Alan Cochrane



Profile:
Full name: Alan Cochrane

Area of interest: Scotland

Journals: The Daily Telegraph

Email: [mailto:alan.cochrane@telegraph.co.uk alan.cochrane@telegraph.co.uk]

Website: Telegraph.co / Alan Cochrane

Blog: Blogs.Telegraph / Alan Cochrane

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Current position: Daily Telegraph: Scotland editor

Viewpoints/Insight: Believes Scotland could function as an independent country, but would prefer to stay both 'Scottish' and 'British': I don't want my children to be foreigners - Daily Telegraph, 25th April 2007
 * BBC News 24: The Scottish Political Village - In a new feature for The Westminster Hour first broadcast in March 2005, Alan Cochrane of the Daily Telegraph presents his personal view of the aftermath to a very Scottish political tale (AUDIO)

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The Daily Telegraph:
Column remit: Scottish affairs and politics. "The Telegraph's Scottish editor, cuts through the baloney and explores all corners of the devolved government in Edinburgh with vigour."

Section: Comment

Role: Scotland editor

Pen-name:

Email: [mailto:alan.cochrane@telegraph.co.uk alan.cochrane@telegraph.co.uk]

Website: Telegraph.co / Alan Cochrane

Commissioning editor:

Day published:

Regularity: Frequent

Column format:

Average length:



Articles: 2011

 * Moore's tough stance on separation finally kills off 'respect' for SNP'' - The Scottish Secretary's no-nonsense response to Alex Salmond's high-handed demands is a welcome sea change in the Coalition's dealings with the SNP - 7th June
 * more respect for 'No to Britain' – it's time David Cameron acted to defend the Union'' - As Alex Salmond signals all systems go on his 'No to Britain' campaign, Alan Cochrane asks when the opposition and David Cameron will wake up to the threat - 4th June
 * this subservience to Scotland's Dear Leader Alex Salmond'' - Holyrood needs an effective opposition to counter the adoring Nat horde, writes Alan Cochrane, not five years of this deeply disturbing deference - 28th May
 * ill-thought-through demands reveal the almighty arrogance of Alex Salmond's Nats'' - The inability to tolerate any questioning of their increasing demands shows how untouchable the victorious Nats think they are - 23rd May
 * Labour could sink without a trace'' - With Labour foundering, it needs to broaden its horizons in the search for a new leader - 17th May
 * believe SNP on Diet-nationalism'' - It is time for so-called Unionists to see what the SNP is up to - 16th May
 * United Kingdom: Disunited, we will all fall'' - Scots and English alike should beware kneejerk emotions about independence. We are more deeply entwined than we realise, and would both be diminished by a divorce - 13th May
 * are the checks and balances on SNP power?'' - The first test of how magnanimous Alex Salmond will be in his unaccustomed role of master of all he surveys will come today when the Scottish Parliament's new members vote for the man or woman who will be their presiding officer for the next five years - 11th May
 * Cameron must get a grip of the Union'' - As those who believe in the maintenance of the UK view the total wreckage of their plans, one thing is clear - 9th May
 * elections 2011: don't raise the Irn-Bru Curtain just yet'' - The SNP’s stunning victory at the polls lay in its new appeal to all levels of Scottish society. But all is not lost yet - 8th May
 * results: This day was bound to arrive'' - Salmond's SNP victory was set in motion by Labour and the Lib Dems years ago - 7th May
 * election results: Alex Salmond's victory is a serious threat to the Union'' - The fundamentalist wing of the SNP will declare that this win is a mandate for an immediate vote on Scottish independence - 6th May
 * been here before, Mr Gray, and it's too late'' - Scottish Labour's U-turn has unhappy echoes of 1983 - 26th April
 * new friends will come to rue their naïvety'' - If the First Minister’s latest backers think they’ll get a sort of Eck Lite rather than a full-strength separatist, they’re only deluding themselves - 22nd April
 * has it all to do in Holyrood race'' - Pretty damned impressive. From a presentational point of view, there is no other way to describe Alex Salmond's launch of the SNP manifesto in Glasgow yesterday - 15th April
 * off the menu as Salmond and co get ready to turn up the heat'' - The SNP has been keeping its powder dry but the party is still vulnerable on many fronts - 15th April
 * Tories are going for broke but honesty may be their best policy yet'' - The verdict from many of the cheap seats at the Scottish Conservatives' launch of their manifesto yesterday was that this was a 'brave' effort - 6th April
 * will Alex Salmond answer voters' questions on his secret tax plans?'' - Our revelation of the extraordinary lengths to which Scotland's First Minister went to cover up the financial implications of a major policy shift rocked Alex Salmond's slick election campaign to the core yesterday - 2nd April
 * no surprise that Annabel Goldie is backing Alex Salmond'' - Labour complained that the Tories and SNP were 'ganging up' on Iain Gray in the leaders' debate - but what did they expect? - 31st March
 * Tories deserve a reward for telling the truth on fees'' - As Mike Russell takes on the EU to make their students pay for his party's free fees policy, the Tories are the lone voice of sense on higher education funding - 30th March
 * could Annabel Goldie not have been told one of her top candidates was for the chop?'' - Tory infighting shows how little control Annabel Goldie has over her party. If their campaign is not to implode before it has even started, then someone, somewhere, has to take charge - 29th March
 * Salmond left smelling of roses as feuding rivals fail to land blows'' - Things couldn’t have gone much better for Iain Gray and Alex Salmond as the first week proper of this interminable election campaign begins - 28th March
