12/06/2014 Reporting Scotland

cooler through the weekend, but the weather is looking pretty good for

Hitting the wrong note. The special adviser guilty of a mistake and

misjudgement, but he still has the backing of the First Minister. Team

Scotland unveiled for the Commonwealth Games, aiming for a

record medal haul. The roar when you view your name, it

is an amazing feeling. The Edinburgh house facing

demolition because of gas seeping from a former coal mine.

A shock defeat for Andy Murray ahead of Wimbledon as he is knocked out at

Queens. And we look at how Scots are

preparing for the month-long festival of football as the World

Cup gets underway. Good evening. The First Minister is

facing down a renewed calls for him to sack a special adviser. The

opposition parties in the Scottish Parliament say that Campbell Gunn

has broken the code of conduct for briefing a newspaper against a

Labour member. He hits the high notes as a folk

singer. But the special adviser to the First Minister now stands

accused of low politics. Cleo Lalli introduced herself as an

ordinary mum at a Better Together event this month. He then e-mail the

Daily Telegraph to say that she was actually a member of the Labour

Shadow Cabinet. Confronted today, the First Minister

said that the point about Pat Lally was wrong. He said that Mr Gunn had

apologised profusely. Labour said that Lally had endured vile abuse.

If he does not sack Campbell Gunn we can only conclude that all the

bullying is by author and design from him.

He warmly praised Ms Lally as a carers champion but said that the

e-mail had nothing to do with online abuse.

Everybody condemns mindless idiots who commit abuse. Where ever they

perpetrated. We in this chamber have had the privilege of knowing Mr Gunn

over several years and none of us believe that he was responsible for

orchestrating abuse. The government code of conduct says

that any special adviser ever found to be disseminating inappropriate

material will automatically be dismissed. The First Minister said

the code was prompted by the behaviour of labour's Damian Wright

at Westminster, smeared opponents. The case of Campbell Gunn, he said,

was entirely different. Our political editor is at the Scottish

Government headquarters. Are they feeling the pressure?

They are, it has been a difficult day. The issue came up in a

rumbustious media briefing. The First Minister's official

spokesperson was asked if e-mail is appropriate, he replied, clearly

not. Then came opposition complaints that this was chaos at the heart of

government. A further statement from the First Minister saying that the

remarks had been mistaken and misjudged but had not been

inappropriate. Is it the SNP's former deputy

leader, Jim issue was making an interesting intervention? -- Jim

Sillars. Yes, it is online. He says that

those who treat and blog online abuse the yes side needs no external

opponents. He says that Alistair Darling must be smiling at the role

of useful idiots. He speculated that the security services could be

infiltrating the wider independence movement, as they did in the past.

Incidentally, Campbell Gunn spent the day working quietly in the

building behind me. If he had picked up his guitar, it would have been a

painful lament. Sarah Smith is here with the details

of Scotland 2014. We will discuss the story with two

political players. Also, the World Cup kicks off. We explain why you

should care, even though Scotland and they are. And we have a special

report and bounty hunters who tracked down women who have tried to

escape from forced marriages. The Commonwealth Games team have

been set an ambitious target for the event next month in Glasgow, team

Scotland management want 34 medals at least. It would be our best ever.

It would be the Edinburgh 1986 total of 33. In terms of gold medals our

best performance was in Melbourne in 2004, -- 2006, with 11 goals. An

historic setting for an historic announcement. Part of the largest of

Scotland team to compete at the Commonwealth Games.

We have raised the bar and put on our best performances to make sure

we get into the team. The atmosphere and excitement is building. 310

athletes will pull on the jersey. But will our largest of the team

being sent to a Commonwealth Games also be the most successful?

That gold, one of you living that Scotland took in Melbourne. -- 11.

In terms of our strengths, where we have is traditionally been, bowls,

swimming, athletics, it is great to see judo backing the games again.

Who are the athletes to watch? Possible medal hopes with a home

crowd shouting them on. When you hear your name, it is an

amazing feeling. Picking out family members in the crowd is really nice.

