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Pulsating pulses of the

Politicians and political hacks

What has fledgling SNP MSP Graeme Dey done to ruffle the feathers of the Scottish Mail on Sunday’s Holyrood diarist Black Dog?

The oft-acerbic columnist wrote, under the heading: ’SNP whip’s Dey job’: “What do you call the menial who places a bottle of water on SNP supremo Alex Salmond’s desk in the parliament before each session, having unscrewed the lid to save the great man the effort?

“New Nat Graeme Dey, whose day job includes representing Angus South, is technically a deputy whip. Dog suspects ‘flunkey’ might be a more accurate job description.”

Paeans of praise for two of

Holyrood’s first-time ladies:

Dames Jenny and Joan

In the Sunday Mail, political editor Mark Aitken investigated how the 48 new MSPs fared at Holyrood – just as the parliament broke up for the summer recess.

Aitken got Scottish Labour chief whip John Park to pick out three of the SNP’s brightest new stars, and one of John’s choices was Joan McAlpine (South of Scotland), former deputy editor of The Herald and former editor of the Sunday Times Scotland.

Said Park: “Being close to the leadership and a former newspaper editor, Joan will be a key message carrier.

“She is someone people in the party look up to and with her skills as a communicator, Joan will help the SNP put their argument across.”

Meanwhile, former Dundee University press officer Jenny Marra (North East Scotland), of Scottish Labour, caught the sharp eye of SNP whip Bill Kidd.

Said Kidd: “Jenny has proven herself very adept at speech-making and projecting her special interests. And I have found her very willing to work across the parties.

“She has settled in so well that she is a long-term prospect for the Labour leadership.”

News of the World’s Euan

McColm makes his excuses

And heads to his shed

The Scottish News of the World’s political editor Euan McColm announces that now the parliament is in recess…”I’m off to sit in the shed for a fortnight. Please be gentle with Labour MP Tom Harris next week and SNP MSP Derek Mackay on July 17.”

Euan was unhappy with how Kilmarnock SNP MSP Willie Coffey brought a debate on the controversial BBC Scotland documentary, The Scheme, to the chamber.

Explains McColm: “It allowed politicians from across the chamber to denounce the Beeb for exploiting the people of Onthank with their nasty programme.

“Thing is, The Scheme does represent a real aspect of Scottish life. I’d rather have heard MSPs debate how to help the people of the Onthank estate and others like it.

Before departing to his sunshine shed, Euan pointed out that Scottish Labour’s quest to find a replacement for their outgoing boss Iain Gray is proving somewhat difficult.

He declared: “Eastwood MSP Ken Macintosh has been discussed as a possible leader, though his lack of ministerial experience may go against him.”

Holyrood or bust! How

Sculptor gave Salmond

the Ecks Factor

The heading above is from the Scottish Mail on Sunday’s coverage of the bestowing of a bronze statue of First Minister Alex Salmond at the SNP’s HQ in Edinburgh.

The story claimed that the sculpture showed a remarkable resemblance to music mogul Louis Walsh, of ‘X Factor’ fame, and said: “The bust, created by Fife sculptor David Annand, sported a similar hairstyle, long, lean nose and the trademark half-smile adopted in publicity shots by the hit television show judge.”

The Scottish News of The World’s story, headed: ’Alex: I’m bust bar none’, was a trifle irreverent, beginning with the line …”Alex Salmond’s success might be going to his head after he unveiled a bronze bust of himself yesterday.”

And the Rupert Murdoch redtop’s story ended with ….”But Labour MP Tom Harris laughed: ‘Alex has come face to face with the love of his life.”

The paper reckoned that the bust warranted a leader, headed: ‘It must be love’, explaining: “Mr Salmond is not known for his modesty, so it wasn’t surprising to see his delight as the creation was made public.

“Rumours that the plan was for a full statue but the sculptor ran out of bronze at the second chin are cruel and untrue.”

The Sunday Post’s political

man ponders on the

Possibility of canned Salmond

The Sunday Post’s political editor Campbell Gunn was in distinctly holiday mood in his weekly Holyrood round-up

He, too, featured the First Minister in his scribblings, disclosing that an exhibition at Holyrood highlighting Scottish farmed salmon was published on the Scottish Parliament website as being sponsored by the Scottish Salmond Producers Organisation.

Reports Campbell: “‘Oh no, a production line of salmonds? One opposition MSP gasped. ‘Time to leave the country’.”

Gunn revealed that the MSPs versus the Holyrood hacks annual golf match went to the final hole, with the last pair of former MSPs Peter Peacock and Lord James Douglas-Hamilton snatching victory in their game over the BBC Scotland dynamic pairing of Brian Taylor and Kit Fraser.

That left the overall team contest tied. However under Ryder Cup rules, the politicians, as holders, retained the trophy.

And Campbell disclosed that when Labour big-hitter John Prescott joined Labour’s campaign in the Inverclyde by-election, he headed into a workmen’s hut.

“He was being followed by a TV crew, who were stopped from following Mr Prescott into the hut by Labour press staff.

“Just as well. The walls of the hut were festooned in what can only be described as ‘glamour’ photographs of ladies wearing very little or nothing.

“Mr P gazed at the photographs, and asked: “Which one is Harriet Harman?”

One a more serious note, the Sunday Post scribe said that Westminster SNP leader Angus Robertson was asked in a BBC interview whether his party was ‘neo-fascist’ as alleged by Scottish Labour MP Ian Davidson , the chair of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee.

Gunn points out: “The SNP protested that no other party leader would have been asked the question and the interview was never broadcast.”

Ends

Much angst over White House press pool losing scoops to Twitter

I imagine it is unlikely to be a major problem for the politico hacks at Holyrood but there is much angst in Washington DC over the some reporters in the rotating pool of journalists who these bands of journalists are sending tweets and TwitPics before the pool reports go to all of their colleagues, and that’s creating problems. “The conventions dictate that the pool comes first — not the news organisation or the individual,” relates Amie Parnes.

The issue, which has surfaced in recent months as more reporters embrace Twitter, has sparked a debate within the White House press corps about how much of such online activities should be allowed. …The White House Correspondents’ Association has created a task force to examine the matter, along with other pool-related issues involving changes in the industry.

In 2005, there were complaints about the pool reports — once distributed by hand — being emailed and posted on websites. “The sheer number of recipients and the electronic distribution practically assures that these once closely guarded documents end up online,” said Christopher Cooper.

The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank complained six years ago that the added scrutiny of the pool reports has “stamped all the fun out of it.”