Drumlanrig: Adam’s email probe bears some fruit

Minister for parliament Brian Adam sent out a letter to MSPs last week in which he revealed he had made a startling discovery about written messages. “Information from recent analysis I commissioned provided evidence that correspondence received and replied to by email is quicker and more cost effective [than by post].” A breathless Adam continued: “The overall time from receipt to issue of a final reply can be reduced by as much as six days”.

Golly! For his next task, Adam is to carry out further research on which is quicker: the automobile or horse and cart.

Rampant nonsense from Great Seal

Alex Salmond had better watch out in case he gets a slap on the wrist from the Lord Lyon King of Arms, heraldic authority for Scotland.

Amidst the red, white and blue extravaganza of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the First Minister said that Scots should fly the Lion Rampant when Her Majesty comes to Scotland during the 60th year of her reign.

As Scotland’s First Minister, Mr Salmond is the Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland. As such, he is one of the few people other than the Queen, who is entitled to fly the Lion Rampant or Royal Standard of Scotland.

But last week he said: “The flag that should be being flown in Scotland, in my view, is the Royal Standard, which is the Lion Rampant, which is very much in many senses the people’s flag as well as the monarch’s flag in Scotland.”

Drumlanrig got in touch with the Court of the Lord Lyon, which indicated that “the Lion Rampant is a royal flag and personal to the Sovereign. The appropriate flag for all Scots to fly is the Saltire”.

So there.

Final judgment on treason is reserved

On matters royal, the Conservative MSP Sir Jamie McGrigor was intrigued to learn that the SNP government’s drive for more powers for Scotland has not yet extended to taking control over the heinous crime of treason.

Despite justice being devolved to Holyrood, parliament minister Bruce Crawford has written to McGrigor telling him treason is a matter for Westminster.

Crawford’s letter was in response to McGrigor’s petition to reverse ancient laws imposed against the Jacobite clans during the 18th century and which still taint their descendants. Crawford wrote: “We do not at present see that there are any devolved issues involved here.” David Cameron might yet be glad he still has the treason card up his sleeve.