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In our Who Runs Scotland series so far, we have revealed the industries which have the most access to political power in Scotland through lobbying meetings with our ministers, MPs and MSPs.

Our analysis found that three of Scotland's most high-profile and powerful industries - oil and gas, fish farming, and whisky - have repeatedly attempted to exert influence over Scottish politics in this way.

These iconic exports are often assumed to be working hard for Scotland's economy.

But where does their ownership really lie? Which companies are behind some of Scotland's best known exports, which are trying to sway the decision-making of elected officials?

Whisky

Total lobbying of Scottish MSPs since 2021: 243

Ownership outside the UK: France, Thailand, Japan, Bermuda

Just a third of Scotch single malt whisky distilleries are owned in Scotland.

Whisky is considered Scotland's national drink - besides Irn-Bru. The sector is important to Scottish tourism, employs 41,000 Scots, and generated £5.4bn in exports last year alone, according to the Scotch Whisky Association.

But who actually owns our distilleries? According to our analysis, just 52 (34 per cent) of Scotland's 153 single malt whisky distilleries are owned in Scotland. Some 46 are owned by companies in England, 18 are owned in France, while seven belong to Japanese firms.

Edit

Distillery

Ultimate Owner

Ultimate Owner Country

Region

Founded

Dallas Dhu

Aceo Limited

England

Speyside

1899

Ardnamurchan

Adelphi Distillery

Scotland

Highland

2014

Benbecula

Angus A. MacMillan

Scotland

Highland

2024

Glencadam

Angus Dundee Distillers

England

Highland

1825

Tomintoul

Angus Dundee Distillers

England

Speyside

1964

Arbikie

Arbikie Distilling Ltd

Scotland

Highland

2015

Ben Nevis

Asahi Breweries

Japan

Highland

1825

Wolfburn

Aurora Brewing

England

Highland

2013

Royal Brackla

Bacardi Limited

Bermuda

Highland

1812

Craigellachie

Bacardi Limited

Bermuda

Speyside

1891

Aberfeldy

Bacardi Limited

Bermuda

Highland

1896

Aultmore

Bacardi Limited

Bermuda

Speyside

1896

Macduff

Bacardi Limited

Bermuda

Highland

1962

Ballindalloch

Ballindalloch Distillery LLP

Scotland

Speyside

2014

Bowmore

Beam Suntory

Japan

Islay

1779

Glen Garioch

Beam Suntory

Japan

Highland

1797

Laphroaig

Beam Suntory

Japan

Islay

1815

Auchentoshan

Beam Suntory

Japan

Lowland

1823

Ardmore

Beam Suntory

Japan

Highland

1898

Blackness Bay

Blackness Bay Distillery Ltd

Scotland

Lowland

2024

BrewDog

Brewdog

Scotland

Highland

2016

Glendronach

Brown-Forman Corporation

USA

Highland

1826

Glenglassaugh

Brown-Forman Corporation

USA

Highland

1875

BenRiach

Brown-Forman Corporation

USA

Speyside

1897

Lochlea

Burglas Limited

Scotland

Lowland

2018

Burn O'Bennie

Burnobennie Distillery Limited

Scotland

Highland

2021

Glen Grant

Campari Group

Italy

Speyside

1840

Isle of Raasay

Chanrossa Group Ltd

Scotland

Highland

2017

InchDairnie

Copenhagen Fortuna Company A/S

Denmark

Lowland

2015

Crafty

Crafty Scottish Distillers Ltd

Scotland

Lowland

2017

Deeside

Deeside Brewery & Distilling Ltd

Scotland

Highland

2012

Oban

Diageo

England

Highland

1794

Blair Athol

Diageo

England

Highland

1798

Lagavulin

Diageo

England

Islay

1816

Teaninich

Diageo

England

Highland

1817

Brora

Diageo

England

Highland

1819

Linkwood

Diageo

England

Speyside

1821

Mortlach

Diageo

England

Speyside

1823

Cardhu

Diageo

England

Speyside

1824

Port Ellen

Diageo

England

Islay

1825

Benrinnes

Diageo

England

Speyside

1826

Talisker

Diageo

England

Highland

1830

Glenkinchie

Diageo

England

Lowland

1837

Glen Ord

Diageo

England

Highland

1838

Royal Lochnagar

Diageo

England

Highland

1845

Caol Ila

Diageo

England

Islay

1846

Dailuaine

Diageo

England

Speyside

1852

Cragganmore

Diageo

England

Speyside

1869

Inchgower

Diageo

England

Speyside

1871

Glenlossie

Diageo

England

Speyside

1876

Glen Spey

Diageo

England

Speyside

1878

Strathmill

Diageo

England

Speyside

1891

Dufftown

Diageo

England

Speyside

1896

Dalwhinnie

Diageo

England

Highland

1897

Glendullan

Diageo

England

