Hello and welcome to The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere.
Today
- Backlash against Muirfield ban on women members
- Teachers’ leaders warn against school regions plan
- Cameron rules out TV debates with Johnson and Gove
- Scottish Conservatives present new shadow cabinet
- Labour moves to repeal Football Act
06.00 BBC Today headlines
International search for EgyptAir plane … Relatives arrive in Cairo … England’s NHS set for £2bn deficit … Nigerian army free dozens of kidnapped Chibok girls … Celebrities back Remain.
07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland headlines
EgyptAir search... Nigerian rescue ... Airgun amnesty starts Monday ... San Francisco police chief resigns after shooting ... Cigarettes sold in plain packaging from today ... Angler and engineer pioneer 'game changing' salmon fishing rod.
Front pages
The Herald splashes on Muirfield’s retention of its ban on women members, with experts claiming that losing the right to host the Open could cost the Scottish economy £100 million. The story also leads the Scotsman and the Sun.
The National publishes a 'lost' essay by poet Hugh MacDiarmid on having confidence in Scotland's culture.
The Evening Times highlights concerns over security during the Glasgow janitors’ strike, with reports of some school gates being left open.
The Times, Mail and Telegraph lead on the EgyptAir crash, with all reporting that the British geologist who was among the 66 people on board became a father for the second time three weeks ago.
The FT says bookies William Hill have again cut the odds on Britain staying in the EU. They are now 1/5 (83%) that the UK will Remain.
The Guardian pictures some of the actors and writers backing Remain. See Afore Ye Go.
The Record pictures Nicola Sturgeon announcing CalMac as the winners of a £900 million ferry operating contract.
Camley’s Cartoon
Camley hits a hole in one on Muirfield’s ban on women members.
Need to know
Meetings of North Yorkshire County Council’s planning committee are not known for their ability to make news in Scotland, but today’s get-together is different. The committee will consider an application from UK firm Third Energy to frack for shale gas at its existing drilling site near the village of Kirby Misperton, between Malton and Pickering. If granted, it will be the first company to carry out fracking anywhere in the UK.
A protest is planned outside the meeting, with high-profile figures, including Vivienne Westwood, the fashion designer, turning out in support. North Yorks County Council officers have recommended granting permission for the application, despite thousands of objections. The process has been on hold since 2011 when minor earthquakes were detected near Blackpool.
Here in Scotland, fracking turned out to be one of the clear fault lines at the Scottish Parliament elections. FM Nicola Sturgeon has imposed a moratorium while research takes place, but campaigners want her to go as far as Labour, the Greens and the LibDems and back a permanent ban (the Tories support council-imposed moratoriums).
In March, Ms Sturgeon told parliament: “We will not allow fracking in Scotland because we will not take risks with our environment while there are still unanswered questions. That's why we have a moratorium in place. That's the responsible way of proceeding."
Any decision on fracking in Scotland will be for the Scottish Government. But a green light in Yorkshire, allowing, as it will, the chance to see the technique in action as never before, could increase the pressure on Scotland’s FM.
16.00 UPDATE BBC Radio York says the meeting, after hearing evidence all day, is expected to go on till 19.00 tonight before adjourning until Monday.
Afore ye go
"Indefensible"
FM Nicola Sturgeon expresses her dismay at Muirfield voting against allowing women to join the golf club. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
"Britain is not just stronger in Europe, it is more imaginative and more creative, and our global creative success would be severely weakened by walking away.”
A letter from 282 figures from the arts, including Benedict Cumberbatch, Carol Ann Duffy, John le Carre, and Danny Boyle backing Remain. Below, House of Cards creator and Tory peer Lord Dobbs backs Leave.
"Culture owes nothing to committees. Ancient Greece was the birthplace of our civilisation yet today, because of the EU's appalling policies, streets that were once filled with the world's greatest philosophers and playwrights are choked with desperate beggars and mountains of rotting rubbish. These are the realities of the EU. It's failing. The dream is dead. We need to move on.”
“The honourable member for the Western Isles (Angus MacNeil) wrote to me about recess dates because he wanted to put the ram in with the ewes. At that time I thought he was talking about sheep.”
Commons leader Chris Grayling has some fun at the expense of the two SNP MPs, Mr MacNeil and the SNP's deputy Stewart Hosie, who are alleged to have had affairs with Westminster journalist Serena Cowdy. Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
"Oil is fast becoming the new tobacco. This deal needs to end.”
Greenpeace’s Elena Polisano after campaigners closed the British Museum as they scaled its columns in protest against sponsorship of a new exhibition by BP.
"The very first person I come to is a horrible racist. I'm never coming back to wherever this is.”
Labour's Shadow Europe minister Pat Glass has her remarks picked up at the end of an interview with BBC Radio Derby - an act known the trade as “doing a Gordon Brown” after the former PM left his mic on after an encounter with a voter. Ms Glass apologised to the people of Sawley in Derbyshire.
Had to decline @JoeyEssex_'s kind offer to go clubbing in Essex but I might take him up on the fashion tips... pic.twitter.com/4IJzzoeui2
— Jeremy Corbyn MP (@jeremycorbyn) May 19, 2016
Joey Essex is a reality TV star, m'lud
"What I am essentially saying is - Queensberry rules. So, a full frontal assault with due warning is fine, but the dagger in the heart, inserted from the back, through whispering in dark corridors, is not okay.”
Conservative MP Steve Baker, calling for an end to personal attacks, makes the EU campaign sound positively Shakespearean. BBC Radio 4 Today. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Liberal candidate for Glasgow Maryhill, Elspeth Attwooll, on the back of Womba the elephant, in 1974. pic.twitter.com/Kwf16FDsnJ
— PictureThis Scotland (@74frankfurt) May 19, 2016
And you thought campaign photo ops in 2016 were surreal...
“You know what Helen has been through. Don’t go turning your backs on her now.”
Polly Neate, chief executive of Women’s Aid, responds to a fall in the audience for The Archers, with some listeners reportedly frustrated that the domestic abuse storyline involving Helen Archer and Rob Titchener is going on too long and is distressing. “Victim blaming” happens in real life too, says Ms Neate. Daily Telegraph
'I expect better behaviour of myself': PM Justin Trudeau apologizes for actions https://t.co/kk0rHRds7y #cdnpoli https://t.co/hR7EP093gU
— CBC News (@CBCNews) May 19, 2016
Canada’s PM on an incident in which he manhandled one of his MPs and accidentally elbowed New Democrat Party Parliament member Ruth Ellen Brosseau.
“You better pay me or I'm going to go public.”
What Robin Wright said to the makers of House of Cards when she demanded to be paid the same per episode ($500,000) as co-star and screen husband Kevin Spacey. Like her character, Claire Underwood, she got her way. Larry French/Getty Images
Fan of @GameOfThrones? On Sunday, @AndrewMarr9 speaks to Kit Harington about the future of Jon Snow. 9am BBC1 #marr pic.twitter.com/14rcWqcKOH
— The Andrew Marr Show (@MarrShow) May 19, 2016
Something for the weekend for GOT fans.
Diary
Sendai, Japan: George Osborne attending G7 finance ministers meeting.
London: Nigel Farage launches Ukip EU referendum bus tour.
Thank you for reading. The Midge will return on Monday, May 30. See you then.
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