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Gaetz's withdrawal highlights how incoming presidents often lose Cabinet nominees MARTIN, Tenn. (AP) — Losing a Cabinet nominee to the confirmation process isn’t unheard of for incoming presidents — including for Donald Trump when he was elected the first time. Matt Gaetz’s decision to pull his name Thursday from consideration for attorney general — amid continued fallout over a federal sex trafficking investigation — represents the first indication of resistance that the president-elect could face from his own party to picks facing allegations of sexual misconduct or other questions. Other Trump picks have drawn negative attention as well, including Pete Hegseth for defense secretary and Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence. Vance takes on a more visible transition role as he works to boost Trump's most controversial picks WASHINGTON (AP) — After several weeks working behind closed doors, Vice President-elect JD Vance returned to Capitol Hill this week in a new, more visible role. He's been helping Donald Trump’s most contentious Cabinet picks try to win confirmation in the Senate, where he has served for the last two years. Vance spent part of Wednesday at the Capitol with Rep. Matt Gaetz sitting in on meetings with Trump’s controversial choice for attorney general. On Thursday, Vance was back, this time accompanying Pete Hegseth. Vance is expected to accompany other nominees for meetings over the coming weeks as he tries to leverage the two years he has spent in the Senate to help push through Trump’s picks. Beyond evangelicals, Trump and his allies courted smaller faith groups, from the Amish to Chabad Donald Trump’s lock on the white evangelical vote is legendary, but he didn't focus exclusively on large religious voter blocs. He and his allies also wooed smaller religious groups, away from the mainstream. He posted a tribute to Coptic church members on social media and met with members of Assyrians for Trump — two smaller Christian communities with Middle Eastern roots. He visited the grave of the revered late leader of an Orthodox Jewish movement. His allies sought votes from the separatist Amish community. While Trump won decisively, the outreaches reflected aggressive campaigning in what was expected to be a tight race. NATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with a hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war. Ukraine's parliament canceled a session Friday over the security threat. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech Thursday that the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Putin said Russia is launching production of the Oreshnik, saying it's so powerful that several of them fitted with conventional warheads could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Texas education board approves optional Bible-infused curriculum for elementary schools AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas’ education board has voted to allow Bible-infused teachings in elementary schools. The approval Friday follows other Republican-led states that have pushed this year to give religion a larger presence in public classrooms. The curriculum adopted by the Texas State Board of Education is optional for schools to adopt, but they’ll receive additional funding if they do so. Parents and teachers who opposed the curriculum say the lessons will alienate students of other faith backgrounds. Supporters argue the Bible is a core feature of American history and that teaching it will enrich learning. 2 men convicted of charges related to human smuggling after scheme led to an Indian family’s death FERGUS FALLS, Minn. (AP) — A prosecution spokesperson says a jury has convicted two men of charges related to human smuggling for their roles in an international operation that led to the deaths of a family of Indian migrants who froze while trying to cross the Canada-U.S. border during a 2022 blizzard. Harshkumar Ramanlal Patel and Steve Shand each faced four charges related to human smuggling before being convicted Friday. Patel is an Indian national. Shand is an American from Florida. They were arrested after the family froze while trying to cross the desolate border during a 2022 blizzard. Northern California gets record rain and heavy snow. Many have been in the dark for days in Seattle FORESTVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A major storm with heavy snow and record rain that's moving through Northern California has toppled trees, closed roads and prompted evacuations in some areas after knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people in Washington and Oregon. Forecasters warn that the risk of flash flooding and rockslides will continue through Friday. The National Weather Service has extended a flood watch for areas north of San Francisco as a plume of moisture known as an atmospheric river inundates Northern California and the Pacific Northwest. Up to 16 inches of rain is forecast in Northern California and southwestern Oregon. The storm system unleashed winds earlier this week that left two people dead