:00:08. > :00:10.Nicola Sturgeon says she's starting what she's calling
:00:11. > :00:12.a "new conversation" on independence with the people of Scotland.
:00:13. > :00:15.The First Minister says she wants to reach as many as two million
:00:16. > :00:18.people before the end of November, using face to face canvassing,
:00:19. > :00:21.an online survey and town hall meetings.
:00:22. > :00:24.But the leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Ruth Davidson,
:00:25. > :00:25.has accused her of ignoring people's priorities,
:00:26. > :00:27.in pursuit of a narrow nationalist agenda.
:00:28. > :00:37.Here's our political editor, Brian Taylor.
:00:38. > :00:43.The SNP promised a summer campaign on independence, but Brexit
:00:44. > :00:45.intervened to change the political brew, and so it is an autumn
:00:46. > :00:52.Nicola Sturgeon insisted she would work to protect
:00:53. > :00:55.Scotland's European interests within the UK framework, but if that
:00:56. > :01:00.I believe it is right that our party now leads a new
:01:01. > :01:08.Today I want to set out the principles
:01:09. > :01:19.The UK that Scotland voted to stay part of in
:01:20. > :01:24.That takes me to the second principle.
:01:25. > :01:26.Before we start talking, we must listen.
:01:27. > :01:31.If they listen, what might they here?
:01:32. > :01:35.Madness, absolute madness, financial suicide.
:01:36. > :01:40.If it came again, I would probably say yes.
:01:41. > :01:44.of the outcome last time, because they were
:01:45. > :01:45.promised things that did
:01:46. > :01:53.It definitely should be something that awaits perhaps until
:01:54. > :01:59.I don't know why they have to keep trying to get the vote they want,
:02:00. > :02:03.which is what they did in Ireland, which was shameful.
:02:04. > :02:05.The First Minister cited two new reasons for
:02:06. > :02:08.Labour's problems, entrenching the Tories in Downing
:02:09. > :02:11.Street and the Tories leaving the EU against Scottish opinion.
:02:12. > :02:18.If she was listening to people, she would know they do not
:02:19. > :02:22.want to be dragged back to another divisive referendum.
:02:23. > :02:24.People want the government to do what they well it
:02:25. > :02:26.did to do, improve hospitals and schools.
:02:27. > :02:29.Keep their eye on the day job, not drag a spectre a
:02:30. > :02:34.Nicola Sturgeon has announced a listening exercise and
:02:35. > :02:37.the majority will have hoped she was listening when the people
:02:38. > :02:45.She is a very powerful woman with the chance
:02:46. > :02:48.to go back into Parliament next week and transform lives.
:02:49. > :02:53.The First Minister told me the SNP needed to persuade
:02:54. > :02:58.Scotland is on a journey that will end with independence.
:02:59. > :03:02.I believe that is the natural state for our country.
:03:03. > :03:04.But I don't believe we get there simply by the
:03:05. > :03:07.enthusiasm of SNP members, important though that is.
:03:08. > :03:11.We have to engage with, listen to, understand the
:03:12. > :03:14.concerns and aspirations of people and answer the hard questions people
:03:15. > :03:19.Nicola Sturgeon says independence might involve
:03:20. > :03:22.challengers and complexities, and she argues that it would allow
:03:23. > :03:34.A hearing into a social worker, who's alleged to have failed
:03:35. > :03:36.the murdered Fife toddler Liam Fee and other children, has been told
:03:37. > :03:40.it should find every charge against her proven.
:03:41. > :03:42.The Scottish Social Services Council hearing has heard evidence that
:03:43. > :03:44.Lesley Bate was erratic, disorganised and chaotic.
:03:45. > :04:00.From the hearing, Andrew Anderson reports.
:04:01. > :04:02.Panel members have listened to days of evidence from colleagues of
:04:03. > :04:04.Lesley Bate, one of the child protection team.
:04:05. > :04:06.She had been asked to investigate concerns over Liam
:04:07. > :04:09.A childminder was worried about injuries, including a
:04:10. > :04:13.The mother claimed he had fallen out of
:04:14. > :04:16.The childminder was worried he had been knocked unconscious.
:04:17. > :04:18.The hearing heard that Lesley Bate excepted the mother's explanation.
:04:19. > :04:21.It is alleged she failed to follow up on further concerns about an
:04:22. > :04:24.injury to Liam Fee's neck, and there were no notes about it
:04:25. > :04:30.Liam Fee's mother and her partner are serving life for his
:04:31. > :04:35.murder in March 2014, more than a year after concerns
:04:36. > :04:41.The hearing was told Lesley Bate was erratic,
:04:42. > :04:44.disorganised and chaotic and her failings were not acceptable, and
:04:45. > :04:51.she had left another child at risk of harm.
:04:52. > :04:53.But the hearing was also told the child protection team was
:04:54. > :04:56.divided and dysfunctional, that some staff would not speak to others
:04:57. > :05:02.unless they had to, and that that had had an impact on other cases.
