The end of a friend

Yesterday I decided that I'm finished with the Sunday Herald. It's been coming a long time now and as I've been a loyal reader since it's inception in February 1999, it's feels a bit like losing a close pal. But I've had enough, as we say in this neck of the woods, I'm fair scunnered. It used to be a moderately left-of-centre newspaper but generally politically balanced. But for months and months all that seems to happen is the Lib Dems and Labour take a battering, indeed it feels like reading the "Sunday Gnat". Yesterday's enormous article by Alan Taylor about the Heid Gnat being the straw and camel moment.

I quote: "If Salmond is to lead the Nationalists at Holyrood after May 3 he must come from third place to first in order to eclipse a LibDem majority of 4500 and thus win the Gordon seat on which he has set his heart. Nor can he expect any help from the Tories, who four years ago finished second, and Labour, who came fourth with almost 3000 votes. Indeed, it is perhaps fair to surmise that the enemies of the SNP, and of Salmond and independence, will do everything they can to ensure a LibDem victory, even to the extent of standing aside."

What utter balls! The Tories and Labour standing aside - sheer claptrap! We will squeeze their voters very hard in our determined fight to beat off this chancer who wants to represent two different sets of constituents in two different parliaments. This man Taylor doesn't even have the courtesy to name the sitting MSP! I've been up to Gordon many times over the last 4 years and I know what a first class MSP NORA RADCLIFFE is and how hard she has worked for her constituents over the last 8 years. I'll certainly be going back as often as I possibly can over the next few months and doing my bit to re-elect oor Nora.

I'm really going to miss Tom Shields' Diary - it was almost worth buying the paper for his wit and wisdom alone.