9am Briefing: Hopes for new Government tonight as coalition talks continue

A FRESH round of talks aimed at forging a coalition to run the country was due to get under way today, with hopes that a new government could be in place by tonight.

Liberal Democrat MPs and peers met until after midnight to discuss their options after holding negotiations yesterday with both the Conservatives and Labour.

Speaking as the meeting broke up, party leader Nick Clegg said: "We are keen to settle things as soon as we can. I am as anxious as anyone else."

One senior Lib Dem source said a decision one way or another could come within 24 hours, describing today as "crunch time".

Missing office worker footage shown

FOOTAGE of the last-known movements of a missing office worker was being broadcast in Edinburgh city centre today.

Police say they are "gravely" concerned about the safety of 38-year-old bookkeeper Suzanne Pilley who failed to turn up for work a week ago.

Ms Pilley took the bus from her home in the Stenhouse area as usual last Tuesday morning but then disappeared.

Police will use a giant multimedia screen to show her journey to the city centre.

RBS jobs anger

ROYAL Bank of Scotland staff are being "put through the mill" following news that a further 2,600 UK jobs would be shed, a union boss has said.

RBS announced yesterday that 600 of its 2,100 retail banking headquarters staff – based at locations including Edinburgh – are to go as well as 2,000 jobs at its insurance arm which includes Direct Line, Green Flag, Churchill and Privilege and employs 16,000 people.

Unite officer Stuart Davies said it was "unreasonable" and "frustrating" for beleaguered staff who had survived recent culls to see their jobs back in the firing line, and he added there was "no doubt" further cuts would be in the pipeline.