26/05/2016 Reporting Scotland

The judge in the Liam Fee murder trial has begun

Earlier the lawyer representing Rachel Fee, the boy's mother,

told the court that the death of two-year-old Liam

was a "genuine tragedy" but that she was not his murderer.

From the High Court in Livingston, Lisa Summers reports.

This morning, the lawyer for Rachel to become a screen on the left, gave

his closing speech. He said the jury must put aside perceptions and

prejudices they might have and look dispassionately at the evidence in a

harrowing case. He said tragedy is an overused word in court, but he

said the death of Liam Fee is a genuine chad Judy. He urged the jury

not to compound it by finding Rachel guilty of her son's murder. The

lawyer said there was no evidence she was even in the house when the

fatal blow was inflicted on Liam or that she ever assaulted her son. He

said Rachel Fee had admitted she failed to get him medical treatment

went you knew or suspected he had broken like dash-mac a broken leg,

and describe that as an unforgivable prime for which she will be punished

but he said, that doesn't make her murderer. With the defence case now

closed, the trial judge has begun to give direction to the jury, which

will finish tomorrow. He said there was no room for a motion and jurors

must action partially as they consider the evidence. Rachel denies

murdering Lee, blaming his death on another child. She denies harming

two of the boys. The trial continues. Lisa Summers, Reporting

Scotland. MSPs have voted overwhelmingly

to back Britain's continuing The leaders of all five parties

believe it's in Scotland's But that view was countered

by some Conservative Here's our political

editor, Brian Taylor. Outside Holyrood, leave campaigner

approaches two voters. Your for staying, can I convince you? Not at

all? Nothing daunted, the Leave team put on a display. Matched earlier by

their Remain counterparts. In the chamber, the leadership of every

party backs Remain. For the Scottish Government Fiona Hyslop says

Scotland benefits from EU membership, workers rights and

trade. Arc rarity is to create jobs in Scotland by leveraging our EU

membership to grow exports she said 100,000 Scots jobs are linked with

exports to the EU. It has helped fund economic development into in

the Murray first and immigrants pay more tax than they take. The

Conservative leadership polls that European cooperation was born of

European war -- recalls. Do I want an internationalist view or an

isolationist view of our place in the world? And Labour's heavier

Dugdale values cross-border solidarity. We will argue this with

reason but also passion. We will solidarity. We will argue this with

make all these arguments and also argue that there is something

beautiful about being part of this European family. But some

backbenchers opt for Leave, Margaret Mitchell complaining about unchecked

migration. If anyone from this population can come and live in the

migration. If anyone from this UK... And new Tory MSP Graham

Simpson says it is more fundamental still, it is about sovereignty. Do I

want decisions affecting my country taken by people without these

borders? Do I think it is right that unelected and unaccountable European

judges can overturn decisions of democratically elected politicians?

Labour's Elaine Smith also backs Leave but from a diametrically

different perspective. She condemns the EU from the left. The original

name, the common market, told socialists it was capitalist and

designed to reverse the socialist advances made in Europe after World

War II. She voted to leave, as did seven Tories, including the Scottish

Secretary's fun, although one Conservative voted Leave by mistake,

but support for Remain was overwhelming. The result is as

follows, yes, 106, no, eight, three abstentions. The motion is therefore

agreed. Brian Taylor, Reporting Scotland, Hollywood.

In a televised BBC debate on the EU referendum tonight, the former

First Minister Alex Salmond criticised his fellow Remain

campaigners and warned Scotland would vote for independence in two

But a Conservative MP said the decision would be taken

Our political correspondent Andrew Kerr was there for us.

