Hello and welcome to The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere.
Today
- Scots consumer confidence hit by EU uncertainties
- ‘Chilling’ report into Glasgow’s higher death rates
- Salmond move to bring case against Blair hits hurdle
- Tories lead fight to repeal Football Act
- Johnson slated over Hitler-EU comparison
06.00 BBC Today headlines
Save the Children calls for no refugee child to be out of school for more than a month … Mayor demands inquiry into Old Trafford match cancellation … Cameron says poorest would be hardest hit by Brexit … Bennett stands down … Tuition fees in England likely to rise with inflation … Charity says million over 75s living in poverty… Comprehensive pupil wins BBC Young Musician of the Year.
07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland headlines
Old Trafford fake bomb … Investigations into Glasgow road accident continue … Save the Children … Minister opens Shetland gas processing plant … Scots Halo Trust given go-ahead to remove mines at Qasr El-Yahud… Burke remains go on show.
Front pages
In The Herald, Kate Devlin reports on the worries of Scottish retailers as the EU vote approaches.
The National looks at the looming political clash over the Football Act.
The Mail leads on Kenny MacAskill’s book on Lockerbie, saying the former Justice Secretary has admitted trying to reach a deal with the Labour Government over sending Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed Al Megrahi’s home to Libya. Herald story here.
The Times has a piece by Scottish Conservatives leader Ruth Davidson in which she compares Brexiteers with Yes supporters, while the Telegraph has a letter from 300 business leaders backing Brexit.
The FT reports on finance sector jobs moving from London and NYC to the likes of Warsaw and Jacksonville.
The Record and Sun report on the deaths of two young Glaswegians after their car plunged into a canal.
The Guardian reports on the departure of Natalie Bennett after four years as leader of the Greens in England and Wales. “There have been times when I got things right, and times when I got things wrong, but that’s because I’m not a smooth, spin-trained, lifelong politician,” she says.
The Express splashes on a plea by the charity Independent Age for more help for the over-75s.
Camley’s Cartoon
Need to know: not doing a Wales
All should be calm and decorum tomorrow when Nicola Sturgeon is re-elected First Minister in the Scottish Parliament. In the Welsh Senedd, however, they’ve been living through rather more interesting times.
Talks will resume today on electing a First Minister of Wales after extraordinary post-election scenes last Wednesday in which Plaid Cymru’s Leanne Wood and Labour’s Carwyn Jones were tied 29-29 in a vote. It had been expected that Mr Jones, who wanted to lead a minority government (his party won 29 of 60 Senedd seats), would be re-elected to the job, but Plaid, UKIP, and the Conservatives had other ideas.
New UKIP AM Neil Hamilton says: "We are all in favour of talks, but minority parties should stick together against Labour arrogance.”
It now looks as though the Tories will back Jones. The party’s leader, Andrew RT Davies, told the BBC’s Sunday Politics: “Ultimately, if the nomination comes forward, certainly we believe Wales would be better off with a different First Minister, but ultimately there isn’t an offer on the table, and, therefore, we would do what we do at most occasions like this and we’d abstain.”
Though the odds are against Wood becoming FM, her election would give the UK three women FMs - Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland, Leanne Wood in Wales, and Arlene Foster in Northern Ireland.
Afore ye go
“Napoleon, Hitler, various people tried this out, and it ends tragically. The EU is an attempt to do this by different methods.”
Boris Johnson, speaking about the creation of a unified Europe under a single government, drops the H-bomb, Sunday Telegraph
"The more he flails around with this kind of hysterical claim, the more he exposes his shameful lack of judgement, his willingness to play the most divisive cynical politics, and the emptiness of his arguments.”
Labour MP Yvette Cooper, above right, responds. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
“[It] wasn’t a rejection of Labour’s manifesto, it was a resurgence of those referendum arguments of the past.”
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale, explaining her party’s defeat, at a speech in London on Saturday. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
“Only three people can do my job: George, Boris and Theresa [May].”
What David Cameron said to a Minister recently, according to a source quoted by the Sunday Times yesterday.
Yesterday I spent 2 happy hours cooking. Last night I got 8 hours sleep for 1st time since Xmas. Today I browsed in a shop. #decompression
— Ruth Davidson (@RuthDavidsonMSP) May 14, 2016
Lest you were wondering how politicians come down after elections...
"He's a weather forecaster, not a psychologist.”
Jeremy Corbyn is asked about claims by his brother, Piers, that the Labour leader might vote Leave. ITV’s Peston on Sunday. Rob Stothard/Getty Images
“It is clear that Ruth’s appeal reaches beyond Scotland.”
Downing Street on plans for the Scottish Tory leader to play a UK-wide TV role in the EU referendum campaign, starting today. Mail on Sunday. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
I didn't even know I needed this in my life. The queen when she saw COWS! 😂😂 #Queens90thBirthday pic.twitter.com/sa4UgZpL6u
— Chris Vine (@ChrisVine5) May 15, 2016
The Queen appears to enjoy the sight of cows at her birthday celebrations
"You'd certainly not be back of the queue, that I can tell you.”
Presumptive Republican nominee Donald Trump, who backs Brexit, in an interview with Piers Morgan to be aired today. President Obama said Britain would be at the back of the queue for a trade deal with the US if it left the EU.
“The FBI just announced that fewer and fewer Americans are going off to join ISIS. Or as Fox News reported it, 'Once Again, Jobs Drop Under Obama'.”
Conan O’Brien. Frederick M Brown/Getty Images
"If you put me up against a wall it would be (Mr Trump), not Hillary, but I have reservations. Encouraging people to beat up protesters, one or two things like that bother me, but look, I tell you what, I think he's going to win.”
Nigel Farage is asked if he is backing Trump. ITV's Peston On Sunday. Chris Ratcliffe/Getty Images
“I refuse to let anyone dictate the shape of my bananas.”
Singer Elaine Paige on why she is backing Brexit. Above, new Italian Open winner Andy Murray seems unfussed by the issue. Michael Dodge/Getty Images
“He's going out having done some good things and said some good things. But there were about six years there where I think he could have done more.”
Shepard Fairey, who designed the iconic “Hope” posters for the 2008 presidential election campaign, gives his verdict on the Obama presidency. Alex Wong/Getty Images
Congratulations on promotion @AyrUnitedFC. My dad @birdfish11 will be cheering himself hoarse right now!
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 15, 2016
A daughter, and First Minister, writes.
Diary
- Edinburgh: Scottish Secretary David Mundell to appeal for UK and Scottish Governments to work together as new powers are devolved to Holyrood. Story here.
- London: BMA and Government to resume talks on junior doctors' contract.
- London: Angelina Jolie Pitt keynote address at BBC on the global refugee crisis.
- London: The Man Booker International Prize announced.
Thank you for reading. See you tomorrow.
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