July 5 issue no.7 ❘ £2.50
W NE NE ZI GA MA
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Red carpet, red faces
Stooshie Why Depardieu missed his own Edinburgh premiere
T h e b e s t o f S c ott i s h m e d i a – n e w s
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opinion
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d e bat e
What cost nuclear?
Scotland in days
Poverty stats spark anger over Trident
A soft touch
Time to get tougher on prisoners?
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Battle lines
Haggis haggle
Crossed swords on Armed Forces Day
Will US stomach our national dish?
05-Jul-14
Recall: R28 – 11-Jul-14
www.thestooshie.co.uk
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Report says UK should renew Trident
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Right or wrong to scrap right to buy?
Labour’s charm offensive
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Should cons get home comforts?
Stooshie Editor’s Round-up: That was the week that was
Welcome to another packed issue of The Stooshie, the magazine that delves deep into what the media in Scotland has to offer and aims to serve up the best fare every time. We’ve scoured newspapers, websites, blogs, TV and radio, all to bring you what we consider to be the week’s finest Scottish journalism. The thorny issue of Trident nuclear submarines and its future – or lack of one – in Scotland has surfaced once again, with both sides of the argument reinforcing their respective stances. That has certainly split opinion this week, as has the subject of fracking after a report highlighted the scale of shale resources which Scotland could tap into in the central belt. And, as if to demonstrate how our media can go from the sublime to the ridiculous in the blink of an eye, America’s relationship with haggis – that’s right, haggis – also hit the headlines this week. Elsewhere, Seven by Seven reviews the rights and wrongs behind Scottish ministers’ decision to scrap right to buy, our Stooshie of the Week looks at pampered prisoners, and, with Wimbledon nearing its conclusion, we explore how the media has handled Murray mania for another year. Read, digest and enjoy!
SCOTTISH WORD OF THE WEEK
neep noun ❘ ni:p ❘ Review and preview: What’s on near you
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we really like...
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Fred Said: Skye’s the limit for our man MacAulay
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Contact the Stooshie Mail:
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www.thestooshie.co.uk stooshiescot
1. A Scots word for turnip. Usage: “I fancy haggis, neeps and tatties for tea.” “The two governments have yet to fall out over neeps.” (page 5)
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■ The force was strong in Edinburgh this week... The Scotsman
Editor-in-chief: Richard Neville Editor: Steve Bargeton Deputy editor: Catriona MacInnes Art director: Aileen Wilkie Content manager: Rory Weller Editorial: Craig Smith, Stefan Morkis, Alastair Bennett Contributors: Brian Donaldson, Robert McNeil, Jonathan Trew, James Williamson, Graham Huband
Advertising & Commercial Opportunities: Bryn Piper: 0207 400 1050, bpiper@dcthomson.co.uk Circulation: Iain McKenzie: imckenzie@dcthomson.co.uk Subscription Sales & Customer Service: 0844 826 5009, thestooshie@dcthomson.co.uk 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
4 l news
MAIN EVENTS
Trident debate: A question of priorities As a new report says the UK should renew its nuclear deterrent, opponents say poverty figures show money could be better spent ■ The Scottish Government has expressed its outrage after a cross-party group recommended that billions of pounds should be spent on retaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent – at a time when the number of Scots living in poverty has risen to 820,000. The Trident Commission – which includes two former defence secretaries, Lord Browne and Sir Malcolm Rifkind, as well as ex-Liberal Democrat leader Sir Menzies Campbell – said the UK should keep and deploy a nuclear
arsenal for reasons of national security when the missile programme is reviewed in 2016. But with statistics also revealing that almost one in five Scots are living on the breadline, anti-nuclear protestors say cash would be better invested elsewhere. The SNP reaffirmed its stance Trident should be removed from an independent Scotland by 2020, and proposed a “constitutional prohibition” on the weapons ever being based in Scotland again.
