Key leaders gather at the inaugural Scotland 2050 Conference.
Scotland 2050 held its inaugural conference on 17 June 2025 at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh. The event convened leaders from business, politics and civic society to foster discussion on Scotland's future aspirations by 2050.
The First Minister of Scotland, Cherie Blair KC, the leaders of the Scottish Labour Party and Scottish Liberal Democrats, and voices from across business and civic life all took to the stage for a day that set the tone for everything that followed.
View the 2025 programme
A masterclass in civic engagement.
The Scotsman
A rare moment of unity across political lines.
STV Newsnight
The energy in the room was electric, a real sense of purpose.
Edinburgh Evening News
The 2025 conference started something.
The conversations that began in Edinburgh in June 2025 helped shape the Scotland 2050 manifesto and the 2026 conference. The next chapter is the Scotland 2050 Conference 2027 on Tuesday 8 June at the Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh.
Rt. Hon John Swinney MSP, First Minister of Scotland making a keynote speech
Cherie Blair KC, Founder of the Cherie Blair Foundation for Women, Kate Forbes MSP, Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Cabinet Secretary for Economy & Gaelic and Bernard Ponsonby Chair of Scotland 2050
Anas Sarwar MSP, Leader of the Scottish Labour Party making a keynote speech
Alex Cole Hamilton MSP, Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats making a keynote speech
Barrie Cunning, Founder of Scotland 2050, being interviewed by STV's Scotland Tonight programme
Audience member asking the panel a question
Emily Hughes, Associate Director, CBRE
Audience member asking the panel a question
Daniel Coleman, Economist, Deloitte
Scotland 2050 attendees networking during a break
Scotland 2050 programme signed by the conference speakers
Member of the audience asking a question
Cherie Blair KC, Kate Forbes MSP and Bernard Ponsonby Chair of Scotland 2050, chatting with the audience
Keynote speech by Rt. Hon John Swinney MSP, First Minister of Scotland
Scotland 2050 Founder, Barrie Cunning
Gary Innes, musician and BBC presenter
Bernard Ponsonby, Chair of Scotland 2050
Andrew Roberts, Strategic Land Regional Director – Scotland, Taylor Wimpey and Chair of the Solving Scotland's Housing Crisis panel, taking questions from the audience
Solving Scotland's Housing Crisis panel