BBC Scotland News understands that the Scottish government is confident that the vast majority of schools in Scotland already offer single-sex lavatories.

The local authority said it would help those staff affected to obtain permanent jobs using "recruitment, redeployment and retraining, as appropriate".It also said it would work closely with schools and unions to ensure staff were supported during the process.

There were "no areas of fundamental disagreement" in the authority's last meeting with unions, a spokesperson said, adding it was "both surprised and saddened" that the NASUWT had decided to go ahead with the strike action.The union said about 50 teachers, and some support staff, would strike until Thursday, as well as for a further three days later in the month.The county's executive member, John Hall, said: "The council should do everything it can to keep these brilliant, committed teachers - not take their jobs away in such a short-sighted and insensitive way."

For months now, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been asked variations of the same question: "Will you step down?"But though he vowed to stay on as Liberal Party leader - despite deepening frustrations amongst voters and a political rival surging in the polls - even the self-described "fighter" could not withstand the growing chorus of members of his own party calling for him to resign.

"This country deserves a real choice in the next election, and it has become clear to me that if I'm having to fight internal battles, I cannot be the best option in that election," Trudeau conceded on Monday, announcing his resignation in front of Rideau Cottage, his official residence for most of the last decade.

He will stay on as prime minister until a new Liberal Party leader is chosen, at a date yet to be set by the party.Over the summer, voters rejected Liberal candidates in a handful of special elections in once-safe Liberal seats, leading to the beginning of internal party unrest.

He had become an increasingly polarising figure for the electorate - with Trudeau saying on Monday "it's time for a reset" and for the "temperature to come down" in Canadian politics.Andrew Perez, a principal at Perez Strategies, said it will be a challenge now for the Liberals to distance themselves from the Trudeau brand.

"That was a major aspect of their success - but that worked until it didn't," the Liberal strategist told the BBC.Public opinion polls for the Liberals had reached new depths in recent weeks, and attempts to change course with cabinet shuffles and tax breaks failed to make a dent.