 * tax deal for Ulster could break the Union'' - A lower corporation tax for all of the United Kingdom is the way to go – not a special deal for one part alone - 25th March
 * are childish antics, not an election campaign'' - Our tribunes in Holyrood should be ashamed of their screeching, screaming, desk-banging, childish hand-waving and juvenile point-scoring - 24th March
 * the fight about personality, not policies, may just backfire on Alex Salmond'' - Although the two main parties' policies are very similar, mudslinging is not the path to victory - 22nd March
 * geography cause an upset in our Tory leader guessing game?'' - There are two obvious front-runners should Annabel Goldie step down as Scottish Tory leader after the May 5 election, but we cannot rule out a surprise just yet - 21st March
 * Tories' honesty and new-found oomph be enough?'' - The Scottish Tories are still some way from the sunlit uplands – but they have been in worse states on the eve of their annual conference - 19th March
 * Eck still entertains as the Bute House show draws to a close'' - Alex Salmond is determined to make the most of his official residence for a backdrop to his pronouncements as the election campaign draws near - 17th March
 * are easy – it's time Alex Salmond and Iain Gray sat a tougher test on 'free' tuition'' - The SNP and Scottish Labour need to spend less time wooing Scottish students and tell us how they will maintain the quality of the institutions in which they study - 15th March
 * is no room for the pain of pragmatism in the Land of the Free Ride'' - Scotland's two leading political parties attempted to outdo each other at the weekend with political bribes and counter-bribes ever more divorced from reality - 14th March
 * up to the clubs to save 'the beautiful game' from this ugliness'' - Those who claim yesterday's fantastic football summit in Edinburgh was an overreaction to violence surrounding the 'beautiful game' must be from another planet - 9th March
 * trip into that Great Unknown'' - The Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill was a rare incursion into the outdoors by Scotland’s townie MSPs - 3rd March
 * Sir David, but there is no such thing as a pro-Union Nat'' - The conversion of Sir David Murray to the side of Alex Salmond is utterly incompatible with his Unionist beliefs - 28th February
 * Iain Gray solve Labour's three-pipe problem on mandatory sentencing?'' - Some of the best – and worst – decisions of Her Majesty's Labour Party were taken in smoke-filled rooms - 25th February
 * gauntlet on OAP tax cuts leaves Labour out in the cold'' - The Scottish Tories are beginning their Holyrood election horse trading early - 23rd February
 * Salmond has good reason to grin'' - The sunny disposition of most Nat ministers is easliy explained - 19th February
 * brotherly love on show as Iain Gray springs a teacher trap on Alex Salmond'' - My heart sank yesterday when faced with explaining the workings of the Scottish Parliament in general, and First Minister's Questions in particular, to a group of intelligent American teenagers - 11th February
 * carries day as Labour’s cover is blown'' - Was it luck that led John Swinney to suddenly discover £41.5 million extra to wave in front of MSPs yesterday - 10th February
 * will win the Lockerbie election battle?'' - The O'Donnell report may generate hostility on the doorsteps for both Labour and the SNP - 9th February
 * Craig Oliver picked the wrong party?'' - David Cameron's new spin merchant might have considered working for the Labour Party - 8th February
 * the want of orange overalls, the Nats' election battle may be lost'' - There is no great mystery to the tactics Labour and the Tories plan to use against Alex Salmond's nationalists in the forthcoming Holyrood election. It's all about law and order - 4th February
 * Lib Dems' AV vote would ruin a good election night'' - About the only excitement likely from the Scottish Parliament elections is going to be on the night itself, but even that is under threat from the Coalition's referendum - 2nd February
 * speaker', must get this house in order'' - Alex Fergusson, the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, must force our rowdy tribunes to toe the line - 28th January
 * Sheridan found guilty of perjury to little surprise'' - Tommy Sheridan is likely to spend only a brief spell in Glasgow’s sometimes notorious Barlinnie Prison - 27th January
 * they're off ... brace yourselves for a hundred days of Holyrood tedium'' - You would think they would keep quiet about it, really. But the leaders of Scotland's two main parties are actually boasting about the fact they are preparing to bore us rigid over the next 100 days - 26th January
 * Wendy Alexander ruined my lunch'' - Even in the parliamentary canteen, you risk being "Wendied" by the one-time Scottish cabinet minister - 21st January
 * is politics – these learned men will have to take their lumps'' - It may not be polite, but it's the way of the world - 19th January
 * I'm rooting for 'Gorgeous' George Galloway'' - What George Galloway's Holyrood campaign is certain to lack in content and substance he will make up in colour and controversy, which will at least help to keep things interesting - 18th January
 * on a desert island, Alex Salmond clamours for independence'' - Unless you've been on a desert island, you already know Alex Salmond is a Scot - 17th January
 * Gray has no time to waste in denting the dithering Alex Salmond'' - The Holyrood Labour leader must pull out all the stops to convince the electorate that he is the man to oust the SNP from power - 14th January
 * tale of two very different ministers'' - Yesterday at Holyrood offered a statement from Mike Russell and, well, not very much from Kenny MacAskill - 14th January
 * this Holyrood budget take Alex Salmond beyond the brink?'' - If the Scottish Parliament's opposition parties reject Salmond's budget, it is just possible that he could bring forward the election - 12th January



