SCOTTISH LABOUR LEADERSHIP

• It has been revealed that the party’s former Leader Kezia Dugdale gave her Deputy just 10 minutes notice before stepping down.
• Scottish Labour leadership candidate Anas Sarwar has relinquished his shares in his family’s wholesale business, following criticism that it did not pay all staff the real living wage.

POLITICS

• A cross-party group of pro and anti-independence MSPs has urged authorities in Spain to allow a referendum on Catalan independence. Writing to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, as well as political leaders in Catalonia, 18 Holyrood parliamentarians accused Madrid of flouting “the norms of European democracy”.

BREXIT

• In a key speech on Brexit, Theresa May has set out the UK’s position on how to move Brexit talks forward. The main points included a proposed two year transitional period and an indication of payment to the EU beyond Brexit.
• Scotland’s Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Brexit Minister Mike Russell will meet First Secretary of State Damian Green to hold a fresh round of talks on Brexit and the EU Withdrawal Bill.
• There will be no vote on contentious issues such as the future of single market membership at the Labour Party Conference. Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell has insisted the party is not ignoring Brexit, explaining that it was not chosen by local members and trade union members as one of the eight motions to be voted on.

ECONOMY

• New analysis from the Chartered Management Institute has found Scotland’s gender pay gap for managers is the lowest for any part of the UK, but still stands at around £8,000.

HEALTH

• Boots in Glasgow’s Central Station, Scotland’s busiest needle exchange for injecting drug users, is being forced to close by Network Rail, despite fears over a new HIV outbreak in the city.
• Meanwhile, HIV Scotland has called for compulsory sexual health lessons in schools over fears that youngsters are missing out on vital information to prevent HIV.

ENERGY

• Scottish Power’s Chief Executive has said Britain will need to boost its generation by about a quarter to meet the demand of electric cars and a predicted shift to electric heating.
• According to the UK Committee on Climate Change, an independent advisory body, Scotland’s draft climate change plan lacks credibility.

TRANSPORT

• Leading low fares airline Jet2 has banned the sale of alcoholon its flights before 8am and is calling on airports to follow suit after new figures revealed more than 120 people have been arrested at Scotland’s main hubs over the past 20 months.
• Glasgow is likely to introduce Scotland’s first low emission zone (LEZ) next year, banning buses which lack the cleanest diesel engines from the city centre. Bus firms have expressed anger and have warned fares could rise and services cut.
• City of Edinburgh Council has agreed the business case for extending Edinburgh trams to Leith with a final decision on the project due in autumn 2018.

COMING UP

• Brexit Secretary David Davis will lead the UK team of negotiators into their fourth round of talks with EU officials in Brussels today.
• Meanwhile Donald Tusk will meet with Theresa May in London.