Speyside

1897

Glen Elgin

Diageo

England

Speyside

1898

Knockando

Diageo...

Releasing pheasants into the countryside may boost the risk of humans catching Lyme disease, according to new research from universities and the UK Health Security Agency.

The study, published in the journal Ecology Letters, found the bacteria that can cause Lyme disease was almost 2.5 times more common in ticks located in areas where the gamebirds were released.

Some 35 to 48 million pheasants are released into the UK countryside each year to be shot for sport. Lyme disease-infected ticks can be found right across Scotland, but are most prevalent in the Highlands and Tayside.

Millions of gamebirds imported during record bird flu outbreak

Contracting the disease can be life-changing, causing later-stage symptoms including pain, muscle, heart and memory issues, disturbed sleep and fatigue, as well as anxiety and depression.

The prevalence of ticks in Scotland is set to increase by a quarter in the coming decade under the most "optimistic" climate change scenario, according to a University of Stirling study published last August.

If global temperatures are limited to 1C by 2080, the prevalence of ticks will increase by 26 per cent, but under a 4C temperature rise, the number will almost double, with only the highest peaks in Scotland remaining too cold for the parasites.

In the pheasant study, from the UK Government's Health Security Agency and academics at Cardiff and Exeter universities, researchers studied ticks in 25 woodland areas in South West England where pheasants are released - and 25 nearby sites where no pheasants are released.

'Increased risk' of Lyme disease for humans

"Borrelia bacteria can live in a wide range of hosts, including pheasants, wild birds and mammals - and humans," said Emile Michels, from Exeter's university's centre for ecology and conservation.

"Pheasants are known to be 'competent' hosts of Borrelia - meaning they have a relatively high likelihood of contracting and retransmitting the bacteria.

"More research is needed, but our findings suggest there may be an increased risk of potential exposure to Borrelia-infected ticks for people - such as gamekeepers - who work in woodlands where pheasants are released in numbers."

Dr Jolyon Medlockfrom the Health Security Agency said the government body lacked data on "the resulting impact on human health, including evidence of Lyme infection", but would continue to work with academics to better understand the factors that cause the disease to be transmitted.

A spokesperson for Lyme Disease UK said they welcome "all research that gives a greater understanding of the bacteria that causes Lyme disease". They added: "As ticks now seem to be staying active in some areas throughout the colder months, due to our warming climate, it is essential to know what drives the spread of this bacteria".

Rare capercaillie under threat from gamebirds

The Scottish Greens' spokesperson for rural affairs, Ariane Burgess MSP pointed out that pheasants' "capacity to spread Lyme disease to humans has been discussed and debated for decades".

It was therefore "not surprising to consider the risks increasing through breeding and releasing more of these beautiful birds for humans to simply murder as a pastime," she claimed.

Burgess added: "Hunting is not only cruel in its practice. The ritualistic mass-killing of species like pheasants for sport is also majorly damaging to our biodiversity and should be completely outlawed in Scotland."

The Ferret is an independent, investigative journalism cooperative dedicated to holding power to account. Since 2015, we have reported on corruption, environmental issues, human rights, and political influence in Scotland. Our work is supported by members who believe in journalism that challenges, exposes, and informs. If you value in-depth, fact-based reporting, you can support our work by becoming a member. Join us today: https://theferret.scot/subscribe

Pheasant header image thanks to Freek Wolsink. Tick header image thanks to Erik Karits.

Over 400 members of staff at Scotland's universities earn more than the first minister, despite a funding crisis engulfing the sector that could see lower paid roles axed.

