Drumlanrig

Snippets from the past week in the political sphere

Not such a black and white matter

This being Scotland, the constitutional status of Scotland’s pandas Tian Tian and Yang Guang is a matter of major debate as they arrive on these shores. UK officials, tongue in cheek, are keen to assert that these are “British Pandas”, on the grounds that they have been loaned to them not the Scottish Government. However, First Minister Alex Salmond argues that their arrival illustrates the “great and growing friendship between Scotland and China”. None the less, it will be Scottish Secretary Michael Moore not Salmond (who, as chance would have it, is in China) who will welcome them here today. Wisely, the pair themselves have so far opted to keep their thoughts on the issue to themselves.

Tweet may not be to Fiona Hyslop’s benefit

SNP minister Fiona Hyslop has risked making herself unpopular with left-wingers in her party when she tweeted her congratulations to the firm ATOS, which had just been named business of the year at a West Lothian Chamber of Commerce dinner. This is the same ATOS which won the job of assessing whether sick and disabled people should receive the new Employment and Support Allowance or whether they should get the dole like everyone else.

Whether there are any SNP lefties out there who give ATOS about this kind of thing any more remains to be seen.

A hot topic on the dinner menu?

SNP MP Pete Wishart has been one of the most vocal SNP politicians speaking up for gay marriage. Shortly after the Church of Scotland had published its statement denouncing same-sex marriage, Wishart said how disappointed he was with the Kirk’s verdict. He then headed off to a posh dinner at the Commons with none other than the Rt Rev David Arnott, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. One assumes that the dinner table conversation was lively.

Scales in favour of a weighty issue

The disruption caused by last week’s public sector strikes even extended to a weekly meeting of Weight Watchers. The closure of the council-run library in McDonald Road, Edinburgh, meant one class had to decamp to a nearby bar on Leith Walk. It came as a bit of a shock to the dieters that Priscilla’s Cabaret Bar was one of those establishments frequented by the sort of people the Church of Scotland does not think should get married to each other.

Described as gay and transvestite friendly, Priscilla’s thankfully also proved Weight Watchers friendly.

One dieter said: “There were a couple blokes having a quiet pint and they didn’t seem to mind that we were getting on and off the scales. There was a lovely atmosphere.”