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.
New this morning
- The Stooshie Diary: MSPs return to Holyrood amid the calm after the storm.
- Scottish Government urged to expand pilot of four-day working week.
- Education experts say Curriculum for Excellence must be ‘radically simplified’.
- Coffey resists calls from UK nations to keep £20 Universal Credit increase.
- Taliban and UK officials open talks over allowing people to leave Afghanistan.
Coming up today
- Nicola Sturgeon is expected to update MSPs later today amid a growing number of positive Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations in Scotland.
- A trade body representing the UK’s oil and gas industry has called for investment in new oil and gas fields as the country tries to eliminate net emissions in the next three decades.
- People in Scotland will be able to self-identify their sex in next year’s census, official guidance has said.
- Greenpeace is taking the UK Government to court over its decision to grant an oil permit to BP to drill in the Vorlich field, with proceedings set to start at the Edinburgh Court of Session.
In case you missed it
- We do not have the money to provide support for another lockdown, Forbes warns.
- Finance Secretary Kate Forbes self-isolating after close contact alert.
- Jason Leitch ‘hopeful’ Christmas won’t be cancelled in 2021 amid rising cases.
- Nicola Sturgeon claims independence referendum ‘undeniable’ as Greens enter government.
- From oil and gas to Highland trains: MSPs tell Nicola Sturgeon to deliver.
- Former Thatcher government minister admits industrial decline was not handled well.
- Top aide to Nicola Sturgeon has moved to new civil service job.