A Ferret analysis as part of our Who Runs Scotland series found at least 400 university staff are paid more than John Swinney, whose combined MSP and first ministerial salary is £135,605.

In total 1,250 members of staff across the country's 15 universities were paid more than £100,000 per year.

This figure puts them in a bracket with some of the highest earners in the country. Our analysis showed just under three per cent of the total Scottish university workforce earns upwards of £100,000. Their annual salaries collectively cost £175m per year.

That is equivalent to nearly a quarter of the main teaching grant - the biggest chunk of funding universities receive from the Scottish Government.

A number of universities across the country have announced that they are making cuts, including to jobs. Growing staff costs are one of the factors blamed, alongside a stagnation in government funding and a drop in the recruitment of international students.

Universities Scotland, which represents the higher education sector, said institutions need to pay enough to attract "experienced" people to navigate "challenging and volatile operating environments". That requires salaries that match "market rates across the UK and globally," the body claimed.

Universities on the edge: How can we solve the funding crisis?

Critics argued that while high pay is not the root cause of the funding crisis, vast salaries for senior staff are difficult to rationalise when students and lower-paid employees are "struggling". Low pay and job insecurity were endemic problems in the sector, one claimed.

They called for increased public scrutiny to ensure management teams and other top staff are justifying high salaries amid job losses and cuts to programmes.

John Swinney's pay has remained at £135,605 since 2009, when former first minister Alex Salmond introduced a pay freeze for ministers following the global financial crisis. This freeze was partially lifted in April 2025, but Swinney declined to take the increase.

Pay discrepancy

Our analysis looked at the annual accounts of every Scottish university in 2024, apart from Dundee, for which we used 2023 figures because it is yet to publish accounts for last year.

The University of Edinburgh has the largest workforce of any Scottish institution, and employs 385 staff who earn six figures, including those known as "clinical staff" who work in medicine as well as teaching in education.

This includes principal Sir Peter Mathieson, whose basic salary rose by 2.5 per cent in January to nearly £380,000. The pay rise came just weeks before Mathieson told Edinburgh staff it was seeking £140m in cuts which would result in a "smaller staff base".

Mathieson has also faced scrutiny for taking a second role at a firm linked to the university, which critics within Edinburgh described as a distraction from tackling the problems facing the institution.

'A slap in the face': Edinburgh uni staff rage at principal's second job amid layoffs

Edinburgh is one of two Scots universities - alongside St Andrews - where the principal is paid more than ten times the median employee.

The University of Glasgow has the second highest number of staff on high salaries, with 350 employees on £100,000 or more and the principal paid nine times the median member of staff.

At Stirling university, principal Gerry McCormac received a basic salary of £414,000, with his full pay and benefits package equating to £438,000, making him the highest paid figure in Scottish academia in 2024.

Dire warnings

A number of institutions across Scotland have announced redundancies. Edinburgh launched a voluntary severance scheme in January and said in February that £140m of cuts to its budget in the next 18 months will mean a "smaller staff base", with cuts going beyond those who have already left thr...

The UK Government has been accused of acting as the "promotional wing" of the multinational salmon farming industry, after a minister appeared to bow to pressure to serve more farmed salmon at government receptions.

The Ferret can reveal that industry leaders lobbied the Scotland Office minister, Kirsty McNeill, at a meeting in September 2024 for "greater supply of Scottish salmon" at government events. She replied she was "keen to see this".

Minutes of the meeting released under freedom of information law also show salmon company bosses complaining about "fractured" regulation and delays to export health certificates. They called for "a more enlightened approach on immigration" to attract fish farm workers to Scotland.

The Scotland Office's role in helping to "spin a glossy PR story" was described as "deeply troubling" by the Scottish Greens. They said farmed salmon should "stay off the menu" at government events.

Campaigners argued that farmed salmon were frequently dosed with "highly toxic chemicals" and had "an appalling environmental record". It was "bizarre" the UK Government wanted to serve a product subject to "systematic greenwashing", they claimed.

But the industry insisted that the government was right to "showcase" Scottish salmon and help to boost sales. The product was an "extraordinary success story" enjoyed in nearly 50 countries, it argued.

