Pep Guardiola has maintained he cannot be held responsible if £49million defender John Stones misses out on Euro 2020 due to a lack of game time at Manchester City.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon delivered a withering assessment of the would-be PM, saying he would 'damage the UK's reputation'.

MPs insisted Boris Johnson and rival Jeremy Hunt must 'prove' their commitment to the union during the campaign.

Nicola Sturgeon said the case for breaking up the UK was 'stronger every day' after the research found 52 per cent would support the move.

John McDonnell has been accused of treating Jeremy Corbyn 'like a puppet' amid claims he failed to warn the Labour leader the party would not block a second Scottish independence referendum.

The SNP leader vowed to pass the law on the issue by the end of 2019 with a view to holding the vote in the second half of next year.

The Scottish Labour leader today fired a public broadside at Jeremy Corbyn as he warned him not to agree a back room deal with the SNP to get into power.

The Labour leader was effectively given no choice but to cave in and back the PM's bill for a snap poll after it became clear it had Liberal Democrat and SNP support.

Boris Johnson said the 2014 ballot - when Scots voted to stay in the union - was a 'once in a generation' decision.

Ian Blackford said today the SNP will draw up a 'wish list' of demands ahead of potential post-election cooperation talks with Labour as he hinted scrapping Trident could be one of the party's red lines.

Jeremy Corbyn caused confusion on a visit to Glasgow by declaring that there would be no ballot on splitting the UK before the next election.

Jeremy Corbyn made yet another attempt to clarify his stance on a Scottish independence referendum today, saying: 'Certainly not in the first two years.'

Labour's leader in Scotland, Richard Leonard, today suggested that if would only require 'the election of parties into a majority' to provide a mandate.

Boris Johnson today claimed Jeremy Corbyn is not 'tough enough' to stand up to Nicola Sturgeon and reject her demands for a second Scottish independence referendum.

The PM even suggested that his Labour rival may throw his weight behind the separatist campaign, and questioned the left-winger's commitment to keeping the United Kingdom glued together.

John Nicholson, the candidate for the marginal seat of Ochil and South Perthshire, tried to rally supporters with a tub-thumping speech ahead of the tightly-fought ballot on December 12.

Nicola Sturgeon today demanded £4 billion in extra funding for the NHS in Scotland as her latest price for supporting a minority Labour government.

Nicola Sturgeon's plans for an independent Scotland suffered a hammer blow today after a leading think tank warned splitting from the UK would mean 'more not less austerity' north of the border.

EUAN McCOLM: English voters wonder why Boris Johnson is bothering with Scotland as its health service is ailing and school attainment has dropped by more than a third due to changes by the SNP.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon teed up a pitch battle for the future of the UK claiming Boris Johnson will be 'subverting democracy' by refusing a ballot.

The SNP leader made the admission as she addressed the Holyrood parliament and tore into the Prime Minister after his election win. The SNP itself now holds 47 of the 59 seats in Scotland.

SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said she had won overwhelming support north of the border in the election last week - and the PM had no right to block a new bid to break up the UK.

Heather Anderson took up her seat on Tuesday to replace Alyn Smith, who had served as an MEP for 15 years but had to step down after being elected MP for Stirling in the recent general election.

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.

YouGov research found 51 per cent north of the border would support independence - the first time the firm has recorded a majority in favour since 2015.

The First Minister said that the Prime Minister's decision to block a new vote was 'a sign of weakness' as she continued to build her case the break up the UK.

The threat to the union has been underlined by research showing voters north of the border are divided 50-50 on the issue of independence.

Research by Panelbase suggests that a narrow majority would vote to break up the UK if Nicola Sturgeon gets her way over holding a fresh referendum.

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.'

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

Crackerjack's famous catchphrase: 'It's Friday. It's five-to-five. And it's Crackerjack!' will be tweaked to accommodate the new incarnation's later start time.

The Take That star (pictured with his wife Dawn) lodged plans to demolish a section of his five-bed Cotswolds home in Alvescot, Oxfordshire, four months ago.

Dannii Minogue took to Instagram on Tuesday to share a throwback photo from her childhood. 

The presenter, 46, took to Instagram on Saturday to share a snap announcing that 'Koppang O'Leary productions' would be welcoming a 'new arrival' in the coming months.

The singer, 23, was a sight to behold in one snap where she donned a dark green dress with a layered detail and a black embroidered design.

The X Factor winner, 27, looked radiant as she left the Sintallite party at 100 Wardour Street in London with a friend on Saturday.

The X Factor star, 32, took to Instagram on Friday to share a heartbreaking tribute to her dad as she vowed to continue to make him proud.

The former X Factor winner, 31, who lost her mother almost three years ago, paid tribute to her on Mother's Day

The Masked Singer star shared a sweet childhood photo of herself and sister Kylie baking at their grandmother's house at Easter on Sunday.

The Loose Women panellist, 30, took to Instagram to share a video of her presenter beau, 38, as she jokingly likened his facial hair to Tiger King's Joe Exotic.

The former Love Island star, 23, revealed she is only just 'starting to love' her body as she posed in her underwear for a series of Instagram snaps on Monday.