Hello and welcome to The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere. 

Today

  • Brown warns of Brexit 'race to the bottom'
  • Swinney role to be divided
  • Ex-adviser slates Sturgeon fracking stance
  • After Cameron, Queen caught on camera
  • UKIP branded 'UK irrelevance party'

Front pages

The Herald:

Exclusive: In The Herald, Daniel Sanderson speaks to a former Scottish Government scientific adviser, Professor Paul Younger, who says Nicola Sturgeon has “taken flight from reason” in hardening her stance against fracking. 

The National has a warning to tattoo fans from a language expert to mind how they go when getting what they think is a “Gaelic” phrase written on their bodies. One woman thought her tatt said “drug free” when it really translated as “free drugging”. 

The Evening Times reports that some 600 properties in Glasgow are on a list warning of possible risk to ambulance crews. 

The Mail highlights David Cameron’s on mic criticism of Afghanistan and Nigeria (see Afore Ye Go), pointing out that both countries receive aid from Britain. The FT, Scotsman and Guardian also lead on the story. 

The Times has a poll showing only one in three voters believe Scottish Labour was finished as a party. 

The Telegraph says tomorrow’s White Paper on the BBC will rewrite its mission statement, which states it is there to “inform, educate and entertain”, to include the aim of impartiality. 

Camley’s CartoonThe Herald:

Camley has his ear to the ground in the fracking row. 

Need to know: the Broon intervention

The Herald:
If you have a referendum, if no-one else can help, and if you can find him, maybe you can hire the A-Team of Gordon Brown…

Just as in the closing stages of the Scottish independence referendum campaign of 2014, the former Chancellor made a a high-profile intervention today. His message is still “Stay”, but this time he is talking about the EU, not the UK, and his plea is targeted at Labour-minded voters who may be minded to stay at home on June 23. Read the story here. 

A flavour of the speech at the London School of Economics appeared in this morning’s Guardian. Making a “patriotic” and progressive case to stay, the former MP said Britain should "lead in Europe, not leave it”.

He wrote: ”The June vote should be a salute to Britain's irrepressible spirit, a tribute to our tradition of looking outwards and a progressive, agenda-setting moment that shows European co-operation is the best way to secure more jobs: the one way to curb tax havens, the main way to tackle illegal immigration and terrorism on our borders, and a progressive way to tackle climate change and set minimum standards at work.”

Competing with Brown for the headlines was another “former”, the ex-London mayor Boris Johnson, who begins a Vote Leave battlebus tour that promises to go across the UK, though it is not clear which Scottish dates are included. 

Afore ye go

“Oh, bad luck.”

The Queen is introduced to police chief Lucy D’Orsi and told she was in charge of the visit of President Xi Jinping and his wife last October. The monarch’s comments were picked up by a cameraman at the first Buckingham Palace garden party of the summer. The Queen also said the Chinese had been “very rude” to her ambassador. 

The Herald:

“Two of the most corrupt countries in the world.”

David Cameron, no stranger to making embarrassing comments that are overheard, refers to Nigeria and Afghanistan during a conversation with the Queen at an event to mark her 90th birthday. ITV News deputy political editor Chris Ship shared the footage on Twitter. Above, the PM pictured last year with Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari.

Gary, Tank Commander, is asked by BBC Scotland Business Editor Douglas Fraser if he fancies being Holyrood's new presiding officer.

The Herald:

“I am really concerned that a petition hosted on the 38 Degrees website has been hijacked, and used as a focal point for sexist and hateful abuse made towards Laura Kuenssberg on Twitter. That is totally unacceptable.”

David Babbs, director of campaign group 38 Degrees, explains why he has taken down a petition accusing the BBC political editor, above, of being biased in her reporting of Jeremy Corbyn. Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images. 

Jamie Ross of BuzzFeed begins digging into the pasts of the new Tory MSPs.

The Herald:

"He is a man-baby. He has the physical countenance of a man and a baby's temperament and hands.”

Jon Stewart on Donald Trump. The Axe Files, a podcast produced by CNN and the University of Chicago Institute of Politics. Matt Mills McKnight/Getty Images

The Herald:

"A very bright woman without the courage of her convictions.”

The former Daily Show host doesn’t spare Hillary Clinton either. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images.

A tad harsh description of broadcaster Piers Morgan?

The Herald:

"Whose side does he think the opposition are on, the British people or the foreigners?”

Tory peer Lord Tebbit to Lord Keen of Elie, Home Office spokesman in the Lords, during an exchange on immigration. Above, Lord Tebbit with the Duchess of Cornwall at the University of Oxford's Botnar Research Centre which undertakes work on treating bone and joint diseases.

The Herald:

“[Nathan Gill’s] removal after a successful Welsh Assembly election campaign is unjust and an act of deep ingratitude. In behaving like this, Ukip looks too like the other parties that we have fought so hard against.”

UKIP leader Nigel Farage is unhappy at the party’s appointment of Neil Hamilton (above, with wife Christine) as its leader in the Welsh Assembly. Alex B Huckle/Getty Images

The Herald:

"I haven't become an American! Having a house in LA is just where the house is. It's just a convenience thing living there. I carry Wales around inside me. I'd consider moving back there one day. I never really left.”

Sir Tom Jones takes the Sir Sean Connery approach on the heart’s true home. Clemens Bilan/Getty Images

The Herald:

"It's an important landmark not least because it's the first target that he's managed to hit.”

Labour MP Justin Madders congratulates Jeremy Hunt on becoming the longest serving UK Health Secretary with a stay of four years.  Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images

Soon to appear on Crimewatch? From Richard Williams of the Independent

Diary

  • Edinburgh: The Duke of Rothesay attends Kirking of the Scottish Parliament. 
  • London: Premiere of Brexit: The Movie.
  • London: Former head of a British security intelligence agency speech on EU referendum at the Royal Institute of International Affairs. 
  • Commons: PMQs.
  • Commons: Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb before Commons select committee.
  • London: Electoral Commission to publish loan and donations report of EU referendum campaigns. 
  • Commons: Margaret Aspinall, Chair of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, speaks in Parliament. 
  • Commons: George Osborne gives evidence to the Commons Treasury Committee on EU membership. 

Thank you for reading. See you tomorrow.