Welcome! Here’s how I’m hoping to make your mornings better

👋 My name is Neil McIntosh, and I’m founder and editor of The Early Line. Thanks for signing up.

I’ve sent you an email with a quick step you need to take, to ensure The Early Line arrives in your inbox each day. I’d urge you to act now.

In the meantime, what’s all this about? Well, I’ve been a journalist and editor for more than 30 years (before doing this, I edited The Scotsman, here in Edinburgh, and I’ve also worked for the BBC, the Wall Street Journal and the Guardian).

I’ve always known there’s so much of interest, and value, to know about Scotland, the UK and the wider world.

The trouble is that our media landscape is fragmenting. Good and useful journalism is scattered across countless newspapers, websites, Substacks, social media, and more.

Worse, some of that high-value material is surrounded by intrusive ads, spammy clickbait and lots - and lots - of stuff you don’t care about.

During difficult times, it’s overwhelming. And even when the news agenda isn’t going crazy, all that noise makes it near impossible to find what matters: the stuff that leaves you better informed and better-equipped to engage with the world, from who to vote for and how to run your business to what to wear outside today.

📣 The Early Line is my attempt to fix that, on your behalf.

⏰ Every weekday morning at 7am, I’ll send you a roundup of what’s going on in Scotland, the UK and around the world, with links to all the best coverage. You’ll get the news, some analysis and the best of the opinion I’ve seen.

☀️And yes, I’ll tell you the weather.

All that’s free. But if you really like it…

I hope you’ll consider becoming a paid subscriber. For only a few quid a month you’ll get all the above… plus an extra service, The Party Line, the Early Line's louche, sociable sibling, which - every Saturday morning - brings paid members the latest on showbiz, books, films and sport, teed up for you weekly.

It's the perfect way to ensure you're the best-briefed life and soul at the dinner table, golf course or bar. (And if you're not going out, at least you'll know what's on TV).

You’ll also have my great gratitude for helping keep The Early Line going. All that coffee I drink first thing in the morning doesn’t brew itself, after all 😀 

Either way, free subscriber or paid member, It's great to have you here.

📫 And remember you can always drop me an email, by hitting reply to The Early Line each morning. I’d love to hear from you.

Best wishes,

Neil