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Wednesday 16th September 2025

When President Trump was elected last November, I spoke about the need for sensible, practical and pragmatic engagement from our own politicians with the incoming US administration.

Writing in the Times, I said: 

America has elected Trump as its President for the next four years whether we like it or not. We can either look the other way, or we can seek to work with and influence his administration in as positive and productive ways as possible.

You don’t have to agree with all, or any, of Trump’s rhetoric to agree that it is better to work for the common good regardless of who occupies the White House.  If our political and business leaders are prepared to be pragmatists by engaging wherever possible, we can hope not only to help steer Trump’s second presidency in the most positive direction possible, but also to reap a share of the benefits, including here in Scotland.

As President Trump is welcomed to the UK this week for his second States Visit, I am pleased that such an approach is indeed being taken forward by both the Scottish and UK Governments. The State Visit itself is evidence of that, as was last week’s visit to the White House by First Minister John Swinney to discuss the issue of tariffs on Scotch whisky.

There is much to be gained by such pragmatic engagement. That does not mean having to agree on everything. It does mean working together wherever possible for the common good.

Click for The Times article.

Were he to have had time to explore the town, he would see, rising out of an abandoned space in its old industrial heart, a building and a concept which have the power to transform the way we think about workspaces – and, I believe, with the potential to help drive forward the process of urban and community regeneration globally.  

The HALO – an award-winning business innovation park, urban regeneration and business start-up support company – is a project I have steered since its inception.

It is breathing new economic life into the communities around it, and I believe it can become the model for how those towns and cities impacted by the long process of deindustrialization across much of the western world in recent decades can be rejuvenated.

Firstly though, it is worth recounting the backstory to the HALO journey.

When the spirits giant Diageo pulled out of Kilmarnock in 2009 it was a devastating blow to the town and the wider community.

For almost 200 years, the iconic Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky brand had been associated with Kilmarnock. Diageo’s decision severed that link and ended a relationship which had delivered jobs for generations of people, supporting families and providing the economic heartbeat of the town.

The decision to close it was met with a huge grassroots campaign for the company to reverse its decision and to save the plant and the jobs which went with it. It saw 20,000 people march through the town.

It was a march I joined and a campaign I was proud to play a leading role in, but which was, ultimately, unsuccessful. The plant closed, and 700 jobs were lost.

However, from the deep despair that the closure provoked in the local community, new hope has risen.

The 23-acre site where the Johnnie Walker plant once stood is now occupied by the HALO HQ building, the centrepiece of a digital, cyber and innovation park.

HALO is a net zero development providing the community with jobs and skills training as well as access to employment opportunities, clean energy and housing.

It will generate £205 million in additional GDP and support up to 1,500 jobs, while based on the holistic concept of “Live, Work, Learn and Play” for its commercial and residential tenants.

HALO’s enterprise and innovation centre, a commercial hub created to stimulate digital learning, will provide a conducive environment for spin-out, new-start, scale-ups, digital, manufacturing and cyber businesses of all sizes.

Despite the delays caused by the Covid pandemic, the HALO HQ opened in March 2022.  

HALO is now central to a project which is on the verge of securing no fewer than 1,200 jobs for the Scottish economy, in a development that promises to lock in growth, opportunity and community wealth for the long term.

The UK-based undersea cable manufacturer XLCC is poised to deliver 900 manufacturing-related jobs in Ayrshire, making the region a key hub for European and global development of technology which will help power the next generation of renewable energy projects.  In addition, 300 more jobs are due to come to HALO in Kilmarnock.  This is a project of national significance, and these posts, including project delivery and sales teams, will drive and support the manufacturing facility. 

The HALO concept is founded on the principle that we must build back by fostering innovation, growth and job creation so that we can reindustrialize and meet the challenges of tomorrow whilst giving workers and communities the hope of a better future.

For too long, the working communities on which previous generations of economic success were founded have been abandoned.  It is a phenomenon seen in the UK and more widely across other post-industrial nations – and one which recently saw a UK Government minister warn that working class children faced being “written off” by society.

That cannot be allowed to happen. The HALO concept provides a blueprint for how we can deliver a better future for all our communities.  

I have already engaged in extensive discussions with a range of parties as to how the HALO brand cam be expanded beyond Scotland and the UK to other countries. I believe it can be a success in the United States, Europe and beyond.

HALO is a tangible sign of hope in troubled economic times – a phoenix from the ashes which shows what is possible with hard work, commitment and a desire to chart a new way of creating economic opportunity. I am determined to share that experience and to take the HALO brand anywhere in the world where it could help effect a similar transformation.

