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

Today

  • Osborne in corporation tax cut bid 
  • Salmond raises prospect of Blair trial 
  • Don’t block indyref2, Davidson tells Westminster
  • Tory party voters backing May 

06.00 BBC Today headlines

Boris Johnson says Diana-style “hysteria” has broken out over Brexit and Government must reassure … Michael Gove publishes tax returns (£213k earnings, 70k tax paid) … George Osborne wants to cut corporation tax from 20p to 15 … British law firm seeks Commons Brexit vote … Three days of mourning begins in Iraq after 125 deaths in suicide bombing … Iceland out of Euro 2016.  

07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland headlines

Johnson ... Law firm move ... Osborne/corporation tax ... Pro-Brexit fishing industry reps meet Fergus Ewing ... Calls for jurors to be given more support in dealing with traumatic cases ... Mourning in Iraq ... Agricultural safety initiative launched ... Juno probe nears Jupiter.

Front pages

The Herald:

In The Herald, Michael Settle and Fiona McKay reports on former FM Alex Salmond raising the prospect of trying Tony Blair in the Scottish courts over Iraq. 

The Mail says soldiers are angry that the Chilcot report, due Wednesday, could be used to prosecute troops “while Tony Blair escapes Scot-free”. 

The FT has a sit-down with George Osborne in which the Chancellor reveals his determination to cut corporation tax to 15 pence - but he does not say when. 

The National says Michael Gove believes there is no appetite for indyref 2 and asks, “What planet is he on?”

The Telegraph leads on its columnist Boris Johnson saying a “contagious mourning” has broken out because the Government is not making a positive case for Brexit. 

The Times reports that a prominent Ukip donor, Arron Banks, has thrown his weight behind Andrea Leadsom for the Tory leadership. 

The search is on for a compromise deal to end Labour in-fighting, reports the Guardian. Collective leadership is one option, says the paper. 

The Herald:

Catriona Stewart in the Evening Times meets a girl looking forward to the summer holidays being over so she can start school. 

Camley’s Cartoon

The Herald:

Never mind Gove, Corbyn and May, says Camley, who will be step into the jaggy shoes of the Partick Thistle mascot?

Five in five seconds: fall of the House of Cards

1. What’s the story? In a lively BBC interview with Michael Gove yesterday, Andrew Marr (below) told the Tory leadership contender he was being seen as the Frank Underwood of British politics. 

2. Who he? Frank Underwood, or Francis Urquhart to give him his name in the original, 1990, British television series House of Cards, has become a by-word for Machiavellianism. In the British series, he was played by Scots actor Ian Richardson, and in the American version by Kevin Spacey. FU has a habit of speaking asides to camera, with his catchphrase, ”You might very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment” becoming part of political parlance. 

3. Plot? FU, as his enemies called him, is an Iago, long used to being in the wings but desperate for the crown. He succeeds in landing it, but at what cost to his soul, etc. 

The Herald:

4. Michael Dobbs, who wrote the original novel, must be pleased about all this publicity? Not quite. He, and quite a few others, are growing tired of the House of Cards/Game of Thrones comparisons being thrown up by the Tory leadership contest. Dobbs has said: "It's like a posh boys' punch up and frankly, I and millions of people around the country are rather fed up with it.” In the Telegraph today he pleads for calmer heads to prevail: “There is still time for the players to remember that House of Cards is a work of entertainment, not a work of instruction.” 

5. So if we musn’t use HoC comparisons, what else is there? Dobbs suggests St Trinian’s, or there’s always The Thick of It, although Labour under Jeremy Corbyn seems to have dibs on that. 

Afore Ye Go

The Herald:

"I have never said it should be denied.”

Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson on indyref 2. She would, however, “argue as strong as I could that we should stay part of our biggest market and closest friend”. BBC Sunday Politics Scotland. Above, meeting the Queen at the opening of the Scottish Parliament on Saturday. 

John Lamont MSP spies Angela Constance putting her best foot forward with some Star Wars-themed shoes, complete with R2-D2 heels.

The Herald:

"(They believe) that you cannot have a situation where this country blunders into an illegal war with the appalling consequences and at the end of the day there isn't a reckoning. There has to be a judicial or political reckoning for that.”

SNP MP Alex Salmond says there is cross party support for “action to be taken” against Tony Blair if evidence in the Chilcot report, published Wednesday, supports such a conclusion. Rob Stothard/Getty Images.

The Herald:

"In the end you might be right or wrong but ultimately I think leadership is about assessing the situation as you see it and doing what you think is right, even if it's not always very popular.”

Tony Blair says he will wait for the report’s publication before commenting. Sky News. Jack Taylor/Getty Images

The Herald:

“If you want to know what happens when due process is abandoned, just remember what happened to Labour when they picked Gordon Brown. That result was an utter disaster.”

The ides of March, Iain Duncan Smith, says a Theresa May coronation is a bad idea. Mrs May told ITV’s Peston on Sunday there should be a contest. 

The Herald:

“Since the EU referendum result, many colleagues from Holyrood, Westminster and the SNP grass roots have asked me to run for the deputy leadership.”

SNP Westminster leader Angus Robertson, above, middle, will stand in the race to replace Stewart Hosie, right. Sunday Herald. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

One suspects this is not the German leader's authentic account...

The Herald:

“Of course, we were both affected by it. You see friends who now have grown-up children, but you accept the hand that life deals you. Sometimes things you wish had happened don’t or there are things you wish you’d been able to do, but can’t. There are other couples in a similar position.” 

Theresa May on not having children. Mail on Sunday. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

The Herald:

“A Westminster suicide bomber, whose deadly belt of explosives has been detonated not by his own hand, but by his own wife.”

Hell hath no fury like a little sister whose brother has been scorned as Rachel Johnson has her say on Michael Gove and wife Sarah Vine. Mail on Sunday. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

The Herald:

“Yes I did feel sorry for Dave, but I also thought ‘Don’t do this.’ We needed someone to show leadership. It didn’t need to be such a rocky start.”

Kirstie Allsop on her old Notting Hill neighbour, the PM. Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Paul Flynn MP, 81, now has two jobs in Jeremy Corbyn's Shadow cabinet, Shadow Welsh Secretary and Shadow Commons leader, so has to draw the line somewhere...

The Herald:

"People talk about gender equality. He has lived it, he has employed women at the highest levels of the Trump Organization for decades.”

Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka says her father is a feminist. The news comes as it emerges a new organisation, Republican Women for Hillary, has been founded. CNN.

The Herald:

“She is pleased to have had the opportunity to assist the Department of Justice in bringing this review to a conclusion.”

A spokesman for Hillary Clinton after it emerged the Democratic presidential hopeful had been questioned by the FBI for three and a half hours over her private email server while she was Secretary of State. David McNew/Getty Images

The Herald:

“Fourth of July is when we celebrate our breaking away from England. And after this week, it’s starting to seem like England can’t keep a relationship going.”

Conan O’Brien. Andrew Renniesen/Getty Images

Thank you for reading. See you tomorrow