The Scotland Office defended its support for the salmon industry as a vital part of its plan for economic growth. It said Scottish salmon was the "jewel in the crown" of Scotland's produce.

As part of its major investigation - Who Runs Scotland - The Ferret revealed on 8 April the extent to which oil, whisky and other industries lobbied the Scotland Office. We have also reported in detail on the public relations firms that help businesses influence ministers.

Who's winning friends and influencing people at the Scotland Office?

On 11 September 2024 in London, McNeill and two of her senior officials met Atholl Duncan and Tavish Scott, respectively the chair and chief executive of the industry body, Salmon Scotland. Also present were executives from two big salmon farming companies, Mowi and Bakkafrost, as well as Alan Roden from the PR firm, Quantum Communications.

The official minute of the meeting released by the Scotland Office disclosed that it ended with the industry pressing for more of its salmon to be served at government events.

"Finally Salmon Scotland said that they would welcome greater supply of Scottish salmon at UK Government/Scotland Office events," the minute recorded.

"Minister McNeill said that she was keen to see this but that catering procurement across government was not centralised and so the Scotland Office would need to see how best to take that away."

Scottish salmon has been served at government events in the past, including the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow in 2021 and at St Andrews Day receptions at Holyrood and the British Embassy in Paris in 2023.

Earlier in the meeting, Bakkafrost said that "the regulatory environment for salmon production in Scotland was too fractured", and didn't include incentives for investment. The company argued that "there should be good regulation, not more regulation".

The industry also complained that problems with export health certificates were delaying salmon exports. According to the minute, Bakkafrost said "the international competitiveness of Scotland has eroded" and "its share of the global market has diminished".

In addition, salmon companies highlighted a need for foreign workers. "The industry is looking for a more enlightened approach on immigration, to make Scotland more attractive to workers from elsewhere," Salmon Scotland's Tavish Scott was reported to have said.

The meeting with the Scotland Office was on the same day as a salmon industry "breakfast briefing" for MPs at Westminster, hosted by the Labour MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Torcuil Crichton.

Influence games: the revolving door between poli...

Scotland's most influential public relations companies are staffed by former politicians, government ministers, spin doctors and newspaper editors, The Ferret has found, exposing the "revolving door" between politics, the media and lobbying.

These well-connected figures are now being paid to represent the interests of the UK's largest businesses including fossil fuel and energy multinationals, big finance, and arms firms.

Lobbying is a normal part of the democratic process, allowing businesses and civil society alike to raise issues with elected representatives. A move to public relations consultancy from journalism or politics is considered standard by many in the industry.

Parliamentary rules aim to prevent former ministers and senior civil servants from lobbying for two years after leaving these roles. But they are free to work as corporate lobbyists thereafter. The Ferret has not found any examples of any Scottish firm breaking these rules.

Tom Brake, of Unlock Democracy, called for the ban to be extended from two to five years after leaving office or employment. The "revolving door" between government and PR "gives these firms, and their clients, an unfair advantage," he said, "particularly when a former elected official or special advisor walks away with a detailed understanding of important processes such as procurement rules or an extensive list of favoured contacts."

Agustina Olivieri, head of campaigns for the Good Law Project, said the revolving doors between Holyrood and corporate interests were "spinning as smoothly as ever" and "glaring loopholes" should be closed. Politicians should listen to those with "real policy expertise based on a social justice agenda" rather than "the dizzying spin of corporate lobbyists pushing for tax cuts or shilling for oil and gas barons," she argued.

Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman said there was a culture of "groupthink, of chumminess and game-playing" that led an already disenfranchised public to become more frustrated. According to the Edelman Trust Barometer only 30 percent of people in the UK reported trust in the government in 2024.

"Politicians should always seek to further the interests of their constituents and of Scotland as a whole. We cannot do that if the means to get there only involves a select few in the same echo chamber," she added.

As part of its Who Runs Scotland series, The Ferret has profiled five of Scotland's most influential PR and lobbying firms to see who's behind them and who they represent.