EDITORIALS SAY
COMMENTATORS SAY
Rather than focusing on the Trident and poverty figures stories separately, many leaders combined the two. The Daily Record said the case put by MPs to keep Trident in case the UK is left open to “nuclear blackmail” is a “very slim one indeed” – adding that there is now no “moral case” for keeping nuclear weapons and that Scotland would “best be rid of them”. It added the £130 billion price tag to renew Trident was “an obscene amount of money” to spend on a weapons system which “many in the military doubt will serve much purpose”. The Herald described the poverty figures as a “damning indictment of a wealthy country” to have almost a million people living in poverty, although it said the news would “come as no surprise to the hundreds of thousands of people who have spent years struggling to eke out a contracting income in a world of spiralling costs”. The paper said austerity cuts had been “particularly harsh under the Tory-led coalition” but said Scottish ministers must also “accept their share of the responsibility”. The Scotsman took the same tack and said that for many Scottish families, “working hard is clearly no longer enough”. The result, it noted, is that the “cost of living battle can only grow in importance as polling day approaches”.
Writing in the Daily Record, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the fact the UK government was even considering spent billions of pounds on Trident showed how “Westminster’s priorities are not Scotland’s priorities”. “A majority of MSPs at Holyrood are opposed to Trident,” she said, “but that counts for nothing as long as the big decisions on issues like this are not taken here.” She added that savings made by an independent Scotland would be better spent on other priorities – such as “addressing the scandal of soaring poverty”. The Scotsman also featured a quote from Kevin Pringle, who suggested a Yes vote would mean “bairns not bombs”, while Paul Monaghan described spending on Trident as “absolutely shameful”. In The Guardian, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander argued that defence was needed but said a like-for-like Trident will “unnecessarily stretch budgets and constrain spending on other defence priorities”. And Jessica Metheringham, writing on Politics.co.uk, said nuclear deterrents “make the world more dangerous and noone safer” and said politicians “hang on to the notion of big weapons because they offer comfort”. She concluded: “Trident is a child’s security blanket and the protection it offers is psychological.”
Haggis enters the referendum debate Holyrood and Westminster row over bid to restore US exports of Scotland’s national dish ■ Scotland’s national dish, the haggis, was at the centre of a row between Holyrood and Westminster over exports to the USA. The Herald’s Magnus Gardham reported that UK Environment Secretary Owen Paterson was to hold talks with the US Government to attempt to overturn the 40-year US ban the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
on importing haggis. Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead accused Mr Paterson of only taking an interest in the issue in response to the independence referendum. The US banned imports in 1971 as part of a general ban on the sale of livestock lungs, an essential ingredient of haggis.
EDITORIALS SAY The Daily Telegraph recalled the old Scottish trick of trying to convince visitors that the haggis is a real creature. And the Americans, while “more credulous than most” may now be able to see the haggis in its real natural habit, on a plate, wrapped in a sheep’s stomach (or, more usually, these days, a sausage casing. The paper praised UK Environment Secretary Owen Paterson for trying to persuade the Americans of their “folly” in banning Scotland’s national
MAIN EVENTS
To frack or not to frack? That is the question... New report highlights “modest” reserves of shale gas and oil in Scotland ■ A debate over the controversial use of fracking to access shale resources in Scotland has been reignited by a new British Geological Survey (BGS) report. Experts estimated that the central belt has shale gas resources of around 80 trillion cubic feet, lower than in the north of England, but added that there could be six billion barrels of shale oil, which is higher than some areas explored south of the border. Surveyors believe the amount of oil and gas which could be commercially recovered is expected to be “substantially lower” than the figures quoted, but the findings sparked calls for fracking – the technique to recover gas and oil by drilling down into the earth and using high-pressure jets of water, sand and chemicals to release the fuel – to be further pursued. Some say Scotland’s future energy security could depend on it, while opponents feel it is not worth the environmental risk.
dish. “All power to his elbow,” it said. And while other forbidden foodstuffs, such as absinthe and blackcurrants, have been allowed back into the UK, “why not haggis”, it asked. The leader ended by making a more serious political point by claiming that if the US ended its export ban it would “be further proof, in this vital year, of how the Union can deliver for Scotland”. The Scottish Sun treated the issue in a typically lighthearted manner. “It would be an offal shame if they knocked it back,” it concluded.
EDITORIALS SAY
COMMENTATORS SAY
Both The Herald and The Scotsman backed calls for the case for fracking to be fully investigated. The former noted that, despite the rise in renewable methods of energy production, Scotland will still need “reliable supplies of gas for the foreseeable future”. It acknowledged that any fracking applications should be “approached with the greatest caution”, and stressed that shale oil and gas “must never be allowed to rival renewables as the mainstay of Scotland’s energy future”. “A free-for-all for fossil fuel prospectors is not what Scotland needs,” it added. Meanwhile, the latter said that while “there is a way to go” before the public could be confident about fracking, it would be “foolish” to say it will not happen in Scotland. “No-one can say with certainty that this gas won’t be needed in 10, 20 or 30 years’ time,” it concluded.