and hundreds of thousands without power in Washington. Colorado funeral home owners accused of letting 190 bodies decay plead guilty to corpse abuse COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Colorado funeral home owners accused of stashing 190 decaying bodies and giving grieving families fake ashes have pleaded guilty to corpse abuse. Jon and Carie Hallford entered the plea on Friday. Prosecutors say the owners of the Return to Nature funeral home began improperly storing bodies in a building outside Colorado Springs as far back as 2019. They allege the couple gave grieving families dry concrete in place of their loved ones’ cremains. Over the years, the Hallfords spent lavishly, buying luxury cars and laser body sculpting. That ended when the bodies were discovered last year. Archaeologists discover 4,000-year-old canals used to fish by predecessors of ancient Maya WASHINGTON (AP) — Using drones and Google Earth imagery, archaeologists have discovered a 4,000-year-old network of earthen canals in what’s now Belize. The research published Friday in Science Advances shows that long before the ancient Maya built temples, their predecessors were already altering the landscape of Central America’s Yucatan peninsula. The ancient fish canals were used to channel and catch freshwater species such as catfish. These structures were used for around 1,000 years — including during the “formative” period when the Maya began to settle in permanent farming villages and a distinctive culture started to emerge. Noodles and wine are the secret ingredients for a strange new twist in China's doping saga Blame it on the noodles. That's what one Chinese official suggested when anti-doping leaders were looking for answers for the doping scandal that cast a shadow over this year's Olympic swim meet. Earlier this year, reports that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned heart medication emerged. None were sanctioned because Chinese authorities determined the swimmers were contaminated by traces of the drug spread about a hotel kitchen. In a strange twist, the leader of China's anti-doping agency suggested this case could have been similar to one in which criminals were responsible for tainting noodles that were later eaten by another Chinese athlete who also tested positive for the drug.

Politics News Today Live Updates: In today’s complex political climate, understanding the latest developments is essential. Our Politics News delivers comprehensive coverage of government actions, policy changes, and significant political events both nationally and globally. Whether it’s legislative reforms, political debates, or diplomatic talks, we provide in-depth analysis and timely updates to keep you informed. Our goal is to offer a clear perspective on the issues, leaders, and decisions that impact daily life, connecting you to the heart of political discourse and ensuring you stay informed about the matters that shape society. Politics News News Today Live: Mamata Banerjee to visit Sandeshkhali for first time since sexual harassment row: What's expected to happen?ANDERSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio -- Bengals quarterback 's home was broken into during Monday night's game against the Cowboys in the latest home burglary of a pro athlete in the U.S., authorities said Tuesday. No one was injured in the break-in, but the home was ransacked, according to a report provided by the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office. Deputies weren't immediately able to determine what items were stolen. A person who is employed by Burrow arrived at the Anderson Township home Monday night to find a shattered bedroom window and the home in disarray. The person called their mother, and then 911 was contacted, according to the report. Deputies reached out to neighbors in an attempt to piece together surveillance footage. "Our investigators are exploring every avenue," public information officer Kyla Woods said. The homes of Chiefs stars and were broken into in October. In the NBA, Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis had his home broken into Nov. 2, and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley's home was burglarized on Sept. 15 while he was at a game. Portis had offered a $40,000 reward for information. The NFL and NBA issued security alerts to players after those break-ins, urging them to take additional precautions to secure their homes. In league memos previously obtained by The Associated Press, the NFL said homes of professional athletes across multiple sports have become "increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups." The NBA revealed that the FBI has connected some burglaries to "transnational South American Theft Groups" that are "reportedly well-organized, sophisticated rings that incorporate advanced techniques and technologies, including pre-surveillance, drones, and signal jamming devices." Some of the burglary groups have conducted extensive surveillance on targets, including attempted home deliveries and posing as grounds maintenance or joggers in the neighborhood, according to officials.

