Good Lord
Edinburgh financier turned humble crofter Ian Blackford has been in the news after floating the taboo idea of having SNP peers in the Lords. SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn was dead against it, as was one Twitter/X user who posted: “The House of Lords is not the answer to Scottish Independence. It is a tainted non elected body that should not be mirrored in any fresh new modern Country. Only benefit to odd individual who would benefit financially from allowances.” The author? Er, one Catherine Ann Blackford, who happens to be the Skye MP’s wife.
Kruger canned
SO, farewell then Lady Hallett. The UK Covid-19 Inquiry has packed up and left Edinburgh after a dramatic three weeks of evidence. Next stop Wales, then Northern Ireland. Tory MP Danny Kruger griped last month that "as a rule, UK tours should be left for boy bands, not taxpayer-funded public inquiries". Concluding on Thursday, Lady H observed acidly: “I'm glad that we were able to bring the UK Inquiryto Scotland, even if I was accused by one politician of taking my rock band on tour. The clue is in the name. It's the UK Covid Inquiry, and that's why it was important for us to bring the Inquiry to Scotland.” Take That, you might say.
Miles apart
More news on the true life drama obsessing Holyrood. What's going to happen to the pub over the road now that the lease is up? Unspun hears the Kilderkin will be taken over next week by the folk behind the Ensign Ewart, the historic pub closest to Edinburgh Castle. It would mean the boss of the pub at the top of the Royal Mile would also have the boozer at the bottom. As the Ensign Ewart’s website notes, it’s Edinburgh's highest pub and so “it's all downhill from here”. Yep, that’s the Scottish Parliament crowd, all right.
The price is wrong
A Freudian slip at FMQs where Humza Yousaf was responding to a question about rising water bills from Tory Graham Simpson. The FM told MSPs the charges would be set by Scottish Water’s board "in line with the price crap, er, price cap across the 2021-27 period". Later that day, Scottish Water jacked up its waste and water charges by 8.8% from April. It seems Mr Yousaf was right the first time.
Absolute zero
Mr Simpson also had a ropey turn of phrase. “Water bills are paid through our council tax. Given that the First Minister has committed to freeze council tax, is he not prepared to do the same with water?” Well, perhaps in the winter, but not all year round, surely?
Cammy Leg
Edinburgh City Council leader Cammy Day has been sharing his inner life with the latest issue of Holyrood magazine. Readers able to get past the revelation that “a tonne of fizzy juice” once fell on his leg and “snapped it in half” when he was working at a supermarket could read about his guilty pleasure. This, he said, was “a nice glass of Cava”. However far more culpable, Unspun reckons, was his admission that he prefers bog standard salt 'n' vinegar to Edinburgh’s justly adored salt 'n' sauce on his chips. Get on your good leg and jog on, pal.
Tick, tock
Finally, a freedom of information response this week revealed exactly how much the SNP-Green Government spent dialling the speaking clock last year. A single call was made and cost 44p. Presumably they didn’t ring back because it said, Your time is up.
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