Articles: 2010

 * Two - a driver’s Christmas tale'' - A column on mail non-deliveries during the festive season has prompted a dispatch from the front line - 29th December
 * blame the weather: companies are failing to deliver'' - Alan Cochrane is waiting... and still waiting for Christmas to arrive - 24th December
 * Lockerbie bomber nonsense shows US senators have lost the plot'' - The US Senate's conspiracy theory about Megrahi shows just how ignorant it is of British politics - 22nd December
 * mince from Mike Russell will not fix our universities' funding problems'' - As Iain Gray, the Labour leader, revels in pre-election sparring over education with Alex Salmond, the First Minister's Education Minister, Mike Russell, says little about the universities' funding crisis - 18th December
 * snow firms should be ashamed'' - These pathetic supermarkets and mail-order firms who say that they can't venture north for Scottish home deliveries should be held to account - 16th December
 * Salmond no longer wants to play 'games''' - It is perfectly possible to suggest that Scotland's First Minister isn't really up to it any more - 13th December
 * Stevenson has found himself on a very slippery path'' - The prospects for the beleaguered Transport Minister look decidedly chilly - 11th December
 * storm is mostly of his own making'' - It's difficult not to have a certain amount of sympathy for Stewart Stevenson, Scotland's beleaguered Transport Minister - 8th December
 * leadership must heed party's worries over tax powers'' - There is a major fiction at the heart of the proposals contained in the new Scotland Bill - 2nd December
 * Mr Cameron, how exactly does the Scotland Bill strengthen Britain?'' - Precisely what bit of the new Scotland Bill, as outlined yesterday by his proconsul north of the Border, does David Cameron reckon will strengthen Britain - 1st December
 * the Scotland Bill is good news for England'' - It is to David Cameron's credit that he has seen the big picture over Scottish devolution - 30th November
 * High Kirk or cathedral, St Giles' can shine once again'' - Alan Cochrane takes a look at the recently renovated church at the heart of Scotland's capital - 29th November
 * Conservatives have a route out of the doldrums at last but will they take it?'' - It may have taken six hammerings and one whitewash, not counting local and European elections, but there are signs – more than straws in the wind this time – that the Scottish Tories have at last got the message - 26th November
 * Ireland's economy self-destructs, Scots should thank their lucky stars'' - There should be no sense of Schadenfreude among us Brits as we watch the economy of our closest neighbour go belly up - 24th November
 * decides attack is the best form of defence in taxing times'' - The escalation of the war of words shows the row over income tax powers is turning into a major political mess - 22nd November
 * much longer can Holyrood put up with all this nonsense?'' - The Finance Minister's budget statement was low on details, but no-one was given enough time to question him over it - 18th November
 * Budget Day was a dry-as-dust affair'' - The initial headline grabbing announcements made by Mr Swinney were two fold – a continued council tax freeze and a public sector pay freeze - 18th November
 * only one day that really matters to the Nats and it's not Budget Day'' - Today's budget statement is all about getting the SNP back in at the Holyrood elections on May 5 - 17th November
 * MSPs must follow doctor's orders on alcohol pricing'' - Nicola Sturgeon is following the best medical advice in seeking a minimum unit price for alcohol. Improving Scotland's unhappy association with booze should be based on that, not on petty party politics - 11th November
 * Gray makes steady gains as Alex Salmond grows ever more evasive on tuition fees'' - Little by little, inch by inch, almost, Iain Gray appears to be getting the measure of Alex Salmond – during First Minister's Questions, at any rate - 6th November
 * point in crowing over another unenforceable law'' - New rules on 'wildlife crime' show that Scotland's estate owners have failed to engage with Holyrood - 4th November
 * Ed Miliband's momentum help Iain Gray sell his plan for higher council tax?'' - Ed Miliband may be the big draw at this weekend's Labour conference, but it's Iain Gray who has to get the party off the hook for his plan to unfreeze council tax - 29th October
 * tales of Bonnie Prince Charlie still have an edge'' - There's a sword on display in a new exhibition in the Scottish Parliament that is bound to attract First Minister Alex Salmond as a bee homes in on honey - 28th October
 * day Salmond cast independence adrift for 'Three Fs' and four more years'' - Alex Salmond no longer fights for independence and the break-up of the United Kingdom, but for financial 'powers' and another term of office - 19th October
 * not flannel, needed on Scottish universities'' - The response of Mike Russell, the Scottish Education Minister, to the Browne Review only makes clear what he won't do - 13th October
 * Salmond now frightens no one'' - Ahead of this week's SNP conference, Alan Cochrane argues that Alex Salmond is a busted flush - 11th October
 * the Conservatives undermining their own reform plan?'' - The party should listen to the Sanderson commission’s findings if it wishes to revive its flagging fortunes - 7th October
 * economic woes poke a hole in Alex Salmond's 'arc of prosperity''' - Perhaps he didn’t mean to, but Iain Gray’s comments on Ireland’s economic woes yesterday bordered on gloating, at least to the ears of this observer. And I cannot have been the only one - 2nd October
 * 'Red Ed' Miliband and Iain Gray taking us back to the bad old days of Old Labour?'' - Labour's new UK leader and the head of the party in Scotland are raising fears of a rapid return to the worst of Old Labour's statist instincts - 29th September
 * on tuition fees must be learnt quickly'' - The Scottish Tories deserve credit for having the courage to address the issue - 22nd September
 * the Scottish Parliament, like the curate's egg, stinks in parts'' - Lord Foulkes's opinions on the personalities in the Scottish Parliament aside, he is more right than wrong on Holyrood's failures. The question is, will anyone ever do anything about them - 22nd September
 * Duke of Edinburgh probed the right woman'' - When he asked Annabel Goldie about her 'tartan knickers', Prince Philip was a lucky man - 18th September
 * visit: Prince Philip asked Annabel Goldie for a double entendre... so she gave him one'' - With many women politicians - and a lot of their male counterparts - these politically correct days would probably have seen the Duke of Edinburgh's joke at the Holyroodhouse reception cause annoyance, if not outrage - 17th September
 * Benedict in Britain: Edinburgh's respectable welcome'' - Despite a quiet start, the Pope's welcome to Scotland was an impressive one - 17th September
 * Police Superintendents Association is behaving like a trade union'' - There is little difference between Derek Barnett's tactics and those of Bob Crow - 15th September
 * defence, the SNP talks complete nonsense'' - Scotland's opposition leaders should beware of Nats bearing gifts on any deal to save the aircraft carrier contracts - 13th September
 * anyone told Scottish leaders that aircraft carriers could be used for more than just creating jobs?'' - The trouble with the Strategic Defence Review is, while it may very well be strategic, it is hardly ever discussed in terms of its implications for defence, certainly not in Scotland - 11th September
 * sole concern is now survival'' - Salmond will not be surprised by the fact that he received a complete caning from the opposition over his new legislative programme - 10th September
 * will the SNP foot soldiers stop listening to orders from the Grand Old Duke of Eck?'' - Contrary to what many may think, this column has always had a soft spot for the poor bloody infantry of the Scottish National Party. Enormously committed and ferociously loyal, they are largely taken for granted by Alex Salmond - 9th September
