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Here are the business stories making the headlines across Scotland and the UK this morning.

Musk ready to bankroll Farage with ‘biggest donation in British political history’

Elon Musk has backed Reform UK and opened discussions with Nigel Farage about making a major donation to the party to defeat both Labour and the Conservatives.

Mr Farage met the tech billionaire at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump’s Florida club, on Monday and “the issue of money was discussed” amid speculation that he could donate as much as $100million (£78million).

Writing for The Telegraph
, Mr Farage, the Reform leader, said Mr Musk “left us in no doubt that he is right behind us” and launched “ongoing negotiations” about a financial contribution.

Scottish government to ban WhatsApp for official business

Scottish government ministers and staff are to be banned from using WhatsApp for official business.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes made the announcement in response an external review into the use of messaging services.

It came after The UK Covid inquiry revealed officials and ministers had deleted WhatsApp messages exchanged during the pandemic.

UK inflation rate rises for second month in a row

The UK inflation rate has gone up for the second month in a row, according to official figures for November.

The figure rose to 2.6%, up from 2.3% in the year to October, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed.

Fuel and clothing were among the main drivers behind the rise. Prices for recreation and cultural activities also rose.

Read the full story here.

Swinney: Waspi pension decision an 'embarrassment'

The UK government's decision to deny compensation to women affected by changes to the state pension age is a "serious embarrassment" for Scottish Labour, First Minister John Swinney has claimed.

Anas Sarwar's party said it had been hoping for "some form" of compensation for Waspi women, named after campaign group Women Against State Pension Inequality, but added the UK Labour administration had to focus "on fixing the economic mess it inherited".

Waspi says 3.6m women born in the 1950s - including hundreds of thousands in Scotland - were not properly informed of the rise in state pension age to bring them into line with men.

MSPs back plans to end 'double-jobbing'

MSPs will be barred from sitting as MPs or members of the House of Lords after the Scottish Parliament voted in favour of plans to outlaw so-called dual mandates.

All parties unanimously supported banning members from holding both roles at the same time as part of an amendment to electoral reform legislation.

It comes after the SNP's Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, announced his intention to sit in both parliaments ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election, although he later backed down.

Read more.

Avanti West Coast staff to strike on New Year's Eve

Strike action by Avanti West Coast train managers is back on after an offer aimed at resolving a dispute over rest day working was rejected.

Members of the RMT union will now walk out on New Year's Eve and 2 January, as well as every Sunday from 12 January to 25 May.

The union said "sustained strike action" was now "the only way to focus management's minds on reaching a negotiated settlement."

Click here to read the full story.

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