Category: Scotsman
10 May 2012
2013 is a strange year. There are no elections. That will be an enormous relief to the electorate to say nothing of any Liberal Democrat. But this is no time to take the foot of the political accelerator. Labour are the party with momentum.They performed better than expected in Scotland’s local elections and across England [...]
5 May 2012
Two things strike me about the Lib Dems performance across Scotland in the local elections. First where they had been in power and were not highly thought of by the good citizenry of that area they were punished. This was particularly the case where Lib Dems led administrations as in the Capital, Fife and Aberdeen. [...]
26 April 2012
The favourite technique of our beloved leader when under pressure is to call the cameras into Bute House. The First Minister’s official residence is then used as a visual prop as Alex Salmond explains away his latest political ducking and diving. This week the cameras were called in to hear his explanation for his lobbying [...]
19 April 2012
Desperation had set in. I was under precise instructions. The birthday gift had been identified and I thought a stroll up Edinburgh’s main shopping thoroughfare would suffice. But the consumer product of choice was not in stock. The second retail emporium produced the same result. Desperation turned into blind panic. It dawned that I should [...]
12 April 2012
Academics complain that it dumbs down learning. But it makes the subject fun. Fun for a new generation of learners. The fourth series of Horrible Histories is now airing on children’s TV. The concept has grown from a first book published 25 years ago and has now sold millions. My bookshelves grown as the boys [...]
5 April 2012
Many congratulations to George Galloway on winning a Westminster Parliamentary by-election. Galloway’s turn of phrase and eye for the moment is an object lesson for students of politics. He is out of the Sheridan and Salmond political school where every moment is a media opportunity and the accompanying rhetoric is wonderfully over the top. Only [...]
29 March 2012
Have you spent 200 hours in the past year on just one activity? If the answer to that question would normally be directed to an Agony Aunt on a red top newspaper this column is not for you. But if you run a voluntary organisation and need new people then read on. A national awards [...]
22 March 2012
Angus MacNeil is an Island representative. As the Western Isles MP he has been notably critical of his own Nationalist government over ferries policy. On that he is representing his constituents. Putting the needs of the local fishing, crofting and construction industries ahead of slavish loyalty to bad policies dreamed up in the bowels of [...]
15 March 2012
It is not often that you get the opportunity to meet a rock star. Government Ministers, sporting stars and international delegations are seen in the corridors of the Scottish Parliament. But a bone fide rock star is another matter. Annie Lennox spoke in Holyrood this week. The Eurythmics and solo performer was the Parliament’s guest [...]
1 March 2012
Working with people from other political parties and from none is the stuff of politics. In the USA it is called bi-partisan politics as Democrats and Republicans cross the floor on a joint initiative. There are rather more than two political parties in the USA at the moment as the Republican nomination process proves, but [...]