The Exchange, Glasgow | Thursday 21st August 2025

Marie was invited by Entrepreneurial Scotland to join some of the nation’s leading entrepreneurs and share her story at an exclusive event in Glasgow on Thursday evening (21st August 2025). Her talk, ‘Powering the Nation’, focused on regeneration and driving positive economic and social impact across Scottish communities, emphasising the importance of bottom-up growth and how her journey has been driven by strong family values. The conversation with Marie was facilitated by Entrepreneurial Scotland CEO, Sean McGrath.

The event formed part of Entrepreneurial Scotland’s, ‘The Exchange’ programme, which gives members exclusive access to Scotland’s top entrepreneurs through private networking dinners and behind-the-scenes conversations.

Unlike traditional lectures or keynotes, these dinners provide a rare opportunity to engage directly with business leaders, learn from their highs and lows, and gain practical insights into scaling successful businesses.

Held at The Exchange in Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow, the evening gave guests the opportunity to hear more of Marie’s unique story and connect with like-minded individuals, all while enjoying the modern surroundings, as well as Scottish hospitality and cuisine.

Reflecting on the evening, Marie said:

“Thanks to Sean and the team for such a wonderful evening – it was a privilege to be asked to share my story. I always enjoy the opportunity to meet fellow entrepreneurs who are driving real change across Scotland. If my journey of regeneration and community/ family values can inspire progress and help others accelerate their impact, then sharing it is worthwhile. More than ever, we need entrepreneurs to drive opportunity, hope, and economic prosperity in our communities here in Scotland and beyond.”

Find out more about Entrepreneurial Scotland: https://www.entrepreneurialscotland.com

DC Thomson | Thursday 14^th August 2025

Judging for The Courier Business Awards 2025, held in partnership with Henderson Loggie, took place in Dundee as a panel of respected industry leaders came together to assess this year’s entries.

Marie joined an expert judging panel alongside David Smith, David Clegg, Chris van der Kuyl CBE, Rob McLaren, and Angela Linton, contributing her insight and experience to a rigorous evaluation process.

Now in its 12th year, the annual awards continue to shine a spotlight on the ambition, innovation, and resilience of businesses across Courier Country – from long established companies to emerging entrepreneurs.

The panel carefully reviewed every entry, celebrated business achievements from across the region, and engaged in thoughtful discussion to select this year’s finalists.

Reflecting on the day, Marie said: “It’s been such an honour to be one of the judges this year. The application review process really highlighted the incredible business community in the east—their tenacity and determination to make things happen is inspiring. It was great to be in Dundee today for the next stage with my fellow judges. Finalists will be announced soon, and I’m looking forward to returning to the ‘City of Discovery’ later this year for the big awards celebration.”

Stay tuned to www.thecourier.co.uk, where the finalists will be announced soon.

See also video below that was filmed whilst Marie was in Dundee with Owen Wyatt, Chief Growth Officer at DC Thomson. 

Anyone who doubts that should take time to look and listen to the US President anytime he is in our county – or indeed anytime he speaks of it.

Trump is nothing if not a brash and colourful figure.No one should be surprised by that. He is a Manhattan real estate dealer, so that kind of approach to life pretty much comes with the territory.

That being so, wistful and emotional aren’t words you would normally associate with the current resident of the White House. But Scotland clearly holds a special place in his heart. It is the land of his mother’s birth. Mary Anne MacLeod was born in Lewis and emigrated to New York in the 1930s. And the man who now occupies the Oval Office makes frequent mention of those Hebridean roots.

It’s something that means he sees Scotland in a separate light to the many other countries he visits. “It’s different when your mother was born here,” as he put it. No other country can make that claim. That is why it makes sense for us to engage positively with Trump. Doing so is good politics, good manners and good business.

Trump’s affection for Scotland was on full display over the last few days during his mini-break on these shores. From Ayrshire to Aberdeenshire, he indulged his love of golf but also took the time to showcase his resorts and their scenic surroundings to visiting dignitaries. Which meant we were treated to the rather surreal sight of a UK Prime Minister being welcomed by a US President while on UK soil.

That role reversal simply exposed the power dynamic at play. Trump occupies the most powerful office on Earth and he knows it. For Keir Starmer and John Swinney it was an opportunity to press the case on a range of issues, including US tariffs on Scotch whisky. Hopefully, those conversations proved useful and will lead to a positive outcome.

Those who actually took the time to speak to local residents in Ayrshire, when Trump was staying at Turnberry, found people who were happy to voice their backing for the boost he has delivered to the local economy. Trump is due to return to the UK later this year on an official state visit – this week’s Scottish prelude suggests that can also be a success.