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The move could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election by a top court. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in Romania’s 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party (PSD) the centre-right National Liberal Party (PNL), the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. It caps a month-long period of turmoil in which far-right nationalists made significant gains in a parliamentary election on December 1 a week after a first-round presidential race saw the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu emerge as the front-runner. “It will not be an easy mandate for the future government,” Mr Ciolacu, whose PSD party topped the polls in the parliamentary election, said in a statement. “We are aware that we are in the midst of a deep political crisis,” he said. “It is also a crisis of trust, and this coalition aims to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people.” Romania’s 16 ministerial positions will be shared among the parties, which will hold a slim majority in the legislature. It is widely seen as a tactical partnership to shut out far-right nationalists whose voices found fertile ground amid high living costs and a sluggish economy. Mr Ciolacu, who came third in the first-round presidential ballot despite polls indicating he would win the most votes, has served as prime minister since June 2023. After parliament’s approval, President Klaus Iohannis swore in the new government and warned the new Cabinet that it is entering a “difficult new period” in which “for many Romanians, there are major concerns”. Romania was plunged into turmoil after Mr Georgescu’s surprise success in the presidential race, after allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged. Days before the December 8 run-off, the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the presidential race. “We go through complicated times, but I think we all learned from mistakes of the past,” Mr Ciolacu said. “I hope that together with my colleagues in the coalition, we’ll find the best solutions to get past the challenges we have in front of us.” Mr Ciolacu said that the new government would aim to quickly organise the rerun of the presidential election in which the new coalition has agreed to put forward an agreed common pro-European candidate. Cristian Andrei, a political consultant based in Bucharest, said that the new government made up of the same political parties will likely embrace “soft populist” rhetoric such as economic patriotism, anti-austerity, and a peace solution in neighbouring Ukraine to counter the rise of far-right populism. “This will be a way to answer the concerns of many Romanians who voted for populists... but will not solve the fundamental problem of trust,” he said. “The only decisive factor now will be who and how convincing the pro-European candidates will be against this popular revolt.” George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which came second in the parliamentary election, said that all politicians from his party on Monday would vote against the Ciolacu government. In 2021, the PSD and the PNL also formed an unlikely but increasingly strained coalition together with UDMR, which exited the Cabinet last year after a power-sharing dispute.

Super Clash: Kotoko coach Prosper Ogum counting on players’ self-belief for victory against HeartsJamie McGrath insists he is not worried about Aberdeen’s poor record at Tynecastle. The Dons travel back to Edinburgh on Sunday to face Hearts following their 3 The home of the Jambos has not been a happy hunting ground for Aberdeen who have failed to win on their last 11 league visits to Tynecastle. The Dons’ last win at Hearts was on May 7, 2015 when Adam Rooney and Anthony O’Connor netted in a 2-1 victory. McGrath, however, is not concerned about his club’s recent record there. The Dons midfielder said: “We look forward to it. It’s a really nice stadium and a great place to play football. We have to try not to let this affect us too much. “I don’t think it’s anything you’d really think about going into any game. It’s a one-off game so I don’t think history or that comes into it for us anyway. “No doubt it’s a tricky place to go and results in the past have shown that so we’re going to have to be on it. “We’re really going to have to be on it to come away with points.” McGrath staying focused on the positives It has been a tough week for Jimmy Thelin’s side with one point to show from their two away trips to St Mirren and Hibernian. The dramatic conclusion at Easter Road meant the point gained felt like a defeat after Aberdeen conceded twice in stoppage time to draw 3-3 with the Hibees. However, McGrath remains focused on the bigger picture. He said: “We have