The news that the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA) is to bring in Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks for all adults who are regularly in touch with children sparked uproar across the blogopshere. Subrosa, a grandmother, called it the ‘anti-paedophile’ database, a way to get details of one in four of us. Giving the mother’s perspective is Caron surely as she writes these plans should be “such a relief” actually “err, actually, no. [She'll] despair of it, in fact”. Jeff gave us five reasons why CRB checks will not be an effective tool against Paedophiles. I asked where are we going to find the police time and resources to carry out these checks and keep them updated, plus are they that accurate really as in the last year the number of errors doubled. There wasn’t much initially in favour of the scheme until Tom Harris trundled up saying he’d “take parents’ views on this issue much more seriously than those without children”, so no objectivity allowed then.

As if the possible difficulty of children to be involved in clubs, talented young chess players and bowlers having to wait until they are 18 to join and compete being examples cited, the Government then also wanted to change factual children’s TV. With a jerk of the other knee they are doing away with under 14′s appearing on TV unless they are singing, acting or dancing. What about shows like Blue Peter or Newsround etc I wrote.

The other big story to take the Political Blogosphere by storm was the fact that when Big Ben strikes 10 on Election Night we won’t get a result at some point through the night. News that more local authorities are looking at carrying out their counts on Friday in the day sparked a lot of response. Malc led the call to save Election Night, Tom Harris gives some reasons for a quick count, I give some different ones eventually (scroll to the end). Caronon the other hand recognising the personal fabulousness of the event isn’t too bothered if we know the final result by lunch or tea time on the Friday. So when we get to see the mano a mano cage fightbetween UKIP’s Nigel Farage and speaker Jon Bercow, which James thinks may see a Speaker defeated at the ballot box, is up in the air. But at least Labour and the Tories can be relieved that whatever time of night or day the count takes place there will still be indication of how well they are doing on the swingometer; not so fast says James.

Away from Westminster and unto Holyrood. Mr Eugenidespoints out how some pubs, including Parliament’s local, are getting round the new licensing law restriction on happy hour drinks’ pricing. Also suggesting a cunning plan for the MSPs who voted for. Still on the booze Underdog Bites Upwards has a honey I shrunk the blogger moment when he wonders have the aisles and bottles got bigger.

Caron was in her sick bed the other week when the legislative programme for this session was announced. Having emerged she asks why of all their election pledges is an almost certainly doomed push for referendum on independence the one they want to keep pushing? Jess the Dog just thinks Lord Foulkes’ latest questions on defence are just pathetic.

It may have been a big week for football in Scotland but not everyone was that bovvered. Jeff picks up on the Scotsman’s story seeming to take the view that it is important to be aware of constituents concerns for the national team, Duncan however praises human politicians who aren’t ‘identikit robots’ for the sake of politics. Mr Eugenides though points to the fact that ignorance-pointer-out-in-chief Frank McAveety use of the word Liberal is even more out of touch, by 21 years to be exact.

James tried in vainto lure the top Scottish Lib Dem bloggers to the Green Party. Though there was a range of Green issues raised by both sides. The public, or at least the writers to the Scotsman’s letter’s page, have picked up on compulsory purchase orders and Trumps intended use of them. Then there is also the news that the SNP’s green credentials, not to mention their child friendliness (this week’s theme), are in doubt following proposals of a road tax on bicycles. There is also a closer look at aircraft emmissions.

Neil Craig highlights some of the joys of modular housing. 

Clairwil points out that phenomenally protestors can sometimes be in the wrong place, at the wrong time for the wrong result.

You’ve noticed I’ve not mentioned Megrahi this week but Dark Lochnagar has a rather tough stance to take on Britain’s 9-11 style plotters.

Good news for us Scots though as Andrew Reeves points out. Not only are the Weggie men well endowed but we’re a well groomed nation.

Finally congratulations to Caron’s Musings on celebrating a birthday this week. Was it really three years ago I got asked, “How do I start a blog?”, tempus fugit.

Well that is it for this week, by the time Cabalamat compiles the next Political round-up I’ll be in a new decade as well as down in Bournemouth as party conference season continues. In the meantime there is a NoPoScoBloRo midweek so keep those nominations coming either through the nominate tool on the right, or an e-mail to scottishroundup@gmail.com. Also Twitter users follow us @ScottishRoundup.

