similar to scones, but they have a much different consistency. generally softer and more moist
What Americans call scones are entirely unlike a British scone. A British scone is closest to an American biscuit.
And add to the confusion Scone is also a place in Scotland of some historical significance (not for baking though).
To add further confusion to the mix, we reserve cookies for a specific type of biscuit in Britain. They're only the slightly chewy, rather than crisp crunchy biscuits. :)
Watching the great british bakeoff I am constantly amazed at the variety of baking recipes brits have.
Southern biscuits aren't homogenous like scones are. A big part of the appeal is the interleaved layers of fat and dough which result in a flaky product. Scones are more crumbly.
The article confused me at first because of this. I saw a scone not a biscuit. I make chocolate biscuits on regular basis - this fact alone would have horrified some and delighted others.