still had a really good start. “We know it’s a tricky week with three away games and three tough places to go. We’re not getting worried about that. “We’re taking it one game at a time. We have to focus on the positives from Hibs. We didn’t get beat after going one behind. “It’s positive and I’m looking forward to going into Sunday now. We just have to recover well, sleep and eat right, and try to get all the bodies back fit again for Sunday. “We can obviously be disappointed at drawing with Hibs but we can’t let it drag us out for the next few days leading into it. “Focus on the positives and try to create positive energy around the place again. I look forward to Sunday.” ‘We can’t let it affect us’ McGrath was involved in the dramatic draw at Easter Road which saw Hibs level the game in injury time at 2-2 only to fall behind to Ester Sokler’s overhead kick before equalising again. Failing to win the game was a sore one to take for the Dons but the former Wigan Athletic, Dundee United and St Mirren attacker insists his side cannot dwell on the outcome. He said: “To be honest I thought that was it (when Sokler scored). I thought that was the game up to the clock and there was 30 seconds left. As a collective we just have to defend better. “I think the front four were probably too high and we knew the ball was coming long. “As a group we just didn’t defend our box good enough and ultimately you get punished. “It’s a very harsh lesson to learn but to win games in this league you have to do everything you can for the full 96 minutes. “To have the three points in your hand and not come away with it is a tough feeling. “The bottom line is we’re disappointed, but we can’t let it affect us now going into Sunday.” Midfielder proud of character shown at Easter Road Tuesday’s game was one McGrath is unlikely to forget in a hurry but the Republic of Ireland international insists the Dons must focus on the positives. He said: “It was up there alright, the highs and lows. One minute you’re on top of the world and celebrating with the fans and the next you’re obviously at the bottom. “We know the first half probably wasn’t good enough and I know we had the three points in our hands so it’s going to feel like a defeat. “But the important thing was we didn’t lose and we have to take the positives and try to stay as positive as we can. “When you go one behind at Easter Road it’s a tricky place to be and I thought we showed really good character in the second half. “We created some really good chances, played some really good stuff. We looked a lot more like ourselves and dangerous in transitions. “To score three goals away from home is encouraging but to not get three points after scoring three goals away from home leaves a sour taste in your mouth. “We just have to stay positive. We knew it was going to be a tough week. Another tough game now to come so we’re looking forward to it.”Arlo technologies general counsel sells shares worth $1.03 million

Siemens reviewing Healthineers majority stake, CFO tells HandelsblattTAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Jake Evans scored for the career-high fifth consecutive game and the surging Montreal Canadiens beat the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-2 on Sunday night. Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia, Brendan Gallagher and Alex Newhook also scored to help the Canadiens win for the fifth time in six games. Sam Montembeault made 21 saves. Nikita Kucherov and Brandon Hagel scored for Tampa Bay. Jonas Johansson stopped 31 shots. Newhook opened the scoring on a one-timer midway through the first period. Hagel tied it 37 seconds into the second period, but Dvorak and Evans scored 5:54 apart in the period for a two-goal Montreal lead they would not relinquish. SABRES 4, BLUES 2 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Jason Zucker scored a tiebreaking power-play goal with 9:30 remaining and Buffalo notched their third straight victory by beating St. Louis. Jiri Kulich extended Buffalo’s lead with a breakaway goal that went between Blues goalie Jordan Binnington’s legs with 3:41 to play. Tage Thompson had a goal and an assist against his former team as the Sabres won in St. Louis for just the second time in 12 years to sweep the season series. Zucker had a goal and an assist, and Jack Quinn had two assists for Buffalo. