Declarations and departures

It's an outside broadcast this week as Lesley takes advantage of the sunny weather to join me from the back step of her cottage. Saturday saw the launch of the Declaration of Arbroath movie made by Lesley and filmmaker Charlie Stuart. This in the deafening silence surrounding the 700th anniversary from national  broadcasters,with the notable exception of Billy Kay's three part series on Radio Scotland. We try and pick apart why this lack of enthusiasm for such a seminal event at all levels of Scottish civil society. We rarely, in fact never, show much sympathy for Boris Johnson but his recent admission to an ICU with Covid 19 made us both reflect on the pernicious nature of the virus and what, if any, impact this experience may have on Johnson and his premiership. Sunday night saw the resignation of Scotland's Chief Medical Officer Dr Catherine Calderwood in controversial circumstances. Was this a case of, do as I say not as I do,hypocrisy or of a valuable public servant being unjustifiably hounded out of office? Keir Starmer has been elected as Labour Leader and reappointed Ian Murray as Scottish secretary. Jackie Baillie also defeated Matt Kerr to become Scottish Deputy Leader.Is this Labour going backwards to the future? As always there's all the other stuff and nonsense to be going on with as well.