We have lots of belief in ourselves. Why can't we push others to the

limit and get a result? That is the kind of confidence team

Scotland want to hear. Still to come: The show must go on.

Students display their degree work just three weeks after a fire at the

art school. And a blow for Andy Murray a

fortnight before he defends his Wimbledon title.

64 council houses built on a former Midlothian coal mine are likely to

be demolished. Carbon dioxide has been seeping into the properties,

recommended to a special meeting of councillors next week that they be

flat and and rebuilt. -- demolished. Such high levels of carbon dioxide

have been found in houses that tenants were moved out of nine

months ago. Brian is one of them. We spent ?3000 getting the guard and

not last year. He would not have spent attending

you what they are monitoring was about to reveal. -- spent it, if he

knew what the in your monitoring. My girls going to school, and now we

also don't know. Most of the tenants are still living

in their homes with monitors keeping track of air quality. Next week,

Midlothian Council will consider a recommendation to hold those older

houses -- bulldoze all the houses. You have no idea where you can go,

you just need to hope for the best. Why councillors saying that the best

solution is to demolish houses built just years ago?

It is clear to us from the advice available that the solutions are the

best ones. There is no timetable yet for

rehousing these families and tenants believe that the local council has

many questions to answer. An investigation is under way.

It is all part of an ongoing investigation. We will continue to

investigate it until we find out why, how, where, when, etc.

As soon as it is no real disclose that information.

It is three weeks since a fire at the Glasgow School of Art destroyed

and damaged students work. Against the odds today, the annual degree

show went ahead. It is an end of term and showcase. The chance to

display four years hard work. But the recent fire meant much of the

work went up in smoke. Just as students prepare to hand it in.

The roof collapsed. Everything was gone. There was no way anything

could survive, I work with paper, flammable materials, it did not

stand a chance. Few thought that the degree show

would go ahead. But the students came up with an innovative solution.

Each would contribute one digital image representing their work. Those

who lost everything, and those who could have gone ahead with their own

shows. I am not sure how I would have done

that. It would have felt selfish to book a venue for my own. This is the

only fair way to do it. And it looks really good as a show.

Across the campus, all 500 students are showing their work. It is seen

as a milestone in the school recovery. And it all counts towards

final marks. It is a challenge because we are a

new territory. But there are protocols for special processes and

we have paid attention to the rules and regulations.

The degree show with a difference is expected to draw a crowd. It is

hoped that a full show can be staged next spring.

There are under 100 days until we vote in the independence referendum.

Anyone who is resident and on the electoral roll has a vote. That

means almost 500,000 English people. Photos from England could make their

mark on the independence referendum. -- fought are. Polls suggest that

when it comes to changing the UK boundaries they are more likely to

vote no. Most here in Perth batted away suggestions of anti-English

sentiment in Scotland. It is crazy to regard us as the old

enemy. Others understand that this argument

is about self-determination and still are not swayed.

I have spent half my adult life in Scotland. I would feel exactly the

same if it was England looking to go and there on.

A few miles north, this family have built a life away from Bradford.

Both were undecided until a few months ago but have been persuaded

by a message of hope. I phoned, growing up, that people,

including myself, felt powerless about changing the world around. It

is very hard, even as an adult. So I was excited by the prospect of

changing the world around me and the country living.

We believe that this best for our children. We are proud of that they

have grown up here. children. We are proud of that they

have grown As a family this is something we have chosen thought

about. Every vote will count if it is

close. The views from those outside Scotland could prove pivotal.

Although a voters background may influence their decision, they could

still be persuaded otherwise. It is a mistake that people are coming at

this referendum with no preconceptions at all about what

they might do. But if one side of another might come up with a strong

argument they might go in One Direction or another. Each political

point will be declared a small victory but as the old adage goes,

there can be only one winner, and that will be decided by you.

And every household in Scotland will receive a booklet

from the UK government, outlining what it claims to be

the benefits of remaining in the United Kingdom.