Profile key

Revolving doors score:

We've given the PR firms below a "revolving doors score", which is calculated as follows:

Founder (past or present) is a political or media figure = 2 points (3 points if both)

Current associate is a political or media figure or has worked for a client = 1 point

Lobbying figure:

This is the number of times the company has lobbied in Scotland since the last Scottish Parliament election.

Arden Strategies

HQ: Motherwell

Founder: Jim Murphy

Established: 2015

Murphy is part of the Labour establishment. He served as the MP for East Renfrewshire (formerly Eastwood) from 1997 to 2015 and held multiple cabinet roles including secretary of state for Scotland. In the run-up to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum Murphy undertook a pro-union tour of the country - in which he substituted Irn Bru crates for the traditional soap box - which was suspended following abuse from Yes supporters. Elevated to Scottish Labour leader following the referendum, he resigned following the party's collapse at the 2015 Scottish election where they lost 40 out of 41 seats, including his own.

In the early days of Arden Strategies - which takes the name of the Glasgow housing estate where Murphy was born - Better Together campaign director Blair McDougall worked with Murphy as a "senior strategist". McDougall, a former Labour party advisor, worked there until his successful bid for Murphy's former East Renfrewshire seat in last July's election.

Murphy ha...

Organisations in Scotland using obscure powers to investigate the general public reported nearly 40,000 alleged crimes to prosecutors in the last four years, The Ferret can reveal.

The SSPCA, NHS Scotland, and the Food Standards Agency are among at least 54 so-called 'specialist reporting agencies' (SRAs) given powers to investigate criminal activity. SRAs came to prominence after the Post Office used its powers to investigate, wrongly charge and privately prosecute hundreds of innocent people in what is known as the Horizon scandal.

In Scotland, these powerful agencies undertake investigations and send reports to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), independently of Police Scotland. Some can obtain warrants, seize evidence, search premises, interview, caution and charge people. They can also spy on people.

The Ferret investigated the hidden powers of specialist reporting agencies as part of our Who Runs Scotland series, which examines those who wield power in our country behind the scenes.

In Scotland, investigatory powers are bestowed upon organisations through legislation and powers vary - but the Crown Office is the only public prosecution service in Scotland.

In a freedom of information request, we asked the Crown Office how these low-profile but significant powers had been used in Scotland. It revealed that since 2020, SRAs have investigated serious crimes including murders, drugs supply, fraud, assault, rape, hate crimes, child pornography and the possession of weapons.

In total, these agencies made 37,233 reports between 2020 and 2024. The Crown Office records the number of charges reported, not cases, and a reported case may hold multiple charges.

Politicians said there must be proper oversight of SRA prosecutions to ensure nothing like the Horizon scandal ever happens again. Last year the Post Office was stripped of its status as a SRA and can no longer file reports to the Crown Office. It can conduct preliminary investigations into suspected criminal conduct and refer cases to police.

The National Federation of SubPostmasters said the system in Scotland did not prevent miscarriages of justice over Horizon.

In reply, the Crown Office said that new guidance for reporting agencies will be issued this year.

Nine spycops snooped on anti-nuclear protests in Scotland

Scotland's Specialist reporting agencies

SRAs include - among dozens of others - River Tweed Commissioners, NHS Scotland Counter Fraud Services, Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, the Office of Rail Regulation, and the Registrar of Companies.

These agencies can send reports to the crown office but the procurator fiscal decides whether to instigate proceedings and what formal charges should be. Prosecutors can request additional information but they can also reject the reports if they do not think there is a legal case to answer.

SRA powers vary. HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC), for example, can obtain search warrants and make arrests and it can recover criminal assets through the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. HMRC filed 133 reports to the COPFS over the four year period including 35 alleged tax frauds.

Frauds were also the focus of investigations by local authorities (594), the Child Support Agency, (7), and immigration enforcement (90). The Health and Safety Executive investigated four murders/culpable homicides, which the Crown Office said were related to deaths in a working environment.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency reported 14 alleged environmental offences. British Transport Police - which polices the railway network of England, Scotland and Wales - investigated 94 serious assaults/attempted murders, 71 sexual assaults, and two rapes.

The Ferret sent FOI requests to several SRAs requesting details of their powers and recent investigations.

