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

Today

  • Schools urged to set up whistleblower network for weapons
  • Analyst: Clock running down on Sturgeon indyref plan
  • Misery ahead for Central Belt commuters
  • Labour demands pre-Brexit talks vote

06.00 BBC Today headlines

Labour demands answers on government Brexit plans; Commons debate today … BBC News discovers camp in Syria holding defectors from Isis … Governors back inquiry into violence and self-harm in prisons in England and Wales … MPs call for probe into impact of artificial intelligence on jobs … England follows Scotland in offering flu vaccine to seven year olds. 

07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland headlines

New strategy asks Scots to look out for signs a person has been trafficked ... Labour/Brexit ... Scottish Government instructs lawyer to observe Brexit court challenge in London tomorrow ... Russian warplanes continue bombing in Syria ... Think-tank calls on employers to help workers climb the pay ladder. 

Front pages

The Herald:

In The Herald, education correspondent Andrew Denholm details the findings of the inquiry into the fatal stabbing of 16-year-old Aberdeen pupil Bailey Gwynne. 

Elsewhere, teachers’ leaders tell the Record they would not welcome the introduction of powers to search pupils for weapons. In the Sun, a charity criticises claims that classmates could have prevented the killing. 

The Mail says banks are out to claw back compensation given to customers who were mis-sold PPI.

The Herald: Stewart Paterson in the Evening Times reports on a dramatic drop in killings in Glasgow, with the death rate falling from 33 to 14. 

The Times says Russia is furious at Boris Johnson over his call for protests against the country’s bombing of Syria. 

The Telegraph reports a Bank of England policymaker’s prediction that the slide in the pound’s value may not be over. 

The FT details Donald Trump’s twitter salvoes against his own party. See FFS.

Camley’s Cartoon

The Herald:

It’s a hole in one for Camley as it emerges Donald Trump lost £9 million on his Scottish courses last year. 

FFS: Five in five seconds

What’s the story? President Obama has used a rally for Hillary Clinton in North Carolina to call on Republicans to cut Donald Trump adrift. 

I thought they already were already doing so? House Speaker Paul Ryan and Senator John McCain were among those who condemned the Republican nominee after the release of a videotape in which he made obscene comments about women, but there has been no formal withdrawal of support from the party.

What did Obama say? “The fact is that now you've got people saying: 'We strongly disagree, we really disapprove... but we're still endorsing him.' They still think he should be president, that doesn't make sense to me.”

How is Trump holding up? The self-proclaimed “unshackled” candidate is going on the offensive, releasing a stream of tweets attacking Republicans for attacking him. And he has given his backing to a shocking new attack ad focussing on Clinton’s health and what he claims is her unfitness for office. See below. 

Can things get any more bitter? Stick around. The election doesn't take place till November 8. 

Afore Ye Go

The Herald:

"I'd certainly like to see demonstrations outside the Russian embassy. Where is the Stop The War Coalition at the moment? Where are they?”

Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson calls for extra-parliamentary action on Syria during a Commons debate. One Labour MP, Toby Perkins, said Russia should be stripped of the 2018 World Cup. Matt Cardy/Getty Images

From Times' sketchwriter Patrick Kidd, attending the debate on a replacement for the royal yacht Britannia. Still on Britannia: 

The Herald:

"We talked about music and he said 'It's great that you're still going' and I said: 'I have to - I've got eight children.”

A tartan-trousered Rod Stewart, above with wife Penny, receives a knighthood from the Duke of Cambridge. Gareth Fulller/PA Wire

From the BBC's Peter Henley

The Herald:

“My brother is a very, very caring human being who wants to see government represent all of the people, not just the people on top.”

Former Democrat presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders endorses a bid by Larry Sanders (yes, really), above, to become an MP for the Greens in the Witney by-election triggered by former prime minister David Cameron's decision to quit the Commons. Jonathan Brady/PA Wire

Former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell unmasks kilted Brexiteer Michael Gove, front and centre.

Meanwhile, on hearing the BBC's Brian Taylor is doing an internet Q&A from the SNP conference, crime writing supremo Ian Rankin launches a tongue-in- cheek search for Mr Taylor's tweets. Despite opening a Twitter account four years ago, BBC Scotland's political editor famously has no tweets to his name. A case for Rebus? Home page picture: BBC

The Herald: The X Factor 2016 results: No-one can quite believe Honey G made it through to week two

“The X factor judge Louis Walsh gushed that Tupac ‘would be happy’ with Honey G’s performance. No, the son of Black Panther activists would not happy. Anyone caring to face facts would see this for what it is: modern-day blackface.”

Lola Okolosie, The Guardian. 

The Herald:

Protesters in military fatigues appeared outside the Defence Ministry in Beijing yesterday. The world’s largest military force is downsizing, though it was not clear if this was the reason for the demo. AP Photo/Ng Han Guan

Tory peer Michelle Mone tweets her support for Scotland before last night's kick off against Slovakia. Some Twitter respondents were, alas, less than impressed.

The Herald:

"It's more tense than a general election.”

Former shadow chancellor Ed Balls is keeping matters in perspective as he describes waiting for the results on Strictly. Above, with dance partner Katya Jones at a charity event to improve literacy and gender equality in education in the developing world. Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images for Room to Read. In a busy day for the former Shadow Chancellor, he also met some Loose Women:

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow. Twitter: @alisonmrowat