THE BIG STORIES
Court to rule on the definition of a woman | Scotland’s heavy flu toll | Poll shows huge indy majority

📣 The Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on how a woman should be defined in law at 9.45 this morning, marking the culmination of a long-running legal battle between the Scottish government and For Women Scotland. It will have far-reaching implications for sex-based rights across Scotland, England and Wales.

The Scottish government argues transgender people with a gender recognition certificate (GRC) are entitled to sex-based protections, while For Women Scotland argues they only apply to people that are born female. (BBC)

• How the court’s definition of “woman” could affect sex-based rights (Guardian)

• Susan Dalgety and Lucy Hunter Blackburn: “Reality is winning the gender wars - but this is no time to be complacent” (Critic magazine)

• Scotland’s transgender community is waiting anxiously for the landmark court judgement (The Herald)

📣 Scotland is likely to see the highest number of annual flu deaths in 45 years after fewer vaccines were given out this winter. There have already been 463 deaths with flu given as the cause of death this year, more than double last year’s figure. That heavy toll will lead to calls for the Scottish Government to do more to encourage the take-up of vaccines - and also make it easier to get hold of them. (The Scotsman)

📣 A new opinion poll predicts a 29-MSP pro-independence majority at Holyrood next year, with grim performances for Labour and the Conservatives, and Reform taking third sport on vote share.

Calculations by Professor John Curtice based on the polling numbers suggest 57 seats for the SNP, 14 for Labour, 15 for the Conservatives, 8 for Reform UK, 13 for the LibDems, 15 for the Greens, and 7 for Alba.

The poll is an outlier, even among a string of those showing steady support for independence, and comes festooned with health warnings - not least because it’s published in the highly-partisan The National. But it will be sounding alarm bells at Labour and Tory party HQs: it supports a real sense the electorate is cheesed-off, and unpredictable, a year out from the big vote. (The National £)

IDEAS
Might Scotland’s ultras unite to fight in court? | The top legal dramas | The benefits of a brisk walk

With the searing inevitability of a long look tomorrow at the Gender verdict and reaction to it, I thought we’d keep it light today. Here are a few interesting (even fun) reads to enjoy.

🗣️Are Scotland’s football ultras having their human rights infringed? That’s one of the questions emerging from an interesting piece by Matthew Lindsay in the Herald.

Scotland’s Ultras are not a easy bunch to love. The black-clad, masked and pyrotechnic-weilding “young teams” are a familiar sight at football grounds across the country. Mostly, they’re harmless, but if there’s any trouble you can be reasonably sure they’ll be part of it. Even fellow football fans regard them with some weariness - while also acknowledging they’re also the people bringing atmosphere to otherwise sterile grounds.

But there’s a suggestion, now, that some recent heavy-handed actions against them are going too far. There’s the police - who “kettled” Celtic fans without water, food or toilets for - they claimed - five hours before a match recently, provoking strong complaints. And then there’s UEFA, who came down hard on Rangers after their ultras displayed a message offering the vague: “Keep woke foreign ideologies out. Defend Europe” at a European match.

Lindsay suggests the ultras might be about to lawyer up, and test their rights in a more formal way. Many will feel they are terrible flag bearers for the wider question of fans’ rights. But those rights are so frequently abused, they may also watch with some interest as the young teams threaten to unite, and carry this very different fight forward. (The Herald)

🗣️We all know about the big verdict being handed down today… but the august Law Society of Scotland has handed down another controversial ruling: the top legal dramas, as voted for by Scotland’s legal profession. The list has some obvious choices - hello, Rumpole of the Bailey - and some nostalgic ones - Crown Court! But there are some surprises in their final list of 15.

Joshua King, editor of the Society’s Journal, points to some interesting stats: “10 are British, the rest American, Only six were launched this century, lawyers outnumber judges who outnumber students as protagonists, one series alone ran for a whopping 879 episodes, and Suits [starring one Meghan Markle]… doesn’t make it.” (The Law Society of Scotland Journal)

🗣️ There’s nothing quite like a brisk walk… but now we have strong evidence it really is good for you in a very practical sense, thanks to researchers at the Unversity of Glasgow. They’ve found that a brisk walk - and, by that, we mean a very brisk walk of more than four miles an hour - can half your chances of a variety of heart rhythm problems.

And if you walk at a slower pace, all is not lost: they also found that walking at an average or brisk pace was linked to a 27% lower risk of developing problems.

“Walking faster decreased the risk of obesity and inflammation, which, in turn, reduced the risk of arrhythmia,” the team said. (The Scotsman)

AROUND SCOTLAND

📣 Frank McAveety, the former Glasgow City Council leader and an ex-Labour MSP, has been arrested and charged over fraud offences. The allegations are related to incidents in Glasgow between 2022 and 2024. (BBC)

📣 A trade union is warning the near-£20,000 pay rise for Scottish ministers is “unacceptable” in the wider context of public sector pay. GMB Scotland, which represents some of the lowest-paid public sector workers, says its members are ready to strike over a 3% pay offer. (The Herald has the exclusive)

📣 Almost half of Scots would quit their job if they were forced to return to the office full-time. Recruitment firm Hays found that 43% of people would walk if faced with losing hybrid work, with women especially keen to keep the arrangements.

The survey also has some interesting detail on hybrid working in Scotland versus the rest of the UK: it turns out our mid-size businesses are less flexible than many. (Daily Business)

AROUND THE UK

📣 The UK is closing in on a new partnership with the EU which would see the UK sign up to European food and veterinary standards. But the deal could put a trade deal with the US at risk, because it would shut out some American products from the UK market. (The Telegraph has the exclusive £).

• Starmer has been advised, by sources “close” to vice president JD Vance, to accept the “free speech agenda” of Trump in order to win a trade deal. (Independent)

📣 UK inflation fell in March, to 2.6%. That’s the second month in a row that inflation has eased. (BBC)

📣 The use of disposable vapes is falling ahead of a ban on their sale on June 1. The devices, as well as being unhealthy, have been criticised for their waste: they contain batteries and plastic which can’t be recycled. (BBC)

AROUND THE WORLD

🌎 After freezing billions in federal funds, Donald Trump is now threatening Harvard with the loss of its charitable status, after the University refused to bow to his wide-ranging demands over its policies. (Semafor)

🌎 Former President Joe Biden has warned Trump has “taken a hatchet” to US social security, in the 82-year-old’s first return to the national stage after leaving the White House. “In fewer than 100 days, this new administration has done so much damage and so much destruction. It’s kind of breathtaking,” he said. (AP)

🌎 Australian politicians were gifted about $147,000-worth of match tickets over nearly two years while they were considering a ban on advertising of online gambling. (Reuters has the exclusive)

SPORT

⚽️ Aston Villa tumbled out of the Champions League last night, 5-4 on aggregate, but not without putting up a fight - and with Scotland’s John McGinn playing a starring role with a cracking goal, and a reborn Marcus Rashford in scintillating form. (The Guardian)

⚽️ There’s more Champions League tonight: Inter Milan welcome Bayern Munich in a tied poised at 2-1 in favour of the Germans, while in Spain Real Madrid will attempt to overcome their shock 3-0 first leg defeat against Arsenal. Both games are at 8pm, on TNT Sports.