There must be proper oversight of SRA prosecutions, and that "where powers are abused there must be real consequences, with individuals being held accountable for their actions".

Maggie Chapma...

Lobbying and access to the corridors of power have been key themes of the first week of The Ferret's Who Runs Scotland series. We kicked off our month-long investigation by revealing that businesses dominate lobbying of the Scottish Government.

But it's not just ministers whom lobbyists target. Opposition MSPs are also an important entry point to Holyrood. They can propose debates, table amendments to bills and some could be future ministers.

So which MSPs have companies seen as most important - and most open - to their messages since the last election in 2021? We've plunged back into the darkest depths of Holyrood's lobbying register to find out.

Daniel Johnson (270 meetings)

Johnson, Scottish Labour's shadow secretary for enterprise and business, is, perhaps unsurprisingly, a popular target for corporate lobbying. He has had over 100 more meetings with business than any other opposition MSP.

Johnson met most with Scottish Financial Enterprise (16), which represents financial services firms. He also had meetings with banks, insurance firms, asset managers and representatives of the private equity industry.

He was lobbied 12 times by the British Retail Consortium. Johnson is the sole shareholder of Stripe Retail Ltd, which provides "retail consulting and advisory services". Johnson's shares are valued at £280,000 and he receives dividends from the company.

He also had meetings with the Scottish Tourism Alliance (9), the trade body for Scotland's green energy industry, Scottish Renewables (8), and oil giant BP (7).

He attended Scotland's rugby win over Australia in November 2024 as a guest of Vodafone.

Anas Sarwar (169 meetings)

Just over half of lobbying of the Scottish Labour leader since 2021 has come from business interests.

Sarwar's meetings with corporations have been broadly spread across industries, but ScottishPower (8) topped the list. He also met repeatedly with fellow energy giants Shell (5) and SSE (5).

He met Salmon Scotland, the trade association for Scotland's controversial fish farming sector, 5 times.

Two of these events were organised by lobbying firm Quantum Communications, which is led by Alan Roden, the former Scottish political editor of the Daily Mail who was previously a Scottish Labour spin doctor.

In a piece in The Times earlier this week entitled 'We can use our ties with Trump to make Scotland greater again', Sarwar wrote that "if we want Scotland to prosper, we must make it a place where businesses feel wanted and welcomed".

Labour said the headline for The Times piece was given by the paper itself and were not Sarwar's words.

Miles Briggs (157 meetings)

Tory MSP Briggs is the second-most lobbied MSP overall, behind only the now housing minister, Paul McLennan. Just over a third of his meetings involved business interests.

Briggs met Homes for Scotland - the representative body for Scotland's housebuilding industry - 14 times. He served as the Scottish Conservatives' housing spokesperson between May 2021 and October 2024.

The list member for the Lothian region met Scottish Land and Estates (SLE), which represents rural landowners, 8 times.

Discussions with SLE included "possible amendments" to legislation affecting landlords, including an offer by the body to send Briggs a "draft text of an amendment to strike out" part of a bill relating to the private rental sector that it opposed.

Who's lobbying Scotland? How big business influences Scottish ministers

Brian Whittle (153 meetings)

Whittle, the Scottish Conservative MSP for South Scotland, met most frequently with clients of the public relations firm, Message Matters (12), itself run by two former Tory figures.

Whittle is himself a director and shareholder of a business advice consultancy called Trackside Consultancy, where he says he works for a maximum of 12 hours a month outside of parliamentary time. He has been paid just under £13,000 for the role since the last election.

The individual business groups that lobbied Whittle most were Scotti...

The SNP has been in power at Holyrood for nearly 20 years and polls suggest it will win again in 2026.

But last year's general election was a blip in the party's dominance, as Labour won a landslide across the UK including 37 of Scotland's 57 seats.

Longstanding MP Ian Murray was named the government's Scottish secretary nine years after he had been Labour's last man standing following its electoral wipeout north of the border.

So who has Murray brought into his team, who is trying to influence them, and what does the Scotland Office actually do?

As part of our series, Who Runs Scotland?, The Ferret takes a closer look.

Who's in Murray's team?

Kirsty McNeill, elected as MP for Midlothian last year, is under-secretary of state for Scotland and Murray's deputy.

