Big headed
DEREK Mackay isn’t the only Nat posting appalling material on social media. Ochil MP John Nicolson this week tweeted pictures of himself trying to pour pints of Tennent’s lager in a Westminster bar. One dismal effort was 90 per cent foam. “Oh good grief,” tutted SNP MP Stewart McDonald. “Do you want a flake with that?” said another. All very cruel, Unspun feels. Surely Mr Nicolson was merely trying to create a head as big as his own?
PR genius
AS the Scottish Tory leadership campaigns draws to a close, Unspun will miss the antics of Michelle ‘Brains’ Ballantyne. On Wednesday, her underdog campaign issued a media invite to a gathering of party activists that had apparently taken place an hour earlier. When this was queried, a correction was issued saying it was in fact taking place at 2pm the following day. But as this was just before the budget, the press completely ignored it. Genius.
Phantom Act
A TRICKY moment too for fellow Tory Margaret Mitchell as she tried to get an amendment added to a Bill at Justice Committee. A lengthy chunk of legalese, it referred to the Information Commissioner Act 2000. Alas, Ms Mitchell had to inform MSPs that the Information Commissioner himself had just been in touch to say that, er, that Act doesn’t actually exist. She’s the Committee convener, you know.
Beer-off
CONGRATS to departing SNP spindoctor Fergus Mutch on winning his tense beer-off with Scottish Secretary Alister Jack. Both arranged drinks for Holyrood’s hacks on Thursday, but ‘Bottler’ Jack cried off. Fergus’s successor is former Daily Record editor Murray Foote. The appointment led to a classic passive-aggressive tweet from Fergus’s nemesis, SNP MP Joanna Cherry QC. “I’ve been arguing we needed a senior experienced journalist in this role for a while so I’m particularly delighted that’s been heeded,” she miaowed regally. Taking the credit and putting the boot in - now that’s political talent.
Labour’s Record
MR Foote is the repentant sinner behind the infamous pro-Union Vow front page of 2014. His move shows a bit of a pattern at the Labour-supporting tabloid. Besides Murray going to the SNP, former political editor Paul Sinclair went to the Tories, as did his successor Magnus Gardham. It’s almost as if, having seen Labour up close, Record alumni would rather work for anyone else. Fancy that.
Braveheart
ALSO aligning himself with the Nats was Tory chief whip Maurice Golden. During a vote on new business rates for private schools, Golden Mo claimed a link to the greatest Independista of all. “Sir William Wallace... Brian Taylor, Andrew Marr, K T Tunstall and Eilish McColgan are all former pupils of the High school of Dundee - as am I,” he bragged. How proud Braveheart would be to know of the lofty connection. Mibbe.
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