BREXIT

• Scotland’s leading EU Expert, Kirsty Hughes, Director of the Scottish Centre on European Relations, has said a second independence referendum will surge on to the agenda if Britain plunges to a disastrous “no-deal” Brexit.
• A Scottish government report claims Scottish businesses have voiced their fears about the impact of Brexit on staffing, profitability and growth and that uncertainty is already affecting a number of sectors.
• The European Commissioner for science and innovation has said that university research funding worth billions of pounds to the UK “cannot exist” if free movement comes to an end, Theresa May and David Davis will head to Brussels today for ‘emergency’ Brexit talks, hoping to ease tensions ahead of the EU leaders’ summit later this week.

ECONOMY

• Edinburgh leads Scotland in terms of business activity according to new research and analysis from the Federation of Small Businesses.

TRANSPORT

• A new Sustrans Scotland report has revealed that more than one million Scots live in areas that are at risk of ‘transport poverty’.
• Scottish Ministers have accused HM Treasury of putting the development of Scotland’s railways at risk, through reducing spending levels for future rail projects by £800m.

HEALTH

• Thousands of patients are waiting more than an hour for an ambulance, figures obtained by the Scotsman reveal.
• The number of Scots who regularly exercise is 18% lower in deprived areas, the annual Scottish Household Survey has revealed.

EDUCATION

• According to the latest pupil census, the number of pupils being taught in class sizes larger than 30 has soared to more than 44,000 while the number of teachers has fallen.

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT

• Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed that the Scottish Government is to set up a publicly-owned, not-for-profit energy company that will sell energy to customers at “as close to cost price as possible”.
• Former SNP Deputy Leader Jim Sillars has said the party should rethink its attitude to fracking following the Scottish Government announcement of an “effective” ban on the method of extracting oil and gas.
• According to environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, one million Scots are living in “dirty communities” blighted by an increase in litter, graffiti and fly tipping.

COMING UP

• Scottish Labour leadership candidate Richard Leonard will launch his workers’ manifesto today.
• The Boundary Commission for Scotland’s revised proposals for UK parliamentary constituency boundaries will be published tomorrow.