2.5 million copies of the booklet have been produced

A look at other stories from the across the country.

Orkney Islands Council has admitted lessons need to be learned about how

concerns over care home staff are highlighted. A male member of staff

at Saint Bono 's House has been removed from the carers register

after a catalogue of alleged physical and verbal abuse dating

back to 2006. Highland councillors have expressed concern that

specially trained armed officers aren't routinely carrying handguns.

Police Scotland's Highlands and is the visual commando explained the

operational change which he said came into effect last year. Members

of the council said they will be writing to the Scottish chief

constable, Sir Stephen House. If they are going out to an incident

yes, but day-to-day, I would query whether that would be the right

thing for here. A judge has overturned Western Isles Council's

go-ahead for three wind turbines near you used the smack is used

rocket range, claiming that it would interfere with radar systems. At the

Court of session, Lord Doherty set aside the Council's decision. An

agency aimed at maximising oil and gas production is to be built in

Aberdeen. The oil and gas authority will encourage greater collaboration

between companies. Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Danny Alexander --

Annie Alexander, McGuinness and at a conference in Aberdeen. A memorial

has taken place in Hampshire for the Scots sailor Timmy McCaul who went

missing in the buy two years ago. He served on the warship, HMS

Westminster. His body was never found. But the Ministry of Defence

says that his death has now been officially registered. A group of

walkers raising money for charity have apologised for leaving a wench

on the summit of Ben Nevis. They left it so that other walkers could

rest on it. It is understood that a mountaineer cut the bench up and

carried the pieces away. The John Muir trust, which looks after the

mountain, said the group had not intended to Act maliciously.

A village on the north west coast is attempting to completely bypass

Applecross would become the area from its own hydro scheme.

one of the first communities in the UK to do so.

The hope is it will lead to a reduction in energy bills.

Life for Applecross residence is already full of twists and turns,

but now the West Coast community, accessed by the highest road in

Britain, is moving in a new direction. These freshly caught

prawns might be landed conventionally, but they are

delivered to the local hotel on his electric bike. It is good. It is a

bit of exercise at the end of a long day, but it has a feel-good factor.

I have already done a kilometres. This is just a small part of a

master plan to make Applecross completely self-sufficient. There is

a hope that Applecross could power is self one day. With virtually no

reliance on big power companies or the National Grid. This burn will

form part of a hydro scheme that will eventually supply power

directly to local homes, to avoid the cost of exporting to the grid.

The Applecross community company hydro scheme can sell into the grid

for about five feet of the kilowatt hour, but people down the road paid

12p per kilowatt hour to take it back out again. What we're trying to

do is realise the potential in those cost differences by supplying energy

directly using our own private wires. As well as cutting energy

bills it is hoped the pioneering scheme will ensure that money stays

in the village. We are not sending it out to one of the big energy

providers. That money is spent here, and the profit is kept within the

community to be used on community projects. Locals say the spin offs

are already evident as tourists come to sample meals on green wheels.

With less than two weeks till Wimbledon, Andy Murray's

preparations have suffered a setback.

