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

Today

  • SNP MP warns of “painful” cuts in indy Scotland
  • May’s first Prime Minister's Questions then Berlin visit
  • Hundreds of jobs lost as building firm shuts
  • Row over lobbyist past of Labour contender

Front pages

The Herald:

In The Herald, Magnus Gardham and Daniel Sanderson report on a warning by leading SNP figure George Kerevan that “short term” economic pain could be the price of indy gain. 

The National pictures Labour leadership contenders Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith with the headline “Face Off”. The Times highlights attacks by Corbyn allies on Owen Smith’s time as head of government affairs for US drug firm Pfizer. The i calls the contest “the fight for Labour’s soul”. 

The Mail says record numbers of murderers and rapists are being freed on parole. 

The Herald: In the Evening Times, Caroline Wilson speaks to the mother of the young woman who died in a car accident at Lambhill, Glasgow, two months ago. 

The FT and Guardian report on the IMF’s slashing of UK growth forecasts for 2017 from 2.2% to 1.3%. 

“Tory migration target axed” is the splash in the Telegraph, which reports that two ministers, Boris Johnson and Amber Rudd, signalled yesterday that there will no longer be explicit targets for the number of people who come here. The Government had previously set a target of below 100,000 a year. 

Camley’s cartoon

The Herald:

Camley gets that deja heard feeling listening to Melania Trump’s speech. 

Five in five seconds: Theresa tours

1. What’s the story? After her first Prime Minister’s Questions today, Theresa May set off on her first overseas visit. 

2. Where is she going? First stop Berlin to meet German chancellor Angela Merkel, then Paris to see President Francois Hollande. Her meetings abroad follow a visit to Edinburgh last week where she met FM Nicola Sturgeon. 

3. On the agenda? One imagines the subject of Brexit will come up, plus trade relations and migration. Mrs May said yesterday: "These visits will be an opportunity to forge a strong working relationship that we can build upon and which I hope to develop with more leaders across the European Union in the weeks and months ahead.”

4. A warm welcome awaits? As Home Secretary, May did not get to pack her bags much, though she has experience of EU interior minister meetings.  Some observers have speculated that the May-Merkel relationship will be helped by the fact one is the daughter of a vicar, the other of a Lutheran pastor. Both Merkel and Hollande have a lot on their plates domestically following the Nice murders and the shooting dead of a young Afghan refugee on a train in Wurzburg, but full diplomatic niceties with Mrs May will be observed.

5. Expect? Merkel and Hollande will want to know when May will trigger Article 50, the formal process for leaving the EU; May will want to hold them off with a view to eventually securing more favourable terms. 

Afore Ye Go

The FM is in fact ... no, that would be telling.

The Herald:

"I'm withdrawing from this race and supporting Owen.”

Angela Eagle opts to give Owen Smith a clear run at Jeremy Corbyn. A poll of party members for the Times put Mr Corbyn on 54%, Eagle on 21% and Smith on 15%. Jack Taylor/Getty Images

From STV's Stephen Daisley

The Herald:

Theresa May holds her first Cabinet meeting, telling ministers “We won't be a Government that's defined just by Brexit. We will also be a Government defined by the social reform that we take.”

Those difficult women get everywhere, Jackson Carlaw finds.

The Herald:

"Where is he?" 

MPs’ cry as Boris Johnson fails to attend a Commons debate on the failed coup in Turkey. Minister Sir Alan Duncan, above right, did the honours instead. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.

The Herald:

"Is it possible that we could fit a locational device to the Foreign Secretary - a Boris beacon - which would tell us when he is and when he is not available to join us here in the chamber?”

Alex Salmond suggests a way of keeping track of Mr Johnson. Carl Court/Getty Images

The Herald:

24,000 teachers

Are among the tens of thousands of people sacked or arrested in Turkey for alleged support of the failed coup. Above, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

 

The Herald:

“It would be easy to dismiss Kelvin MacKenzie as an embarrassing, and serially embarrassed, relic of a bygone era in British journalism. But it’s dangerous to regard Mr MacKenzie and those who echo his Islamophobic sentiments as mere pantomime villains.”

Channel 4 journalist Fatima Manji hits back at the former Sun editor, above, who asked why Channel 4 had a presenter in a hijab fronting coverage of the Nice attack. Ms Manji’s paper of choice for her piece? The famously pro-Hillsborough families Liverpool Echo. Oli Scarff/Getty Images

The Herald:

"Since this is our first outing together, let me take the opportunity of making clear to you that I do not believe in the money tree.”

New Chancellor Philip Hammond tells his Labour shadow John McDonnell he will carry on with George Osborne’s spending plans - until the Autumn Statement. Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.

The Herald:

"To think that she would do something like that knowing how scrutinized her speech was going to be is just really absurd.”

Donald Trump’s campaign manager Paul Manafort denies claims that Melania Trump’s speech had echoes of a 2008 address by Mrs Obama. The White House made no comment. CNN. Joe Raedle/Getty Images.

The lady herself is unfazed.

Just when you think things cannot get any worse ...

The Herald:

“I want to thank everyone for taking a break from Pokémon to tune in tonight. It's just everywhere. In fact it's been reported now that Pokémon is getting ready to launch in Russia, and President Vladimir Putin looks like he's already having a good time with it, ‘Tell me where your friends are Pikachu’.”

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Above, the game launches in London. Olivia Harris/Getty Images

Thank you for reading. See you tomorrow.