McNeill was an adviser to Gordon Brown while he was prime minister and on his charity projects after he left office. She has worked for various charities and, prior to her election in 2024, was chair of the board of Our Scottish Future, a think tank Brown set up in 2019 to make a "progressive case" for the Union.

Two veterans of the independence referendum are the special advisers at the Scotland Office, Kieron Higgins and Callum Munro.

Higgins joined Murray's team as a political adviser in May 2024 after five years at Citizens Advice Scotland. Before that he was a spin doctor for Scottish Labour and national communications officer for Better Together in 2014.

Munro is a former head of news at the British Army and has been a member of the army reserve. He was 'get out the vote' coordinator for the 'No' campaign during the referendum.

Who's had access to Murray & Co?

Records of Murray's meetings are available for his first six months in the Scotland Office.

His first official meeting was with the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) involving a photo opportunity and a discussion about protections for Scotch Whisky in Brazil.

Murray said the choice of the whisky industry for his first meeting proved "economic growth and job creation" were top of the agenda for the UK government. The 'water of life' could be the key to unlocking "markets for other Scottish products and services", he wrote in The Herald.

The SWA is one of three organisations Murray saw at least three times in his first half-year in the role.

He met Petroineos in his first week in post and on three other occasions before the turn of the year. Each of these meetings were to discuss the company's Grangemouth oil refinery - which is due to close this year with the loss of hundreds of jobs.

Murray held talks with Norwegian state oil giant Equinor three times between September and December. Equinor is behind the controversial bid to drill for oil at the Rosebank field off the coast of Shetland, a project which has faced a massive backlash from environmental campaigners.

Other energy industry players he scheduled time for included BP, Shell, Harbour Energy, oil and gas trade body, OEUK, and EDF.

Business interests accounted for 66 of the 121 meetings held by Murray in his first six months. These included engagements with defence giants BAE Systems, Thales and Kongsberg which each have a presence in Scotland and have faced protests over links to Israel since the start of the war in Gaza.

Murray attended the Farnborough International Airshow in Hampshire in July where he had a number of "planned brush by" discussions with companies including RTX (formerly Raytheon) and Leonardo to hear their "priorities".

Individuals he has met include banker and executive chairman of the Buccleuch Group, Benny Higgins. The pair discussed business, the regeneration of the Granton area of Edinburgh and artwork. Higgins is also the chair of the board of the National Galleries of Scotland.

What about gifts and jollies?

The Labour government has faced criticism for accepting freebies since it was elected.

Murray and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar faced scrutiny in September when it was revealed they were treated to free seats and hospit...

Fossil fuel giants, influential PR firms and the short-term lets industry are among the top lobbyists of the Scottish Government since John Swinney became first minister, The Ferret can reveal.

Energy company SSE, oil major BP, and the Association of Scotland's Self-Caterers were the three business groups who met Swinney's ministers or their advisers most, while the National Farmers Union of Scotland was the most active lobbyist overall.

Message Matters, run by former Tory spin doctor, Andy Maciver and ex-Conservative MP, Peter Duncan, was the public relations firm that had the most time with Swinney's government on behalf of a range of clients.

In the first nine months of Swinney's premiership, 44 per cent of lobbying was by companies and business groups - higher than any other sector, including charities, campaign groups and trade unions combined (38 per cent).

As part of our month-long series, Who Runs Scotland, The Ferret analysed hundreds of records from the Holyrood lobbying register via Transparency International UK's Open Access tool.

Experts said Scotland needed more "public policy expertise and far less spin." Loopholes should be closed to bring lobbying "out of the shadows," campaigners argued.

Deputy first minister and economy secretary, Kate Forbes, was the most accessible minister for lobbyists. She chalked up over 100 meetings between May 2024 and February 2025 - 80 per cent of which were with business interests.

Lobbying is a normal and legal part of the political process, which allows different stakeholders and interest groups to meet with lawmakers and attempt to influence the direction of policy.

But while it often goes under the radar, lobbying can have a big impact on policy decisions. Scotland's deposit return scheme - for example - was shelved after a major lobbying effort by opponents including the whisky industry.

