On Thursday the 2nd of April 2026, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce stood alongside our colleagues at Prosper, IoD, CBI Scotland, and the FSB to host Scotland’s Business Hustings.
With a packed audience of 300 business leaders at RBS Gogarburn, the atmosphere in the room was charged, urgent, but also highly collaborative. Bringing together the country’s leading business organisations made one point unmistakably clear: the next parliament must put business and economic growth at the top of the agenda.
As I listened to the party leaders deliver their elevator pitch, I was reminded of recent conversations with businesses across the country. The real test is not what’s said on stage, but how it affects what businesses are dealing with on the ground.
As SCC has continued to highlight, sustained economic success requires planning that stretches well beyond the lifespan of a single parliament. It was encouraging to see that acknowledged by last night’s panellists. Scotland’s long-term ambitions must be supported by a vision for the kind of country we could be 20, 30, even 50 years from now.
Several key issues dominated the debate. In particular, non-domestic rates came through most strongly. Our latest QEI data shows concern over NDR at a five-year high, with a sharp increase of nearly 100% since the previous quarter. The most recent revaluations are simply unworkable, and while relief may paper over the cracks temporarily, reform of the system must be a day-one priority for the next Scottish Government, or businesses will close and jobs will be lost.
The hustle and back-and-forth of having all six major party leaders on stage provided some insightful moments. The leaders offered genuinely innovative ideas, such as leveraging Scotland’s overseas networks to boost exports, supporting our oil and gas sector to reduce the cost of energy and support our transition to renewables, and adopting a fiscal strategy which supports start-ups and encourages the scaling up of spin-outs from our world-class universities. Just as importantly, there was broad agreement on the fundamentals. Planning, skills and housing are not abstract policy areas – they are the day-to-day barriers that determine whether businesses can invest, expand and create jobs. On these issues, there can be no delay.
Business leaders in attendance reinforced a consistent message. Scotland has real strengths – from renewable energy to advanced manufacturing – but those strengths are not yet translating into growth at the pace they should. That is not a question of ambition, but of conditions. To turn these foundational strengths into long-term competitive advantages, we need government to create the conditions that give firms the confidence to invest. With stable policy, smart regulation, and an unwavering focus on long-term growth, the business community stands ready to play their part in creating a thriving, dynamic Scottish economy.
Ultimately, the key measure of this election will be delivery. This was brought into sharp focus at the end of proceedings, when our wonderful host Gina Davidson asked each party leader to summarise their takeaway in one word. All gave strong answers: aspiration, change, hope, incentive, focus, partnership. While these qualities will be vital as we chart the course ahead for Scotland’s economy, one crucial word was missing: action.
Dialogue is necessary, often useful, but only when it compels us to act. We all know the problems, and we have offered credible solutions. Now it’s time to deliver them.
By Charandeep Singh BEM, SCC CEO
