Drumlanrig

SURPRISE ATTACK OUTFOXES LIAM

THUMPING onto desks last week was a weighty tome titled The British Army 2011. Subheaded “A Balance of Capabilities for an Unpredictable World,” it is a series of essays by top brass and politicians on the future for the soon-to-be-cut troops up to 2020. So unpredictable that the opening salvoes are fired by none other than Dr Liam Fox, above, who at the time of writing was Defence Secretary, but who is now reinforcing the back benches.

His contribution, “The Challenge of Change”, Drumlanrig believes is rather appropriate, given the good doctor’s own shifting circumstances.

UNIFORM RESPONSE FROM CUNNINGHAM

AT THE SNP conference in Inverness, Roseanna Cunningham revealed a penchant for men in uniforms. Making a speech yesterday she was talking about some of the perks of being a Scottish Government minister and with the merest hint of jealousy in her voice, described how colleague Shona Robison’s role as Sports Minister enabled her to go and watch Scotland play Spain in Alicante.

However Roseanna, right, believes she gets the best deal as Community Safety Minister. “I trump them all, because I get to go and meet firefighters all the time,” she said with a glint in her eye.

NAKED RADIO A NO NO FOR FIRST MINISTER

ALEX Salmond, at the SNP’s drinks reception for the media, sang the praises of new technology and how it has transformed his life. Nowadays, he is able to do radio interviews live from his Aberdeenshire house first thing in the morning, meaning he can roll out of bed in his pyjamas to give a comment on any breaking stories.

Mercifully, he drew the line at suggestions he may do interviews in the buff, adding he would not even go ‘naked’ for charity.

DELEGATES CHOOSE BAR OVER SPA

Many of the delegates at Inverness are making use of the fine facilities on offer at the Mercure Hotel, which to a certain generation will always be known as the Caledonian.

One wonders, however, how many chose to forgo the temptations of the bar and work out in the hotel’s wonderful Sebastian Coe Health Spa.

Judging by the ferocious activity in the busy bar, one assumes most delegates chose not to exercise in a suite named after a Tory peer. One wonders whether that was a result of political ideology or just sheer thirst.