Welcome to The Courier’s morning politics briefing — everything you need to know about politics in your region and across the country, before you start your day.
Top stories
- The boss of the Scottish Land Commission (SLC) has vowed to ensure communities are not left behind amid the rapid rise of a new generation of rural property owners who have been dubbed the “green lairds”.
- Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville says the Scottish Government is to spend £50 million to hire hundreds more teachers and pupil support assistants.
- Anonymously marked exam papers are still the best way of guaranteeing consistent standards in Scottish schools, a group of experts says.
- Dundee’s Little Scholars Day Nursery is standing by the boss at the centre of discrimination claims made by Humza Yousaf.
- A “New Zealand-style” co-operation deal between the SNP and Scottish Greens, which would likely see a Green MSP enter Government, is being mulled by civil servants, an email seen by the PA news agency claims.
What’s on today
- A UN panel will publish the world’s largest-ever report into climate change.
In case you missed it
- A group of Scotland’s leading universities, supported by the government and political parties, is to launch a new Scottish Council on Global Affairs to throw a spotlight on the country’s place in the world and help shape public policy.
- The prime minister almost drowned while on his summer holiday in Scotland after he was swept out to sea on a paddleboard, according to reports.
- Boris Johnson faced calls to return to Scotland and say sorry for “thanking” Margaret Thatcher for her legacy of coal mine closures.
- Opposition parties and the SNP are clashing over whether or not election promises for the first 100 days of government have been met.