“We can’t let the lamp of freedom and hope flicker, or go out – who will be there to light it back up again”.

During President Trump’s visit to Scotland, Marie appeared on BBC Radio Scotland and The Jeremy Vine Show on BBC Radio 2 to share her thoughts on the visit. You can listen to the Radio Two interview below.

The Herald | Thursday 31st July 2025

A new age of industrialisation is dawning in Scotland. For too long, the communities once supported by the industries of generations gone by have waited for something to take their place. Communities like the Ayrshire one I grew up in have been crying out for a new age of sustainable employment to replace industries like mining, which my grandfather worked in.

It seems appropriate to talk of mining given the recently announced public inquiry into the so-called “Battle of Orgreave” in the era-defining miners’ strike of the mid-1980s.

But rather than looking at the alleged injustices of one high-profile incident, as the Orgreave Inquiry will do, it is surely just as important to explore the wider social and economic injustices inflicted by the decline of mining and other traditional industries.

The most recent State of the Coalfields report from Sheffield University, which explores the condition of former mining communities across the UK, concludes that in Scotland these areas “still display acute social and economic disadvantage”. It is something which Westminster’s Scottish Affairs Committee has also touched on in its inquiry into industrial transition across Scotland.

All of which underlines the necessity of sustainable reindustrialization, the kind which rather than delivering here today-gone tomorrow employment, instead brings good jobs, skilled work and properly rewarding pay.

These things should not be too much to expect. But for those who have fallen through the cracks in society in the years since the decline of older heavy industry, it has often felt that way.

Now, with Scotland and the rest of the UK well placed to drive forward the industries of the future, a new era of opportunity is before us.

That is why I’m delighted that we are on the verge of securing no fewer than 1,200 jobs for Ayrshire, in a development that promises to lock in growth, opportunity and community wealth for the long term.

The UK-based undersea cable manufacturer XLCC is poised to deliver 900 manufacturing-related jobs at Hunterston, making the area a key hub for European and global development of technology which will help power the next generation of renewable energy projects at home and abroad. With global demand for high voltage direct current (HVDC) subsea cables rapidly outpacing supply, the company aims to build the world’s biggest and most advanced HVDC manufacturing facility here in Scotland.

It is hard to overstate the importance and significance of this project. For years we have been told that Scotland, with its huge green energy potential, is on the verge of a new industrial revolution which can provide the jobs and energy security we so badly need. Too often however, it has felt like we have been waiting and waiting for that long-heralded promise to become a reality.

That is why the XLCC project is so vital, and so exciting. In addition to the jobs at Hunterston, 300 additional jobs are expected to be created in Kilmarnock, with the multi-award winning HALO enterprise and low carbon innovation centre identified as the preferred location. I have developed HALO over many years in the 28-acre site of the former Johnnie Walker bottling plant in the town. These posts, including project delivery and sales teams, will drive and support the manufacturing facility at Hunterston.

The XLCC development has been in the pipeline since 2020, and like HALO will only be delivered through partnership between the private sector, unions, local authorities and both the Scottish and UK Governments, all working at pace to ensure this massive opportunity is secured.

There are two other points worth making in relation to this promised jobs windfall for Ayrshire. Firstly, I would urge both the Scottish and UK Governments to do more to speed up the pace of investment in regeneration and reinsudtrialisation, including the easing of planning laws to make such development easier.

Checks and balances, along with due process, are important when it comes to planning. But too often we are forced to wait too long to turn potential into reality. And delays are one reason we see valuable jobs going to other countries instead of being created here.

That links directly to the second point, which is just how important it is for the manufacturing bases for the industries that will power the rest of this century to be based in this country.

Scotland may have an abundance of natural resources when it comes to our energy potential. We are blessed with huge advantages when to green power, in addition to the oil and gas which is still an important part of our energy mix.

But that only counts for so much if the infrastructure and industrial gain required to exploit those resources is outsourced to other nations.

The arrival of XLCC in Scotland will be a powerful counter to the notion that we have to look elsewhere for energy manufacturing. And, as Scotland and Ayrshire prepare for the arrival of US President Donald Trump in the coming days, we could do worse than take a leaf from the playbook of America’s can-do attitude to business, enterprise and opportunity.

“We have the resources, and we have the skill – we just need the political will to ensure potential becomes reality.”

Marie pictured below with XLCC team members including their CEO, Ian Douglas, members of the management team and apprentices. 

PUBLISHED BY XLCC | Thursday 3rd July 2025

We are proud to share that XLCC is deepening its strategic relationship with HALO Kilmarnock Following the exclusivity agreement signed earlier this year, we have now signed a heads of terms agreement which identifies HALO’s award-winning Enterprise and Innovation Centre as the preferred location for our Sales and Project Delivery Headquarters.

