An insufficiently heated debate.
HOLYROOD'S health committee found itself investigating the NHS's preparations for winter just as the weather turned, well, wintry this week. It seems Holyrood's own preparations are less than perfect. The committee room was so chilly three extra radiators were wheeled in. Only two could be plugged in. "It was freezing. I nearly had to walk out," said MSP Richard Simpson.
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All the trimmings.
DR Simpson is a member of Scottish Labour's increasingly out-of-control Christmas club. Each year he and fellow MSPs Jackie Baillie, Claudia Beamish and Jayne Baxter spend a tenner on new decorations for their adjoining Holyrood offices. It wasn't too bad at first. But after four years they have accumulated enough tinsel, trees, lights, dancing snowmen and assorted Yuletide tat to trim up a shopping mall. "It's starting to lower the tone," sniffed one visitor to their corridor.
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Remember Movember? Despite Lib Dem MSP Liam McArthur's annual Lemmy tribute 'tache, the event is in danger of being eclipsed in the charity facial hair stakes by Decembeard. Leading the charge at Holyrood is Dr Alasdair Allan, the minister for learning. Even his loyal special advisers reckon his beard is "very dodgy" but at least it is in a good cause. Decembeard raises money for the charity Beating Bowel Cancer.
ends
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