Hello and welcome to The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere.
Today
- Financial crisis looms for Scots colleges
- Filmmaker faces legal threat on Trump documentary
- Tories pushed to open up on Brexit strategy
- Top Scots historian: Brexit won’t happen
06.00 BBC Today headlines
Senior Tory MP says government at risk of suggesting NHS in England awash with money … UK government reviews employment support for disabled people … Democratic Senate leader Harry Reid says FBI director may have broken law with Clinton email case announcement … Thousands spend night outdoors in Italy following fourth earthquake … Future of Bank of England governor Mark Carney likely to announce he will stay on … Historic England wants public to look for ‘witches marks’ on buildings.
07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland headlines
Glasgow plan to set up 'fix rooms' for addicts likely to be given go-ahead... Concern Hunterston B would not be able to shut down in emergency ... Veterans Minister Keith Brown lends support to campaigns to keep Fort George and Kinloss sites open ... Rail campaigners criticise 'under-performance' on Borders line.
Front pages
Exclusive: In The Herald, education correspondent Andrew Denholm reveals that more than three-quarters of Scottish colleges are forecasting a deficit for the current financial year, raising fears of cuts.
Ewan McGregor makes the front page of The National after saying he had been against independence “then Brexit happened”.
The Mail, Times, and i feature an ABC News/Washington Post poll that has Clinton leading Trump by just one point in the wake of the email row resurfacing.
Exclusive: In the Evening Times, Stacey Mullen talks to new city police chief Brian Gibson about his priorities for the coming months.
The Telegraph reports the Fisheries Minister, George Eustice, saying UK fishermen will be able to catch hundreds of thousands of tons more fish after Brexit.
The FT says Bank of England Governor Mark Carney is ready to serve his full eight-year term, till 2021, but will talk to PM Theresa May and Chancellor Philip Hammond before announcing his final decision.
The Record reports that 3,200 responses were received to a bill that would repeal the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act. The consensus, says the paper’s headline? “Give act the red card”.
Camley’s cartoon
Camley detects a growing fondness for the FBI on Donald Trump’s part.
FFS: Five in five seconds
What’s the story? The FBI has secured a warrant to search the emails of Huma Abedin, one of Hillary Clinton’s closest aides.
Will the search take long? One estimate puts the number of emails at 650,000, so unless there are superhero speed readers in the FBI, no conclusions will emerge before America goes to the polls.
Are the Democrats happy with that? They are spitting mad, and their fury is being turned on FBI director James Comey. Senior Democrats fanned out over the news channels at the weekend, saying his letter to Congress on Friday was "long on innuendo, short on facts”. Last night, Harry Reid, Senate leader, wrote to Mr Comey, warning him: "Through your partisan actions, you may have broken the law.” He also said the FBI is sitting on information about Donald Trump’s links to Russia.
John Podesta: "Of course" Huma Abedin is still with the campaign https://t.co/6OZtrfIwim #CNNSOTU https://t.co/j8PQtWclZG
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 30, 2016
Are Comey’s actions unusual? Unprecedented. It is not the done thing to comment on any live investigation, and the period of purdah, during which nothing should appear to be done by government that influences an election, is 60 days. The election is now just over a week away.
But Mr Trump is happy? Sort of. Apparently the media are ignoring the email scandal.
Wow, Twitter, Google and Facebook are burying the FBI criminal investigation of Clinton. Very dishonest media!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 30, 2016
Afore Ye Go
Govt says Nissan must know its Brexit plan (fine) but Parl't can't know or vote on it due to secrecy. Totally unsustainable position.
— Ed Miliband (@Ed_Miliband) October 30, 2016
Former Labour leader Ed Miliband demands more openness on Brexit after it emerged that Business Secretary Greg Clark had told Nissan the Government planned to seek tariff free access to European markets.
I agree with Ed! https://t.co/T1H7BVtNtP
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) October 30, 2016
And Scotland's FM Nicola Sturgeon concurs, calling to mind TV election debates from 2015.
"That next day I would have voted absolutely for Scotland to leave, I really would have done.”
Actor Ewan McGregor, whose directorial debut, American Pastoral, is out next week, on how he changed his mind on Scottish independence after the Brexit vote. Now, he says, he is “totally confused”. BBC Andrew Marr Show. Jeff Overs/BBC/PA Wire
“I’ve been busy making speeches at corporate events. I often find myself vying for the same jobs as Tony Blair. I find out what he’s charging and ask for a few quid less. It works every time.”
Dame Edna Everage, whose new book, Ednapedia: A History of Australia in 100 Objects, is out now. Event magazine. Arthur Edwards - WPA Pool/Getty Images
“Now, voters have a Democratic candidate who, if elected, could before long be on trial and, if convicted, in jail.”
Columnist Simon Heffer, Sunday Telegraph. Clinton, above, at a get out the vote rally in Miami at the weekend. AP Photo/Andrew Harnik
“If Ukip are offered positions in the House of Lords, the first name on that list will be Nigel Farage.”
Ukip leadership contender Paul Nuttall. Tim Shipman, Sunday times. Matt Cardy/Getty Images
The most terrifying pumpkin ever. pic.twitter.com/dk2Iihr5re
— You Had One Job (@_youhadonejob1) October 29, 2016
"Michael and Sarah's son is a mature and confident secondary school pupil. He preferred to watch TV rather than go out to dinner. He was perfectly fine and staff at the 13-room hotel were happy to supervise.”
A spokesman for the Goves responds to a Sunday Mirror report that the couple had left their 11-year-old son at a B&B to attend a party marking the end of the Cheltenham Literature Festival. According to the paper they entrusted staff at the £250-a-night guesthouse to look after the youngster, returning at 1.30am the following morning. Yui Mok/PA Wire
"Horribly fabulous. It was a triumph!" - Bruno It's Ed's highest score yet! 2️⃣6️⃣ #Strictly @EdBalls@Mrs_katjones https://t.co/k4nL9WSEqN
— BBC Strictly 🕸 (@bbcstrictly) October 29, 2016
Ed Balls commits more crimes against good taste on Strictly, but scores his first "8" from the judges.
"Well I'm not a huge enthusiast for modern dances like the jive, perhaps a nice Quadrille next week Anton" #StrictlyMoggster pic.twitter.com/bx4WjVUweu
— General Boles (@GeneralBoles) October 30, 2016
If Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg replaced Len Goodman as Strictly judge.
Taking advantage of Twitter takeover to say.... Great response on the doorsteps for @edballs! #Awesome #Vote #Strictly
— Scottish Labour (@scottishlabour) October 29, 2016
Scottish Labour MSP Anas Sarwar capitalises on the Ed feelgood factor
What colour SHOULD crisp packets be? Public still backs Golden Wonder colours for cheese & onion vs salt & vinegar https://t.co/4b751n8vsh pic.twitter.com/2Sfac1OnWx
— YouGov (@YouGov) October 29, 2016
Correct. https://t.co/A4B9jZXqnS
— Ruth Davidson (@RuthDavidsonMSP) October 30, 2016
We did find that Scots back the Golden wonder colour scheme even more than the rest of Britain https://t.co/60BBoYq1YV
— YouGov (@YouGov) October 30, 2016
Just in case you were wondering where Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson stood in the great crisp packet debate.
Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow. Twitter: @alisonmrowat
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