This partnership could result in more than 300 high quality jobs being brought to the town alongside the 900 jobs expected to be delivered at our HVDC subsea cable factory in Hunterston and apprentice training academy in Irvine.

We are incredibly grateful for the strong support from Scottish stakeholders — including North and East Ayrshire Councils, the Scottish Government, Scottish Enterprise, and both Scottish and UK Parliament members.

Their belief in our mission to support the UK’s clean energy transition has been vital.

Commenting on the visit, Marie said: “Welcoming Ian back to announce his commitment to HALO and hear more about what’s next for XLCC is testament to his leadership over many months of negotiations. This accompanied by the hard work by both our teams highlights the incredible opportunities that lie ahead. This is a milestone moment in our ‘powering the nation’ partnership as we enter the next stage of this journey together, and I look forward to continuing to support Ian and his team as we take this bold leap into Scotland’s new era of sustainable energy — creating much-needed jobs, new skills, and lasting economic value with far-reaching benefits here in Scotland and across the UK.”

Ian Douglas, CEO at XLCC said: “XLCC is delighted to be teaming up with HALO in Kilmarnock, and we are incredibly grateful to Marie and the HALO team for their continued partnership, vision, and collaboration as we shape this exciting future together. This move, alongside the support we have received from key stakeholders across Scotland, will strengthen XLCC’s roots in Ayrshire and deepen our commitment to bringing high quality jobs, investment and long-term opportunity to the region.”

#XLCC #Scotland #Ayrshire #CleanEnergy #PoweringtheNation #NetZero #ScottishEnterprise #HALO #JobCreation #GreenInvestment #TheSupportOfScotland #EnergyTransition

You can view the full conversation here:

The HERALD | Monday 23rd June 2025 | Article by Kathleen Nutt, Political Correspondent 

Alex Neil and Jackson Carlaw will take part in an event today aiming to improving Scotland’s political culture.

The initiative is being launched by the University of Glasgow’s John Smith Centre, in partnership with leading Scottish businesswoman Dr Marie Macklin CBE.

Entitled “Political Conversations”, this evening discussion will see the former SNP cabinet secretary and former Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party take in a discussion with senior pupils at Kilmarnock Academy in Ayrshire.

Launching the initiative, Eddie Barnes, Director of the John Smith Institute, said: “Politics is still the best way to make change in society but we know too many young people are turning their backs on democratic engagement because they don’t believe it matters or because of the toxicity of our public debate.

“Political differences of opinion have always existed and indeed are fundamental to the democratic process.  But whereas in the past people were able to express those differences respectfully, we now live in an era in which rancour, toxicity and even abuse are all too commonplace.

“The consequences are worrying: when we asked young people whether they backed democracy over dictatorship, more than a third said they’d support dictatorship.

“It doesn’t have to be this way. We can continue to disagree on issues, but what matters is the way in which we do so.

“In short, we need to learn how to disagree more agreeably – with courtesy, civility and in an atmosphere of mutual respect.”

Dr Macklin, who is co-hosting the event, said:  “I have always been deeply interested in the political process, and whilst I am not affiliated to any one party, I believe it is vital that we do more to engage younger people in a positive way with politics.

The toxicity we witness all too often these days is having a profoundly corrosive effect not only on our day-to-day political debate, but on the foundations on which our politics sits.”

A recent opinion poll of younger adults commissioned by the John Smith Centre found that while most believe in democracy, they fear for its future, with 63 per cent believing that democracy in the UK is “in trouble”. There was also a strong call for ‘better politics’, involving more honest, more open debate.

This week’s event is envisaged as the first in a series of similar events in schools across Scotland, to be facilitated by the John Smith Centre, in which other leading political figures will take part in debate and discussion on the way forward for the political process.

Looking ahead to Monday’s event, Mr Carlaw said:  “I’m delighted to be taking part in the very first event in this new initiative, and to have the opportunity to engage in political debate in front of an audience of senior pupils in Kilmarnock.

“Alex and myself have crossed swords rhetorically many times over the years, and will no doubt continue to hold opposing views on many issues, but I hope that by taking part in this event we can demonstrate that it is possible to do so in a way that is positive, respectful and constructive.”

Mr Neil said: “Engaging younger people with politics in a positive way is absolutely essential, not least given the level of polarisation we are currently witnessing.

“I was very happy to accept the invitation from the John Smith Centre and Marie to participate in this event, and I look forward to discussion with Jackson, with whom I have had many lively but respectful debates with over the years.”

