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

Streeting says he would be prepared to trigger leadership contest as early as next week

Wes Streeting has said he would be prepared to trigger a Labour leadership contest to replace Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister as early as next week.

The former health secretary told BBC Newsnight that "uncertainty and paralysis" in the Labour leadership would have to be resolved if the party wins Thursday's Makerfield by-election.

Both Streeting and Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham have said they would stand in any contest to replace the prime minister, but previously shied away from saying whether they would trigger such a contest.

Read more.

Ed Miliband ‘ghosted Keir Starmer by refusing to take his calls’

Sir Keir Starmer’s relationship with Ed Miliband has broken down to such an extent that the energy secretary has been accused of “ghosting” the prime minister in recent weeks.

Senior government sources claimed that Miliband declined to take calls from the prime minister during a tense stand-off over defence spending.

Relations have deteriorated significantly since Miliband became the first cabinet minister to advise Starmer to set out a timeline for his departure.

Read the full story in The Times.

Kemi Badenoch boasts she’s winning back Tory voters from Reform in Aberdeen South with oil and gas stance

Conservative UK leader Kemi Badenoch claims their pledge to “truly champion oil and gas” has helped them win back disenchanted Aberdeen voters.

The Tory politician met party supporters at the city’s Balmoral Stadium in the last leg of their campaign trail for the upcoming Aberdeen South by-election.

Conservative candidate Douglas Lumsden will go head to head with Reform’s Jo Hart, SNP’s Richard Thomson and Lib Dem’s Mel Sullivan in a bid for the Westminster seat.

FInd the full P&J article here.

Tax crackdown on Shein and Temu could be sped up to help UK shops

Ministers are considering whether parts of a clampdown on low-value imports used by Shein and Temu could be introduced sooner after lobbying from British retailers. 

The government said last year that reforms to the so-called de minimis regime, which allows goods worth less than £135 to be imported into the UK without customs duties, would not be fully implemented until 2029 due to the complexity of building a new customs system. 

However, the government is now considering whether any elements of reform can be brought in sooner while preserving the flow of goods at the border, The Times has learnt. 

Seized oil tanker reappears with new identity after leaving Scottish waters

A Russian-flagged tanker that was moored in Scottish waters after being seized by the United States is now sailing under a new identity in the Caribbean Sea, BBC Verify has found.

The Marinera – previously called Bella 1 – was seized on 7 January in a US Coastguard and Navy operation following a lengthy pursuit from near the Caribbean across the North Atlantic.

Analysis of ship-tracking data from MarineTraffic shows that the vessel switched off its tracking after it was seen anchored off Burghead in the Moray Firth in February.

Read the full story here.

Musk's SpaceX overtakes Amazon to become world's fifth most valuable firm

Elon Musk's SpaceX has overtaken Amazon to become the world's fifth most valuable company after a surge in its share price.

Days after joining New York's tech-focused Nasdaq stock exchange in the biggest public listing ever, its share price has risen by more than 50%.

It leaves Musk's rocket company worth about $2.78tn (£2.1tn), while Jeff Bezos's sprawling online retail and media empire is currently worth about $2.66tn.

Get the full BBC article here.

Group planned to attack White House UFC event using snipers and drones, FBI says

The FBI thwarted a plot targeting Sunday's UFC event at the White House and has arrested five men, the US justice department said on Tuesday.

Part of the plan involved striking nearby buildings with explosive-laden drones and firing on "high value targets", prosecutors alleged.

One suspect was arrested in Ohio last week, where investigators reviewed encrypted messages involving other alleged conspirators. Prosecutors said in charging documents they had allegedly "expressed ultra-religious and antigovernment sentiments".

Read the BBC story here.

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