Scottish Roundup

It’s been a busy week in Politics, both Scottish and Westminster and I am sat writing this while watching Scotland play Argentina in the Edinburgh 7s which took place this weekend at Murrayfield, which is where I have in fact spent most of my weekend.

So let’s kick off this weeks roundup in the North East, specifically in Union Terrace Gardens in Aberdeen where The Misssy M Misssives urges a plea to Save Union Terrace Gardens, David Officer Photography claims Aberdeen’s been sold for a pocket full of gold while on Fraser Denholm’s blog he has a copy of a letter to the Scottish Enterprise from the Royal Institute of Architects in Scotland about the Proposed Union Terrace Gardens Competition.

Moving onto the national big news story that broke this week where last night, in between Doctor Who and the Eurovision Song Contest, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, David Laws MP resigned.  This is the first casualty of the new Liberal Democrat – Conservative coalition government.

There are many, many blog posts on this one topic so I will try and include as many as I physically can – first we have David Laws’ dignified and honourable resignation on Caron’s Musings, on Andrew Reeves running blog he talks about the hypocrisy of some Labour bloggers/tweeters, SNP Tactical Voting has A Laws unto himself, Stephen’s Linlithgow Journal asks whatever happened to privacy?

Here are a few more talking about David Laws MP – Jess the Dog, Tom Harris MP, Caledonian Comment (who also goes onto discuss the appointments of Peers and the Ipad) and Hythlodæus.

David Laws resignation has resulted in Danny Alexander MP being moved to Chief Secretary to the Treasury and Michael Moore MP has been promoted to Secretary of State for Scotland, Scot goes Pop questions why Alistair Carmichael MP didn’t get the job.

David Laws started the week announcing the first cuts the coalition government need to make and Malc in the Burgh explains the first cut is nowhere near the deepest while Create Share Love thinks the facade is slipping on the coalition.

So, from David Laws MP to Eurovision (no puns at the back please), around 120 million people were watching the show listening to Graham Norton’s commentary and Doctor Vee who was watching writes as if the real Kate Nash wasn’t bad enough.

Following the campness of Eurovision let’s chat about the Queen’s speech that took place this week and over at Another side of Lesley Riddoch you can download a podcast (or two).

The appointment of 56 Peers also took place this week, J Arthur MacNumpty has a fantastic write up of the Scottish perspective while over at An Incredulous Eye on the Isles writes about the appointment of John Prescott as a Lord, he begs the question, who says Gordon Brown doesn’t have a sense of humour?

NHS cuts are still in the news and Councillor Fraser MacPherson on Dundee’s West End is quizzing NHS Tayside about the future of elderly persons’ services at ward 6, Royal Victoria Hospital, Dundee and while we are on the NHS, and Your Electron Microscope questions the Scottish Government’s removal of funding for training homeopathic doctors.

Subrosa has a shocking story about the MoD £7 million procurement of 75 unarmoured vehicles, in fact when you check the story out, the vehicles would look more at home on any of Scotland’s gold courses, unfortunately they have been produced for our troops in Afghanistan.

Lallands Peat Worrier asks if this is the end of “Scottish” Labour?  While The Gallus Glaswegian explains why 33 is the magic number in the race to be the next leader of the Labour Party and Calum Cashley asks if Labour are bankrupt?

Tom Harris MP talks about the Labour leadership battle.

Oh, by the way, back at Murrayfield, Scotland beat Argentina 19 – nil, in case you were wondering.

We know SFA covers the launch of the new Celtic kit, while Indygal goes to Holyrood explains why her feet are killing her on the streets of Dennistoun, Planet Politics tackles Glasgow City Council on gesture licensing and Stephen’s Linlithgow Journal has a great cartoon with the headline – Feeling Blue and Rudderless Under the Goldie Tide.

Suitably Despairing covers the story of the proposed new Forth Road Bridge.

Flares n Seagulls is an alternative music magazine well worth a read, John Connell tells us about the best band he ever saw, but they won’t be reforming and In a bun dance reminisces while working and over at the Scottish Football blog there’s a review of 3D TV.

For those photo fans Scotland in the Gloaming is a must visit site, where there are some stunning sunsets, my favourite is the one of the Forth bridges and better Oot than in, has a day off with her camera and red dress.

Insert my blog name here has three embarrassing tales from the subway and over at …Except the Kyles and Western Isles we have a fantastic history of Craignure ferries with pictures, staying with ferries, A Rabbit’s Eye View of the Hyperborean North has the story of the Pentland ferries being praised by MSPs in Holyrood.

A Son of the Rock explains Dunfermline’s art deco heritage while Islay Birdstells of sightings of different birds on Islay, sticking with Islay, the Islay Blog has a roundup of the annual Whisky festival.

Over at Pining for the West there’s a book review or two to get your teeth into, this one specifically on a collection of short stories, Not the end of the world by Kate Atkinson.

To wrap up Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow explains that as a new day dawns a new mission statement is launched on his blog, what’s in Kelvin’s head.

Well, as the great Bugs Bunny says, that’s all folks, over 120 blogs visited to bring this weeks round up, I hope you enjoy the mix and don’t forget, to nominate a blog post for next week just email or as always use the thingymajig on the right hand side of this page.