 * sparkling talk on the 'medieval Sopranos''' - Allan Massie's appearance at the Edinburgh International Book Festival demonstrated why he is such an acclaimed and popular writer - 25th August
 * of Climate Camp action are 'useful idiots''' - The campaign of criminal damage in Edinburgh is targeting companies engaged in decent, lawful and worthwhile activities - 24th August
 * time to stop politicking and back the SNP on drink'' - For years now — it has seemed more like aeons — Scotland’s politicians have identified the nation’s battle with the demon drink as its number one social problem. For precisely the same length of time, our tribunes have done almost nothing about it - 7th August
 * David Cameron handed Scotland to his 12 Scottish MPs – a shame 11 are Lib Dems'' - The Prime Minister is no longer disguising his lack of interest in the Scottish Conservative Party - 9th July
 * ‘fiscal freedom’ fighters really this fearful of the truth?'' - Those unused to its murky ways often tend to be extremely fragile beings when they first dip their toes into political waters - 9th June
 * for Scotland's Tories to get serious'' - Party council must regain its sense of direction after the Westminster election debacle - 5th June
 * Gaza flotilla raid has set Holyrood's ‘me too’ brigade on the march'' - There something wholly ludicrous about Holyrood politicians appearing determined to put in their tuppence worth about the Israeli Defence Force’s interception of the “Gaza flotilla” and the subsequent loss of life - 2nd June
 * of skills development, when will Alex Salmond learn to concede a point?'' - Alex Salmond's tough-guy act does neither him nor his party any favours - 28th May
 * tax talks see Nats join the line-up in David Cameron’s Big Tent?'' - There is surprising but solid evidence that David Cameron looks set to include Alex Salmond and the SNP in his inclusive-to-all-but-Labour approach to government - 26th May
 * Scottish Tories must decide who's in charge'' - The Scottish Tory party is a complete shambles, with paid officials not knowing from whom to take their orders even if any were forthcoming - 18th May
 * bring out Scotland's fist-shaking Trots'' - Only a few days after David Cameron took charge, old rituals reasserted themselves in Scotland - 15th May
 * Salmond out of tune with the new political mood music'' - The shape of things to come began to take form at the first First Ministers’ Question time amid Britain’s new political landscape at Holyrood yesterday and, frankly, it didn’t look very edifying - 14th May
 * take our new Scottish secretary as seriously as we take the coalition government'' - David Cameron has solved the problem of the Tories' unpopularity north of the border by handing it to his partners - 13th May
 * Election 2010: Gordon Brown's Scottish power base'' - North of the border, the Tories have failed to win over Labour's loyal followers - 8th May (General Election 2010)
 * maintains its love affair with Labour'' - Labour's success in Scotland reveals Britain's stark political divide - 7th May
 * Election 2010: The Tories have a mountain to climb in Scotland'' - David Cameron's timely visit to Scotland is a reminder of the challenge faced by the Tories. If only he had visited more often - 5th May
 * Election 2010: Gordon Brown's 'bigot' gaffe shows Alistair Darling's superiority'' - Alistair Darling's impressive performance in Edinburgh suggests Labour could do worse than turn to him in any hunt for a new leader - 28th April 2010
 * Lib Dem tail wagging the Labour dog? I remember it well'' - Scotland shows us how unedifying a hung Parliament can become - 21st April
 * won't be in the election equation, but the SNP remain potent'' - The SNP may benefit from the 'get rid of Gordon Brown' bugle call - 7th April
 * Election 2010: Nationalists willing to gamble with sterling's future'' - Alex Salmond, of the SNP and Ieuan Wyn Jones, of Plaid Cymru, are not just hoping and praying for a hung parliament, they plan to use every stratagem at their disposal to maximise the uncertainty such a result might throw up - 1st April
 * ignores Alex Salmond at its peril'' - The TV debate row shows that despite leading a devolved Scotland, the First Minister is still seen as a political minnow - 11th March
 * does not hold much hope for tiddlers in hung parliaments'' - The Lib Dems and SNP should not be writing their coalition demands just yet - 8th March
 * political leaders failed with lame attempts at comedy'' - Alex Salmond and Iain Gray tried to swap witty one-liners at First Minister’s Questions yesterday but on the day after the death of Michael Foot, who could raise a laugh at the dispatch box, Scotland’s political leaders merely looked lame - 5th March
 * Foot remembered: A great parliamentarian and a good man'' - He may go down in history as Labour’s worst-ever leader but Michael Foot was a huge success as a principled politician - 4th March
 * Tories’ ‘anyone but Gordon Brown’ tactics will not help them with Scots voters'' - The latest opinion polls paint a very confusing picture, at least in Scotland - 3rd March
 * political demise of the energetic reformer Steven Purcell is a loss for all Scotland'' - The resignation of Steven Purcell as leader of Glasgow city council is a tragedy not just for that city, not just for the Labour Party, but for public life in general in Scotland - 3rd March
 * Salmond still gambling on break-up with the same bad hand'' - Alex Salmond's headlong dash for independence is taking on all the aspects of a leisurely stroll towards … well, who knows where - 26th February
 * SNP policies may contain 50 per cent fatuousness'' - Shona Robison's plan to tackle obesity by cutting restaurant portion sizes is as ridiculous as Mike Russell's assault on Scotland's vested education interests is sensible - 24th February
 * Cameron appeals to Scottish Tories with a top drawer speech'' - The Conservative leader's address to the party's conference was a radical pre-election rallying cry - 13th February
 * must give way to logic and common sense'' - Alex Salmond's defence of Nicola Sturgeon's attempt to keep a serial benefit fraudster out of jail was robust but sounded more like bombast than a reasoned case - 12th February
 * must get his party in tune'' - Scottish Tories will fail to recover from the wipeout of 1997 unless the whole party makes its position clear on issues north of the Border - 11th February
 * university places will not win votes if your child can't get one'' - When Scottish parents see their children denied a “free” place at university, they will express their anger at the ballot box - 11th February
 * Holyrood lunches is improper, and Alex Salmond should know it'' - Alex Salmond should know there is no such thing as a scrutiny-free lunch, especially when it costs £9,000 - 6th February
 * the Scottish budget to a visitor from outer space'' - The negotiations in Scotland have elements of a danse macabre, a Dutch auction and a bit of nonsense - 4th February
 * Parliament’s verdict on Lockerbie bomber sacrifices justice for political point-scoring'' - No one should take solace from the Holyrood justice committee’s farcical report on the release of the Lockerbie bomber - 3rd February
 * deserve a better NHS for their money'' - Devolution and a terrible lack of oversight have cheated the taxpayer - 21st January
 * will Scotland deal with its alcohol problem?'' - There is a stalemate in Holyrood over what the country should do about its increasingly unhappy relationship with strong drink - 19th January
 * steps back in time with council house sales ban'' - The SNP’s ban on any more council house sales — at least as far as new houses and new tenants are concerned — is shaping up to be one of these seminal moments in contemporary Scottish politics - 16th January
 * undercurrents of wind farm announcement'' - The impressive press conference at Bute House had a notable absence - 9th January
 * time that First Minister's Questions saw some changes'' - Lord Foulkes' call for a new time slot and more spontaneity are timely and welcome - 9th January



