Jobless figures - 'We don't have to press the panic button'

The dramatic rise in the number of people out of work in Edinburgh only seems to add to the gloom right now as we brace ourselves for the impact of savage public spending cuts.

A quarter of the working age population is now unemployed, after the jobless rate in the city surged past the Scottish and UK average after being pegged below it for years.

Although that figure does include those who can't or don't want to work, including those on long-term incapacity benefit, it does leave 22,700 people currently struggling to find work. And many will fear that they could soon be joining them.

Yet it would be wrong to paint too bleak a picture of the future when there are signs that Edinburgh could continue to avoid the worst of the financial downturn.

The summer saw record visitor numbers in the city centre, new businesses are starting at the rate of 11 a day, a third more than last year and more than in many comparable UK cities, and house prices and planning applications for new developments are up too.

And the main reason for the sharp increase in jobseekers is also a source of strength, the thousands of students graduating from our universities and colleges.

These are worrying times for them, but few cities can boast such a highly educated and flexible workforce. That attracts new employers, like Virgin Money and Tesco Bank.

Only a fool would pretend everything in the garden is rosy, but we are still some way of having to press the panic button yet.

It's Clyro-mania

Sometimes the best things in life grow from the most inauspicious beginnings.

Who would have thought, for instance, that one of Scotland's best bands would take their inspiration from a Cliff Richard novelty pen? Biffy Clyro, who it was announced today will headline Edinburgh's Hogmanay this year, allegedly took their Spoonerised name from a "Cliffy biro". From the ridiculous to the sublime, their millions of fans might say.

And this difficult year promises to end in style, even though the celebrations may not be on the same scale as previous events.