He's been knocked out in the third round of the Aegon Championship

The defending champion losing in straight sets

It was a three o'clock kick-off for the defending champion at Queen 's

club. A relaxed head coach whose mantra might be all-out attack if

the first point was anything to go by that secured an immediate break

of serve. Radek Stepanek broke straight back. He might be 35 but,

with age comes guile and experience and an appetite for a fight. And

that is how it continued, point for point, until the tie-break which

Andy Murray led 6-2, only to squander four set points. Radek

Stepanek refused to lose and took it after an hour and a quarter. That

seemed to knock the stuffing out of Andy Murray, who was broken at the

start of the second set for some sloppy errors which started creeping

in. As the set wore on, Radek Stepanek's serves 20 and

anti-extended his lead to 4-2. And an outrageous net call helped into a

double break of serve at 5-2, then it was a case of holding serve, to

send the defending champion tumbling out at Queens club. I have only

myself to blame I lost the first set. I don't know how many set

points I had. Quite a lot of them on my serve. On the surface especially,

you should not be losing a set like that. That is what disappointing. It

has not been the best of days for the two Scots taking part in the US

open golf in North Carolina. This missed putt by

Stephen Gallacher at the fourth hole was one of four

bogeys tarnishing his scorecard. He finished three over par

for the day, six strokes off current

leader, American Kevin Na. The other Scot in the field,

Chris Doak, tees off at 7:30pm. Rangers have added defender Darren

McGregor after their ranks. The 28-year-old moved after four seasons

in the top flight with Saint Mirren. Falkirk have a new head coach, Peter

Huston, the former Dundee United manager, who takes over from Gary

Holt. Can you take them to the top division? Let's be realistic. The

better chances will be going to the big clubs in the league. However,

that is on paper. Football is not played on paper. A group calling for

the removal of them Hibernian chairman will now make a request in

writing for his removal. Double Olympic champion Mo Farah will

compete in two events for England at the Commonwealth Games. He will

compete at the 5000 metres, and the 10,000 metres in Glasgow. There was

lots more sports news on the BBC sport Scotland website. That is all

from me for now. In the next couple of hours, the World Cup kicks off in

Brazil. Scotland are not there this time but 20 parties are to get

underway. -- plenty of parties. Scotland might not be playing in

Brazil, but that does not mean that we are not caught up in the party

atmosphere. The tennis is on the big screen now. But later, at this

Edinburgh bar, they are getting ready to party with samba bands and

a World Cup sticker swap. The staff have changed their names to those

Brazilian football players, if they win. I am going to be named after

the manager, Felipe Scolari. We have ended up in Edinburgh. We are from

Germany. This Aberdeen butcher has concocted 32 new flavours of

sausage, one for each of the countries taking part. The Russian

sausage has vodka in it, the Belgian one has chocolate and chilli, and

this is one World Cup final that you are guaranteed to be in. Obviously

Scotland will never be eliminated, so they will go straight to the

final. On the final day, we will see who wins the sausage World Cup.

Hopefully Scotland. What if war does not float your boat? What about

coming along to a flat area to experience the ultimate in

relaxation? -- to a flotarium. It is very much away from football. But

for a carnival atmosphere, here in Glasgow, the party has already

started. Now the weather forecast with

Kawser. So far today, it has been cloudy and

mostly dry. Heading through the rest of the evening we will see more in

the way of clout the killing. We have been unfortunate that the cloud

cover. -- the way of cloud covering. The rain initially will be quite

liked across the West. As the night progresses, heavy and more

persistent rain will push in from the west. And misty and murky

conditions will mean a humid night, with temperatures dipping to 13

Celsius. Tomorrow morning, a cloudy and wet start. Some of that rain

will be heavy and persistent, especially across the south-west and

from Aaron after Argyll. Some of that sea fog will be lingering.

Tomorrow afternoon, for Dumfries Galloway, cloudy conditions with

outbreaks of rain. In Edinburgh, a wet afternoon, but drying out across

Glasgow and the north, as that system pushes south, where it will

become drier, and we will see some brighter spells for Caithness,

Sutherland and the Northern Isles. Tomorrow evening, that cloud will

continue, with that rain becoming weaker, with drier conditions

towards the North, but a misty and mild night once again. High pressure

is building for the weekend as promised, but that weather system is

still with us, so it is a gradual improvement. For Saturday, it'll

start of amp, then the cloud will break to other a few brighter

spells. It will be warm, with temperatures of 19 Celsius in land,

and cooler along the coast. It is a big day in Edinburgh as the Queen 's

bat on really comes to town. -- baton relay. Temperatures could

reach 21 Celsius. Now,

a reminder of tonight's main news. The opposition parties in the

Scottish home and say that Alex Salmond's aid, Campbell done, has

broken the code of conduct a briefing and newspaper against a

Labour supporter. I'll be back with the late bulletin

just after the ten o'clock news. Until then, from everyone

on the team - right across the country, have a

very good evening.