Articles: 2009

 * Robertson's airbase campaign is vulnerable to attack'' - The SNP's Westminster leader is angry at planned cutbacks to the Kinloss RAF base, but what would he do with it - 17th December
 * top cops such as Bill Skelly should not be above the laws of English'' - With today's Pcs almost unfailingly PC, the least they could do is talk to the public in plain English - 16th December
 * Salmond pretends to play with the big boys in Copenhagen'' - As Alex Salmond spews hot air in Copenhagen on sexy-sounding policies for which he has no responsibility, he ignores the humdrum realities of his office - 15th December
 * festive peace is set to shatter in a scrappy new election year'' - Politics will drop a gear in the next few days, as the two-week festive recess is about to begin, but this lull is certain to be followed by some of the most frantic, and probably dirtiest, campaigning this country has ever seen - 15th December
 * bag' comments expose SNP hypocrisy towards the Army'' - MSP's response to rise in recruitment levels rise is likely to undo efforts made to build good relations - 10th December
 * with the Barnett Formula triggers the Law of Unforeseen Consequences'' - The biggest problem with the Barnett Formula is devolution - 9th December
 * of Labour and the Nats show they prefer scoring points to serving voters'' - It will probably not come as much of a surprise to anyone with half an eye on the doings of our beloved parliament at Holyrood, but with only two weeks to go until Christmas we have descended to the politics of Lilliput - 7th December
 * is good news for Scotland’s children that Salmond has finally faced reality on Fiona Hyslop'' - Alex Salmond was brought down to earth with a resounding thud by the failure of his desperate attempts to save his education minister - 2nd December
 * referendum blueprint - a masterpiece of nationalist mythology and a total waste of time'' - The SNP’s White Paper on the break-up of the United Kingdom answers only those questions to which we already know the answer - 2nd December
 * have more to take pride in than the SNP's’ narrow sense of Scottishness'' - Public support has slumped for Alex Salmond's dream of breaking up Britain. His best option would appear to be to abandon his referendum plans - 1st December
 * will Salmond stop beating his head on the 'break up Britain' wall?'' - No amount of opinion polls, surveys and warnings from friends have deflected Alex Salmond’s SNP from going ahead with today’s White Paper, which paves the way for a referendum on the break-up of the United Kingdom - 30th November
 * of fancy will not lift the numbers that have rocked the SNP'' - Dwindling public support has crushed Alex Salmond’s dreams of a broken-up Britain and 20 SNP seats in Westminster. The party's long list of policy failures is to blame - 25th November
 * Scott back on the money with attack on 'quangoland''' - Mr Scott hit the nail on the head with a withering attack on the salaries being paid in Scotland’s public sector - 20th November
 * Karzai said all the right things, but he does not have the power to deliver'' - Irrespective of what Mr Karzai promised today, the reality is that we are in Afghanistan for the long haul - 20th November
 * Speech doubt over Calman proposals'' - It is difficult to escape the conclusion that the political undergrowth is precisely where the recommendations from the Calman Commission for more powers for the Scottish Parliament are heading - 20th November
 * Alex Salmond would attend FiSAB meetings if they were held in a castle?'' - If Alex Salmond is not getting advice on how to repair Scotland's battered economy at meetings of the Financial Services Advisory Board, then where is he getting it - 7th November
 * does Tavish Scott lead the Scottish Liberal Democrats if they refuse to be led?'' - Grassroots Lib Dems are making their party's leadership jump through hoops on independence simply to keep the door open to pre-election offers from the Nats - 3rd November
 * and games aside, the SNP is bad for business'' - Parliamentary back-and-forth should not distract us from the Nationalists' mishandling of the Scottish economy - 30th October
 * SNP should get used to feigning indifference'' - If Alex Salmond's Nationalists want the Commons to 'dance to a Scottish tune' they will have to sing to more than the choir - 19th October
 * ovations may not play so well outside the conference hall'' - SNP activists reckon that Mr MacAskill’s actions showed Scotland was a grown-up country - 17th October
 * hope still springs eternal in the First Minister's breast'' - Hope springs ever eternal in the politician’s breast, all the more so if your name happens to be Alex Salmond - 17th October
 * military thinkers like Angus Robertson, who needs enemies?'' - And in an independent Scotland run by the SNP, who would fight them - 12th October
 * win Scottish votes, the Tories must make the next election all about David Cameron'' - The Conservatives have to persuade Scottish voters to use their candidates, rather than the Nats, to oust Labour. The best way to do this is by giving those voters the chance to judge David Cameron as often as possible - 6th October
 * Salmond debate SNP policies with the Big Three - and let us all watch'' - Brown, Cameron and Clegg should not rule out a televised debate with Salmond too quickly. Sunlight might just be the best disinfectant for some of the SNP’s more laughable policies - 5th October
 * Curious Case of Republican Rosie and the Heir to the Throne'' - Despite their party’s still substantial republican element, the SNP leadership has made fast friends with the Royal Family - 2nd October
 * Gen Andrew Mackay's departure, will the Army be ousted from Edinburgh Castle?'' - Major General Mackay's resignation is slowly forcing the truth of the Ministry of Defence's plans for Scotland to the surface - 1st October
 * the British Army’s presence in Scotland plays into the nationalists’ hands'' - Plans to remove the British Army’s ‘footprint’ from Scotland and move its command structure entirely to England show that Jim Murphy and Iain Gray have failed to recognise the Army's presence as one of Labour’s ‘dividends of Union’ - 29th September
 * football and carbon cuts — the SNP's desperate promises of jam tomorrow'' - Alex Salmond and his party are the only voices clamouring for an independence referendum and hollow promises will not convert anyone - 24th September
