Inside Holyrood: I've seen the future and it's run by Patsies

Published on Sunday 21 September 2008 22:01

THIS week MSPs will be considering a motion by Keith Brown, the Nationalist MSP, into the welfare of veterans across Scotland.

While the former Royal Marine's motion is about veterans of the military variety, some of the more grey-tinged MSPs might reflect that political veterans need some protection too.

Holyrood may not immediately be associated with 1980s Yuppie culture, especially after the roasting they gave financial speculators in the aftermath of the HBOS disaster. But the Scottish Parliament has its own form of Yuppies, probably better termed Patsies (politically ambitious twenty somethings) who form the backbone of research and media staff employed by MSPs.

Iain Gray's victory was in many ways a win for the Patsies, even though Mr Gray's grey locks may not make that all too obvious.

His opponents chose old hands, former ministers, to run their campaigns – Cathy Jamieson had Hugh Henry and Andy Kerr had Allan Wilson – but Mr Gray let youth have its head. His campaign was run by a former Patsy, Richard Baker, but many of the ideas and legwork was generated by Russell Gunson, a Labour researcher not long out of university, and Kez Dugdale, Lord George Foulkes' highly respected researcher.

Both are in their twenties and are expected to be given important jobs in Mr Gray's backroom staff. Ms Dugdale already sits in on the preparations for First Minister's questions and Mr Gunson helped to draft Mr Gray's first Labour conference speech. More importantly, both hope to run for office.

And Labour is not alone in having its fair share of bright young Patsies. The SNP has Gail Lythgo and Marco Biagi; the Tories have Craig Wilson, Miles Brigg and Iain Gibson; the Lib Dems David Paterson and the Greens Naomi McAuliffe. There are many more who could be mentioned, all with a wide range of highly-tuned skills that make them ideal foot soldiers in modern politics.

Indeed, some former Patsies have already broken into the ranks. As well as Mr Baker, there is his wife Claire. Among the Nationalists new MSP Aileen Campbell worked for Nicola Sturgeon, her colleague Jamie Hepburn worked for Alex Neil.

Some complain that Patsies have no experience outside student life and politics.

But what is clear is that the rigours of modern politics demands professionalism and a different set of skill sets more to do with campaigning and winning and that is why the future lies with the Patsies.