Hello and welcome to The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere.
Today
- Ex-minister in defamation row
- Sturgeon wants indyref2 within five years
- Farmers launch dairies rescue bid
- Obama in Saudi, heads to UK tonight
- IDS: Tories must show they are compassionate
06.00 BBC Today headlines
NHS in England in £2.5bn push to improve GP services … MPs accuse MoD of ‘creative accounting’ in meeting Nato spending target … Queen’s 90th birthday … Obama at Saudi summit … £126m lost to banking email scammers … Internet Watch Foundation removes 70,000 child images.
07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland headlines
Report on cargo ship sinking published ... Testosterone linked to heart attacks ... Defence spending ... Queen ... Mismatch between job requirements and qualifications ... Paul McCartney tops musician rich list.
Front pages
In The Herald, David Leask and Catriona Stewart report on a landmark defamation action over Facebook allegations of “corruption”.
The National carries a special report on the SNP’s manifesto launch, saying Nicola Sturgeon is confident about persuading No voters to back Yes next time.
The Evening Times looks at possible replacements for Ronny Deila at Celtic.
All the papers carry pictures of Victoria Wood, who has died aged 62. The Mail says she kept her six month battle against cancer private; the New Day says goodbye to “the woman who made women laugh”; while the Sun reports she was talking to her son, 23, and daughter, 27, to the last.
The Times says the offshore owners of UK property will have to reveal themselves under plans to be unveiled by David Cameron.
The Guardian has a curtain up piece on the Obamas visit to London, which begins tonight.
The FT says the next tech giant in the European Commission’s Competition Commissioner is Google over the dominance of its Android smartphone operating system. The firm denies any wrongdoing.
Camley’s Cartoon
Camley offers an alternative take on the Queen’s birthday portrait
Need to know: who do they think they are?
The Commons Library Briefing Papers are a goldmine of information, covering everything from unemployment stats to the war in Syria. Yesterday the library published a look at the number of MPs in the current parliament who are related to other current or former members. If you are a watcher of political dynasties, this list makes for Dynasty-like compulsive viewing.
Some 51 MPs are listed. The better known ones include:
- Hilary Benn, above, son of Tony Benn, grandson of William Wedgwood Benn (Tower Hamlets St George's 1906-1918; Leith 1918-1927; Aberdeen North 1928-1931; Gorton 1937-1942); great grandson of Daniel Holmes (Lib, Govan 1911-1918) and Sir John Benn;
- Angela Eagle, sister of Maria;
- Jo Johnson, brother of Boris;
- Stephen Kinnock, son of Neil.
Others include:
- David Cameron, great-grandson of Sir William Mount (Con, Newbury 1900-1906;Newbury 1910-1922);
- Stuart Donaldson (SNP) Aberdeenshire West and Kincardine 2015, grandson of Hamish Watt (SNP, Banffshire 1974-1979);
- Luciana Berger (Lab/Co-op) Liverpool, Wavertree 2010, great-niece of Emanuel Shinwell CH (Lab, Linlithgowshire 1922-1924;Linlithgowshire 1928-1931).
Read the report here. If nothing else, it will make the job of researchers on Who Do You Think You Are? easier.
Afore ye go
"Oh, the jealousy of the disappointed in life. … Perhaps we say some things sometimes that don't fit in with the PC agenda that now dominates the whole of Edinburgh - so what?”
UKIP leader Nigel Farage brushes off the calls of 10 activists for David Coburn MEP to be replaced as Scottish spokesman. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
"Am I bothered? No.”
David Coburn, above right, in his own defence. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
"When we were filming Generation Hope we couldn't have imagined it would enjoy the exposure offered by such a high-profile international event.”
Mary's Meals founder Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow welcomes the news that a documentary about the work of the charity, which feeds more than a million of the world's poorest children every day they attend school, is to be shown at Cannes. Scots actor Gerard Butler, above, appears in the film. Emma McIntyre/Getty Images
New York, London, Melbourne, Auckland - and Glasgow
The top five cities in the world to host a sporting event, according to SportBusiness Ultimate Sports Cities Awards. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
“I have to be very careful who I fraternise with, politics-wise. The merest whiff of a drug and it’s Bill Clinton all over again.”
Sally on Coronation Street finds the duties of a new councillor weighing on her shoulders. itv.com
"I am also looking forward to wishing her a happy birthday.”
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who once had trouble singing the national anthem at a Battle of Britain memorial service, joins David Cameron in wishing the Queen a happy birthday. Carl Court/Getty Images
£41,520.58
The amount spent last year ferrying ministerial red boxes around London in chauffeur-driven cars. Huffington Post
"There is not a single day goes by that I am not asked if there will be a second independence referendum in the next parliament. My answer to that, in one sense, is very simple - I would like that, very much.”
Nicola Sturgeon launches the SNP manifesto
“What the heck was going on here in the 18th century?”
Boston archaeologist Joseph Bagley on finding artefacts dating to the 1700s outside the boyhood home of Malcolm X. Mark Wilson/Getty Images
"Cicadas are coming back next month. These unusual insects spend almost all of their lives in holes underground and only emerge once every 17 years to mate. Sort of like any couple with a Netflix account."
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images
“If you are a good looking girl, for goodness sake make the most of it. Because the day will come when you are not a good looking girl any more.”
The ‘tottygate’ row rumbles on with this contribution from former Tory minister Edwina Currie. BBC Radio 4 Women’s Hour. Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Victoria Wood? Oh, go to hell, 2016.
— Ruth Davidson (@Ruth_E_Davidson) April 20, 2016
Diary
- 12.00: Two 21-gun royal salutes to take place to mark the 90th birthday of the Queen at Edinburgh and Stirling castles.
- 1315 Glasgow: Scottish Seniors Alliance holds Holyrood election hustings. Journalist Liz Leonard chairing.
- 2030 Edinburgh: Fireworks to mark Queen's 90th birthday.
- London: Foreign Office to publish human rights and democracy report.
- Brussels: Theresa May at EU Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting.
- Commons: David Cameron moves "humble address" on the Queen's 90th birthday.
- London: US President Barack Obama arrives.
- City: Office for National Statistics publishes government borrowing figures and retail sales figures for March.
Thank you for reading. See you tomorrow.
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