STV Scottish leaders' election debate LIVE: John Swinney, Douglas Ross, Anas Sarwar and Alex Cole Hamilton debate the NHS, economy, North Sea oil and gas, independence and more
Party leaders John Swinney, Douglas Ross, Anas Sarwar and Alex Cole-Hamilton are going up against each other in the Monday night STV debate
It's more bad news for the Tories in the polls
The build-up to the debate hasn’t made for great reading for Scottish Tories leader Douglas Ross.
A YouGov mega-poll published at 5pm showed Sir Keir Starmer on course for the biggest general election victory in a century.
The Labour leader is set to secure a historic majority of 194 seats, according to the poll, with his party projected to return 422 MPs to the Commons - while the Conservatives are on course for their tally to be reduced to just 140 MPs.
You can read our full coverage of the poll right here.
How to watch tonight's STV leaders' debate
Welcome to our live coverage of tonight’s STV leaders’ debate
Not sure how to tune in - outside of following our live blog, of course?
The first televised debate of the 2024 general election starts from 9pm on STVE, with the leaders from each of the UK’s four biggest political parties appearing together in a 90-minute session.
Taking part will be the SNP leader John Swinney (Perthshire North), Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross (Highlands and Islands Region), Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar (Glasgow region) and Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
The debate can be watched on air on STV and can also be accessed on the STV Player.
Black Lace singer Colin Gibb, best known for novelty hit Agadoo, has been remembered as “a great friend” after his death at the age of 70. The group first found fame in 1979 when they competed in the Eurovision Song Contest with their song Mary Ann. They also enjoyed a novelty hit with Do The Conga in 1989, but it is 1984’s Agadoo that was their biggest hit and a staple of weddings, parties and discos for many years. A statement from the group’s management NOW Music to the PA news agency said: “Unfortunately Colin passed away unexpectedly yesterday afternoon. “He’d recently announced his departure from the entertainment industry and was looking forward to enjoying his retirement with his with wife Susan. “We are all deeply shocked and saddened by the news. Colin was the founder member of Black Lace, together with Alan Barton and they had huge hits through the 80s. “Colin was a great friend and will be sadly missed.”
The Scottish village which had a ‘pivotal’ role in secret preparations for D-Day landings
Situated on a quiet stretch of coastline in Dumfries and Galloway, the peaceful village of Garlieston does not look like a place that played a crucial role in the Second World War.
But for anyone arriving in the village, the road sign proclaiming Garlieston the “birthplace of the Mulberry Harbour 1943” gives a hint of the important part it played in the Normandy landings.
Read more here.
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross is set to use the General Election campaign to urge the Scottish Government to cap bus fare journeys at £2. The scheme is currently in effect for single journeys south of the border, excluding London, and is so far expected to run until the end of 2024. However, with transport devolved to Scotland, Mr Ross will urge the SNP-led Scottish Government to “get on board” with the plans currently in place in England. During a visit to a bus depot in Glasgow ahead of the first General Election TV debate, Mr Ross said his party will demand the SNP focus on the priorities of Scotland, including “improving public transport”.
The cost of your next flight is likely to go up, according to industry leaders.
While carriers recover from the groundings worldwide from the coronavirus pandemic, there are several costs likely to push ticket prices ever higher, according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which held its annual meeting in Dubai.
Part of the problem stems from worldwide inflation, an ongoing problem since the pandemic started.
Jet fuel costs, roughly a third of all airline expenses, remain high.
Friends and fans of Rob Burrow have paid tribute to the "unassuming lad with a superhero origin story" following his death aged 41.
Well-wishers gathered outside Headingley Stadium in Yorkshire, the home of his team Leeds Rhinos, on Monday morning to pay their respects, laying flowers, scarves and other tributes.
Burrow's death was confirmed by Leeds on Sunday, following a lengthy and high-profile battle with motor neurone disease (MND).
Kemi Badenoch has said that "changing your clothes doesn't change who you are" as she set out the Tories' pledge to change the Equality Act so that sex is defined only as someone's biological sex. But the women and equalities minister could not say what what kind of paperwork people would need to show to use single-sex spaces under the plans. Ms Badenoch could not answer questions on whether someone's original birth certificate - or one amended after a legally-recognised gender change - would define biological sex in such cases.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.