Welcome to The Courier’s politics morning briefing, it’s everything you need to know about politics in our region, and across the country, before you start your day.
New this morning:
- ‘Relationship reset’ urged between business and politicians.
- Free school meal pledges as SNP and Labour promise to tackle poverty.
- Covid-19 crisis makes it ‘right time’ to up spending on mental health, Ross says.
- Raab condemns Myanmar regime’s ‘bullying actions’ of ambassador in London.
- Hong Kong families moving to UK to benefit from £43m support package.
Coming up today:
- Coming up on Election Hub Live this afternoon we’ve got Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross joining us for a chat from the campaign trail. St Andrew’s University’s Stephen Gethins, a former SNP MP, will be discussing whether Scotland needs its own foreign policy. Lib Dem candidate Molly Nolan tells us why Highlands voters should cast a ballot from her, and we’ve got all the day’s latest politics headlines. Watch us live at 2pm on our website or Facebook page, or catch the re-stream at any time on all your devices.
- Nicola Sturgeon is to announce plans to provide free school breakfasts and lunches to every primary school pupil in the country.
- Tories are pledging to increase funding for mental health services by hundreds of millions of pounds if they win May’s Holyrood election.
- Scottish Liberal Democrat Leader Willie Rennie will be joined by UK party leader Ed Davey at a wholesaler to discuss plans to support small business.
- Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar will visit a Scottish Power Training Centre to meet apprentices who are making electric vehicles.
- Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie and North East candidate Guy Ingerson will discuss the party’s proposals to end subsidies for oil and gas and build a fair transition for workers to a renewables-based economy.
In case you missed it
- Scottish Election 2021: Here’s what happened in the Holyrood campaign on April 7.
- George Galloway claims independence could break up Scotland and leave north-east and islands in UK.
- Alex Salmond branded ‘utter disgrace’ over Russia comments as he claims Nicola Sturgeon could have done more for independence.
- Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP on course for 11-seat Holyrood majority.
- Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh: Alba Party candidate facing legal hearing.
- Election Hub Live recap: Rural housing crisis, Russian disinformation, and doing business in the pandemic.
- Kate Forbes pledges action on rural housing crisis.
- Market traders on doing business during the pandemic.
🐑Do you want to see @standupfarmer Jim Smith interviewing #Scotland's political party leaders ahead of the election? Well of course you do, and we're going to make it happen at @thecourieruk and @pressjournal. Stay tuned!🗳️🏴 *sheepdog not included. #ElectionHub #SE2021 pic.twitter.com/Qk7ThfqQcQ
— David Mac Dougall (@davidmacdougall) April 7, 2021