Welcome to The Courier’s morning politics briefing, it’s everything you need to know about politics in your region, and across the country, before you start your day.
New this morning:
- First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will vow to hold a second independence referendum in the next parliament when she sets out her priorities for government, saying the people of Scotland not Boris Johnson will decide.
- Opposition leaders are calling for health secretary Humza Yousaf to take urgent action on spiralling waiting time lists.
Coming up today:
- Nicola Sturgeon is to set out her priorities for government at Holyrood, and is expected to highlight coronavirus recovery and Scottish independence.
- Leader of the Scottish Lib Dems Willie Rennie is to ask the first minister for an update on vaccine passports.
- Western Isles MSP Alasdair Allan is to ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the ongoing disruption to CalMac ferries.
- West Scotland MSP Pam Gosal is to speak at Holyrood and ask why the gap between college funding and expenditure in Scotland has grown to £54 million.
- Dominic Cummings is to give evidence on the UK Government’s coronavirus response to MPs, and is expected to attack Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s handling of the pandemic.
- Boris Johnson will take part in prime minister’s questions at the House of Commons.
In case you missed it:
- An SNP blueprint to improve social justice, co-written by Shona Robison, suggests decriminalising drugs, creating new land taxes and eradicating child poverty.
- The Scottish Government is “actively exploring” the future of a north-east education fund after its historic links to the slave trade were exposed.