 * Lib Dems’ bar-room briefing sets them dancing to Salmond’s tune on independence'' - The Lib Dems have been making asses of themselves at Bournemouth over the Nats’ independence referendum. It it time for cooler heads to prevail - 24th September
 * to Salmond’s plan to cut the voting age is an imagined injustice for SNP martyrs'' - Alex Salmond’s cynical attempt to let 16-year-olds vote on independence is a desperate gimmick by his one-issue party - 22nd September
 * Salmond rouses his SNP rabble against Diageo's cuts'' - Alex Salmond has reminded Diageo, the world’s biggest drinks firm, that it had a social responsibility role in the world as well as a responsibility to its shareholders for the bottom line - 12th September
 * but not surprising end to the Diageo crisis'' - It is time for the Nats to reflect on where their wooing of Diageo went wrong - 10th September
 * bomber: the dark stain behind Megrahi's release'' - Megrahi was released on compassionate grounds following, it now transpires, a meeting between First Minister Salmond and representatives of the Qatar government - 4th September (see: Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi)
 * critics queue up to throw rotten tomatoes at Labour and the SNP'' - Salmond made the most of his opportunity to scorn Labour but the Nats came in for the most criticism over the decision to release Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al Megrahi - 3rd September
 * the conspiracy theories over Lockerbie bomber's release'' - The Scottish Justice Minister released Megrahi on compassionate grounds. He did not release him as part of a prisoner transfer agreement between the United Kingdom and Libya - 1st September
 * lives to fight another day'' - The Scottish Justice Minister has rejected the international condemnation over releasing Megrahi to die in Libya but his battles are far from over - 25th August
 * bomber: Blame Megrahi's release on London, not Edinburgh'' - The British Government seems content to let Scotland take the flak over Megrahi's release, as part of a greater game to help secure access to Libya's oil and gas fields - 23rd August
 * bomber: decision to release Megrahi was controversial, but correct'' - A compassionate release is in order in the Lockerbie case, and if this Megrahi really does have only weeks to live then he should be permitted to die at home - 21st August
 * time for Scotland to squirm in the spotlight'' - Our nation’s leaders have taken too long to seize control of the Lockerbie bomber’s fate - 20th August
 * must sound the battle cry in the war against drugs'' - Scotland’s appalling drug problem must be tackled head-on before more lives are lost - 13th August
 * Salmond and the Prince of Wales are old chums'' - Should Unionists worry about the relationship between the Royal family and Alex Salmond? - 11th August
 * protocols should not count for more than openness'' - If they can get away with it, our politicians don’t tell us everything that’s going on - 6th August
 * Salmond doles out prestigious pennies as public spending woes worsen'' - Alex Salmond’s apparent largesse to Gaelic schools is meant to distract us from his reluctance to deal with looming public service cuts - 4th August
 * to Edinburgh, the chaotic, and smelly, Athens of the North'' - Scotland's capital needs rescuing from barricades and a rat infestation - 4th August
 * pour oil on troubled waters'' - It may not be a barbecue summer but it is shaping up to be a long hot autumn. That must be the conclusion to be drawn from the frantic activity from our SNP masters over recent weeks - 31st July
 * ‘megaphone diplomacy’ is more about saving face than saving jobs'' - Politicians eager to score points by marching against Diageo’s whisky plant closures could cost Scotland more jobs than they protect - 29th July
 * for the clans and Diageo, while a bin dispute marches on'' - The binmen strike should hasten the end of the council-run service and its hiving off to the private sector - 28th July
 * Scottish MPs don't celebrate their parliament neither should the Queen'' - We've all got better things to do with our time than celebrate this puffed-up Scottish Parliament - 2nd July
 * give Alex Salmond and his separatists the fight they pretend to want'' - Having reclaimed the Saltire, Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy has brought the battle to the only ground on which the SNP can be damaged - the lack of support for their independence plans - 1st July
 * remain indifferent to the 'dog's breakfast' of Scottish devolution'' - Approaching the tenth anniversary of the transfer of powers to a Scottish Parliament, there is little to celebrate - 29th June
 * Sturgeon’s £100m ‘vaccine victim’ act is nothing but political point-scoring'' - The Scottish Health Minister’s £100 million demand from the Treasury for swine flu vaccines is just the latest example of the SNP’s lack of political maturity - 23rd June
 * Goldie faces Tory MSP rebellion over Calman proposals'' - Despite the Tories' official backing for new Holyrood powers, the party's 16 MSPs have warned that they will not support what they see as a step too far towards independence - 19th June
 * Unionist parties like these, who needs Nationalists?'' - The Union will not be saved by the opposition dealing Alex Salmond one winning hand after another - 17th June
 * Calman Commission's report leaves the Unionist line holding, but for how long?'' - The Commission on Scottish Devolution was never likely to recommend the status quo, but the additional powers it suggests for Holyrood would play into Alex Salmond’s hands - 16th June
 * staying on track let Alex Salmond off the hook over Transport Scotland'' -Annabel Goldie, Iain Gray and Tavish Scott's failure to adapt let Alex Salmond and the SNP avoid questions on First Group’s £2.5bn rail contract extension - 12th June
 * problem with PR: Beware of the tail wagging the poor dog'' - PR inevitably ends up with a government in thrall to minority interests - 11th June
 * Brown was the SNP's biggest electoral asset, Alex Salmond deserves his share of the credit'' - Despite European elections rarely predicting Westminster votes accurately, the voters who flocked to Alex Salmond's SNP have the party counting the days to a general election - 10th June
 * Salmond: Political Speeches By Our Great Leader'' - Scotland's beloved First Minister appears congenitally incapable of displaying humility or frankness - 4th June