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 35 shots. Brayden Schenn and Nathan Walker scored for the Blues. Binnington had 12 saves. Buffalo scored on two of its first three shots, including its first of the game. DUCKS 5, OILERS 3 ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Ryan Strome scored with 2:36 remaining as Anaheim rallied from a two-goal deficit in the second period to defeat Edmonton. Strome’s goal, his sixth of the season, originally wasn’t called, but it was reversed after a review. Strome’s shot was entirely over the goal line before Edmonton goalie Calvin Pickard could stop it with his skate. Mason McTavish added an empty-net goal. It is the first time since March 30, 2019, the Ducks have defeated the Oilers by more than one goal. Cutter Gauthier, McTavish and Robby Fabbri each had a goal and an assist. Drew Helleson also scored for Anaheim, which snapped a seven-game losing streak to Edmonton. Lukas Dostal made 20 saves. Leon Draisaitl had two goals and Connor McDavid two assists for the Oilers, who were 3-0-1 in their past four. Evan Bouchard also tallied a goal and Pickard stopped 27 shots. RED WINGS 4, CAPITALS 2 DETROIT (AP) — Patrick Kane reached the 1,300-point mark and Todd McLellan won for the first time as Detroit’s coach in their victory over Washington. Kane, who needed two points to reach that mark, had a power-play goal and assist during Detroit’s four-goal first period. Alex DeBrincat scored two goals and Lucas Raymond added another as the Red Wings snapped a four-game losing streak. Alex Lyon made 26 saves. McLellan replaced Derek Lalonde prior to Friday’s loss to Toronto . Alex Ovechkin scored for the second consecutive game after missing the previous 16 due to a fractured fibula . The Capitals star forward is 25 goals shy of passing Wayne Gretzky’s NHL record of 894 . Nic Dowd had the other Capitals goal. Charlie Lindgren made 23 saves but Washington remained one point behind first-place New Jersey in the Eastern Conference. PENGUINS 3, ISLANDERS 2 PITTSBURGH (AP) — Sidney Crosby broke Mario Lemieux’s Pittsburgh franchise career record for assists on Michael Bunting’s power-play goal and the Penguins beat New York. Crosby has 1,034 assists, good for 12th in NHL history. Only three players — Ray Bourque, Wayne Gretzky and Steve Yzerman — have more assists with a single team. The 37-year-old Crosby has played 1,310-regular-season games. Lemieux played 915. Evgeni Malkin added the deciding power-play goal in the third for Pittsburgh, which has 14 goals with the man advantage in its last 13 games. Anthony Beauvillier also scored to help the Penguins win for the seventh time in their last eight home games. Alex Nedeljkovic made 29 saves in his first start since Dec. 17. Kris Letang missed the game because of a lower-body injury, and defenseman Nathan Clurman made his NHL debut. Anders Lee and Bo Horvat scored third-period goals for the Islanders, who fell behind 3-0 before their rally fell short. Marcus Hogberg stopped 38 shots during his first start since April 28, 2021. GOLDEN KNIGHTS 3, FLAMES 0 LAS VEGAS (AP) — Brett Howden scored his 15th goal of the season and Ilya Samsonov stopped 31 shots as Vegas Golden defeated Calgary. Howden redirected defenseman Alex Pietrangelo’s shot from the top of the slot late in the second period and is now tied with Ivan Barbashev for the team lead in goals. Howden has scored a goal in four of the last five games. Victor Olofsson and Tanner Pearson also scored for the Golden Knights, who have shut out Calgary twice this season, beating them 5-0 on Oct. 28 . Dan Vladar made 34 saves for Calgary. The Golden Knights have now won six straight, the longest active win streak in the NHL, while improving to 25-8-3 on the year. They own a 13-2-1 record against Pacific Division opponents. SENATORS 3, WILD 1 ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Josh Norris broke a tie on a power play with 7:18 left, Leevi Merilainen made 30 saves in his fifth NHL game and Ottawa beat Minnesota. Ottawa has won seven of its past nine games, while the Wild have lost five of their past seven. The Senators won in Minnesota for the first time since 2016. With starter Linus Ullmark and backup Anton Forsberg out with injuries, the Senators have been relying on Merilainen and Mads Sogaard since before the NHL holiday break. Frederick Gaudreau opened the scoring for Minnesota late in the first period. Ridly Greig tied it early in the second. Claude Giroux added an empty-netter. STARS 5, BLACKHAWKS 1 CHICAGO (AP) — Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn each had a goal and two assists, and Dallas beat Chicago. Jason Robertson, Evgenii Dadonov and Wyatt Johnston each had a goal and an assist for Dallas, which had lost three of four. Jake Oettinger made 24 saves. Chicago dropped its fourth consecutive game. It lost three of four in its season series against Dallas. Connor Bedard scored his 10th goal for the Blackhawks, and Arvid Soderblom made 26 stops. Next up for Bedard and company is the Winter Classic on Tuesday against St. Louis. Dallas grabbed control after Chicago forward Tyler Bertuzzi was ejected 8:11 into the second period. Bertuzzi was sent off for elbowing Stars forward Colin Blackwell in the face.

