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:
- Exclusive: SNP pledged to support the creation of the Dundee Eden Project, if re-elected in May.
- The Liberal Democrats have pledged to crackdown on flytippers as the scale of the problem is exposed in Tayside and Fife.
- The UK Government’s links with collapsed finance firm Greensill Capital are to come under further scrutiny as ministers continue to face questions over David Cameron’s lobbying affairs.
- The Institute for Fiscal Studies says the Scottish Government’s devolved tax and benefits system is more progressive than anywhere else in the UK – report.
- EU and UK hold talks over post-Brexit trade with Northern Ireland.
Coming up today:
- Nicola Sturgeon will launch the SNP election’s manifesto this morning, promising a “transformational” spending increase for the Scottish NHS.
- Coming up on Election Hub Live: As the SNP launches their manifesto we’re talking to the party’s Mid-Fife and Glenrothes candidate, Jenny Gilruth. And we’re taking a closer look at the road map out of lockdown for sports as parties disagree on how quickly it should happen. Watch live on our website or Facebook page at 2pm or catch the re/stream at any time.
- Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross and former leader Ruth Davidson are campaigning in Edinburgh with their party list vote campaign.
- Scottish Greens’ co-leader Patrick Harvie will visit the UK’s largest onshore windfarm to discuss a new deal for onshore wind.
- Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is campaigning in Govanhill to talk to locals and workers.
- George Galloway will meet voters and deliver a speech in New Lanark on behalf of his All For Unity party.
In case you missed it
- Greensill: MPs reject lobbying probe in wake of David Cameron row.
- Boris Johnson Scottish election visit ‘not likely‘.
- How MSPs are standing down ahead of Scottish election and what happens if they aren’t re-elected.
- Scottish Greens out to block government support for OGTC.
- Scottish Election 2021: Here’s what happened on the campaign trail on April 14.