 * makes impressive gains as voters punish Labour'' - Will the UK Government's never-ending woes hand a third European seat to the Nats - 2nd June
 * Salmond's petty politicking is an insult to parliament and voters'' - The First Minister owes us all an apology for his cavalier attitude to yet another violent prisoner walking free - 30th May
 * Salmond owes the Scottish Parliament an apology whether he misled it or not'' - Amid the hue and cry of hunting for an escaped murderer, it is the First Minister's contempt for the public and his fellow MSPs that should have us truly worried - 30th May
 * expenses: Holyrood is not the holy grail of parliaments'' - the Scottish way of doing things is far from perfect - no matter how smug they feel - 28th May
 * the SNP for its failure on Scottish class sizes misses the real problem'' - The declining standards of teaching under the SNP is much more damning than the number of teachers - 27th May
 * should not benefit in Europe over MPs' expenses row'' - Voters would be daft to reward the SNP with European Parliament seats just to punish the main UK parties over expenses - 26th May
 * Robertson lands first strike on the Nats' 'oddball' opposition to Nato'' - the former defence secretary's well aimed insult will shine a light on the SNP's shaky defence plans - 19th May
 * drowns out the Tory message to Scottish voters'' - Through no fault of their own, the Scottish Tories found that their annual conference had become a sideshow to the main event yesterday - 15th May
 * is hypocrisy in Holyrood's 'it could never happen here''' - Scottish Parliament politicians may be more open with expenses claims than their Westminster counterparts, but that has more to do with a vigilant press than any desire for open government - 13th May
 * exactly has Scotland got to celebrate?'' - Devolution may be 10 years old, but it has not settled all the old arguments - 7th May
 * needed Margaret Thatcher as much as the rest of Britain'' - Scotland takes an undisguised pride in boasting that it was immune to Maggie’s charms - 4th May
 * swine flu showbiz is nothing but hogwash'' - Scottish ministers are taking the credit from civil servants for averting a pandemic. If the virus spreads, will they be so quick to take the blame - 1st May
 * your way out of recession only works with cash in the kitty'' - The SNP fantasy comparing Labour’s budget ‘cuts’ to Margaret Thatcher ‘laying waste’ to Scotland clouds the fact that the Nats don’t have a plan for saving the economy - 28th April
 * enemy of my enemy is my friend'' - The Conservatives have adopted a remarkable electoral strategy against Labour in Scotland. They are backing the Nats - 24th April
 * blame game fails to grasp reality of recession'' - As far as Alex Salmond and his team are concerned the message from this side of the Border is: “Include us out” - 24th April
 * a Scottish think tank have thoughts on Scottish independence?'' - The latest think tank report has put a thorn in Alex Salmond's side - declining educational standards - 21st April
 * Neil MacCormick: a man of dignity in murky politics'' - Scotland will today say farewell to a man who brought honour and dignity to that often murky trade - 17th April
 * at Gordon Brown's? Oh to be a fly on the wall'' - The dinner itself is a high-risk strategy for Mr Brown. He may well have rid himself of that troublesome mouthpiece, Damien McBride, but it is difficult to imagine Mr Salmond, not to mention Miss Goldie or Mr Scott, being unable to find a way of raising the appalling breach of the proprieties of party politics - 16th April
 * lacklustre opposition makes the SNP's anniversary shine'' - Anniversaries are, not surprisingly, much on the minds of the Scottish National Party this week - 14th April
 * should be politicians, not pall-bearers'' - First Minister's Questions is the blue ribbon of Holyrood's activities and should not be curtailed or abandoned - 3rd April
 * is yet another banking crisis with ‘Made in Scotland’ written all over it'' - Alistair Darling has sounded the death knell of what was once an essential part of Scotland's international reputaion - 31st March
 * Salmond back in the game – and right in Gordon Brown’s back yard'' - The seemingly inevitable death of the Dunfermline is bound to give Mr Salmond a stick with which to beat Whitehall - 30th March
 * 'hapless Hyslop' be Salmond's weakest link?'' - The SNP is failing dismally on education - 27th March
 * does Alex Salmond stand on the fiscal stimulus?'' - Mr Salmond believes that no matter how much of the brown stuff we are in as a nation, Scotland and the Scots should not be a party to any diminution in the loot that's handed over from the Treasury - 26th March
 * the SNP celebrating too soon?'' - As is usual in Dundee, nothing is likely to be straightforward in the Nats assuming the reigns of power - 25th March
 * the People's Republic as it copes with both our 'governments''' - will Jim Murphy or Alex Salmond lose more face with the Chinese - 24th March
 * Goldie was 'brave' but absolutely correct'' - There is no doubt that Annabel Goldie’s choice of subject yesterday fell very much into Sir Humphrey's 'brave’ category - 20th March
 * has survived worse times than this'' - Compared with what our parents endured, this economic crisis is a picnic - 31st January 2009
 * parliament descends into farce'' - The SNP's budget has been kicked into touch by two of its members, for whom nobody had ever cast a vote - 29th January 2009
 * English do know how to hold a Burns Night party'' - I can find no great animus towards my countrymen among the English; not even as a result of the collapse and bail-out of RBS - 26th January 2009
 * reputation of Scotland's banking community is in tatters'' - Scottish banks have lost their reputations and no longer masters of their own destinies - 20th January 2009
 * of sound and fury, signifying nothing'' - The Scottish Parliament should never have debated Israel's offensive in Gaza - 10th January 2009
 * euro isn't the answer for Alex Salmond'' - The First Minister's suggestion that Scotland should dump the pound was a mistake - 8th January 2009
 * Salmond's Forth funding plan fails to bridge the gap'' - The SNP administration may give the impression it is getting itself into an incredible financial muddle over who pays for the planned Forth crossing. But it is much, much more than simple confusion - 7th January 2009



