Hi ,

When we revealed in 2023 that Scottish Enterprise (SE) had conducted 199 human rights checks on firms seeking public grants and not one had failed, despite some having links to regimes accused of war crimes, critics raised serious questions over the policy.

Now, our reporting has led to action. During a Scottish Parliament debate last week, the Scottish Government pledged to review SE’s due diligence on companies receiving taxpayer-funded grants. The decision follows concerns by the Scottish Greens, Amnesty International, and other critics, that the current system is failing to prevent public money going to firms connected to human rights abuses in Gaza, Yemen, and beyond.

It’s a sign of why holding power to account matters — and why investigative journalism plays a vital role in uncovering the gaps that need to be addressed.

We’ll be watching closely to see what comes next. In the meantime, here’s a snapshot of our journalism’s impact elsewhere.

Exposing environmental hypocrisy ✈️

In October 2024, we revealed that private jets owned by Scotland’s richest man and self-described environmental champion, Anders Holch Povlsen, made over 1,000 flights in four years — some as short as just 30 miles. The investigation raised serious questions about the environmental impact of luxury air travel and how it aligns with Povlsen’s public commitments to conservation.

Now, Extinction Rebellion has taken action, staging a protest against Povlsen’s private airline and calling for tighter regulation of private jets. The response underscores growing public frustration over corporate contributions to climate change and the lack of accountability for high-emission travel.

Read the full investigation here.

Sharing our work with Scotland's third sector 🎤

The Ferret was invited by Transparency International UK to speak at an event exploring the lobbying of decision makers in Scotland. The event was part of The Gathering at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre, which was organised by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.

We presented our findings after years of investigating the lobbying of ministers, special advisors and MSPs in the Scottish Parliament

Our stories made some noise 

Last month, we reported that Reform UK’s deputy leader, Richard Tice, personally profits from solar energy — while his party campaigns against renewables. The contradiction caught national attention, with The Guardian picking up the story and looking into the party’s stance on green energy. 

Meanwhile, our investigation into the £4bn Trident nuclear weapons project being labeled "unachievable" for the third year in a row was followed up by The National, bringing fresh scrutiny to the government’s spending on defense.

Some stories take months, even years, to see change — but that’s why The Ferret exists. We’re here for the long haul, following up on issues, exposing wrongdoing, and giving a platform to voices that might otherwise be ignored.

Your support — whether as a member, a donor, or a reader — makes this possible. Thank you for being part of our community. Together, we’re proving that independent journalism has the power to make a difference. Join us today — become a member, make a one-off donation, or subscribe to our free newsletter.

See you next month,

The Ferret team