Hello and welcome to The Midge, your first bite of the day’s politics in Scotland and elsewhere.
Today
- Tory accuses SNP of scaremongering on Trident
- Scotland takes lead on folic acid to aid healthy pregnancy
- Time running out on new powers deal
- Cameron says he can wait for EU poll
- French PM: Migrant numbers putting Europe at risk
- Revealed - what the “EdStone” really cost, and its fate
06.00 BBC Today headlines
French PM Manuel Valls speaks out … David Cameron to meet Czech counterpart … Litvinenko suspect dismisses inquiry as “nonsense” … New head of armed forces to be named … Blizzard to batter US east coast.
07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland headlines
Valls … Scottish Government backs adding folic acid to flour ... Litvinenko fallout … Salmon sales falling… US set for storm.
The front pages
The Herald reports on Defence Secretary Michael Fallon’s visit to Faslane yesterday, where he dismissed SNP fears over nuclear convoys on Scotland’s roads. On the wing, Deputy First Minister John Swinney warns there is a long way to go to meet a Valentine’s Day deadline on new powers for Scotland. Inside, Daniel Sanderson speaks to the officer whose finger would be on the trigger should an order come through to launch a nuclear missile.
The Telegraph also shows the trigger, describing it as “the red button Corbyn will not press”.
The National highlights criticisms from CND about yesterday’s event at Faslane, describing it as “Nuclear bombs: the photo op”.
The Scottish Daily Mail says David Cameron is fighting back on “spurious claims” brought against British soldiers.
The FT reports on a visit to Brussels yesterday by Tim Cook, the Apple boss. The paper says an EU ruling is expected in the next few weeks over the firm’s Irish tax arrangements.
The Sun and the Daily Record have Arnie in Edinburgh yesterday, with the Record showing “the tourismator” at the castle.
The Scotsman highlights Perth and Kinross Council’s warning to T in the Park to get its act together on traffic and other matters, or face cancellation.
The Times reports on a new study claiming the human brain has a memory capacity ten times that previously estimated.
Camley's cartoon
Camley spies a chance to save money at the pumps.
Need to know
The World Economic Forum at Davos ends tomorrow. What does the annual gathering of media, politicians and business leaders achieve, other than allowing TV reporters to parade around in anoraks that probably cost as much as a family’s monthly food budget? Former FT editor Andrew Gowers says the event “produces enough hot air to melt the slopes. It is a bean-feast of self-satisfaction”. The WEF is a non-profit organisation which says it is “committed to improving the state of the world”. Certainly, it attracts big name speakers, such as US vice-president Joe Biden and UN general secretary Ban Ki-moon, and the state of the world could do with improving. Perhaps the WEF shows its worth away from the cameras, in the contacts made between governments and non-government organisations. But how to put a price on that?
Diary
- Davos: David Cameron co-hosts panel discussion on Syria with Queen Rania of Jordan then visits Czech Republic.
- City: Office for National Statistics publishes government borrowing and retail sales figures for December.
- Aberdeen: Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie to visit Chamber of Commerce.
Talk of the steamie: the comment sections
In The Herald, Alison Rowat looks at the “so-white” Oscars row, while Rab McNeil is in a tizzy over drugs, and Business Editor Ian McConnell looks at the power of confidence.
Kenny Farquharson considers a sugar tax and bans on multi-buy promotions and likes the flavour.
A Telegraph editorial calls on David Cameron to widen sanctions against Russia in the wake of Litvinenko findings.
Gyles Brandreth in the Mail issues a plea for people to stop eating in public following a recent trip to the theatre in which patrons necked wine, rustled sweet wrappers, and gorged on egg sandwiches. “What do these people think they are doing?” he wails.
Afore ye go
£8000
What Ed Miliband’s “EdStone” of pledges cost, as revealed to Bloomberg News’ Robert Hutton. Its fate? Destroyed, said sources.
Denmark
Best nation for women to live in, according to a survey by US News and World Report. Measures included equal pay and safety. The UK was ranked 8 in a field of 60. Algeria was last.
"Taking full account of all the evidence and analysis available to me I find that the FSB operation to kill Litvinenko was probably approved by (then FSB chief Nikolai) Patrushev and also by President Putin."
Judge Sir Robert Owen (above) on the death of former Russian spy turned British citizen Alexander Litvinenko
“While speaking at an evangelical university, Donald Trump praised the Bible, saying "There’s nothing like it." Of course, Trump changed his mind the minute he found out the book is full of Middle Easterners.”
Conan O’Brien
Two feet of snow could be heading Washington’s way this weekend as what is expected to be a record-breaking snowstorm hits. 75m are in the storm’s path.
"I am well aware of the ‘Poldark effect’. I am often mistaken for Aidan Turner's body double.”
Culture minister Ed Vaizey on whether he would support the TV industry in Cornwall, where the BBC drama was filmed.
Ed Vaizey
"If there's a good deal on the table, I will take it and that's what will happen. But I do want to be very clear - if there isn't the right deal, I'm not in a hurry. I can hold my referendum at any time up until the end of 2017.”
David Cameron at the World Economic Forum in Davos
"Do you not agree that the introduction of iPads into the voting process in the lobbies is more than enough modernisation for this century?”
Conservative MP David Nuttall after SNP MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh recommended bringing Holyrood style e-voting to the chamber.
"I want to thank me mum and dad for a having a roll-about in 1977 and conceiving me”.
At the National Television Awards, Danny Dyer gives the kind of thank you speech, for best performance, which is unlikely to be heard at the Oscars.
“Man naps with bears, hasn't been eaten yet”
Headline on usatoday.com
Thank you for reading The Midge, your first bite of the day’s politics in Scotland and elsewhere. See you Monday.
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