Scotland's papers: No indyref and tax cut vows in Tory leadership race
The Scotsman reports that two Tory candidates running to become the next prime minister have ruled out another Scottish independence referendum for at least a decade. Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid say it should be at least 10 years before another referendum is held, despite the Scottish government's plans to vote on the issue in October next year.
Another leadership candidate, Tom Tugendhat, said that the UK was more a Scottish union than an English one and that the SNP should not be allowed to "keep asking the same question hoping for a different answer", according to the Scottish Daily Mail.
Tom Tugendhat has branded the recent push for another referendum by the SNP a "cheap political play" to distract from the fact the party are failing on education and healthcare, reports The National.
The Metro leads on Sir Keir Starmer's claims the Labour party will prioritise growing the economy over allowing indyref2, should they come into power. The paper says he told members of the Scottish Parliamentary Journalists Association on Tuesday, prior to Boris Johnson's resignation as Prime Minister, that he would not grant a Section 30 order if he was Prime Minister.
Foreign Secretary Liz Truss is throwing her hat into the ring to become the next prime minister, the Daily Telegraph reports. Writing in the paper, she says she will cut tax from "day one", reverse the rise in National Insurance and overhaul business rates.
Priti Patel is likely to join the leadership race on Monday alongside the foreign secretary, the Times Scotland reports. The home secretary will make a final decision after taking soundings from Eurosceptic MPs, as supporters of Boris Johnson are deliberating whether to back Ms Truss or Ms Patel as they look for a candidate who can beat Rishi Sunak, the paper says.
The leadership race to replace Boris Johnson is "Sunak versus one of the rest", the i declares. It says the former chancellor is the favourite to win, but right wing Tory members are trying to block him.
Late-notice flight cancellations at Edinburgh and Glasgow airports tripled last month compared to before Covid, according to the Edinburgh Evening News. The paper says a report from aviation analytics firm, Cirium, showed passengers flying from Edinburgh suffered the third worst UK airport delays in June, which averaged 26 minutes and were more than twice as long as pre-pandemic. Cancellations are having a greater impact on travel because airlines are operating around one quarter fewer flights than in 2019.
The Daily Record reports that thousands of Scots have had their summer holiday plans ruined over a "mountain" of unprocessed passport applications. The paper says the Home Office is understood to have put up to 4000 applications from several months ago to the back of the queue, processing new applications first. Hundreds of people have been turning up at the Passport Office in Glasgow seeking answers, with some taking suitcases ahead of flights on the same day.
The Herald leads on a warning from MPs that half a million Scots could struggle to access cash due to the high rates of bank closures. The paper says the Scottish Affairs Committee's Access to Cash in Scotland report found that Scotland has the highest percentage loss of bank branches across the UK, with 53% closing since 2015. While many people now have access to online banking, it is estimated around 500,000 Scots rely on cash due to difficulties adapting to digital payments or for budgeting purposes.
Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi has hit back at allegations over his taxes and finances, the Scottish Daily Express says. The claims were "inaccurate and unfair", quotes the paper. The Express, like many papers, also features Novak Djokovic's win at Wimbledon, making it his 21st grand slam victory.
Parents have been warned that finances for 10 Highland Council school buildings to be upgraded over the next five years are facing severe pressure, according to The Press and Journal. The price of raw materials is expected to treble this year, having hit a 40 -year high last year, which the council says could derail the works.
A postman who left his Royal Mail colleague "for dead" after "crushing" his bike and leaving severely injured continued driving for 15 miles before alerting authorities, reports The Courier. The paper says 56-year-old Mike Haggart was cycling past Gloagburn Farm near Perth when he was struck by a Royal Mail van being driven by Peter Burt, 53.
The Evening Telegraph describes the heatwave the UK is experiencing as a Saharan "tongue of fire".
The Daily Star of Scotland says with temperatures expected to reach 33C on Monday, people will be tempted to skive off work. The paper says it could be hotter than Hawaii and it is due to be 41C by the weekend.
