Hello and welcome to The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere.
Camley’s cartoon
Camley opens the first of the festive season’s cards.
Front pages
Exclusive: In The Herald, social affairs correspondent Stephen Naysmith reports on the failings of a flagship education policy for young people with learning disabilities.
“Article 50 shades of grey” is the headline in The National, which sees “confusion and chaos” among Tories as the Supreme Court begins its hearing into whether a parliamentary vote must take place before Article 50 is triggered.
The Mail sees chaos, too, but this time in Italy as the PM falls victim to what the paper sees as an anti-Brussels revolt. The Times says markets are braced for turbulence today.
The Guardian looks to Europe as well, hailing the far-right’s defeat in Austria as a “turn of the tide”, while the FT reports relief among Europe’s mainstream parties.
Exclusive: in the Evening Times, Stacey Mullen reports on the jailing of a man for making sexual remarks to women and girls in Glasgow city centre.
Above the headline “Pure Evil”, the Record publishes pictures of men it identifies as Scotland’s worst domestic abusers.
FFS: Five in five seconds
What’s the story? It’s been a busy weekend politically in mainland Europe, with the fortunes of political leaders see-sawing.
Details? Italian PM Matteo Renzi (above) last night announced his resignation after losing a referendum on constitutional reform; and voters in Austria declined to elect Europe’s first far-right of head of state since the Second World War in Norbert Hofer, preferring the centre-left’s Alexander Van der Bellen.
Do the events have anything in common? Populism, albeit from different directions. The Austrian vote is being seen as a swing against the populism that brought in Brexit and Trump, while the Italian poll is viewed as a revolt against an unpopular government.
Reaction? In the case of Austria, open relief (see tweets below), mixed with consternation that the far-right still polled in the upper forties. In Italy so far, bemusement among the media as to why Renzi called a vote when he did not need to, and concern for the fortunes of the Eurozone’s third largest economy. Comparisons with David Cameron and the EU referendum are being made.
#BREAKING Austria far-right concedes defeat in presidential race
— AFP news agency (@AFP) December 4, 2016
Now here's a headline to gladden the heart! https://t.co/hhUnV6u6Xk
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) December 4, 2016
Nigel Farage on Friday: "I would put my money on the Freedom Party's Mr. [Norbert] Hofer winning that election." https://t.co/c7pwLXr6BZ
— Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) December 4, 2016
From the FT's Jim Pickard
It comes to something when we're celebrating the fact only 46% of a European country voted for the far-right, but we'll take what we've got.
— Owen Jones (@OwenJones84) December 4, 2016
From the Guardian's Owen Jones
Flee men & a little lady pic.twitter.com/PLzyo23850
— kath 🙀 (@KathyBurke) December 5, 2016
And then there was one - from writer/actor Kathy Burke
But it’s all quiet in America, right? Er…. The latest batch of the President-elect’s late night tweets centre on China, already perturbed at Donald Trump’s telephone conversation with the Taiwanese president Tsai Ing-wen. See below.
Did China ask us if it was OK to devalue their currency (making it hard for our companies to compete), heavily tax our products going into..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2016
their country (the U.S. doesn't tax them) or to build a massive military complex in the middle of the South China Sea? I don't think so!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2016
Afore Ye Go
“Anyone found to have leaked sensitive information will be dismissed.”
A memo from Cabinet Secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood (above, at his 2012 investiture) to civil servants, which was duly leaked to the Mail on Sunday. John Stillwell /WPA Pool/Getty Images.
The ashes of Cuban leader Fidel Castro make their final journey towards the Santa Ifigenia cemetery in Santiago, Cuba. Plans to broadcast the interment live were scrapped by officials at the last minute. AP Photo/Ricardo Mazalan
This horse did not sign up for a photo opportunity with Marine Le Pen, and he wants you to know it pic.twitter.com/34jLjeXoO7
— Anita Singh (@anitathetweeter) December 4, 2016
“5000 police officers, two ambulances and a fire engine.”
The convoy accompanying the bicycling Foreign Secretary in Pakistan, according to Boris Johnson. The security detail required meant he could no longer cycle to work in London, he told ITV1’s Peston on Sunday. “I used to cycle everywhere and I do miss it.” Yui Mok/PA Wire. Later, in what was a busy day for TV appearances, Mr Johnson quit Sky News’s Murnaghan after being asked to name the president of South Korea, saying: “We’re not doing a pub quiz.”
"Even by Lib-Dem standards, Sarah Olney really is unimaginably drab.”
Ben Goldsmith, brother of Zac, the ousted candidate in the Richmond Park by-election, is not taking his sibling’s defeat well. Carl Court/Getty Images
Saturday Night Live's skit on Donald Trump's itchy Twitter fingers drew a quick response from the President-elect – and from his tormentor.
...@realDonaldTrump
— ABFoundation (@ABFalecbaldwin) December 4, 2016
Release your tax returns and I'll stop.
Ha
.@edballs recreated one of our favourite #Strictly moments! Maybe @thejasonbyrne needs a few more dance rehearsals? 😂💃#StrictlyComeDancing pic.twitter.com/aMINN2Ohqi
— Sunday Brunch (@SundayBrunchC4) December 4, 2016
The Midge is declaring that peak Ed Balls has officially been reached. Enough now.
Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow. Twitter: @alisonmrowat
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