:05:03. > :05:05.It is not just Liam Fee that Lesley Bate is alleged to have failed.
:05:06. > :05:09.The charges include 15 other children.
:05:10. > :05:12.The most serious charges are that she failed to take
:05:13. > :05:14.necessary steps to minimise actual or potential risk
:05:15. > :05:18.of harm to children between December 2011, and August 2000 and 14.
:05:19. > :05:21.The lawyer for the Scottish social services Council told the panel the
:05:22. > :05:23.witnesses they had heard from where highly credible and experienced.
:05:24. > :05:28.The Chargers, he said, were supported by
:05:29. > :05:32.Lesley Bate has not attempt -- attended the
:05:33. > :05:34.hearing and has not been represented.
:05:35. > :05:36.The panel was told you does not admit to any of the
:05:37. > :05:41.The committee will convene at a later date when it will deliver
:05:42. > :05:52.Police officers on Scotland's railways are to be armed
:05:53. > :05:55.with Tasers, in a bid to increase security on the network.
:05:56. > :05:57.British Transport Police say it's a "proportionate response"
:05:58. > :05:59.in the face of a mounting terrorism threat.
:06:00. > :06:07.The force of a Taser gun, designed to stun.
:06:08. > :06:16.They are already used by Police Scotland.
:06:17. > :06:21.Now they are to be deployed by British Transport Police
:06:22. > :06:23.We looked at events in mainland Europe
:06:24. > :06:26.and nearer to home, and we looked at the options
:06:27. > :06:30.give officers the best protection for themselves, and to be able to
:06:31. > :06:39.protect the public on the railways and staff who work on the railways.
:06:40. > :06:42.He had already slashed one commuter and was
:06:43. > :06:48.British Transport Police in east London
:06:49. > :06:52.deployed a Taser before arresting him.
:06:53. > :06:55.But critics say the shock delivered can often be lethal.
:06:56. > :06:57.They are linked to at least 11 deaths in
:06:58. > :06:58.England and Wales in the last decade.
:06:59. > :07:02.Commuters in Glasgow had mixed views.
:07:03. > :07:05.I do not see it as an appropriate response to what is
:07:06. > :07:14.What if a police man was overzealous and it
:07:15. > :07:27.I am told that fewer than 350 officers will be issued with Taser
:07:28. > :07:29.'s and they will be fully trained on how
:07:30. > :07:33.If a Taser is deployed, there will be an
:07:34. > :07:39.The officers selected to carry them will
:07:40. > :07:45.The weapons will be available for deployment across the rail
:07:46. > :07:55.Well, It's over to Kirsteen now with the weather outlook
:07:56. > :08:06.Good evening, today has brought a mixture of sunshine and showers.
:08:07. > :08:10.Tonight he showers are becoming creasing were confined to the
:08:11. > :08:15.north-west, otherwise a lot of dry weather with clear spells and a mild
:08:16. > :08:20.match to come for most. Tomorrow. Is with easy showers continuing across
:08:21. > :08:23.the north-west and otherwise dry and bright weather. That'll be short
:08:24. > :08:27.lived with cloud increasing to the south of the morning, followed by
:08:28. > :08:32.heavy and persistent across Dumfries heavy and persistent across Dumfries
:08:33. > :08:35.Galloway and the borders especially tomorrow afternoon.
:08:36. > :08:39.Generally the further north you come the more intermittent the rain will
:08:40. > :08:43.be. A lot of cloud red, certainly sunshine and brightness will be at a
:08:44. > :08:47.premium tomorrow afternoon. We might see some bright spells to watch
:08:48. > :08:50.Northeastern and coastal areas across the western isles, the likes
:08:51. > :08:54.of Sutherland and Caithness with a top temperature of around 18,
:08:55. > :09:00.perhaps making degrees. Generally though a fairly chilly fuel under
:09:01. > :09:06.the cloud and rain. Around 15 or 16 degrees with light to moderate
:09:07. > :09:10.southerly winds. We are underneath a blanket of close tomorrow with heavy
:09:11. > :09:13.pulses of rain at times and really quite strong and gusty
:09:14. > :09:19.south-westerly winds across this south-western corner, gusts of
:09:20. > :09:23.around 45 mph potentially at times. For Scotland for the evening period
:09:24. > :09:27.we continue along the theme of cloudy conditions and further
:09:28. > :09:32.outbreaks of rain, and we will see some list" across eastern coastal
:09:33. > :09:35.areas, too. By Sunday it is looking much drier and brighter, although we
:09:36. > :09:40.have this area of low pressure waiting in the wings for Monday. For
:09:41. > :09:44.Sunday for most was a lot of dry bright weather with spells of
:09:45. > :09:48.sunshine, a few showers across Scotland in the North of England in
:09:49. > :09:52.the present -- pleasant view in the sunshine.
:09:53. > :09:55.Thank you. And that is Reporting Scotland. The next update is
:09:56. > :10:00.tomorrow evening. From everyone here, goodbye.