His Nibs: The strange case of the missing blog
In the latest entry by The Drum's anonymous blogger, revealing news and observations Scotland's media and business communities wouldn't want you to hear, there's the mystery of the disappearing blog and an update on negotiations over pay and conditions around the country.
There are some strange goings on in the case of Hirst v Grahame. On Saturday the Daily Mail reported that Mark Hirst’s allegations were to be probed by Lothian and Borders CID. These claims against his former boss, MSP Christine Grahame, included some relating to her election campaign expenses.
The Mail also suggested that Hirst would be questioned that day, which turned out to be a true prediction.
Nothing unusual about that, I hear you say.
But consider this: until this week Hirst ran his own blog detailing various allegations about his former boss’s so-called unsavoury activities. Now, all of a sudden, the blog has mysteriously disappeared.
Other websites, who’d repeated the allegations, are still carrying them, but the original version has gone.
Could it be Ms Grahame has finally decided enough is enough and has threatened retribution?
All will no doubt become clear if and when a report goes to the Procurator Fiscal.
Meanwhile, across Scotland various pay negotiations are being hammered out.
These include The Scotsman (annual increase), Daily Record (pay inequality issues), Herald and Evening Times (a new structure has been proposed), BBC (redundancies), STV (more video journalists in Aberdeen) and Johnston Press, where a 2% pay rise is on the table.