Hello and welcome to The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere.
Today
- Fears for services over IT privatisation
- Smith attacks Corbyn at Glasgow hustings
- Campaigners call for traffic ban near schools
- Russell appointed Westminster link man on EU exit talks
06.00 BBC Today headlines
NHS services in England could be cut dramatically, according to plans seen by BBC … State of emergency declared in Italy; 250 confirmed dead in earthquake, including three Britons … Russia and US attempt to broker ceasefire in Aleppo … Police in Brazil charge US swimmer Ryan Lochte with falsely reporting crime … Corbyn and Smith clash at Glasgow hustings … UEFA to announce reforms to Champions League.
07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland headlines
Italy ... Legal high law leads to shop closures ... Aleppo ceasefire bid ... Labour leadership rivals rule out deals with SNP ... Pentagon says US naval vessel fired shots to warn off Iranian boat ... Lochte ... Last BHS stores close Sunday ... Six per cent of Scots say they never think about healthy eating.
Front pages
Exclusive: In The Herald, senior reporter Gerry Braiden says Glasgow is to become the latest Scottish council, after Edinburgh and Scottish Borders, to hand over all its IT services to a Canadian firm.
Scotland is in the grip of a crimewave, says the Mail, with one violent crime every eight minutes, according to police data.
The FT reports that the State Council, France’s highest administrative court, will rule today on whether the burkini ban on some French beaches breaches civil liberties.
“Poles are now Britain’s biggest migrant group” is the headline in the Times. See Afore Ye Go. “Migration still out of control” is the Express’s take on official figures showing net migration was 327,000.
The Telegraph says Scottish Government ministers have been accused by Labour’s Jackie Baillie of spinning “utter fantasy” in playing down the Gers figures. See Afore Ye Go.
FFS: Five in five seconds
1. What’s the story? Frankie Boyle today delivers an Alternative MacTaggart in Edinburgh.
2. What’s a traditional MacTaggart? The James MacTaggart Memorial Lecture, to give it its Sunday name, is the showpiece event of the Edinburgh International Television Festival. Named after the late Scots writer, producer, and Play for Today director, previous speakers have included Channel 4 chief executive Jeremy Isaacs, CNN founder Ted Turner, Rupert Murdoch (and in later years son James and daughter Elisabeth, Dennis Potter, Kevin Spacey and Armando Iannucci. The latter made headlines last year with his passionate defence of the BBC. This year’s lecture was mildly spicy too.
3. Who gave it? Shane Smith, chief executive of multimedia company VICE Media. He predicted a “******* bloodbath” in the digital media industry as big players ate the small and all sides scrabbled for market share.
4. Ooh, asterisks. Is the Alternative MacTaggart likely to be as edgy? There was no need for asterisks last year when the speaker was FM Nicola Sturgeon, or when US vice-president Al Gore gave it in 2006.
5. But this year? Well… For this year’s event, the never knowingly shy and retiring Mr Boyle will be interviewed by Sharon Horgan, the creator of the Channel 4 sitcom Catastrophe. The story of a one night stand that results in a baby, Terry and June it ain’t. In short, expect some caustic commentary on the state of British TV. And asterisks.
Afore Ye Go
"I'm not even sure Jeremy did vote In.”
Labour leadership contender Owen Smith was booed at a hustings in Glasgow for doubting his rival Jeremy Corbyn had voted Remain in the EU referendum.
"You know perfectly well that the answer is that I voted Remain and I'm very surprised and indeed disappointed by the question.”
Mr Corbyn strikes back.
Can't make up my mind if Owen Smith is tiny or just far away. #FatherTed pic.twitter.com/Rg7CjS3geU
— Colin Mackay (@STVColin) August 25, 2016
"Welcome onboard! Hope you all have a great trip to Glasgow this morning.”
Earlier, Virgin Trains tweeted a hello to a seated Jeremy Corbyn as he let the train take the strain from London to Glasgow. Mr Corbyn’s office earlier denied reports that staff could not contact him over Traingate because he was making jam. “Not sure where this jam thing has come from but if he has made any then I want some,” said a spokesperson. @roseyboy17/PA Wire
“Out of the seven million households that watched, we had three complaints.”
Speaking at the Edinburgh TV festival, Gary Davey, managing director of content at Sky, defends the level of sex and violence in Game of Thrones. Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Live nation Entertainment
“[The Republicans have] started making a strategy around the assumption that Hillary Clinton will win the presidency. Which may explain the Republican Party's new slogan: ‘Winter Is Coming’.”
One for Game of Throne fans from Conan O’Brien. Drew Angerer/Getty Images
“These figures are incomplete and I don't believe provide the necessary and definitive position for Scotland.”
Economy Secretary Keith Brown on Scottish Government figures showing Scotland’s deficit has risen to £14.8 billion.
"The UK is a member state. It was above that level of deficit in 2009/10 and no-one asked the UK to leave.”
Finance Secretary Derek Mackay denies that Scotland’s economic deficit, at 9.5% of Scotland's gross domestic product, would disqualify Scotland from EU membership. The EU stability and growth pact urges member states to keep budget deficits below 3% of GDP.
That atrocious little cad Farrage is well matched with Trump #whatashower
— Nicholas Soames (@nsoamesmp) August 25, 2016
Nicholas Soames is so upset about the Trump-Farage friendship he fails to spell the Ukip leader's name correctly.
“The world continues as it did before. We haven't seen any advertisers change their bookings and there is no indication that will happen.”
STV chief executive Rob Woodward rejects talk of the Brexit vote hitting business as the broadcaster reported a 50% rise in first-half profit to £10.2 million. He said the prospect of Scottish independence "is not an immediate issue" for the company. Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images of STV’s 2016 election debate
But the question is @thewhitmore @OreOduba - who has been eating the chips ?! pic.twitter.com/Gq3nNkPI0z
— Ed Balls (@edballs) August 23, 2016
Former MP Ed Balls gets ready for his Strictly close-up
“I don't think anyone should tell women what they can and can't wear. Full stop. It's as simple as that.”
London mayor Sadiq Khan, visiting Paris, speaks out against the burkini ban imposed in parts of France. Evening Standard. Rob Stothard/Getty Images.
$64.5 million
What was in the pay packet of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson last year, making him the world's biggest earning actor. Forbes. Sergi Alexander/Getty Images for HBO
My exclusive interview for @BBCPM: pic.twitter.com/SEzeBXvi8a
— Chris Mason (@ChrisMasonBBC) August 25, 2016
After interviewing almost everyone in the UK about Brexit, the BBC's Chris Mason turns his attention to the puppet world.
831,000
The number of Polish-born residents in the UK in 2015. Poland is now the most common overseas country of birth in the UK after overtaking India (795,000). One in every 30 people in Scotland is an EU national, compared to one in nine in London. Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford. Gareth Fuller/PA Wire
“A 12-year-old boy is actually running one of Trump’s campaign offices in Colorado. When asked how an inexperienced child could be running things, the boy said, ‘Look, he’s the nominee and we’re stuck with him’.”
The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
Thanks for reading - see you Monday. Twitter: @alisonmrowat
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