The Herald:

Hello and welcome to The Midge, the e-bulletin that takes a bite out of politics in Scotland and elsewhere. 

Today

  • Questions over firm in £10billion Scotland-China deal 
  • PM under pressure over late father’s tax arrangements
  • Scottish Leave campaign promises power boost from Brexit
  • Wales’ First Minister takes steel plea to Downing Street
  • Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie to be quizzed by Herald readers

06.00 BBC Today headlines

Cameron urged to act on British territories as tax havens … Panama launches investigation into law firm Mossack Fonseca … Calls for Icelandic PM to resign … Javid meets steel magnate … MPs accuse government of appearing to downgrade human rights … Palace of Holyroodhouse and Windsor Castle set for £37m public areas makeover … Royal Mail issues Shakespeare stamps. 

07.00 BBC Good Morning Scotland headlines

Cameron ... Powers boost from Brexit claim ... France prepares security for Euro 2016 ... BBC poll shows voters prioritise NHS ... Human rights... Holyroodhouse. 

Front pages

The Herald:

In The Herald, Daniel Sanderson looks at the deal between a Chinese firm and the Scottish Government, while Kate Devlin at Westminster reports on the row over the tax arrangements of David Cameron’s late father. 

The Cameron taxes, and the Panama Papers data leak from which the story came, dominate the front pages. The Mail says the PM has been “dragged” into a tax havens storm; the Guardian and the Times look at the global fallout from the disclosure of 11.5 million documents; the Daily Record urges the world to “wake up and smell the corruption”. 

The National talks to the carer who has come forward to claim “sole responsibility” for the Indycamp at Holyrood as the parliament’s legal bid to remove protestors continues. 

The Herald: Dog walkers have been put on alert over fears that poisoned meat is being left in parks, says the Evening Times

The Sun says Channel 4 is “censoring” a Rangers mug shown on the coffee table of the new Scots family on Gogglebox. 

The FT reports that Airbus has written to its staff to warn about the risks of Brexit, while a Telegraph headline declares “Project Fear is working” as a poll for the paper shows Remain now has a narrow lead. 

Camley’s cartoon

The Herald:

Camley casts an eye over the proposed £10bn deal between the Scottish Government and a Chinese firm. 

The Herald:

Need to know

THE personal is political is the message being sent by the media today as the Panama Papers continue to give up their hitherto secret details about the tax affairs of the fabulously rich and famous. 

The biggest story domestically concerns the fresh revelations, set out by The Herald’s Kate Devlin today, about the setting up by David Cameron’s late father of a firm in Panama which did not pay taxes in the UK for 30 years. 

Given the money left to Mr Cameron by his father, the question now being asked, summed up by the Mirror’s front page, is: “So, do you STILL have family money stashed in a secret offshore tax haven, Prime Minister?” 

Had parliament been in session, Mr Cameron might have been expected to face some rough and tumble at PMQs tomorrow. As it is, Mr Corbyn used a speech to tell the PM to “stop pussyfooting around” and launch a crackdown. While it had been thought he would leave it to others to raise questions about the Cameron family finances, he has called for an inquiry into all those Britons named in the Panama Papers, which would include the PM's father. Downing Street continues to say that it is a “private matter”. 

One consolation for the PM is that the heat around his family’s tax affairs is as nothing compared to the controversy surrounding the Icelandic prime minister, Sigmundur Gunnlaugsson, who stands accused of not declaring massive holdings in an offshore company. While Mr Gunnlaugsson insists he has done nothing wrong, a crowd of 10,000 which gathered outside the parliament in Reykjavik last night begged to differ. 

Afore ye go

The Herald: Tom Harris is under fire for berating voters for being miserable

"Tom Harris is a newspaper columnist.”

Scots Labour leader Kezia Dugdale in response to claims by Mr Harris (above), also a former Labour MP and now director of the Scottish Vote Leave campaign, that she was “watering down” the party’s position on independence. 

The Herald:

“The Scottish Parliament was once referred to as the rainbow parliament because of the array of party colours represented. While the number of Greens and socialists might have fallen back, the diversity of our Parliament remains. In fact, it's now considered the gayest Parliament in the world.”

Ms Dugdale said she has been “bowled over” by the support she has received since saying she was in love with a woman. Daily Record. Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

The Herald:

"He has made mistakes. If you have done 32 years as a backbencher, no experience of the front bench, let alone leadership, it is a difficult transition.”

Labour’s candidate for London mayor, Sadiq Khan (above), gives his views on Jeremy Corbyn to spin doctor turned interviewer Alastair Campbell. GQ. Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images

The Herald:

"Our policies are designed to provide a great experience for users and developers. That's why we remove apps from Google Play that violate those policies.”

A statement from Google after it was discovered the Taliban had placed a smartphone app, including speeches, in the tech giant’s Google Play store.  Above, surrendering Taliban militants in Herat, Afghanistan, 2010. Majid Saeedi/Getty Images

The Herald:

You could see Grammy winner Adele at Glastonbury, from June 22 to 26, or, appearing on another stage, you could listen to Jeremy Corbyn… Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images

The Herald:

"I was horrified to read that Jane Fonda cries every time she thinks about her age. I thought 'Silly woman, get out and do something’."

High-kicking former newsreader Angela Rippon (above). Chris Jackson/Getty Images for Sentebale)

The Herald:

“B******s”

The views of one member of the teaching profession as Nick Gibb, England’s schools minister (above, second from right), told the Association of Teachers and Lecturers conference schools could “flourish” as academies. Dr Mary Bousted, ATL general secretary, said later: “It was quite a hostile reception.”  Gareth Fuller - WPA Pool/Getty Images

The Herald:

“Because I had been born into the British governing class, because I knew a lot of people of an influential standing, I knew that they would never get too tough with me.”

Kim Philby tells Stasi agents how he got away with treachery. Via BBC.  Above, former Stasti prison, now a museum, in Berlin. Carsten Koall/Getty Images

The Herald: Author Fay Weldon, who is writing about the 1900s

“I think you can have two out of three – a family, a career and a love life – but very seldom three.”

The multi-career, three times married Fay Weldon on having it all, or not. Daily Mirror

Diary

  • 12.00: Willie Rennie of the Scottish Liberal Democrats takes your questions in a live webchat at www.facebook.com/heraldscotland
  • Kirkwall: SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon visits Pickaquoy Centre.
  • Edinburgh: Institute and Faculty of Actuaries to hold European Union referendum debate. Speakers include Jim Sillars, former deputy leader of the SNP, and former deputy leader of the Commons, Nigel Griffiths.
  • PM steel summit with Wales FM Jones. 

Thank you for reading. See you tomorrow.