So there you have it folks, a nice quiet week in the Scottish Blogosphere. Move along now nothing to see here, no name calling, no controversy, nothing for Scotland to concern the world with.

Oh! What? Oh, you do want to hear about the Budget Bill, build up, vote and the aftermath then?

Well the talking point of the week was obviously the Budget that never was, isn’t yet to be that occurred in Holyrood.  The “Best Political Team in the Blogosphere“  were most helpful in their recommendations to be included.  One of them suggested “Everyone in the Scottish blogosphere on the budget/ fall out/ prognosis – good luck sorting that out Stephen!”

Gee thanks guys! So therefore it was probably a good idea that I starting writing this up on Thursday once the dust had started to settle.

In the wee small hours of Budget Day James gave us (rather than his biographer) a bit of a Green insight into the goings on that would lead to the final vote. I picked up on the unrest as well. 

 In the immediate aftermath of the casting vote of the Presiding Officer felling the budget all hell broke loose. Richard Thompson pointed the finger at the Green Party, with James pre-emptively defending the party line while Jeff nailed it to a failure of planning. Lib Dem Finance spokesman Jeremy Purvis made a podcast  to explain the Lib Dem stance over the vote. 

What followed was talk as to what the parties could do to get a budget passed and whether there would be a shift from the SNP to accommodate. James lampooned the Lib Dems for their budget stance U-turn. Scottish Secretary Jim Millar thought the Greens had overplayed their hand and now risked losing everything though Kevin Williamson backed the Greens for sticking to their principles. Jamie Cooke described Mr Salmond’s approach as the Scottish Parliament being “held to ransom by one man’s ego”. The ego theme was one that I  also followed while others  talked to arrogance and saw media manipulation in the SNP approach.

After a night’s sleep some of the Scottish Blogosphere was more reflective Malc and Will gave their analysis, Bernard Salmon offered some Lib Dem alternative solutions while Ideas of Civilisation pointed out that it wasn’t the end of the world. Will and Caron also looked at where we were are heading next.

The Thurday’s FMQs, live blogged by Malc, led Yousuf Hamid to suggest that the First Minister’s “attack dog” antics could risk the embryonic post-budget consensus. Yousuf then questionedwhether the Nats actually wanted a deal with Labour. Newly discovered blogger The Grumpy Spindoctor also wondered why the First Minster wanted to heap blame quite squarely on the shoulders of the Labour Party not Messrs Harvie and Harper.

Jeff thinks we may by the end of the week be able to draw a line under it all. Well see what the next couple of weeks brings. (Hope Andy  and Will have an easier time writing up Mark II)

There was other news too. 

The budget wasn’t Alex Salmond’s first black spot of the week. There was the Kofi Annan and Rabbie Burns, who was actually Adam Smith, issue A Leaky Chanter, Yousuf and Scottish Unionist all had their say on the matter.

News that four of their noble Lordships may have been taking money for asking questions was defended by Tom Harris while Tartan Hero unsurprisingly takes a different view. Mr Eugenides points out that if you accept having money sloshing around politics, you must expect scandals. Later in the week while other heads were diverted by the budget Holyrood Chronicles pointed out that the Times were digging deeper, and closer to Holyrood and Cybernat found an issue right on Gordon Brown’s doorstep.

The BBC were making rather than merely producing the news this week over their refusal to screen the Disaster Emergency Committee’s Appeal for Gaza. Malc in the Burgh and Lison the BBC’s stance on the DEC appeal although I unearthed footage that the message was sneaking out anyway.

In light of the fuel company’s strike over foreign jobs Callum Cashley asks are Gordon Brown’s comments xenophobic.

In an interesting angle on the energy debate Neil Craigon the fatalities caused by wind power vis nuclear.Elsewhere Cabalamat is worried about a boadband tax for the UK. A Leaky Chanterspots another questionably truthful remark by Alex Salmond. Localish boy Duncanshares the news of Glenrothes winning the Carbuncle award (and what he thought about it being nominated).