This was certainly a lively debate, perhaps more lively than we have

seen in any of the previous EU referendum debates we have had. This

was an audience made up of 18-29 -year-olds, and their main concern,

their future prospects for jobs and the economy. The Remain side were

saying your prospects are better if you stay in the EU. Thousands more

jobs available. Leeds said you have a much better chance of a job if you

just stay in the UK -- Lieber said. There was an interesting

constitutional argument had by the There was an interesting

two Scottish politicians on the panel, Doctor Liam Fox and Alex

Salmond, the former First Minister. Mr Salmond said it justifies another

Scottish independence referendum if the UK votes to leave and the

majority of Scots vote to state. If Scotland in four weeks votes Remain

and the rest of the UK drag Scotland down by voting to leave, that would

justify my my opinion, another referendum because during 2014 the

people of Scotland were told voting No would secure Scotland's position

in the EU, and I know I'd far -- that sounds ironic. Scottish people

voted to stay in the UK. That's important on the EU point because

our membership of the EU is a decision we take as the United

Kingdom, and that's why in the referendum, every vote counts the

same, we don't count them in constituencies or districts, every

vote is the same whether in-store Norway or St Ives. Interesting

arguments and certainly a lively affair. In the past the EU debate

has seemed a little stale, nothing like the heart and soul of the

Scottish independence referendum. Perhaps that is changing. We will

get the results four weeks from now. A seven-year-old Australian boy

and his family who live in the Highlands face no immediate

threat of deportation, according The case of Lachlan Brain

was the subject of a heated debate The family's case has also been

taken up by the First Minister. Here's our Westminster

correspondent, David Porter. Can I have had? Hugging a politician

and hoping to be allowed to stay. Lachlan Brain and his mum and dad

taking their case to Nicola Sturgeon at Holyrood this afternoon. It is

the UK Government that will decide if they can remain in Scotland, but

no doubt where the First Minister's sympathies lie. The wee boy has

lived most of his life here, he speaks Gaelic. He is to all intents

and purposes Scottish. It was trapped -- would be tragic to see

them have to leave. I hope they can stay because they have a lot to

contribute. We are asking the Home Office to honour the agreement they

made with us rather than moving everything to the other side of the

world. The work Visa was cancelled after we arrived here. We have lived

up to our end, hopefully we can convince the Home Office to do the

same. My friends are hear, my cousins are here, all my friends and

family are here. The Brain 's move to Dingwall in 2011 when Kathryn

Brain was studying. Their seven-year-old son Lachlan is also

learning Gaelic. But now they are facing the possibility of being

returned to Australia. Urgent question. In the Comments ministers

were left in no doubt as to how MPs question. In the Comments ministers

feel. Show compassion and humanity, we should be judged by the actions

we take, for goodness sake, today, do the right thing, Minister. This

is a family who came to the UK on a government scheme specifically

designed to attract people to relocate here. They entered legally

and have integrated into their community and fully embraced its way

of life. From the minister, a hint of reassurance. I am meeting the

member for Ross, Skye and Lochaber again this afternoon to further

discuss this matter, but he can be assured that the family does not

facing imminent risk of deportation. Signs of progress tonight. I think

the minister was listening, I think he is a decent minister and I hope

he does the right and humane thing and recognise this family will be a

credit to the Highlands and Scotland. Home Office ministers

insist they are listening and they want the best for everyone.

Supporters say they are optimistic the Brains will be allowed to stay.

David Porter, Reporting Scotland, Westminster.

North Sea tax receipts have slumped to their lowest level since records

HM Revenue and Customs says oil and gas production generated

The Treasury is paying out ?24 million more in rebates

Just five years ago the industry was contributing almost

Low oil prices, high levels of investment and increasing

decommissioning costs have resulted in the decline.

The Westminster parliamentary standards watchdog will not

investigate the expenses of two SNP MPs in connection with their

The Commissioner for Standards has decided not to look further

into the claims for accommodation expenses made by Stewart Hosie

Mr Hosie has announced that he won't seek re-election

as SNP deputy leader this autumn after news emerged

of his relationship with a Westminster journalist

who had also had a relationship with Mr MacNeil.

Let's get the weather forecast now from Kirsteen.

Thank you. Good evening. Tonight is looking cloudy across the vast

majority of Scotland. We hold onto damp and drizzly conditions as well

especially in central and southern areas. Murky skies tonight too. The

best clear spells in the north-west leading to a cold night here, so we

start off tomorrow on a cloudy note away from the far north-west. Around

8am, cloudy skies through damp recent Galloway and the Borders,

albeit mostly dry, but light and patchy rain continuing through the

Glasgow and Edinburgh areas, Fife and Tayside as well, and missed and

low cloud also in these areas. A cloudy start across the north-east.

The Bethan shine tomorrow morning across the Western Isles, the Isle

of Skye and the north-west Highlands, and lovely sunshine

continuing here through the day. Looking at the UK as a whole, a lot

of dry, bright weather around, any Looking at the UK as a whole, a lot

rain across Scotland gradually fizzling out through the course of

the day. But we will have heavy, intense, thundery downpours

developing through parts of Wales and the South West of England

tomorrow. In the south-east, a top temperature of 21, highs of 19 or 20

four the far north-west of Scotland with light winds, feeling pleasantly

warm. Into the evening across Scotland, a lot of dry, bright

weather in the day, perhaps just one or two sharp showers across parts of

the Highlands. Into Saturday, again, a lot of dry, bright weather across

the UK. Grey skies for many eastern coastal areas and feeling cold here,

and sharp showers developing once again across parts of Wales and the

south-west of England. Highs of 18 or 19 Celsius in the West of

Scotland and just a few showers. Looking ahead to Sunday,

high-pressure set to maintain mostly settled and dry conditions, although

for Monday something of a headache. We will keep you up-to-date.

Our next update is during Breakfast at 6:25 tomorrow morning.

But from everyone on the late team here in Glasgow and around