Articles:

 * English just can't get the hang of New Year'' - Only the Geordies and Scousers know how to do New Year properly, otherwise it's best left to the Scots - 29th December 2008
 * of who cares affects Holyrood'' - We can all sleep more soundly, thanks to the publication of the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill - 6th December 2008
 * Gray goes straight for Alex Salmond's jugular over First ScotRail'' - 5th December 2008
 * Devolution: A stepping stone on the path to who knows where'' - A “stepping stone” is how it describes itself, but the reality is that this is far too firm an adjective to use for the interim report published yesterday by the Commission on Scottish Devolution - 3rd December 2008
 * UK woes could bring hope to SNP'' - Alex Salmond has given Labour notice of the issue with which he intends to bash them in the 2011 election - 29th November 2008
 * old oil story resurfaces again'' - Is "Scotland's Oil" still playing with the voters, given the huge fluctuations in oil prices this year? - 27th November 2008
 * Conservative Party is no longer nasty, but is 'stupid' any better?'' - 24th November 2008
 * C.Diff inquiry is inevitable'' - The SNP health supremo would have been all over the fatal Clostridium difficile outbreak like a cheap suit while in opposition - 21st November 2008
 * Parliament must do the math before its next ID cards crisis'' - 20th November 2008
 * Unite and GMB really think pre-Christmas strikes will help their cause?'' - It is one thing for the union leaders to bemoan the fact that their members are among the country's lowest paid, in some cases earning little more than the minimum wage, but entirely another for them to ignore the dramatically worsening economic circumstances - 18th November 2008
 * game of two halves for Salmond'' - But which side is First Minister Alex Salmond on? - 14th November 2008
 * Murphy take on the Tartan Army?'' - Murphy has been at the centre of activity since being appointed Secretary of State for Scotland - 13th November 2008
 * Lloyds TSB bank chiefs should not lose sense amid fight'' - At times like this most of us in the cheap seats get a sort of vicarious thrill when we see bankers falling out with each other - 10th November 2008
 * question did for Salmond'' - The nationalist party's determination to break up the UK was why Labour triumphed at Glenrothes - 8th November 2008
 * attack too late for Labour'' - By the time anyone reads this, always assuming anyone does, the result of the Glenrothes by-election will have become public knowledge - 7th November 2008
 * Prescott's class act get the votes?'' - If Labour thinks John Prescott is the answer to their hopes in Glenrothes, what on earth do they think is the question - 6th November 2008
 * wee whinger on the wing'' - It is not often that this column finds itself defending politicians. But there are occasions when it simply must be done - 30th October 2008
 * Scottish worries scupper HBOS?'' - these are worrying times for thousands of Scots working for HBOS and RBS - 29th October 2008
 * bank shame the Union's gain'' - Fall of HBOS and RBS puts independence plans on back burner - 14th October 2008
 * new challenges from Iain Gray'' - The new Labour leader is not afraid to step on the First Minister's home turf of economics - 10th October 2008
 * Salmond's Arc of 'Prosperity'?'' - As Scotland's banks are dragged through the mud it is unclear how Salmond can save them - 9th October 2008
 * by-election may finish Brown'' - The essence of the by-election will be whether voters want to give Brown or Salmond a shot in the arm - 8th October 2008
 * with Jim Murphy, out with Des Browne'' - Jim Murphy's promotion to Scottish Secretary will test him both politically and otherwise, as he replaces the effective Des Browne - 4th October 2008
 * must do more than announce'' - Scotland does have a booze crisis and Mr Salmond is heading in the right direction with draconian action - 3rd October 2008
 * Tories: Spread Cameron gospel'' - Cameron's speech will resonate as much with Scottish voters as with those south of the border - 2nd October 2008
 * David Cameron end United Kingdom?'' - Cameron has said he would fight to maintain the Union but will he really bring the 'two nations' together - 30th September 2008
 * Cameron treads warily in Scotland'' - So far the Tory leader has shown that he's not going to get into a phoney battle with the nationalists - of either the Scottish or English variety - 27th September 2008
 * justice is for the birds'' - Basic justice is being betrayed in Scotland, where some landowners are facing huge "fines" without ever being brought before a court - 25th September 2008
 * issue on which Holyrood must lead, not follow'' - Scottish politicans attitude towards the demise of HBOS looks distinctly threadbare - 20th September 2008
 * Gray's incendiary invective'' - Labour's new Scottish leader's comments on HBOS sat easily at Holyrood - 19th September 2008
 * can't be isolationist'' - Alex Salmond may be angry about the current financial system, but he's a long way off from offering a practical alternative - 18th September 2008
 * role will SNP give the Queen?'' - As Alex Salmond spends the night at Balmoral, what is the Nats' policy on royalty after indepedence - 17th September 2008
 * Gray raises the stakes'' - Iain Gray will take on the First Minister but he should think more carefully before he speaks - 16th September 2008
 * time lucky for Labour in Scotland?'' - The new leader of Scotland's Labour Party will soon be announced and a huge amount rides on the victor - 13th September 2008
 * not like Alex to try to shift the blame'' - For Salmond to criticise bloggers is possibly the most hypocritical of all stances that this most opportunistic of politicians has ever adopted - 12th September 2008
 * does politicking, John does business'' - Swinney pulled another rabbit from the hat over the often vexed question of how to finance large-scale public construction projects - 11th September 2008
 * Union, maybe, but not as we know it'' - If concessions keep piling up about how Scotland is run, will we still be able to recognise it as part of the United Kingdom? - 10th September 2008
 * on the Salmond channel, it's the never ending story'' - The earth moved a bit more in Alex Salmond's direction yesterday, with the long awaited report of the Scottish Broadcasting Commission - 9th September 2008
 * must raise its standards'' - If Scottish Parliament is to have a standards committee, it should first raise the standards of its members - 5th September 2008
 * ups bet in political gamble'' - Alex Salmond came close to surpassing himself yesterday in discussing his plans for the introduction of an extra income tax - aka Nat Tax - replace council tax - 4th September 2008
 * more of the Olympic meddlers'' - Is it possible that the political argument surrounding the Olympics can finally be brought to a close - 28th August 2008
 * fine line between duty and advantage'' - Taxpayers should not be expected to pay for Alex Salmond's Summer Roadshow extravaganza - 27th August 2008
 * a football fantasy for Gordon: Raith win the SPL '' - the Prime Minister’s determination to see a combined UK football team fielded for the 2012 London Olympics has been greeted like the manna from heaven by his separatist opponents - 25th August 2008
 * for today's career politicians'' - Modern-day politicians usually lack what Baron Healey called a 'hinterland', and they could learn a great deal from this remarkable man - 22nd August 2008
 * facing two ways at once'' - There's a fair bit of hypocrisy about at present concerning the council workers' strike - 21st August 2008
 * cross spoons with Angus ladies'' - going up against the cut-throat ladies of Angus again - this time in a raspberry jam making competition - 19th August 2008
 * Jeremy, you must come for supper...'' - why Jeremy Paxman can't get enough of baiting the Scots and the latest example of his Jockophobia - 15th August 2008
 * cannot afford to be complacent'' - picking potential candidates to lead the Labour party in Scotland and what might happen if they fight the seat - 14th August 2008
 * doth protest loads too muchly'' - John Prescott should be grateful the press didn't focus more on his policies - 13th August 2008
 * won't solve problems'' - The Scottish party's constitutional status is unlikely to be resolved until Mr Brown declares his hand - 12th August 2008
 * Scott should be a shoo-in as Scottish Lib-Dem leader'' - 7th August 2008
 * Brown jumps on Alex Salmond bandwagon'' - 5th August 2008

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