In today’s newsletter: the UK supreme court shot down a legal attempt to force another vote. But that doesn’t mean the SNP is out of options
Good morning.
Yesterday, the UK’s supreme court unanimously ruled that the Scottish government cannot hold a vote on independence without permission from Westminster – something four consecutive prime ministers have refused to give the Scottish government. But going to the courts was just one route, among many, that the SNP were taking to make Indyref2 a reality, and they were prepared for an unfavourable outcome.
Michelle Mone | The Conservative peer and her children secretly received £29m originating from the profits of a PPE business that was awarded large government contracts after she recommended it to ministers, documents seen by the Guardian indicate.
NHS | Ambulance crews could not respond to almost one in four 999 calls last month – the most ever – because so many were tied up outside A&Es waiting to hand patients over, dramatic new NHS figures show.
Water | A report from Surfers Against Sewage has found that water companies have been dumping sewage on to beaches and rivers even when it is not raining. The report showed that 146 dry spills had been detected over a 12-month period.
Shamima Begum | Shamima Begum would face the death penalty if sent to Bangladesh, her parents’ country of origin, and is now effectively stateless, a court has heard. The court was told that then home secretary, Sajid Javid, did not consider the consequences of removing her UK citizenship.
Housing | Michael Gove has announced that the Rochdale housing association, where two-year-old Awaab Ishak died from exposure to black mould, will have its funding cut by £1m. Gove added that he would block new funding to other housing providers who were found to be failing their tenants.
Here’s a deeply enjoyable feature wheeze: the people clinging on to old tech, from BlackBerries to typewriters. I can get my head round most of it, but Lisa from Missouri’s abiding love for fax machines will forever be beyond my understanding. Archie
This piece by Erica Berry was a wonderful reminder of how fostering connections can change our lives for the better. Looking back at her own experiences, she explores the beauty and fun in intergenerational friendships. Nimo
Henry Hill, deputy editor of ConservativeHome, has a good piece explaining the unease within Tory ranks over theoretical claims of a Swiss-style deal with the EU but much more besides. The key line: “MPs never really bought into anything one might call ‘Sunakism’”. Archie
Tomorrow is Black Friday and with it comes the advent of sales season. Brittney Rigby has a great guide on how to navigate the Black Friday sales during a cost of living crisis. Nimo
As rumbles about pressure on Ukraine to seek peace talks continue, this Intelligencer piece by Eric Levitz is a smart, even-handed summary of the six questions anyone seeking to influence Kyiv needs to be able to answer. Archie
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