Hello and welcome to PM edition of The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere.
Today
- Scottish Labour manifesto to oppose Trident renewal
- Gove accuses Remain camp of patronising voters
- RISE demands indyref2 within five years
- Sturgeon ready to impose sanctions over equal pay failures
- Union calls for public inquiry over PPP projects
06.00 BBC Today headlines
UK Justice Secretary accuses Vote Remain of treating voters ‘like children’ … MPs on environment committee back Remain but Tory MP abstains … Commons Women’s Committee to investigate sexting … Ecuador death toll rises to 413 … Scientists say dinosaurs were dying out 50 million years before asteroid hit.
07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland headlines
Almost all Edinburgh pupils back to school ... Alzheimer's advance ... Ecuador... Suicide bomber strikes in Kabul ... Tullis Russell ex-workers win compensation ... German anti-immigration leader accused of incitement ... RISE publishes
Front pages
In The Herald, Helen McArdle reports on a new therapy for Alzheimer’s shown to reverse symptoms within a week. The study, co-led by researchers at Glasgow University and in Hong Kong, is expected to lead to human trials next year.
The National reports on the £1.5m payout to Tullis Russell paper mill workers after they were given just one day’s notice of redundancy.
The Evening Times pictures faith leaders launching a drive against extremism in Glasgow.
Only two in five households saw their energy bills fall despite a mild winter, says the Daily Mail. As a result, firms are sitting on £1billion of customers’ money.
The Guardian pictures Sister Theresa Crockett, from Northern Ireland, who died in the earthquake in Ecuador. Sister Crockett had been helping others to safety when the building she was in collapsed.
The Times and The Herald report on Nicola Sturgeon saying the M9 crash was the lowest point of her career.
The Telegraph says the UK is to send troops to Libya to fight IS without a Commons vote.
The FT and the Guardian preview Michael Gove’s speech today, with the FT saying it will bring the party’s “deep split” on Europe into the heart of government.
Need to know
How fares the New York state of mind? It is a question that assumes more pertinence today as the state’s voters go to the polls in the Republican and Democrat presidential primaries.
Trump should be a shoo-in, particularly after his nearest rival, the ultra-conservative Ted Cruz, railed early on against what he called “New York values”. Queens-born Trump is expected to use his victory to once again flag up what he sees as a conspiracy among the Republican hierarchy to deny him the nomination.
The juiciest fight takes place among the Democrat family, where adopted New Yorker Hillary Clinton takes on Brooklynite Bernie Sanders. Clinton is ahead in the polls and victory looks to be hers, but by this point she should have left Sanders far behind. The fact he is still there, and still competing, will not have been in the Clinton camp game plan.
Both candidates were quick to back a bill which will allow the victims of the 9/11 attacks to sue Saudi Arabia, a move opposed by the Obama administration and the Kingdom, which is threatening to withdraw an estimated $750 billion of investment. It is a topic sure to come up when the US President visits Riyadh tomorrow - arriving just as New York digests who it has sent one step closer to the White House.
Afore ye go
Via Private Eye pic.twitter.com/M7GnVJmUT0
— Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) April 18, 2016
"Today's figures are a sobering reality check. For working people the message is clear: vote leave, get poorer.”
TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady on a Treasury report claiming Brexit could cost each UK family £4300. Oli Scarff/Getty Images
"Project Fear turned into Project Utter C**p today”.
But Conservative MP Andrew Percy is less than impressed by the 200-page Treasury document. Twitter. Ian Forsyth/Getty Images
"Their Royal Highnesses are very much looking forward to welcoming President and Mrs Obama to Kensington Palace.”
In the diary for Friday - dinner with the Harry, Kate, and William in London.
Tommy Sheridan is arguably too keen for this. pic.twitter.com/syGN3F0xS7
— Jamie Ross (@JamieRoss7) April 18, 2016
BuzzFeed News at an election hustings in Glasgow
"To me it's totally magic to be on a ferry across the Mersey, and be given the awesome responsibility of steering it for nearly five minutes - under very strict instructions from the captain and the entire crew as to what direction to steer it, otherwise there would have been a very unnecessary interaction with the Isle of Man ferry, which would have been disappointing for all of us.”
Spoken like the manhole-cover fan he is, it’s Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn on taking the helm of the Mersey ferry. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
"Trump’s daughter Ivanka was asked if the election is straining her friendship with Chelsea Clinton. Which means we have officially begun the presidential campaign of 2032, everybody!"
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Craig Barrit/Getty Images
"Bernie Sanders today received his first senatorial endorsement from Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley. Or as he’ll be known under President Hillary Clinton, “Ambassador to North Korea Jeff Merkley.”
Late Night with Seth Myers. Spencer Platt/Getty Images
37.6 million roubles (£388,000)
What Dmitry Peskov, spokesman for Vladimir Putin earns - more than his boss, who takes home 8.9 million roubles. Mr Peskov put the extra down to an inheritance from his father. Still, awkward. Dan Isitene/Getty Images
“When I was at university, they used to call me Telegraph Sam. Gossip is another word for it, but I do like to think it’s of a higher grade than that.”
Former University of Aberdeen student, now former Today presenter, Jim Naughtie. Interviewed by Zoe Williams, The Guardian. Above, Naughtie presenting an honorary degree to Sir Alex Ferguson.
Guess who Mike Tyson is backing for president? Yup, Hillary Clinton. No, sorry, it’s Donald Trump. Also backing The Donald are golfer John Daly and NFL star Terrell Owens. CNN. Above, with Novak Djokovic at the 2016 BNP Paribas Open. Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images
"Snobbery towards McDonald’s is nothing new on the British Left. You only have to mention their name on Twitter to provoke a deluge of self-righteous comments from people living in London who wouldn’t dream of letting little Marcus or Louisa sink their perfectly aligned incisors into a Big Mac or a McChicken Sandwich."
Former Labour MP Tom Harris finds it hard to swallow the party’s turning down of £30k from the fast food giant to stage an event at the party conference in Liverpool. Daily Telegraph. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Johnny Depp admits he has no idea how his dog smuggling plan failed. pic.twitter.com/mmrDooYCE7
— HaveIGotNewsForYou (@haveigotnews) April 18, 2016
Diary
Dundee: STUC congress, including speech by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
London: Indonesian president Joko Widodo talks with David Cameron followed by address to both Houses of Parliament.
London: Bank of England Governor Mark Carney gives evidence to House of Lords Economic Affairs Committee.
Thank you for reading. See you tomorrow.
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