Drumlanrig: Michael Matheson exposed on radio

NEW justice secretary Michael Matheson has earnestly built up a reputation as a safe pair of hands within the Scottish National Party.

NEW justice secretary Michael Matheson has earnestly built up a reputation as a safe pair of hands within the Scottish National Party.

Now that he has reached high office, there was a sign that this may be about to change.

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Marking the introduction of the new more stringent drink drive limits, Matheson (pictured left) was interviewed by Radio Scotland.

“Minister you’re speaking to us from an undisclosed location in Glasgow where the police are stopping drivers,” the interviewer said.

“Yes, I’m in Crown Street,” Matheson replied. Oops.

Onlookers sent reeling by Gibson’s turn as MC

Veteran SNP MSP Rob Gibson is known for his love of traditional Scottish culture. And as a keen guitarist and folk-singer, Gibson often attends music festivals in the Highlands.

His enthusiasm for strathspeys and reels was in abundance when he attended the lavish Scottish Green Energy Awards.

After the awards had been presented, the ceilidh band struck up and Gibson started jigging.

Onlookers claimed it was an impressive sight, suggesting it was a bit like MC Hammer taking the floor at the White Heather Club.

Fergus lowers the boom boom on tourism debate

The SNP’s critics claim that the party has its fair share of comedians. Last week tourism minister Fergus Ewing tried to add himself to that list.

In a debate on tourism successes, Ewing said 2014 had been an exceptional year with the Lonely Planet naming Scotland as the third best country in the world to visit.

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“Members may be wondering what the first two were: they were Brazil and Antarctica,” Ewing said. “Those are not our most immediate competitors, but there is a theme there, and some logic to the selection and ranking of the destinations, because, if one thinks about it, Brazil is hot; Antarctica is cold; but Scotland is cool.”

Even the SNP benches groaned as Ewing resorted to a Basil Brush impression. “Boom, boom, Presiding Officer,” he said.

One hundred reasons to ask Jim back as Bruce

WITH the SNP’s love of symbolism, Drumlanrig can reveal that plans are already afoot to celebrate the 700 years since the signing of the 1320 Declaration of Arbroath.

The Angus MSP Graeme Dey has suggested that 2020 should be celebrated as the “Year of Declaration”.

Dey reckons that promoting the anniversary of the document pledging that while a hundred Scots remained alive Scotland would never be brought under English rule could be a tourism spectacular.

Hopefully such an occasion would include a very special Arbroath Abbey Pageant, the son et lumière re-enactment where a local SNP stalwart Jim McGugan made a wonderful Robert the Bruce in the 1970s.