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, health correspondent Helen McArdle continues the paper’s Beyond Brexit series with the discovery that there are no accurate figures on EU health staff working in Scotland. 

‘Return of the living dead’ is the headline in The National beside pictures of former Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy, ex-Chancellor George Osborne, and Tony Blair. The former PM is reported to be preparing to fight Brexit from a new London base.

More than half of fresh chicken sold in Scotland’s shops is contaminated with E.coli, warns the Mail after a survey by government inspectors. 

The FT pictures Angela Merkel down the years as the German chancellor announces she will seek a fourth term. 

The Herald: The Evening Times has all the pictures from last night’s switch on of the Christmas lights in George Square, Glasgow. 

The Guardian highlights research showing the “just about managing”, JAM, families Theresa May says she wants to help will be £2,500 a year worse off under her Government’s plans. 

Mrs May’s pledges to cut corporation tax take the lead in the Times and Telegraph, with both papers saying she is trying to win back the business vote. 

The SNP is in a panic over ScotRail, says the Express, with the paper saying Transport Minister Humza Yousaf has announced talks on public ownership to save his career. 

The Sun reports an attack on Strictly Come Dancing dancer Gorka Marquez in Blackpool. The Spaniard will have dental surgery today after having two teeth broken. 

FFS: Five in five seconds

What’s the story? It’s sayonara Sarkozy as the former French president fails in his bid to become the conservative nominee in next year’s April-May presidential election. 

Who stopped Sarko? Alain Juppe and Francois Fillon, both former PMs, will go on to the final round of voting next Sunday. The latter is favourite. 

Brief bio? Fillon (below, centre), is 62, Thatcherite in economic outlook, a traditionalist on social policy (he wants to ban same-sex couples from adopting), who has vowed to take on the unions.

The Herald:

Will the socialists give him a good fight? Given the chronic unpopularity of current president Francois Hollande, no. Fillon’s real opponent will be Marine Le Pen of the far right National Front, which has been touting an anti-immigration, anti-Muslim manifesto.

France’s Madame Trump? The Trump-Le Pen camps have been forming a mutual admiration society, with Le Pen hailing Trump’s victory as a sign of things to come in France. “Donald Trump has made possible what was presented as completely impossible,” the told CNN. “So it's a sign of hope for those who cannot bear wild globalisation. They cannot bear the political life led by the elites.”

Picture: Thomas Samson/Pool Photo via AP

Camley’s cartoon

The Herald:

Camley wonders about the supply of lifeblood to the NHS if EU doctors and nurses have to leave post-Brexit Britain. 

Afore Ye Go

The Herald:

“He’s not impressed with Theresa May. He thinks she’s a total lightweight. He thinks Jeremy Corbyn is a nutter and the Tories are screwing up Brexit. He thinks there’s a massive hole in British politics that he can fill.”

A source outlines Tony Blair’s take on the current political scene as the former premier reportedly scouts locations near Whitehall to set up a new base from which to fight Brexit. Richard Kerbaj and Tim Shipman, Sunday Times. The paper also reported that Jim Murphy, ex-leader of Scottish Labour, has been hired as an adviser. Adam Bettcher/Getty Images for Starkey Hearing Foundation. Read the story here. 

The Herald:

"I'm going to be calling on the unions this week, and indeed other political parties, to join with me in a discussion about how we might put together a viable public sector bid.”

Transport Minister Humza Yousaf defends his position after last week’s rail chaos. BBC's Sunday Politics Scotland. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images).

The Herald:

“The Duchess estimates her financial loss to date at £25,060,000. In addition… the Duchess suffered serious distress and upset for which she is entitled to compensation.”

The writ lodged by Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, against Rupert Murdoch’s News Group Newspapers over the Mazher Mahmood cash for access sting of 2010. NGN are defending the claim, calling her case “defective and embarrassing”. Mail on Sunday. Stuart C Wilson/Getty Images.

The Herald:

“When Theresa May, Nicola Sturgeon and Andrea Leadsom appear as Macbeth’s three witches, Johnson cries: ‘Let them hail Boris the King!’”

Not a flu dream, but an extract from Simon Walters’ first night review of Brexit the Musical, written by David Shirreff. Mail on Sunday. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

The Herald:

“The Harry Potter spinoff ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ has come out. Spoiler alert: They’re in a gold tower.”

Late Night with Seth Myers. Drew Angerer/Getty Images.

Ed Balls continues to hang on in there on Strictly. The Sunday Telegraph, below, sees some similarities between his Great Balls of Fire routine, which saw him lowered to the stage playing a flaming piano, and one of the late Victoria Wood's classic performances.

The Herald:

“If the Queen or the royal family want to consider a contribution I certainly wouldn't send a cheque back.”

Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell (above, with Chancellor Philip Hammond) said he would welcome royal help with the proposed £370m refurbishment of Buckingham Palace. BBC1 Andrew Marr Show. Jeff Overs/BBC/PA Wire.

"I wasn't offended by what was said. I will leave to others whether that was the appropriate venue to say it.”

Vice-president elect Mike Pence, who attended the Broadway production of Hamilton on Saturday, responds to the cast statement. On being booed by some members of the audience, Mr Pence said that was "what freedom sounds like”. Fox News Sunday.

Donald Trump remained unimpressed, but one of his ex-wives, Ivanka, enjoyed the show.

Meanwhile, Andrew Tickell takes the long view of the Pence story.

Lest you were wondering what a Tory chief whip would keep as a pet.

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