Omar Kelly: Question Tua’s durability, not his competitive natureSecurities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler, who was aggressive in his oversight of cryptocurrencies and other financial markets, will step down from his post on Jan. 20. Gensler pushed changes that he said protected investors, but the industry and many Republicans bristled at what they saw as overreach. President-elect Donald Trump had promised during his campaign that he would remove Gensler. But Gensler on Thursday that he would be stepping down from his post on the day that Trump is inaugurated. Bitcoin since Trump’s victory. It hit new highs Thursday and was nearing $100,000. Bitcoin moved notably higher still after Gensler's resignation was announced. Gensler's stance on the rise of cryptocurrencies was captured during a speech he gave during the first year of his chairmanship in 2021 where he described the market as “the Wild West.” “This asset class is rife with fraud, scams, and abuse in certain applications,” he said in a speech at the Aspen Security Forum. “There’s a great deal of about how crypto assets work. In many cases, investors aren’t able to get rigorous, balanced, and complete information.” Under Gensler, the SEC brought actions against players in the crypto industry for , wash trading and other violations, including as recently as last month when the commission brought fraud charges against three companies purporting to be market makers, along with nine individuals for trying to manipulate various crypto markets. Yet access to cryptocurrencies became more widespread under Gensler. In January, the SEC approved exchange-traded funds that track the spot price of bitcoin. With such ETFs, investors could get easier access to bitcoin without the huge overlays required to buy it directly. Gensler, however, acknowledged the SEC had denied earlier, similar applications for such ETFs, including Grayscale Bitcoin Trust, among the first to eventually be approved by the SEC. “Circumstances, however, have changed,” Gensler said, pointing to a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia that said the SEC failed to adequately explain its reasoning in rejecting Grayscale’s proposal. Even there, Gensler made sure not to endorse the merits of bitcoin. He pointed to how ETFs that hold precious metals are tracking prices of things that have “consumer and industrial users, while in contrast bitcoin is primarily a speculative, volatile asset that’s also used for illicit activity including ransomware, money laundering, sanction evasion, and terrorist financing.” Gensler was tested early in his tenure with the rise of the meme stock phenomenon that shocked the financial system in early 2021. Earlier this year, the SEC under Gensler pushed Wall Street to speed up how long it takes for trades of stocks to settle, one of the areas where the commission’s staff recommended changes following the reckoning created by , one of the first meme stocks. In the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic, hordes of smaller-pocketed and novice investors suddenly piled into the stock of the struggling video-game retailer. During the height of the frenzy, several brokerages barred customers from buying GameStop after the clearinghouse that settles their trades demanded more cash to cover the increased risk created by its highly volatile price. In May 2024, new rules meant broker-dealers have to fully settle their trades within one business day of the trade date, down from the previous two. Critics of the SEC under Gensler have called many of the agency's proposals overly burdensome. The investment industry, for example, is pushing against a proposal to force some advisers and companies disclose more about their environmental, social and governance practices, otherwise known as ESG. Critics say the proposal is overly complex and increases the risk of investor confusion, while imposing unnecessary burdens and costs on funds. On Thursday, Gensler stood by the SEC's track record under his direction. “The staff and the Commission are deeply mission-driven, focused on protecting investors, facilitating capital formation, and ensuring that the markets work for investors and issuers alike," Gensler said in prepared remarks. “The staff comprises true public servants." Gensler previously served as Chair of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, leading the Obama Administration’s reform of the $400 trillion swaps market. He also was senior advisor to U.S. Senator Paul Sarbanes in writing the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (2002) and was undersecretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance and assistant secretary of the Treasury from 1997-2001.

