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Press and Journal morning politics briefing: Everything you need to know for June 30

Welcome to The Press and Journal’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

Maree Todd
  • The Scottish Government’s Public Health Minister Maree Todd has confirmed she has tested positive for Covid.
  • How the contentious debate over trans rights and gender identity looks likely to become one of the most defining of the new parliament.
  • EU nationals are being told “you’re welcome here and we want you to stay”, on deadline day to apply to stay in the country legally.
  • The row over the Cabinet Office’s use of Covid cash for Union polling ratcheted up a gear today, as Ian Blackford used a Commons debate to accuse ministers of “lying” to the public.
  • Airline operator easyJet is being urged to bring back a route between Aberdeen and Manchester after “chaos” during emergency Covid travel restrictions.

What’s on today?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson
  • Boris Johnson will face prime minister’s questions at Westminster.

 

In case you missed it

  • A surge of Covid cases in Scotland is “cause for concern” but there are no plans to reintroduce restrictions or abandon moves to ease those already in place, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
  • Scotland’s chief medical officer is urging people to “be patient” and “listen” if a Covid contact tracer gets in touch with them, after a rise in the number of tracers being abused.
  • A group of “idiots” filmed apparently grabbing and harassing UK Government Covid adviser Chris Whitty has been condemned by the prime minister and senior figures across politics including First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
  • Ian Blackford has insisted that the Scottish Government would decide the timing of a second independence referendum and not Westminster.
  • Both the Scottish and UK governments should “build bridges” rather than “fighting with each other”, Sir Ian Wood has said.