David Dugdale pointed out Cllr Fraser Macpherson and his look at the SNP and the Edinburgh Accommodation Allowance. Mr Hexplored the educational standards at Telford College.

Tory Bear brings a story about Iain Gray, Scottish Labour leader, threatening members of his party’s youth organisation.

For a little introsepction Gus reviews Alex Massie’s move to the Spectator… and his dodgy photographs. While Caronlooks at Tom Harris’s spelling clause in his comments policy.

Well that’s it for another week folks. I hope I’ve done justice to a complex week of goings on here in Scotland. If not you can address complaints to Mr A. Salmond c/o Bute House

Next week the baton passes from West to East Lothian as Andy Sharp who will be making a Round Up editorial debut. So go easy on him. As ever in the meantime keep those  suggestions flowing to scottishroundup@gmail.com, or fill in the form thingumygig on the right. Cheerio and toodle pip!

Just before last weeks roundup of course came the news that Wendy Alexander was to step down as leader of Labour in Scotland. So the blogosphere was rife with speculation Alwyn ap Huw speculates whether Wendy’s resignation was stabbing back at her back-stabbing party. Freedom and Whisky looked at just what rules were bent,  as did Big Rab who looked at the complexity of legislation that we all have to face. anseo looked at Charlie Gordon’s role in Wendy’s downfall. Richard Havers doubted there was quality of leadership anywhere to hold up to Alex Salmond something that Two Doctors concurred with while looking at potential runners and riders.

Of course as Will Patterson pointed out later in the week leadership elections tend to come along like buses, you wait for three years and two come together.  Yes Liberal Democrat leader Nicol Stephen’s shock resignation followed swiftly behind. Of course the Lib Dem bloggers Bernard Salmon, Iain Dale, and holidaying Caron all paid tribute, A Scandal & a Disgracetook a more mischievous look at things. Of course the contrast for valued reasons of this departure was something taken up by Boxologies and Ideas of Civilisation who wasn’t alone in castigating the Scotsman for making a crisis out of a molehill.  

All this of course merely led to speculation as to who would take over. Kezia Dugdale shows independence of thought in her selections. Although someone with more personal knowledge of the potential candidates and the electorate gave a different view.

Of course we also had news that Labour 4th safest seat Glasgow East was going to face a by election. As Holyrood Chronicles points out labour moved the writ quickly to supposedly give them an advantage, Clairwil wondered what spell labour have cast over Glasgow voters but  Shuggy however pointed out early on realistic blues for Labour.

That was before all farce broke out. ASWAS compared Labour’s missing favoured candidate from the selection meeting to another famous invisible politician, Will called a state of emergency, Tartan Hero warns of meltdown. Even Brain Taylor feels Labour have been left at the grid over British Grand Prix weekend. Scottish Tory Boy claimed a short lived exclusive that Margaret Curren was to stand, Mark McDonald sees that possibility as sealing a negative campaign.

Elsewhere the unveiling of the statue of Adam Smith in Edinburgh was preceded by a lecture by the Adam Smith Institute which both Neil Craig and Jeff relayed unto us. Mr Eugenides commented on the Turkeys at Westminster voting for more sauce, Mushkush preferring a different animal analogy.

Has Ken Clarke found the West Lothian Answer? Political Disuasion and Holyrood Chronicles gave their views. rhythmaning looked at the Scottish Governments consultation into Local Income Tax. While Adopter Doma.in looks at the effects of high oil prices and Bill Camerontells of the police state taking action against ID Card protesters.

In sport Tom Harris poses a follow up to Nicola Sturgeon following one of her answers on BBC’s Question Time.

As summer has arrived allegedly Better Oot than Inshows the wonders of the Athens of the North. After the Glasto bust up of Amy Winhouse Jeff Zycinski reflects on her quieter times in Aberdeen and Caledonian Comment is tickled pink at Boris Johnson’s Pride.

And finally some introspection as Robert Sharp reflects on whether bloggers are campaigners of pseudo journalists.

That’s all folks for this week. Wonder what the next seven days hold. Don’t forget to send your suggestions, either by using the nomination form on the right there or by emailing us at scottishroundup@gmail.com.