a remarkable twist in the tale of the Scottish Budget, Business Editor Ian McConnell observes.

And the board of Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust's battle to see off US hedge fund manager Boaz Weinstein's Saba Capital Management has been sharply in focus.

The hectic start to 2026 has continued.

While the SNP Government appeared to play it fairly safe in its pre-election Scottish Budget, this did feature some big moves when it was unveiled last Tuesday.

Separately last week, a former UK pensions minister made plain her opposition to US hedge fund manager Boaz Weinstein’s renewed attempt to oust the board of Edinburgh Worldwide Investment Trust as the broader sector remains on tenterhooks over what will transpire.

The Scottish Budget delivered by Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government Shona Robison offered a £322 million relief package on business rates, following intense lobbying for support particularly from the hospitality and tourism sector.

It also included increases in the basic and intermediate income tax thresholds, in stark contrast to the UK Government’s across-the-board protracted freeze.

Ms Robison announced that the thresholds for the basic and intermediate rates will increase by 7.4%, noting this is “well over twice the rate of inflation”.

She observed that this meant an overall increase in these thresholds of nearly 11% in two years.

The thresholds for the higher, advanced and top income tax bands in Scotland were frozen. This means........

© Herald Scotland