DEVOLUTION
- Today marks the 20th anniversary of the referendum in which Scots voted in favour of devolution and the creation of the Scottish Parliament. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will mark the occasion with a speech in Edinburgh which looks ahead to the “next steps” of devolution.
- A a new Panelbase poll has revealed that the majority of Scots think Holyrood has improved the country’s NHS and education since the creation of the Scottish Parliament 20 years ago.
- Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has said he became “obsessed” with creating a British football league as a way of bringing the UK together following devolution.
SCOTTISH LABOUR LEADERSHIP
- The new leader of the Scottish Labour Party will be announced on 18 November, nominations for the leadership election will close on 17 September with the ballot opening on 27 October.
BREXIT
- Scottish MPs have warned Theresa May not to bypass Holyrood over Brexit, as suggestions from Downing Street indicate the PM will seek MSPs consent on just one occasion, despite there being eight pieces of legislation planned over exiting the EU.
HEALTH
- The widow of former Dundee United footballer Frank Kopel has said she is “totally ecstatic” the first minister has pledged to implement “Frank’s Law“. The new legislation will extend free personal care to under-65s with degenerative conditions.
- The Royal College of Psychiatrists has warned of an “enormous gulf” in the treatment of psychical and mental health, as new figures show the number of psychiatrists working in Scotland’s NHS has increased by just four staff members over the past five years.
ECONOMY
- Scotland’s private sector continued to grow in August, albeit at a slower rate than before, according to a Bank of Scotland survey.
ENERGY
- Wind farms in Scotland generated enough electricity in August to power nine out of ten of all Scottish households, new figures reveal.
- New figures from the UK’s Department for Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy have revealed offshore wind will generate cheaper energy than new nuclear power for the first time.
POLICING
- Police Scotland Chief Constable, Phil Gormley, has taken a temporary leave of absence after further accusations of bullying were made against him. The Chief Constable was already under investigation by the Police Investigations and Review Commissioner over earlier allegations.
TRANSPORT
- More than 2.6 million people have travelled on the Borders Railway since its opening two years ago according to new figures.
- Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton has urged traffic chiefs to reopen the Forth Road Bridge to accommodate the ‘tourist boom’ caused by the new Queensferry crossing.
COMING UP
- MPs will hold a key vote on the EU (Withdrawal) Bill tonight. The legislation aims to end EU law’s supremacy in the UK, converting all existing EU laws into domestic law.
