Hello and welcome to The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere.
Today
- May under pressure to call General Election
- David Cameron chairs final Cabinet meeting
- Labour NEC to decide on Corbyn candidacy
- Europeans back indy Scotland in EU
- Scottish Six plan “patronising” says SNP MP
- Bank of England governor before MPs
06.00 BBC Today headlines
Cameron chairs last Cabinet … Legal bid to guarantee Corbyn place on Labour leadership ballot … Vigil in Dallas in memory of five police officers … Prisoner who seized gun in US courthouse kills two bailiffs … UK intervened in US handling of HSBC case … English primaries to adopt South Asian style of learning maths … Taking multivitamins in pregnancy “waste of money”.
07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland
May Cabinet ... Ruth Davidson due to attack indyref2 calls in London speech ... Australian couple living in Scotland before MPs ... Obama to visit Dallas after police shootings ... Multivitamin use questioned.
Front pages
In The Herald, UK political correspondent Kate Devlin says prime minister in waiting Theresa May is under pressure to call a General Election.
The Mail hails the “Coronation of Theresa” while The National reckons Mrs May is set for a “Brexit face-off” with FM Nicola Sturgeon. The race is on to pick a May cabinet says the Times, and the FT says the first female PM in 26 years is out to “make Brexit a success”. The Telegraph looks forward to the “best deal for Britain”. It was “just another manic Monday” in Westminster, says Guardian sketchwriter John Crace.
The Express has a message for the new PM: Make sure you get us out of the EU, but the Record declares today “Mayday” and says Britain is in distress.
Catriona Stewart in the Evening Times reports on a Glasgow school where vandals have caused £100,000 of damage.
The Sun notes Andy Murray’s night of post-victory merriment under the headline “Game, set, and a wee bit smashed.”
Camley’s cartoon
Camley finds sisters saying it for themselves when it comes to the rise of the female leader in politics.
Five in five seconds: Mrs May’s new Cabinet
1. What’s the story? David Cameron will chair his final Cabinet this morning, and among those sitting round the table will be some wondering if it is their last appearance around the oval table, too. That is now up to Theresa May, premier in waiting.
2. What is up for grabs? In principle, 21 Cabinet jobs are in Mrs May’s gift. But she has stated her desire to have a “unity government”, bringing the party together after a bruising referendum battle and leadership fight so she is somewhat restricted in her choices, and she has only been given two days to prepare.
3. Who is definitely on the team? David Mundell as Scottish Secretary. Being the party’s only Scottish MP has to have some advantages, and he was a May backer.
4. And the rest? George Osborne has riled enough MP feathers to merit a move from the Treasury to the Foreign Office, with Philip Hammond taking his place. Chris Grayling, who helmed the May campaign, can expect promotion from Leader of the House - Home Secretary perhaps? Liam Fox is being mentioned as a Minister for Brexit, with David Davis in overall charge, and there is even talk of Iain Duncan Smith making a return. As the leader of Andrea Leadsom’s campaign, that would be a move towards unity and reassure the Brexiteers.
5. And Michael Gove? One of the great unknowns. Does she make the clever Mr Gove deputy PM, keep him where he is as Justice Secretary, or give him some time on the naughty step to satisfy those Tory MPs still smarting over his treatment of Boris? There is bad blood between him and Mrs May. As for Boris, unless there is a job as Minister for Buying Second Hand Water Cannon (see May’s jibe during campaign) he is out of luck.
Afore Ye Go
Here’s @David_Cameron caught on mic singing a little song after resigning as PMhttps://t.co/q9zBqXIOyh pic.twitter.com/PYtrUaoa7o
— BuzzFeed UK (@BuzzFeedUK) July 11, 2016
“Brexit means Brexit, and we’re going to make a success of it.”
Theresa May’s “manifesto” on being named Tory leader.
May strikes me as the Tories' Molotov: "Old Stone Arse," Stalin used to call him, for his obdurate ability to wear down his opponents
— Robert Harris (@Robert___Harris) July 11, 2016
“Colleagues who have chosen to further their own ends by putting smear above respect will no doubt account for their motivations but it is genuinely puzzling to understand who they think they are helping.”
Tim Loughton, campaign manager for Andrea Leadsom, above, quitting the race, criticises the weekend attacks on her parenthood comments.
"Politics is a rough old game and, frankly, nothing happened over the weekend in comparison to having to negotiate with President Putin or the European Union.”
Tory former Cabinet minister Eric Pickles. BBC World at One.
You know what's really nice? Being younger than the Prime Minister again. That.
— Andrew Nicoll (@AndrewSNicoll) July 11, 2016
From the Scottish Sun's political editor
Soon to be evicted: a lonesome LArry the Cat pic.twitter.com/ckvIyYSeHX
— Faisal Islam (@faisalislam) July 11, 2016
Speculaton was rife all day over whether Larry would get his cards. As he is cared for by Downing Street staff, he will stay.
David Cameron in Downing Street this evening... pic.twitter.com/28UlftXeGc
— Asa Bennett (@asabenn) July 11, 2016
"There is no need to re-run the election. Our procedures are very clear.”
Conservatives' 1922 Committee chairman Graham Brady
Well, this was awkward. Angela Eagle abandoned by media in favour of Andrea #Leadsom https://t.co/58PtAMeTd4https://t.co/41s7WnpkjO
— The Telegraph (@Telegraph) July 11, 2016
Finally asked a question about her chances, Ms Eagle said: ”I don't go in for suicide missions.”
"This was an attempted political lynching, designed to bully and bludgeon Jeremy Corbyn, this deeply decent and kind man, out of the job he was elected to do."
Len McCluskey, general secretary of Unite, at the union’s Brighton conference on the challenges to Jeremy Corbyn.
"The idea that the leader of the party, having lost the confidence of Labour MPs, then takes the national executive of the party to court is just more dysfunction upon more dysfunction and the party is suffering”.
Harriet Harman, Labour's former deputy leader. Above, with John Major and David Cameron.
John Prescott looks like Alan Partridge at the height of his Toblerone addiction. pic.twitter.com/Ii85QRTczc
— Political Partridge (@PoliticalAP) July 10, 2016
"I have every sympathy with people in Wigan who thought, 'Let's reclaim Britain,' but it ain't going to happen.”
Queen guitarist Brian May says Leave voters were fed “lies”. ITV Good Morning Britain
Thank you for reading. See you tomorrow
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