Hello and welcome to The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere.
Today
- Sturgeon rules out indyref2 in 2017
- Parents feel 'excluded' from school consultation
- SNP claims Tory council strategy confused
- Labour leader Corbyn sets out Brexit stall
06.00 BBC Today headlines
Corbyn to support “fair and reasonably managed migration” … Boris Johnson confident UK will be first in line for US trade deal … Trump appoints son-in-law as adviser … Northern Ireland Secretary to make Commons statement on McGuinness resignation… Southern Rail strike in England … Retailers report strong end to 2016 … Teenager arrested after death of girl in York … Concerns over transgender prisoners after four deaths in England and Wales in 14 months … FIFA set to approve expansion of World Cup
07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland
Corbyn ... Johnson ... Kushner ... People with Type 1 diabetes lobby Holyrood for more research ... MPs call for law ensuring 45% of general election candidates are women ... Parents complain of jargon-filled consultation on school governance.
Front pages
In The Herald, political editor Tom Gordon reports on the FM’s ruling out of a second independence referendum this year. The move follows a Herald poll showing a majority of Scots were opposed to a re-run.
The National pictures former Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness leaving office after his resignation under the headline “Stormont in crisis”.
The Mail hails “the return of Doctor Finlay” after a Scots GP quit the NHS 24 service and said he would provide out of hours service himself.
The FT reports Theresa May is blaming the media reporting of Brexit for the pound dropping to its lowest level since last October.
The Telegraph says supermarkets including Tesco and Waitrose are to put up signs urging shoppers not to waste food.
The Times and Guardian picture Meryl Streep, whose comments at the Golden Globes sparked a verbal spat with Donald Trump. See Afore Ye Go.
Camley’s cartoon
Camley finds a certain independence inspector calling at Nicola Sturgeon’s official residence.
FFS: Five in five seconds
What’s the story? Donald Trump has appointed his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, as a senior White House adviser. His areas of responsibility will be trade deals and the Middle East.
Bio? Age 36 (it’s his birthday today), born New Jersey, grandparents Holocaust survivors, Harvard and New York University, property developer, comes from serious money (family firm bought 666 Fifth Avenue and 53 St for a record $1.8 billion in 2006), has serious money (bought the New York Observer at 25), father, Charles, once jailed for tax evasion. Three children, married to Ivanka Trump.
Doesn’t appointing your son-in-law breach anti-nepotism laws? The Trump camp says no, because he is a White House adviser and is not running a government agency. They also point out that he will not take a salary and is stepping down from his business roles. If the Democrats want to make trouble, Trump is ready to quote some notable precedents. The nepotism law was largely prompted by JFK appointing his brother Bobby as Attorney General, and Bill Clinton, while president, famously installed wife Hillary to head a healthcare task force.
So it’s plain sailing into the job for young Jared? Not quite. His extensive business interests potentially leave him open to conflict of interest accusations. Like his dad-in-law, the pressure is on for him to shed or park his assets. The appointment has not been met with universal acclaim, with reactions including this one from SNP MP John Nicolson:
So Trump's appointed a Cabinet of billionaires & millionaires. And now his son in law to the White House. How's that swamp draining going? https://t.co/C7pqiNhOxO
— JOHN NICOLSON M.P. (@MrJohnNicolson) January 9, 2017
Afore Ye Go
"There is not going to be an independence referendum in 2017.”
FM Nicola Sturgeon. A consultation on the proposed legislation for indyref2 ends tomorrow. STV News. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images
Labour are preparing for a Star Wars Day by-election in Copeland...(May the fourth...) https://t.co/dm48ok5Y6Z pic.twitter.com/w76pSA4mLs
— Owen Bennett (@owenjbennett) January 9, 2017
Contenders in the Copeland by-election have their date with destiny. Thomas Docherty, former Labour MP for Dunfermline and West Fife, is hoping to be Jeremy Corbyn's man in the north of England. Read political correspondent Kate Devlin's story here.
"He definitely won it fair and square. The question is his integrity.”
U2 bassist Adam Clayton (above, right) on Donald Trump’s victory. The band is going on a world tour to mark the 30th anniversary of The Joshua Tree album. RTE Radio.
“One of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood.”
Donald Trump’s review of Meryl Streep at the Golden Globes, where she won a lifetime achievement award. The triple Oscar-winner slated the president-elect for mocking a disabled reporter, Serge Kovaleski of the New York Times, saying: “When the powerful use their position to bully others we all lose.” Mr Trump denied he had done so. Kevin Winter/Getty Images.
Trump electoral college victory mocked during Golden Globes, between handing out awards voted on by under 100 showbiz insiders.
— HaveIGotNewsForYou (@haveigotnews) January 9, 2017
"There is a golden rule in politics that no matter how bad it gets, do not be under any illusion that it can't get any worse.”
Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader, with leader Jeremy Corbyn, who will make a keynote speech on Brexit today. Christopher Furlong/Getty Images
Early nominee for best newspaper front page of the year (via @charlesapple and @capitalweather) pic.twitter.com/thp7SVIEFB
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 9, 2017
Can UK papers top this when the big freeze hits this week?
Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow. Twitter: @alisonmrowat
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