Campaigners with lobbying experience, including a former spin doctor, claimed the process favours businesses while "marginalised" communities are largely shut out. They alleged that Scotland's democracy could be "undermined" by lobbying from big business, and called for all meetings to be minuted and made public.

The Scottish Government said the public would expect it to "meet with a wide range of groups on a variety of subjects".

What did top lobbyists ask for?

Energy giants

The energy industry - including both renewable and fossil fuel companies - accounted for 11 per cent of lobbying activity under Swinney, more than any other business sector.

SSE, based in Perth and one of Scotland's biggest companies, met ministers 13 times.

In one meeting with Swinney, the multinational lobbied for changes to Scotland's planning system to "unlock more flexible" energy generation, including that equipped with carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.

The government is considering a controversial bid from the firm to build a new CCS-equipped gas power station at Peterhead in Aberdeenshire. SSE argues the site would produce mostly clean power but environmental campaigners fear approving it could be incompatible with climate targets and keep Scotland "locked into volatile gas markets".

In other meetings, the company promoted its renewables projects and frequently asked that the planning process for green energy projects be sped up.

An SSE spokesperson told The Ferret that it regularly engaged with "politicians from all parties, community groups and others about our work".

They added: "That engagement is carried out ethically and transparently and it's no secret that to unlock this investment we want to ensure Scotland's planning system keeps pace with the rest of the UK."

BP representatives met with ministers 10 times since Swinney came to office, including multiple meetings with the first minister, his deputy Forbes, and acting energy minister, Gillian Martin.

The company lobbied ministers via its exhibition stand at the SNP conference last year. It also met Forbes and public finance minister, Ivan M...

Scotland is just a year away from its next election, and current polling suggests the SNP could be about to extend its time in power.

It's been a tumultuous few years at the top of Scottish politics. Since 2023, there have been three first ministers, innumerable ministerial changes, the collapse of a coalition and a police investigation into the SNP's finances.

The media circus that surrounds our elected politicians can often obscure the powerful interests that are impacting decisions in Scotland everyday. Often, it seems that power and influence is confined to Holyrood and Westminster.

But who is influencing our politicians? Which business interests are wielding power outside of parliament? Who is running our industries? Who is impacting our environment and climate?

Here at The Ferret, we are interested in those who hold sway both within and outside of parliament's walls - those who often go under the radar in the corridors of power, without the public accountability our politicians face.

Four years ago, we published our first major series looking at where power lies in Scotland. At that point, Nicola Sturgeon was riding high in the polls, the Conservatives were in control of Westminster, and the world was emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The world has changed unimaginably since then. So we asked you to help us examine who controls the levers of power in Scotland in 2025, and raised more than £11,000 in a crowdfunding campaign.

The result is a new month-long series - Who Runs Scotland - launching this Sunday.

Throughout April, we'll investigate powerful business interests, lobbying and PR firms, examine the affairs of wealthy Scots wielding influence and delve into the foreign interests that leverage power right here in Scotland.

We'll look at the multinationals that own some of Scotland's iconic industries, examine the powerful dealmakers and board members who exert influence on our arts, culture and education, and investigate the tech bros and businesses looking to take control of Scotland's future - in sectors like AI and space exploration.

We have spent months investigating the issues you said you were interested in, examining sectors, businesses and powerful individuals that often escape the glare of the media.

This project, funded by donations from our readers and members, is for everyone in Scotland who is concerned about where the power lies. And we want to make it accessible.

So thanks to you, we're also making the whole series free to read, helping you share our findings far and wide. What's more, we'll be sharing key stories about power in Scotland that we've already looked at throughout the year.

We'd love for you to be involved, so email us at [email protected] or message us on social media if you think there's some influence we should be delving into.

You can also sign up to our FREE Ferret Underground newsletter for all the stories and inside scoops from the series each week.

We could not have done this series without your incredible support. We hope you find it illuminating.

The Ferret is an independent, investigative journalism cooperative dedicated to holding power to account.

Since 2015, we have reported on corruption, environmental issues, human rights, and political influence in Scotland.

Our work is supported by members who believe in journalism that challenges, exposes, and informs. If you value in-depth, fact-based reporting, you can support our work by becoming a member.

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