SNP under pressure, blocking indyref2 unsustainable, Boris Johnson ‘confident’ about passing deal- Breakfast politics briefing

Nicola Sturgeon is facing pressure to back the Brexit deal agreed by Boris Johnson or risk a no-deal Brexit. Picture: PA

SNP under pressure to back Boris Johnson or risk no deal Brexit

Nicola Sturgeon is facing pressure to back the Brexit deal agreed by Boris Johnson or risk driving Scotland over the “no deal cliff-edge” she has warned against.

The SNP leader insisted yesterday that her MPs at Westminster will oppose the deal struck in Brussels by UK and EU negotiators.

The alternative now seems likely to be a “no deal” exit after EU President Jean Claude Juncker insisted that no further extension will be granted beyond 31 October. The Scottish Government has warned that the country’s economy would lose up to 80,000 jobs over a decade under this scenario, with GDP 5 per cent lower. (Read the full story in The Scotsman)

Blocking indyref2 indefinitely is unsustainable, think tank warns

The UK government risks undermining the “legitimacy” of the union if it continues to block a second independence referendum in all circumstances, a leading think tank has said.

The Institute for Government warns if there is a “clear majority” for a second vote on leaving the UK, it would be “counterproductive” for Boris Johnson to continue to reject the transfer of power which would allow a second referendum to be held.

SNP deputy leader Keith Brown welcomed the report, but pro-Union leaders said there is no majority support for another vote on leaving the UK.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon this week demanded that a referendum is held next year, but the call was again rejected by the UK government.(Read the full story in The Scotsman)

Boris Johnson ‘very confident’ MPs will back fresh Brexit deal

Boris Johnson has 24 hours to save his Brexit deal after he hammered out a last-minute compromise with the EU but lost the support of his DUP allies.

The Prime Minister must now win over Labour MPs and Conservatives he had thrown out of the parliamentary party in order to get his deal approved.

Opposition parties have threatened to force a referendum on the agreement when MPs gather at Westminster tomorrow for a knife-edge vote on the deal.

In a bid to help convince wavering MPs, EU Commission president Jean-Claude Juncker warned there would be “no prolongation”. (Read the full story in The Scotsman)

Brexit deal: Why does the DUP’s opinion matter?

On Thursday, the UK and EU announced news of a new Brexit deal - but Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) almost immediately rejected it.

It insists its 10 MPs will not vote for it in Parliament, meaning the government faces a massive challenge in getting enough other MPs on board.

Here’s how the new Brexit deal differs from Theresa May’s plan, why the DUP won’t vote for it - and why that matters. (Read the full story on the BBC)

On today’s agenda:

- A legal bid arguing Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal is unlawful and attempting to prevent it being voted on by MPs is set to be heard at Scotland’s highest civil court.

- Jobs in the Scotch whisky industry may be put at risk and sales could drop by 20% within a year due to new tariffs on exports to the US, it is claimed.

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