The vote was driven by the SNP First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who insisted a second vote on independence is necessary to protect the country from the consequences of Brexit.

The Wombles, who found fame on TV in the Seventies, have come out of retirement to back the Spring Clean. They joined nearly 200 MPs including Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers.

The Labour leadership challenger made the comment at a hustings event last week and provoked fury from the party as she labelled its members 'Tories wrapped up in nationalist clothing'.

Former Polish PM Mr Tusk suggested the UK would be focused on 'damage control' in the talks and warned Downing Street against planned divergence from continental rules.

Nicola Sturgeon is alleged to have issued the edict after concerns were raised at staff meetings about Derek Mackay's behaviour.

Police Scotland detectives have not 'received any complaint of criminality' but are 'assessing available information' in the wake of Thursday's bombshell revelations.

Kate Forbes only found out that she would announce the Scottish Government's spending pledges for the coming year at around 8am today - just after Derek Mackay resigned in disgrace.

Online trolls - some of whom told her to 'go back to India' and who mocked her Ugandan background - claimed to be members of Labour, the SNP and Green Party.

Salmond faces 14 charges of alleged offences against 10 women, all of which he denies.

Alex Salmond is tipped to make a dramatic SNP leadership comeback bid after he was cleared of sex assault charges this week. He could be deputy to MP Joanna Cherry, who led a bid to block Brexit last year.

Former deputy leader of the SNP Jim Sillars, 82, has said that the allegations against against Mr Salmond were the 'dirtiest blow' he has ever seen delivered in his 60 years of political life.

Alex Wilson had his account targeted by his devastated wife Pamela, who said he had left her to be with fellow SNP councillor Mandy Morgan. Pictured: Mr and Mrs Wilson.

MSP for Renfrewshire North and West Derek Mackay is entitled to a =n automatic severance payment of £11,945 for losing ministerial office.

OLIVER HOLT - CHIEF SPORTS WRITER IN NICE: From his table at a restaurant on the Promenade des Anglais, Phil Neville stares out at the shimmering waters of the Mediterranean.

Wales manager Ryan Giggs faces a dressing-room rebellion as his side struggles to qualify for Euro 2020. Defeats by Croatia and Hungary have left Wales fourth of five teams in Group E.

Ex-Liverpool star Sakho, 29, was suspended from football in 2016 after testing positive for a fat-burning substance. But it later emerged that the substance was not on the banned list.

Sanches's underwhelming time in the Bundesliga has come to a close after he completed a reported £23m move from German champions Bayern Munich to French side Lille on Friday afternoon.

Michael O'Neill warned the real tests begin now as his Northern Ireland squad prepare to face Germany in Monday's crunch Euro 2020 qualifier.

Wayne Rooney reportedly warned Jamie Vardy about his wife Rebekah's behavior during Euro 2016 - as Coleen Rooney accused the WAG of selling stories on her in a extraordinary Twitter rant.

TOM COLLOMOSSE IN TRNAVA: Former lifeguard Kieffer Moore kept Wales' Euro 2020 qualification hopes afloat with a goal on his competitive debut to earn Ryan Giggs' team a vital point.

Georginio Wijnaldum admits Holland's recent absence from major tournaments has been 'painful' as they look set to end that exodus at Euro 2020 next summer.

EXCLUSIVE: The PFA have been accused of ignoring requests for help from lower league players allegedly cheated out of their life savings by former Wales international David Cotterill.

SAMI MOKBEL: It's the size of the challenge that galvanises Raheem Sterling - nothing else. That's why the natural next step in his career is to join one of the Spanish giants - Barcelona or Real Madrid.

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema has threatened to switch his international allegiance after not being called up to the French squad again.

Gareth Bale believes Wales reaching the European Championship next summer could trump the achievement of playing at Euro 2016. Wales ended a 58-year wait in 2016.

TOM COLLOMOSSE IN CARDIFF: Aaron Ramsey is determined to help Wales eclipse their memorable Euro 2016 campaign after scoring twice to send them to next year's Finals.

The Juventus star was victorious on the international stage three years ago as Portugal beat France 1-0 after extra time. And now the 34-year-old has spoken out about the celebrations.

Cristiano Ronaldo led Portugal to glory in 2016 despite injury and is one of a number of greats to write his name into the glittering history of the Euros since they were introduced in 1960.

Since the shambolic viewings four years ago, England have started to assemble a side capable of going all the way and Southgate deserves credit for putting faith in the next generation.

The sight of Roy Hodgson, rheumy-eyed and emotionally raw in Chantilly, France, the morning after England's Euro 2016 exit to Iceland was really something.

Singers Kelli Marie Willis, Jess Folley, Luena Martinez, Seorsia Leagh Jack, Virginia Hampson and Halle Williams landed a final spot in the group following Wednesday's arena auditions.

The singer, 41, broke down after watching Kelli Marie's rendition of an original song about feeling alone, and tearfully vowed that the teen 'wasn't alone anymore.'

They've been romantically linked, despite Nicole Scherzinger saying she is too busy to be tied down with a relationship. 

The former X Factor judge, 67, celebrated her theatre stint for Nativity! The Musical with her daughter Kelly, 35, during a gala night, held at Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, London, on Thursday.

Danny Tetley (pictured), from Bradford, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to getting his victims, many as young as 14, to send him explicit images of themselves.

Viewers weren't impressed as the singer decided to turn Robbie's performance of The Pussycat Dolls' hit Don't Cha into a duet, especially when she sent the Irish singer home later in the show.

The X Factor: Celebrity champion, 27, looked sensational as she shared a sizzling Instagram video of her dancing in a lacy black cut-out body and stockings on Friday.

The couple looked full of festive cheer as they enjoyed a romantic date night at Winter Wonderland in London 's Hyde Park over the weekend.

Viewers tuning in on Sunday night were left baffled as X Factor: The Band singer wore a hoodie emblazoned with a swear word before 9pm watershed.

The former TOWIE star, still basking in her triumph on the inaugural series of X Factor: Celebrity, was on hand to gift the winner with a gift card, Boux Avenue bra fitting and obligatory Mimosa.

The X Factor judge, 41, opted for a glamorous look as she donned a chic red fur coat, which no doubt kept the chill off in the chilly climes.

The former TOWIE star, 27, showed off her hourglass curves in the barely-there bikini, which boasted a multi-coloured pattern.

Gogglesprogs - a spin-off of Gogglebox UK that features pint-sized pundits on the sofa offering their unique observations on everything from Strictly to Donald Trump's hair - is back for Christmas.

JAN MOIR: Oh my friends, it's been a long, hard year. Brexit, a General Election, Cats the movie, Prince Andrew, Greggs vegan sausage rolls, and the celebrity version of The X Factor.

Unlucky-in-love Stefan-Pierre Tomlin, 29, from south London, shot to fame in 2017 after the dating app revealed 14,600 woman had swiped right for him in two years - more than any other Brit.

The former TOWIE star, 27, shared a chic snap alongside a thoughtful post about the past year and what she has to come, as she wished her followers a happy new year.

Louisa Johnson took to Instagram on New Year's Day to share not one, but three images, prancing around in a bikini, despite claiming she felt 'bloated'.

X Factor : Celebrity winner Megan McKenna took a 'watermelon break' on Wednesday, seen lounging around on her Instagram page as she kicked back for New Year's Day.

After apologising to little Rex, the former X Factor star, 30, shared her New Year's resolutions with the group, as she vowed not to have any more babies and to go on a date night

The Love Island personality, 23, reflected on a tumultuous 2019 in an impassioned Instagram post on New Year's Day.