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

Front pages

The Herald:

Exclusive: In The Herald, political editor Tom Gordon reports on a poll for the paper showing the impact of Brexit on attitudes towards a second Scottish independence referendum. 

The National previews FM Nicola Sturgeon’s speech to her party conference in Glasgow today. See FFS below.

“High price of SNP bid to split to UK” is the headline in the Mail, which says the UK economy has grown three times faster than Scotland’s in the past year, with some blaming uncertainty over indyref2. 

The Herald:

The Evening Times pictures Pamela Munro, the mother of Paige Doherty, reading a statement outside the High Court in Glasgow after her daughter’s killer was jailed for a minimum of 27 years. 

The FT reckons the UK faces a 20 billion euro “Brexit divorce bill” due to shared liabilities. 

The Times says a “secret” government study shows just one per cent of foreign students break the terms of their visas by refusing to leave. The revelation undermines the government’s case for a crackdown, says the paper. 

The Telegraph reports anger over a Labour spokesman saying people should protest about the deaths in Syria outside the American embassy. See Afore Ye Go, below. 

Camley’s Cartoon

The Herald:

Camley wonders how much Brexit will be a leg-up to independence for the FM. Read the story here. 

FFS: Five in five seconds

What’s the story?

The SNP’s annual conference opens at the SECC in Glasgow today. 

Can I pop along?

Not unless you are already among the 3000 people delegated to attend over the next three days - it’s a sold out gig. As in previous years the size and staging calls to mind your average rock concert at the venue, with the event being billed by the party as “the biggest party conference in the UK”. The media contingent alone is 500-strong. In a tweet last night, party leader Nicola Sturgeon professed herself impressed:

On the agenda today?

Big ticket items are the announcement of the depute leadership election result and a welcome address by Nicola Sturgeon. 

What is she expected to say?

Reports suggest an all-out attack on the Tory approach to Brexit, with the FM saying the right wing of the party is in the ascendancy and is seeking to “hijack” the referendum result. 

Nothing on indyref2?

More is expected on that on Saturday, when Ms Sturgeon delivers her main address. Today, the FM announced that a draft referendum bill will be published next week. Read political correspondent Daniel Sanderson's story here. 

Afore Ye Go

“Mr MacNeil, you are an exceptionally boisterous fellow and in the course of your boisterous behaviour you appear to be chewing some sort of gum. I mean I have great aspirations for you to be a statesman but I think your apprenticeship still has some distance to travel.”

Speaker John Bercow to SNP MP Angus MacNeil during the Brexit debate. In the You Tube video below, Mr MacNeil is on the bench behind Brexit spokesman Stephen Gethins and can be seen throwing his hands in the air when the Speaker calls him to order. 

“He was like an octopus. His hands were everywhere.”

Jessica Leeds, one of two women who have told the New York Times they were touched inappropriately by Donald Trump. His campaign has dismissed the claims as “fiction”. 

Private Eye's take on THAT tape.

The Herald:

"Can I unreservedly withdraw allegations that I made on Monday, only on the basis that it was clumsy, it was not meant about you, it was meant about advice. I don't doubt for one moment your capabilities as a lawyer.”

Iain Duncan Smith to shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer after he appeared to refer to the shadow Brexit secretary as a "second-rate lawyer”. Carl Court/Getty Images

The post-Brexit vote fall in the pound begins to have an impact.

The Herald:

"Ronald is used in the UK within our restaurant settings. Whilst we will be mindful of the current trend concerning clowns, we do not anticipate it will impact heavily on his duties over here.”

McDonald’s reacts to the current creepy clowns craze. John Parra/Getty Images for SOBEWFF®

The challenge is laid down by BuzzFeed's Jamie Ross, and STV's Colin Mackay responds.

The Herald:

"This would place David Cameron at the bottom of the league table - as a worse prime minster than Anthony Eden, long seen as the biggest post-war failure in Number 10.”

Professor Kevin Theakston, of Leeds University, on a survey carried out by academics on the ratings of British prime ministers. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images

A row begins after a Labour spokesman backs protests outside the US embassy. Below, a former party spin doctor is not impressed.

The Herald:

"I don't know whether you ever consult Facebook, but if you were to go there you would find that George Galloway, a former Member of Parliament, still describes himself as a Member of Parliament.”

Labour MP Chris Bryant, above, to the Speaker John Bercow. Mr Bercow said he would write to the former MP to clear up any ambiguity. Oli Scarff/Getty Images

The Herald:

"I hope you are also going to be taking evidence from women representing all of the political parties. It seems slightly odd to have four white men sitting in front of you giving evidence about women's representation.”

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as he and three others, including the SNP’s Angus Robertson (above, right), appeared befor the Women and Equalities Select Committee. Committee chairwoman Maria Miller responded: "With respect, that's your fault, not ours.” PA Wire

The Herald:

Meet Wayne David, Labour’s new pro-Trident shadow defence minister. Clive Lewis was moved from the defence portfolio to become shadow business secretary following controversy at last month's Labour Party conference, when the leader's office doctored the ex-soldier's speech on Trident at the last minute. Yui Mok/PA Wire

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