EUAN MCCOLM: Sarwar wants to be our next First Minister - now might be a good time for him to start telling the voters why Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport By EUAN MCCOLM FOR THE SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL Published: 22:39, 10 December 2024 | Updated: 22:46, 10 December 2024 e-mail 1 View comments For the first time in living memory, the mood has lifted in SNP ranks. After a prolonged period of turmoil, Nationalist MSPs are indulging themselves with mild feelings of optimism. Brows have begun to unfurrow. Some SNP members have even been seen smiling in public. The game, they think, might not be over yet. Their spirits have been lifted by the contents of the draft Budget announced by Finance Secretary Shona Robison last week. So far as Nationalists at Holyrood are concerned, this document just might be the key, in 2026, to a fourth successive Scottish parliamentary election victory for the SNP. Ms Robison’s colleagues don’t rejoice because her draft Budget is in the best interests of Scotland. It is not. Rather, the Finance Secretary is now the toast of her colleagues because she has managed to make life difficult for the Scottish Labour Party leader Anas Sarwar. Finance Secretary Shona Robison's Budget earlier this month has made make life difficult for Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar After receiving a £3.4billion funding increase in Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s first Budget, last month, the Scottish Government’s already tired attack line about ‘Westminster austerity’ finally ran out of steam. The challenge for Ms Robison was to show what she could do with a substantial sum of extra money, rather than simply to describe what she might do if only the cash was available. Inaction In the end, the Finance Secretary’s draft Budget was low on innovation. Much of the extra funding is earmarked for new pay agreements, while there is no significant planned spending on long overdue reform in the NHS or the education system. But Nationalist MSPs haven’t cared about the inaction of their government in those key areas for the past 17 and a half years, so we should not be surprised that this ongoing neglect is of no concern to them now. What matters to Nationalists at Holyrood is that two headline-grabbing announcements in Ms Robison’s draft Budget present political difficulties for Mr Sarwar. The Labour leader may wish to vote against the SNP’s Budget – and he would have many good reasons to withhold his support – but the political cost of refusing to back a plan which includes the maintenance of the winter fuel payment for pensioners and the removal of the two-child benefit cap would, I think, be too high for him to pay. Values The SNP became the dominant party of the left in Scotland by persuading former supporters of Labour that it maintained the values their party had abandoned . That accusation landed, hard. The refrain ‘I didn’t leave Labour, Labour left me’ could be heard across constituencies which had once seemed stained indelibly red. Ms Robison and First Minister John Swinney, whose fingerprints I detect on the draft Budget, have used money supplied by Labour at Westminster to make life difficult for Labour at Holyrood. This is smart, if unattractive, politics. If the SNP is to see off Labour in 2026, it will have to win back Scottish voters who got behind Sir Keir Starmer in July’s general election. The draft Budget is an attempt to do that. Over recent years, it has suited Mr Sarwar perfectly well to be seen to be close to Sir Keir. Scottish Labour leaders of the recent past may have suffered from the accusation made by SNP opponents that they were nothing more than ‘branch managers’, but the inevitability of Labour’s general election victory made a virtue of Mr Sarwar’s closeness to his boss. Now, however, while I don’t for a moment think Mr Sarwar should do anything to distance himself from the PM – unless it is politically necessary for him to do so – it is time for the Scottish Labour leader to tell us more about himself and – if he has one – his vision for Scotland. Mr Sarwar is clever and affable and, although the SNP may be back in the fight, there is a reasonable chance that he will become the next First Minister of Scotland. Scottish Labour leader Anar Sarwar must convince voters to give him a chance Click here to visit the Scotland home page for the latest news and sport Advertisement However, if the Scottish Labour leader is to achieve this ambition and break the nationalists’ political gridlock, he will have to do more than be clever and affable. For reasons of cynical political expediency, Mr Sarwar should support the SNP’s Budget. He cannot win an argument against the measures outlined by Ms Robison with the voters he will need if he is to replace John Swinney as First Minister (even if those measures are poorly thought through and largely uncosted). The Scottish Labour leader has no choice but