<div class="css-1r2sn2n e1mdktgm0"><section class="css-u7urgs ez8v1gi0"><div class="css-b4a1pi e1u9wqfn0"><span class="css-x8vgju e6e0kfy0"><a href="/britain/" data-analytics="sidebar:section"><span>Britain</span></a></span><span class="css-rjcumh e1vi1cqp0"> | Newsletter</span></div><h1 class="css-1p83fk8 e1r8fcie0">Blighty newsletter: the choice facing Scotland’s next first minister</h1></section></div><div class="css-kpd7oo e1mdktgm0"><section class="css-1ugvd2u e18wk22u0"></section></div><div class="css-1r2sn2n e1mdktgm0"><div class="css-9ij950 e1rprpb40"><div class="css-f1to7x e1x31cqm0"><div class="css-jwv1ak ejfltsf0"><div class="css-w0h03k eygoqsu0"><div><time datetime="2024-04-30T16:34:03.580Z" class="css-1c8ktq7 e4cw3vv0"> Apr 30th 2024</time></div><div><div class="css-1902i5q eygoqsu0"></div></div></div></div></div><section data-body-id="cp2" class="css-k2wbwk ed4x7ae1"><div class="css-1a2ik1p ed4x7ae2"><p data-component="paragraph" class="css-1f0x4sl e1tt35bk0"><i>This is the introduction to Blighty, a weekly, subscriber-only newsletter in which our correspondents turn their gaze on the latest developments in Britain.</i></p><p data-component="paragraph" class="css-1f0x4sl e1tt35bk0"><i>Sign up for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.economist.com/newsletters/blighty">Blighty</a>.</i></p></div></section><div class="css-p5pbwb e14gikav1"><h3 class="css-tu4cp8 e14gikav0">Explore more</h3><nav aria-labelledby="article-tags"><a class="ds-emphasised-link ds-emphasised-link--secondary" href="/topics/britain" data-analytics="tags:britain"><span>Britain</span></a></nav></div><div class="css-dv5w6c e1tda7ck0"><div class="css-19gx9y0 ejfltsf0"><div class="css-15sn8g1 eygoqsu0"><div><div class="css-9mn5vp eygoqsu0"></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>

<div class="css-mqgbir ea9fiz30"><div class="css-j472os e1nb91wc1"><div class="css-1gljmzf e8tkvfk0"><div class="css-1n611c3 e1mdktgm0"><div class="css-1b409a9 eis2tu50"><div class="css-1v8gmu2 e1jjvxhk0"><figure class="css-1njzmap e1197rjj0"><img theme="[object Object]" alt="" loading="lazy" width="100%" height="auto" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent" sizes="(min-width: 1440px) 700px, (min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 960px) 66vw, 95vw" srcset="https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=256,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240504_BRP501.jpg 256w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=360,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240504_BRP501.jpg 360w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=384,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240504_BRP501.jpg 384w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=480,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240504_BRP501.jpg 480w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=600,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240504_BRP501.jpg 600w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=834,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240504_BRP501.jpg 834w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=960,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240504_BRP501.jpg 960w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1096,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240504_BRP501.jpg 1096w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1280,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240504_BRP501.jpg 1280w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240504_BRP501.jpg 1424w" src="https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240504_BRP501.jpg"></figure></div><div class="css-0 e1ik1iw00"><h3 class="css-107bvwz e7j57mt0"><a href="/britain/2024/04/30/the-fight-over-one-of-britains-last-steel-plants" data-analytics="more_from:headline_1">The fight over one of Britain’s last steel plants</a></h3><p class="css-llqkfq e7x1xmz0">Closing two blast furnaces in south Wales will cut emissions and jobs</p></div></div></div><div class="css-1olanph e1mdktgm0"><div class="css-wb96fl eis2tu50"><div class="css-1px0skd e1jjvxhk0"><figure class="css-1njzmap e1197rjj0"><img theme="[object Object]" alt="" loading="lazy" width="100%" height="auto" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent" sizes="(min-width: 1440px) 700px, (min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 960px) 66vw, 95vw" srcset="https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=256,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRP505.jpg 256w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=360,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRP505.jpg 360w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=384,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRP505.jpg 384w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=480,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRP505.jpg 480w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=600,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRP505.jpg 600w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=834,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRP505.jpg 834w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=960,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRP505.jpg 960w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1096,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRP505.jpg 1096w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1280,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRP505.jpg 1280w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRP505.jpg 1424w" src="https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRP505.jpg"></figure></div><div class="css-0 e1ik1iw00"><h3 class="css-1jzypbl e7j57mt0"><a href="/britain/2024/04/26/why-so-many-britons-have-taken-to-stand-up-paddleboarding" data-analytics="more_from:headline_2">Why so many Britons have taken to stand-up paddleboarding</a></h3><p class="css-llqkfq e7x1xmz0">It combines fitness, wellness and smugness</p></div></div><hr class="css-16c9eiw e8tkvfk1"><div class="css-wb96fl eis2tu50"><div class="css-1px0skd e1jjvxhk0"><figure class="css-1njzmap e1197rjj0"><img theme="[object Object]" alt="" loading="lazy" width="100%" height="auto" decoding="async" data-nimg="1" style="color:transparent" sizes="(min-width: 1440px) 700px, (min-width: 1280px) 50vw, (min-width: 960px) 66vw, 95vw" srcset="https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=256,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRD002.jpg 256w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=360,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRD002.jpg 360w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=384,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRD002.jpg 384w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=480,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRD002.jpg 480w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=600,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRD002.jpg 600w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=834,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRD002.jpg 834w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=960,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRD002.jpg 960w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1096,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRD002.jpg 1096w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1280,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRD002.jpg 1280w, https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRD002.jpg 1424w" src="https://www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240427_BRD002.jpg"></figure></div><div class="css-0 e1ik1iw00"><h3 class="css-1jzypbl e7j57mt0"><a href="/britain/2024/04/25/why-britains-membership-of-the-echr-has-become-a-political-issue" data-analytics="more_from:headline_3">Why Britain’s membership of the ECHR has become a political issue</a></h3><p class="css-llqkfq e7x1xmz0">And why leaving would be a mistake</p></div></div></div><hr class="css-670k81 e8tkvfk1"></div></div></div>

Britain{ai:summary}<p>In Blighty, a newsletter delves into latest British developments. From steel plants closing to paddleboarding trends, issues range from emissions to fitness. The ECHR membership debate heats up politically, with implications worth exploring. #society</p>

Blighty newsletter: the choice facing Scotland’s next first minister

Blighty newsletter: the choice facing Scotland’s next first minister

Explore more

The fight over one of Britain’s last steel plants

Why so many Britons have taken to stand-up paddleboarding

Why Britain’s membership of the ECHR has become a political issue

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