Hello and welcome to The Midge, your first bite of the day’s politics in Scotland and elsewhere.
Today
- Questions over “secret” report on paediatric service
- Salmond left with sour taste after Iran dinner row
- Syrian refugees set for Outer Hebrides
- Bin lorry crash families ask for public aid
- Children spending more time online than watching TV
06.00 BBC Radio 4 Today headlines
NHS 111 service in England criticised over baby death … Home Office proposes sharing fire, ambulance, police control rooms … Denmark to confiscate refugee valuables… Hundreds contact Camelot over missing or damaged tickets.
07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland
Councils lobby Swinney over cash … Inverness police calls to be diverted to Govan … Denmark plan criticised … Scottish Cabinet discusses oil and gas industry … Iran’s president to meet Pope … Shift in children’s viewing.
The front pages
In The Herald, Daniel Sanderson reports on claims that ministers lobbied health chiefs to delay the politically-sensitive publication of a review into a children’s ward in Lothian. On the wing, Michael Settle reports on a row between the Foreign Office and Alex Salmond over who should have paid for a briefing dinner in Tehran.
The National pictures Deputy FM John Swinney with an hour glass and says time is running out for a deal on the Scotland Bill.
The Scottish Daily Mail has a picture of congealed pasta and mince and asks why hospitals are still serving unappetising, unhealthy meals.
The Guardian follows up its story of yesterday, reporting that “meal wristbands” given to refugees in Cardiff are to be scrapped.
The European Commission is set to suspend passport-free travel for two years, reports the Times.
The Telegraph says Scots Tory leader Ruth Davidson is considering a proposal for a 30 pence tax rate to help the middle classes.
Camley’s cartoon
It’s a case of “Nurse, the screens!” finds Camley
Need to know
What a difference a couple of days make when you are a Chancellor claiming a coup. On Saturday, George Osborne hailed a deal whereby Google would pay £130 million in backdated taxes as “a major success”. Shortly after, the Public Accounts Committee and the Treasury Committee said they would investigate. Yesterday, London mayor and leadership contender Boris Johnson announced himself less than impressed at the amount paid. Today, the FT reports that Downing Street is “lukewarm” on the deal, with a spokesman saying: “Clearly there is more work for the government to do to make sure multinational companies pay their tax”. Meanwhile, France is reported to be pursuing the firm for 500 million Euro. Expect this one to run all the way to PMQs tomorrow.
The diary
- Holyrood: Scottish Government Debate: Trade Union Bill
- Commons: Culture Committee hearing on blood doping in athletics; G4S give evidence to Home Affairs Committee on asylum accommodation; Treasury on Bank of England financial stability report with Governor Mark Carney.
- Edinburgh: Scottish Greens co-convenor Patrick Harvie addresses David Hume Institute's Politicians and Professionals winter seminar series.
Talk of the steamie: the comment sections
Colette Douglas Home in The Herald says we must do more to help refugee children travelling alone, while Iain Macwhirter ponders why Labour and the Tories are failing to set the electoral heather alight, and Alex Massie in the Times is of a similar mind on the SNP.
In the Telegraph, Paul Rose salutes the endeavours of fellow Antarctic explorer Henry Worsley, who died trying to follow in Shackleton’s footsteps.
Janan Ganesh in the FT considers Labour’s metropolitanism and writes: “Let us not be coy: there are some on the left who are stumped by poor white people.”
Polly Toynbee in the Guardian recalls the days of the SDP and tells Labour - split the party and you’ll regret it.
In the Mail, Siobhan Synnot wonders how Friends Reunited became Johnny No Mates.
Afore ye go
3.5 million rials
The bill for a hotel dinner for SNP representatives, Iranian ministers and British Embassy staff in Tehran, picked up by Alex Salmond after the UK Government refused to host a meal at the embassy. 3.5 million rials = £82. The Guardian
“Everybody's getting along just fine."
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on relations with MP colleagues.
"The Commission believes there is sufficient rationale to warrant the introduction of an effective tax on sugar-sweetened beverages.”
The World Health organisation backs a sugar tax to tackle childhood obesity
"I said, 'Has it been all right at home and stuff?'. And she said, 'Yeah, you know, I just said to the kids Monday morning, 'You might get a few oink oink noises at school but just try not to fight with anybody’. I thought 'That is good parenting advice, that."
Jason Manford says he spoke to Samantha Cameron about the "Piggate" allegations while they were filming Great British Sport Relief Bake Off. Absolute Radio
“He was part of a great political generation that did really extraordinary things for our country.”
David Cameron on the death of ex-Tory cabinet minister Cecil Parkinson
Taxpayer confidentiality
As cited by Treasury Minister David Gauke as the reason why he could not specify the % tax rate paid by Google.
“No openly gay man has ever won the Oscar; I wonder if that is prejudice or chance.”
Sir Ian McKellen, The Guardian
“I found this some time ago and I use it quite often. No one seems to mind but it isn’t great.”
If you think the Glasgow-Edinburgh journey is a ‘mare, spare a thought for the Ipswich to London commuter who has taken to sitting, Oor Wullie-style, in the cleaner's cubbyhole because there are no seats. His season ticket? £6000 a year. The Sun
"At the Donald Trump rally in Oklahoma, Sarah Palin called President Obama a 'weak-kneed capitulator in chief'. When asked if she knows what a capitulator is, she said, 'Of course I do — it's one of those worms that turns into a butterfly!'"
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
1:32:56
The time run by Ludivine, a 2-year-old bloodhound (of the kind seen above), who accidentally fell in with half-marathon runners in Alabama and just kept running. She was awarded a medal. Canadian Running, via USA Today.
Thank you for reading The Midge, your first bite of the day’s politics in Scotland and elsewhere. See you tomorrow.
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