to be reactive when it comes to the draft Budget. If he is to lead his party to victory in 2026, it’s time for him to get proactive on matters of policy. Bogged down in a police investigation and split over independence strategy, the SNP has not looked more vulnerable in two decades, yet it would be wrong to assume that the Nationalists are a spent force. Recent polling may have given Mr Swinney a net approval rating of -11 but Mr Sarwar fared worse, with -16. The Scottish Labour leader doesn’t have time to spare if he is to persuade voters to give him the chance to lead the country, yet even those closest to him struggle to describe his political vision. One ally said: ‘He’s been incredibly careful not to put a foot wrong. The party’s been disciplined and he’s been a great communicator. 'But all that said, you could also accuse us of lacking a real identity. ‘If we weren’t a viable alternative government, then it would be fine for us to just attack, attack, attack, but we need to start showing people at least the shape of a plan.’ His fear of provoking any kind of backlash left Mr Sarwar at odds with voters on the controversial issue of gender self-ID. While the majority of Scots are opposed to allowing male-bodied people access to female single-sex spaces , Mr Sarwar supported the SNP’s plan to allow just that. Since plans to allow self-ID were blocked last year by then Scottish Secretary Alister Jack, Mr Sarwar has remained conspicuously silent on the matter. Failure The Labour leader is naive if he thinks the matter of gender ideology and its impact on women’s rights won’t play a substantial part in the next Holyrood election campaign. On this – and, indeed, on a wide range of subjects – Mr Sarwar needs clear messages. The SNP’s government of Scotland since 2007 has been marked by failure after failure. All things considered, Scottish Labour should now be runaway favourites to head the next government at Holyrood. As things stand – thanks, in part, to Shona Robison’s tricksy draft Budget – Labour and the Nationalists are neck and neck in the polls. If Mr Sarwar is to change this state of affairs and take those smiles off Nationalist faces, I suggest he gets on with persuading us he’s more than merely Sir Keir’s man in the north. Anas Sarwar wishes to be Scotland’s next First Minister. This being so, it might be a good idea for him to start telling us why. SNP Share or comment on this article: EUAN MCCOLM: Sarwar wants to be our next First Minister - now might be a good time for him to start telling the voters why e-mail Add commentMorgan Rogers’ fourth goal of the season, an Ollie Watkins penalty and Matty Cash’s finish put Villa 3-0 up after 34 minutes. Mikkel Damsgaard pulled one back for Brentford in the second half but the damage had been done as Villa ended their eight-match winless run in all competitions. Emery was relieved to end the unwanted streak but quickly turned his attention to the next fixture against Southampton on Saturday. “We broke a spell of bad results we were having,” the Villa boss said. “We started the first five or 10 minutes not in control of the game but then progressively we controlled. “Today we achieved those three points and it has given us confidence again but even like that it’s not enough. We have to keep going and think about the next match against Southampton on Saturday. “The message was try to focus on each match, try to forget the table. How we can recover confidence and feel comfortable at home. Today was a fantastic match.” Tyrone Mings returned to the starting line-up in the Premier League for the first time since August 2023. Emery admitted it has been a long road back for the 31-year-old and is pleased to have him back. He added: “Mings played in the Champions league but it’s the first time in the league for a year and three months. “I think he played fantastic – he might be tired tomorrow but will be ready for Saturday again. “It was very, very long, the injury he had. His comeback is fantastic for him and everybody, for the doctor and physio and now he’s training everyday.” Brentford fell to a sixth away defeat from seven games and have picked up only a solitary point on the road this season. They have the best home record in the league, with 19 points from seven matches, but they have the joint worst away record. Bees boss Thomas Frank is confident form will improve on the road. He said: “On numbers we can’t argue we are better at home than away, but on numbers it’s a coincidence. I think two of the seven away games have been bad. “The other games we performed well in big spells. I’m confident at the end of the season we will have some wins away from home.” Frank felt Villa should not have been given a penalty when Ethan Pinnock brought Watkins down. He added: “I want to argue the penalty. I don’t think it is (one). I think Ollie kicked back and hit Ethan, yes there is an arm on the shoulder but threshold and all that – but that’s not the reason we lost.”