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

Camley’s cartoon

The Herald:

Camley finds Education Secretary John Swinney leaning towards a conclusion on Scotland’s poor showing in an international study of pupil performance. 

Front pages

The Herald:

In The Herald, home affairs correspondent Stephen Naysmith reports on a proposal from former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill to deal with the rising number of older people being jailed in Scotland. 

“Enemies of the Scottish people” is the headline in The National, reporting yesterday’s proceedings in the Supreme Court where a lawyer for the UK Government argued that Brexit was a reserved, foreign affairs matter. 

The Sun reports that Transport Minister Humza Yousaf has been caught driving without insurance. "I'm mortified" he tells the paper. 

“You’re failing our children” says the Mail, reporting on the Pisa school performance results, while the Times headline is "Scotland's schools are failing to make the grade". 

The Herald: In the Evening Times, Vivienne Nicoll reports on a wave of house building across Glasgow. 

“May goes into battle for Brexit” declares the Telegraph as it outlines today’s vote in the Commons (see Afore Ye Go); “May forced to reveal Brexit plan to head off Tory revolt” is the Guardian’s take. 

The FT says record low mortgage rates could be on the way out after HSBC withdrew its cheapest deal. 

FFS: Five in five seconds

What’s the story? It’s the first Brexit showdown in the Commons today. 

The first? Given the progress of Brexit from June poll result till now, no-one can fairly claim to have a route map for this journey. 

What’s happening today? The Government has tabled an amendment to a Labour motion, pledging to publish a plan for Brexit in return for MPs agreeing to trigger Article 50 next March. 

Why the sudden candour? To avoid a defeat; to force MPs to show their hand on Brexit; and offering to publish a plan does not tie the Government down to anything. There is even a get-out clause that there “should be no disclosure of material that could be reasonably judged to damage the UK in any negotiations”. 

SNP’s role? It has published its own amendment (below), calling for “a formal role” for the devolved administrations in Brexit, “including their agreement before Article 50 is triggered”. 

Afore Ye Go

The Herald:

36%

The proportion of SNP voters who backed Leave in the EU referendum, as revealed today in a new study by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen). The same number of Labour voters also backed Leave. The study’s key finding? It was the previously “politically disengaged” turning out in large numbers wot won it for Leave. Read UK political editor Michael Settle's story here. 

The Herald:

Protester Hazel Prowse burns an EU flag outside the Supreme Court in London on the second day of the Government's appeal against a ruling that the PM must seek MPs' approval to trigger Brexit. Victoria Jones/PA Wire.

Yet more evidence that the Supreme Court hearing is anything but dull as Lord Pannick, barrister for Gina Miller, who brought the case against the Government, is given a Smiths-themed Twitter tribute.

The Twitterati also has fun with PM Theresa May saying she wanted "a red, white and blue Brexit", as opposed to a hard or soft one.

The Herald:

£360m-£600m

The annual cost to the NHS in Scotland of treating obesity, Holyrood's Health and Sport Committee heard yesterday. Sean Gallup/Getty Images.

The Herald:

Angela Merkel won a new two-year term as leader of the Christian Democratic Union party yesterday, promising members that she would reduce the flow of migrants to Germany and ban full face veils “wherever legally possible”. AP Photo/Martin Meissner.

The Herald:

"Boeing is building a brand new 747 Air Force One for future presidents, but costs are out of control, more than 4 billion US dollars. Cancel order!”

One of the latest tweets from President-elect Donald Trump. Critics (below) questioned where he got the $4 billion figure while Boeing said it would be delivering “the best planes for the president at the best value for the American taxpayer”. Kevin Dietsch - Pool/Getty Images.

From Newsweek's Kurt Eichenwald

Watch it and weep.

Orkney Library wants a word with former Tory chief whip Gyles Brandreth over his taste in jumpers, and beards.

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow. Twitter: @alisonmrowat