Drumlanrig: Murphy cock-a-hoop over East End dream
JIM Murphy’s devotion to Celtic FC knows no bounds. Unveiled as Scottish Labour’s new leader at the Emirates Arena in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, Murphy was overjoyed that his moment of triumph was just a corner kick away from Celtic Park.
His joy was such that he made sure he rearranged the chairs during an impromptu press conference to ensure that he had a view of the Lisbon Lions’ stand.
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Hide AdEarlier, he had told Labour activists that his new job was “the fulfilment of a dream”.
“I have always dreamt of being captain of a team in the East End of Glasgow,” Murphy said, before adding: “But I always dreamt of a team in green rather than a team in red.”
Hope springs exulting for Salmond’s Burns rival
WHEN it comes to quoting the National Bard, Alex Salmond is probably the politician who is best known for trotting out the works of Robert Burns.
Forever making promises that will be kept until the “rocks melt with the sun”, Salmond is nothing if not a Burns’ enthusiast.
But this coming Burns Night, the former first minister’s position as politics’ premier Burns aficionado is to be challenged from an unlikely source.
The former Labour Cabinet minister Alan Johnson (above), who is more of a Cockney postie than an Ayrshire ploughman, is to give the Immortal Memory at a Labour Burns supper at Tynecastle Stadium, the Hearts ground in Edinburgh.
Meat and greet for festive veggie Greens
THE Green Party last week held its Christmas lunch at Hemma, the excellent Swedish cafe/bar round the corner from the Scottish Parliament which specialises in smorgasbord platters.
The Hemma staff were over-run with orders for veggie-burgers, green tea and fruit juice from the group, which included the Greens’ independent allies the former SNP MSPs John Finnie and Jean Urquhart (above).
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Hide AdThere was, however, much consternation when one of the festive political party-goers had the gall to order a beef burger that was actually made of beef.
Palace’s Executive decision over Scottish Government
IT SEEMS the Royal Family is struggling to get to grips with the rise of the SNP and the steady movement of power from London to Edinburgh.
When Nicola Sturgeon went to Buckingham Palace to meet the Queen last week, the courtiers drafted the Court Circular, the document announcing Royal events. The original draft said: “Ms Nicola Sturgeon MSP was received by The Queen this afternoon on her appointment as First Minister of the Scottish Executive”, a statement that failed to acknowledge the SNP’s successful campaign to have the Scottish Executive upgraded to the Scottish Government.
The prospect of a fall-out between the Palace and SNP HQ was averted when a second draft of the announcement was updated to refer to the Scottish Government.
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