Now to the Inside Being Looked Upon

Ow dear she hasn't even taken the oath yet but Indygal MSP, Aka Anne McLaughlin, has landed herself in a wee bit of bother. Yeah these pictures which she posted on her blog from Budget fall out day has landed the then Hollyrood researcher for Bob Doris into hot water with one of two of those she will join tomorrow when she takes the seat she inherited after the untimely death of Bashir Ahmad.

Margaret Curran the Labour MSP has demanding an apology:

"On one level, this behaviour is simply childish. But there is a more serious undercurrent. It is unfair and devious and shows a lack of respect."

To be fair the title of the pictures "Supersleuth McLaughlin's surreptitiously taken recordings of today's event in the Scottish Parliament!" in hardly tabloid fodder, but does suggest that a little underhandedness was going on.

An unnamed Tory spokesman said:

"It's not a smart start. It is not a smart way to win friends and influence people. We may be political foes, but there has to be a degree of trust between staff and MSPs for the place to function."

The fact that this source remains unnamed shows the duplicity of how things work in politics. You have unnamed people briefing about meetings, discussions held in confidence etc, but put you name to something and dare to use the Web rather that brief behind the scenes to the press and oh boy there will be trouble. To the best of my knowledge at the time of writing Eric Miralles' building is still standing. It hasn't collapsed like a house of cards. Maybe Indygal MSP will be a breathe of fresh air into some of those in the Parliament.

Anyhoo. Nobody died, nobody lost their job. Although how any barman can think "I don't know just get me one" is a type of gin probably shouldn't be doing something as complex as drawing pints and pulling shots.