Hello and welcome to The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere.
Front pages
Exclusive: In The Herald, David Leask and Kate Devlin report on a poll showing 43% of Scots would accept Scotland staying in the EU even if it meant a hard border.
"Tories must ditch austerity" is the headline in The National as the Chancellor makes his Autumn Statement.
The FT says the Chancellor faces a £100 billion rise in borrowing, while the Telegraph predicts he will put £1 billion into the benefits pot.
The Mail splashes on what it calls the "Farage farce in Washington" after Donald Trump said the Ukip leader would make a great ambassador to DC.
Exclusive: In the Evening Times, Hannah Rodger reports on a truancy crackdown in Glasgow.
Power bills are set to rise by £250, says the Express, as energy firms put their prices up this winter.
Under the headline, "Poundland", the Record reports that Mike Ashley was given a 10-year lease on the Rangers megastore for just £1 a year.
The Times says the mood in the EU towards Boris Johnson and David Davis is turning sour,with senior figures attacking both men for being arrogant and ill-informed.
FFS: Five in five seconds
What’s the story?
Donald Trump is facing a backlash.
That’s hardly news, is it?
But this time it is from the right.
Explain?
A series of U-turns in recent days culminated in an interview with the New York Times last night in which he said he would not pursue Hillary Clinton further over her use of a private email server. “I don't want to hurt the Clintons; I really don’t,” he said. “She went through a lot and suffered greatly in many ways”. He also recognised some “connectivity” between human activity and global warming and condemned “alt-right” supporters who held a rally on Saturday complete with Nazi salutes and shouts of “Hail Trump”, saying: “I condemn them. I disavow, and I condemn.”
Where is the backlash coming from?
The right-wing sites who gave him such staunch support during the campaign. A story on Breitbart News on the Clinton U-turn was headlined “BROKEN PROMISE”. Then there are the tweets from commentators and campaigners, below.
Whoa! I thought we elected @realDonaldTrump president. Did we make him the FBI, & DOJ? His job is to pick those guys, not do their jobs. https://t.co/8JCQOO0dSF
— Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) November 22, 2016
If the Country is to Heal, Hillary Clinton Must Be Investigated https://t.co/bVJHovulm7
— RedState (@RedState) November 23, 2016
#hillary4prison #foxnews #thefive @foxnews @realDonaldTrump @2alterorabolish @hillary4prison @clintonscandal pic.twitter.com/inanQIsPmI
— Hillary 4 Prison (@hillary4prison) August 21, 2015
Is Team Trump concerned?
he line appears to be that what is said on the campaign trail stays on the campaign trail. Rudy Giuliani, tipped for a high level position in the new administration, told CNN: “Look, there’s tradition in American politics that after you win an election, you sort of put things behind you.”
Camley’s cartoon
Camley reckons the Ferrero Rocher might be traded for other treats if Nigel Farage became our man in Washington.
Afore Ye Go
Someone calling themselves "Trans" and an "anarchist" led a five person attack on me on the platform at Aberdeen University. I continued.
— George Galloway (@georgegalloway) November 22, 2016
I know have an unknown substance in my eyes and lungs and feel a little unwell. But the struggle continues:-)
— George Galloway (@georgegalloway) November 22, 2016
Feeling better thanks to all; just needed a good shower. Thought not as much as the "Student Left" who attacked me & tried vainly to stop me
— George Galloway (@georgegalloway) November 23, 2016
Former MP George Galloway tweets after an incident at an Aberdeen University talk last night, during which glitter was allegedly thrown at him. Police were called.
"From the refusal to guarantee the status of fellow EU nationals living in Scotland and the UK, to the threat to draw up lists of foreign workers, the UK Government seems intent on sending out a 'not welcome here' message. I am determined that we send out a different message.”
FM Nicola Sturgeon speaking to an Aberdeen Asset Management conference in London. Jane Barlow/PA Wire
"It's not a poor service, let's just put this into perspective - 89.8, that's almost 90 trains out of 100 are running to their contractually obligated time.”
Transport Minister Humza Yousaf, who will make a statement to Holyrood today on ScotRail. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images.
The morning ritual of being apologised to by @ScotRail. Reassuring in a way
— Eddie Barnes (@EddieBarnes23) November 23, 2016
A Scottish Conservatives communications chief writes.
Word has it Larry has taken on the Hammonds 2 Terriers already with the dogs running of !! well done boy after all it's your place
— Political Pictures (@PoliticalPics) November 22, 2016
The Westminster menagerie continues to grow as Chancellor Philip Hammond brings two terriers to Downing Street to add to Number 10's cat Larry, the Foreign Office cat Palmerston, and Cronus, the Tory chief whip's pet spider.
“Might the Foreign Secretary suggest that the best person to fill the vacancy of the ambassador to the United Kingdom next year would be Hillary Rodham Clinton?”
Conservative MP Sir Simon Burns responds to Donald Trump’s suggestion. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images. The Farage story led to the setting up of a special twitter hashtag for suggestions as to who or what would make a better ambassador than Farage:
#BetterAmbassadorsThanFarage pic.twitter.com/1nHJl1lTCf
— Just call me puss™ (@hornblower72) November 22, 2016
#BetterAmbassadorsThanFarage someone to emphasise the positives? I don't believe it... pic.twitter.com/CkZynJpNuC
— Session Beer (@Sessionbeer1) November 22, 2016
This old banana. #BetterAmbassadorsThanFarage pic.twitter.com/OPert4qS1b
— Amanda Jennings (@MandaJJennings) November 22, 2016
#BetterAmbassadorsThanFarage It's a no-brainer pic.twitter.com/vWopF3ldpq
— Laura Hindley (@LauraHindley2) November 22, 2016
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has pulled ahead of Donald Trump in the readers’ online vote for Time magazine person of the year. Mr Assange is on 12%, the President-elect on 11%. Voting ends on December 4. PA Wire
Could have been worse, Mike Pence. pic.twitter.com/WK11ueaxSQ
— Late Night (@LateNightSeth) November 22, 2016
If Mike Pence had gone to another Broadway show. Courtesy of Seth Myers.
Snowden, the biopic of the American whistleblower directed by Oliver Stone and starring Joseph Gordon Levitt (above), features in a Forbes list of the top ten film turkeys of 2016. The picture made back 86% of its $40 million budget. One of those who saw it was Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who attended a London screening. Kevin Winter/Getty Images).
"He's the worst dancer on paper and even if he nails his rehearsed dance he's set to be voted off by the judges."
A Strictly insider says the show's bosses have tired of Ed Balls' "comedy" and want him out. As well as performing a tango, he will have to take part in a "challenge cha-cha" - his worst dance. The Sun
Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow. Twitter: @alisonmrowat
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