Read article via The HERALD: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/25258107.neil-carlaw-discuss-improving-political-cutlure/

You can also view Marie’s speech from the event: https://www.mariemacklin.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/JSC-Pilot-Speech.pdf

Main headline picture and gallery below taken at the pilot event held at Kilmarnock Academy. 

The HERALD | Tuesday 17th June 2025

It was Barack Obama who summed up the extent of tribal division in US politics when, in 2015, he observed that not even becoming a literal lifesaver for many of his fellow citizens would guarantee agreement on Capitol Hill.

Already deep into his second term as President, he opined that: “The degree of polarisation that currently exists in Washington is such where I think it’s fair to say if I presented a cure for cancer, getting legislation passed to move that forward would be a nail-biter.”

It was a comment borne of obvious frustration, and not wholly in jest. In the decade since, political polarisation, already deep-rooted, has only become even more entrenched. And not just in America but around much of the rest of the democratic world too, including here in Scotland and the UK.

To say that we live in polarised times is just a statement of the obvious. But recognising the extent and depth of the tribalism which now engulfs us is perhaps a necessary precursor to understanding how we can get to a better politics.

Firstly, we should deal with the way the issue itself is talked about in political debate. We hear a lot about the “politics of division”, as if having a difference of opinion is, in and of itself, a bad thing.

Division is, however, in one sense the very essence of democracy. Without a healthy, vibrant and honest difference of opinion there would be no need for elections, referendums or political parties.  Having opposing views is an essential component of democracy, and efforts to decry what is branded the politics of division are often little more than an attempt by some to drown out or delegitimise the views of those with whom they disagree.

So it is not division itself we need to combat, but rather the way in which that division is manifested, where too frequently these days, having or expressing a simple difference of opinion leads some to believe they are incapable of relating in any way to those who hold opposing beliefs.

In short, we need to learn, or perhaps relearn, how to disagree more agreeably.

Personally, while I am deeply interested and invested in the political process, as I believe all of us should be as concerned citizens, I am not affiliated to any political party. That is because I know that no party has a monopoly on good ideas. I am happy to endorse what I see as good policy, wherever it comes from.

The causes which I personally hold dear and am committed to, such as urban and community regeneration and empowerment, women’s health and education, are all ones which could benefit from input from across the political spectrum. So I am more than happy to listen to and engage with all shades of opinion on that basis.

However, such freedom is not always available to those who do pursue politics, as elected representatives or otherwise, through the lens of party affiliation.

For them, the idea of backing another party’s policies is often anathema. Not necessarily because those policies are bad ideas, but because in doing so they would be casting themselves in the role of, at best, a maverick, and at worst, a disloyal troublemaker who risks being ostracised or denied promotion.

Party politics needs, on one level, to be adversarial in order to work. As the late Charles Kennedy put it: “To run an effective political party, you need a degree of tribalism; it’s the glue that holds everyone together.”

That tribalism is a frustrating, if understandable, consequence of the democratic system we have, where almost every issue, it seems, must be contested on a binary basis, It sometimes seems to me that here in Scotland that polarisation is, if anything, even more deep-rooted than just about anywhere else. We are impacted by the same culture war-type divides that are coursing through much of the rest of the democratic world, be it on gender or on a host of other social issues.

And, like other countries, those social issues and the positions taken on them feed through into our national politics. But, with the debate about our country’s constitutional future never far from the surface, we have another deeply contested issue layered on top of all the others.

So, what is to be done? For a start, I believe that we need to do more to positively engage younger people with the political process, and to show them that it is possible to hold opposing views whilst still respecting and understanding the views of others.

So, while I am not tied to any party, I am happy to engage with all, especially when it comes to younger activists, on whom the future of our politics depends. That is why I recently agreed to sponsor a networking event for the Scottish Young Conservatives – something I would also be happy to do for others. Young people from all political persuasions should be supported, encouraged and listened to.

If nothing else, we need to ensure that the next generation of would-be political leaders is not so completely turned off by the toxicity of debate that they decide not to even enter the arena of public service.

That is why I am delighted to be taking part in a new initiative, in cooperation with the John Smith Centre at the University of Glasgow, which is aimed at demonstrating to younger people that it is indeed possibly to disagree over some of the most fundamental issues we face as a nation and a society, whilst still respecting the views of opponents.

The initiative will see experienced politicians from opposing parties engage in discussion and debate in front of an audience of senior school pupils. And I’m especially pleased that the first event, in what I hope can be rolled out as a Scotland-wide initiative in due course, will take place next week at my own old school, Kilmarnock Academy.

We can, and we must, do better as a nation in the way we conduct our debates, and I believe this initiative can be one small but important step on that journey.

Click to view article online.