Category Archives: Daily Mail

Question time at Holyrood began with a solemn statement from the First Minister.  Her tone recalled those disaster movies where the US President makes his final stoic address to the nation as an asteroid hurtles to Earth or a barrage of Kremlin warheads zeroes in on New York. She intoned: ‘Conditions such as those thatContinueContinue reading “Cancelled trains? Must be virtue signalling problems”

Let’s talk about depression. Last week, The Lancet published research into the effectiveness of antidepressants. The study was vast, taking in 21 drugs prescribed to nearly 120,000 patients in more than 500 trials across almost four decades. And the results? Every single medication was more effective than a placebo in treating adults with major depressiveContinueContinue reading “The drugs really do work. Without them, I wouldn’t be here today”

Remember that terribly progressive teacher at school? The one who insisted you call him by his first name and worried that homework might be a human rights violation?  Ken Macintosh is the trendy teacher of the Scottish Parliament. As Presiding Officer, it’s his job to keep order but he just can’t bring himself to stampContinueContinue reading “Telt! The day Mr Nice Guy snapped at Nicola”

‘The British are good at paying taxes but detest drill,’ Winston Churchill once observed. ‘The French do not mind drill but avoid taxes.’ France’s president Emmanuel Macron has reminded us of the wisdom of Winnie by announcing the return of compulsory national service, 17 years after it was abolished. Les jeunes français will be obligedContinueContinue reading “Bring back military service? We would need to bring back the military first”

Jacob Rees-Mogg is everywhere at the moment. He’s on TV so much I fear the producers of Question Time have lost Nigel Farage’s mobile number. Videos of his parliamentary speeches attract hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. He even gained the respect of rivals after being jostled by far-Left protesters at a university eventContinueContinue reading “A rapier wit adds to the gaiety of politics but it takes more to be a leader”

There is a gloom out there. A creeping suspicion, beneath the surface in some places, voiced openly in others, that something has gone wrong. Where it can be heard it is done so in bars and coffee shops and offices and even where it isn’t you can feel it. Those who seldom discuss current affairsContinueContinue reading “Will the SNP ever be able to govern?”

If the Police Scotland saga were a Netflix series, it would now be in its tenth season and even diehard fans would be wondering if it was time to call it a day.  The current storyline has seen Chief Constable Phil Gormley accused of multiple misconduct, go on special leave, be told he was comingContinueContinue reading “Holyrood’s latest cop drama? It’s the poor man’s Netflix”

In a comfy chair in the corner of a living room, 50 years from now, a snowy-haired gent will bounce a child indulgently on his knee. ‘What did you do during the war, papa?’ she will pipe up, inquisitively. ‘Well, you’ve heard of the Moon landing? And the astronaut who said it was “one smallContinueContinue reading “Grid girls, and a culture war that can only end in defeat for all sides”

The relationship between art and politics has never been an easy one. The artist is a cultural trouble-maker by profession, illuminating the human condition in ways that upset received wisdom and inspire angst in the powerful. This is why the Church dedicated such effort to censorship and tyrants seldom brook the dissent of novelists andContinueContinue reading “Sinister backdrop to the War of the Luvvies”

Patrick Harvie is the eternal bit player of Scottish politics but finally he got a starring role. First Minister’s Questions was all about Nicola’s Little Helper. Earlier this week, he came to the rescue when the SNP’s Budget needed extra votes to pass its first reading.  Pliable Patrick, the nodding cucumber, is a man ofContinueContinue reading “Handed a star role, he wilted like yesterday’s organic lettuce”