because that's what kezia dugdale said aboutjeremy corbyn.a dugdale about how awful and how damaging this tory government is. that's why i think it is so utterly shameful and disgraceful that labour have allowed itself to get in the position that this lot are 20 points ahead of them in the opinion polls uk—wide, and even ahead of them in scotland as well. that's labour's failure and it is an utter disgrace. nicola sturgeon. away from the election mps turned their eyes to the wider world and united in condemnation of the treatment of gay men in the russian republic of chechnya. answering an urgent question the foreign office minister, sir alan duncan, who was the first openly gay conservative mp, said the reported torture and killing was beyond contempt. the arbitrary detention and ill—treatment of over 100 men in chechnya because of their sexual orientation is of deep concern to the uk. credible reports suggesting that at least four people have been killed and many have been tortured are particularly shocking. statements by the regional gover

labourfortheir part, and kezia dugdale, their leader, and kezia dugdale, their leader in scotland, claimed power because the snp have only cared about, she suggested, the issue of having another referendum. willie rennie, the leader of the liberal democrats, went in hard over the issue of europe and accused the snp of going soft on that issue. nicola sturgeon has been due to set out how their proposals to hold a second independence referendum for the coming weeks, triggered by the issue of europe, it's not clear whether that will now happen now a snap election has been called. theresa may has invited the president of the european commission jean—claude juncker, and his chief brexit negotiator michel barnier to a meeting in london next week. it follows a meeting earlier today with the president of the european parliament, who made clear his priority was the future for eu citizens in the uk. 0ur diplomatic editorjames landale has been following the visit. he may not be a household name in britain, but he matters, because his parliament matters. in brussels it will have a veto, a vote, on any

kezia dugdale does not like to hear this, but this is why right now across scotland, head teachers andands, £120 million of additional funding. and she said labour had not a shred of credibility left and funding services. back now to westminster, where the government admitted there had been an administrative error in the placing of child refugees, with local authorities in england, which meant that there were 130 more places available. the labour peer who successfully secured the original commitment to take child migrants from europe welcomed the news. 130 children will be taken into this country under section 67 of the immigration act, even if the reason is the home office having to hang its head in shame because they made an administrative error as part of collating the figures. that comes out of yes, minister. my lords, i want to put this to the minister. will the government now re—consult local authorities, because there are many local authorities, notjust in england, but in scotland, wales and northern ireland, who've expressed a willingness to take more child refugees, and is the

kezia dugdale, the labour leader, said that it within the snp's interests for the conservatives to stayen due to set out how her proposals, have plans to hold a second independence referendum over the coming weeks, that triggered by brexit, it is not sure how that will continue now a snap election has been called. you can keep up to date with all of that on the bbc news page. theresa may has invited the president of the european commission jean—claude juncker, and his chief brexit negotiator michel barnier, to a meeting in london next week. it follows a meeting earlier today with the president of the european parliament, who made clear his priority was the fate of eu citizens in the uk. 0ur diplomatic editorjames landale has been following the visit. james. rita, antonio gianni might not be a household name in britain but he matters because his parliament matters. in brussels, it will have a beater, a vote over any deal between the uk and the eu. after meeting the prime minister this morning, he said something very interesting. since the prime minister colby election, most senior europe

kezia dugdale. turkeys and christmas risen above it. the idea that labour is going to replace the tories is frankly pie in the sky. the issue and the threat that the selection is that due to labour's complete an electability, we labour's complete an electability, we face an unfettered, out—of—control tory government. we know that the prime minister wants to silence opposition, so the question for scotland as this. if you want a strong opposition to the tories, if you want mps who will stand up and be a voice of scotland, we are stand up and be a voice of scotland, we are the only party to support at the election, the snp. nicola sturgeon, ruth davidson and kezia dugdale all speaking there out of holyrood at first minister's questions. nicola sturgeon open to questions by saying the key issue in the forthcoming general election is who is going to stand up for scotla nd who is going to stand up for scotland in what she called, against what she called, this hardline conservative government. theresa may

labour, for their part, and kezia dugdale, their leader in scotland, claimed it suited the snp for thehave only cared about, she suggested, the issue of having another referendum. willie rennie, the leader of the liberal democrats, went in hard over the issue of europe and accused the snp of going soft on that issue. nicola sturgeon has been due to set out how their proposals to hold a second independence referendum for the coming weeks, triggered by the issue of europe, it's not clear whether that will now happen now a snap election has been called. lorna gordon in scotland. the drinks giant diageo is to cut more than 100 jobs in scotland because of concerns over brexit. that news has just come the green party has launched what it calls its "boldest" election campaign ever. the party set out its goals in bristol, where it hopes to take the bristol west seat from labour with current mep molly scott—cato. it set out its vision for young people, and also called for the voting age to be lowered to 16. co—leader caroline lucas, the party's only mp, said the greens would continue to tackle

we are also hearing from kezia dugdale.as we approach the uk leaving the eu will stop at the last election in 2015, we said it will be a clear choice between a destructive tory party and a better future with labour. at this election the choice will be clear. the tory party intent on hard and damaging brexit or a labour party that will oppose a second independence referendum and fight for a better future for everyone. let's go to our scotland correspondent. is there any word yet from nicola sturgeon? nicola sturgeon watched the prime minister's statement at her official residence in edinburgh but she has not formally responded to it. the snp has had their best ever general election result in 2015. they won 56 of the 59 available seats in scotland. in those circumstances, i am not sure they would relish the possibility, the potential, for an early election and certainly their political opponents think they could make gains in these circumstances. the snp do want a vote of a different kind in the next 18 months to two years, a

labourfortheir part, and kezia dugdale, their leader, in scotland, claimed it suited the leader for theto stay in scotland, claimed it suited the snp for the tories to stay in power because the snp have only cared about, she suggested, the issue of having another referendum. willie rennie, the leader of the liberal democrats, went in hard over the issue of europe and accused the snp of going soft on that issue. nicola sturgeon has been due to set out how their proposals to hold a second independence referendum for the coming weeks, triggered by the issue of europe, it's not clear whether that will now happen now a snap election has been called. let's go back tojeremy corbyn and his first major speech of this pre—election campaign, if you like. he was very much speaking to his core supporters. is his message about we are going to take on the wealthy, take on the elite, is that likely to resonate in the country at large? he is trying to achieve two things. firstly, shoring up his core support. opinion polls suggest labour are as much as 20 points behind the conservatives. in the kind of r