Inside Hoyrood - Glenrothes; centre of the political universe

Published on Sunday 14 September 2008 22:07

THERE was a joke – though not a very funny one – circulating in Holyrood on Friday that perhaps the Scottish Parliament should officially relocate to Glenrothes this week.

Apart from hill farming and tourism, the only real highlight will be to see whether new Labour leader Iain Gray can survive First Minister's Questions on Thursday without being mangled by Alex Salmond.

The reason why business should be relocated to Glenrothes may have something to do with the fact that there is a good chance many MPs will be doing "constituency work" there

– ie, campaigning for the as-yet-uncalled Glenrothes by-election.

Nationalist MSP Sandra White was accused of taking her duty to constituents a little too far last Wednesday when she was spotted in Methil (which is part of the Glenrothes constituency) handing out leaflets – about 60 miles from her own constituents in Glasgow.

While there, she missed a riveting announcement on the Scottish Futures Trust by John Swinney, but she did make it back to Edinburgh in time for the real business of the day – to join friends at the Canon's Gait pub to watch the Scotland game.

Tavish Scott, the Liberal Democrat leader has already been out canvassing in Glenrothes too, and more will doubtless make the trip this week.

And even those in Holyrood had Glenrothes in mind, as was witnessed in a "passionate outburst" by Labour's MSP, Helen Eadie, directed at Nicola Sturgeon, in the C diff debate.

"The constituents whom I represent in Cardenden form part of the Glenrothes constituency," she shouted. "Unless you give us an absolute and categorical assurance that you will go ahead with a public inquiry, I will print every word that you have said on the leaflets that I will put out in the Cardenden and Kinglassie part of my constituency, to say that you are not taking the case seriously."

"Bring it on," was Ms Sturgeon's comment – for which she appeared to be speaking for everybody.