Of all the options available, wrote Stuart Haszeldine on The Conversation blog, a “conditional acceptance that extracting a fossil resource for a limited timespan could provide a one-off injection of wealth into a community” would be the wise way to go. If Scotland embraces the technique and “keeps its renewable ambitions intact to develop home-grown secure low carbon electricity”, he argued, the direction of travel “could be about right”. Ken Cronin agreed in The Scotsman, adding Scotland could be “at the heart of the development of shale gas” – what he described as a “critical energy source”. However, Mary Church – also in The Scotsman – said Scottish ministers should “ban unconventional gas extraction altogether” due to the risks, focusing instead on “making the most of our abundant renewable resources”.
COMMENTATORS SAY
The Washington Post’s Colby Itkowitz tried to find US-made haggis in the capital, but had little success. “Two restaurants that had it closed recently. The Scottish Merchant which sells Scottish merchandise, carries US-made haggis in a can. A clerk said they sell 180 cans a year, and no one has complained it’s not the real deal.” The last word goes to The Herald’s Marcus Gardham who said the haggis row followed a similar inter-government spat over protected name status for Ayrshire tatties. “The two governments have yet to fall out over neeps,” he joked.
The story made the headlines in the major US newspapers, and was the subject of an article on the American version of Arabic broadcaster Al Jazeera. Struggling to get over to his readers exactly what haggis is, Phillip J. Victor went to Alan Bain of the Scottish Foundation in the US for help. He explained: “It would be like eating a bowl of rice, but you put that with mashed turnips, which is very moist. Combine the two in your mouth and they work very well together.”
news l 5 on the bright side ■ Official figures have shown the number of people leaving Scotland to live in England and Wales has dropped to its lowest point in at least a decade, while the number coming north has risen by almost a tenth since 2011. The Evening Express said economic factors and the impact of university tuition fees had contributed to the decline in Scots moving south. ■ Council bosses in Glasgow scrapped a parking ticket after it was sent back to them with “shove it up your arse” scrawled across it. Leopold Slayter, from Kent, received a £60 fine for parking illegally in Glasgow – even though he had never visited the city. Glasgow City Council apologised for the error. ■ Old shinty photographs are being used to help in the fight against dementia, reported The Herald. Organisers of the ‘Shinty Memories’ project hope the cards will trigger memories in sufferers in Highland areas. ■ Animal welfare officers were called to rescue an iguana from a tree in Thurso – only to find it was a cuddly toy nailed to a branch. The member of the public who spotted it “thought she’d seen it blink”, said the BBC website. ■ Islay malt whisky – rather than traditional champagne – was chosen as the bottle of choice to christen the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier. The 65,000-tonne ship has been assembled at Rosyth where The Queen, the subject of a new portrait (below) by Scots photographer Harry Benson, was asked to perform the naming honours.
5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
6 l news
POLITICS
Cameron and Salmond in war of words in Stirling PM and First Minister indulge in political point-scoring as Armed Forces Day and Bannockburn Live draw huge crowds
indy BRIEFS 1. Former first minister Jack McConnell stepped up involvement in the campaign with a speech pledging to fight for devolution and warning against the bitter arguments dominating the campaign. 2. Scots Game of Thrones star Rose Leslie has backed Better Together. The actress, who plays Ygritte in the show, says she is “very much proUnion”.
■ David Cameron was at the centre of a row over “politicising” Armed Forces Day after he used the occasion to argue for a No vote. The event celebrating the contribution of UK servicemen drew a crowd of 35,000 to Stirling and coincided with nearby festivities to mark the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, where the crowd was estimated at 20,000. There had already been claims that Armed Forces Day had been scheduled to deflect attention from the Bannockburn event, and the Prime Minister added fuel to the fire with his remarks. He paid tribute to military personnel and their families but quoted the Better Together slogan of “best of both worlds”
when calling on Scotland to remain in the UK. First Minister Alex Salmond responded by taking a swipe at UK foreign policy and saying that “we have no pretensions to be a world power”.
COMMENTATORS SAY Although Armed Forces Day called for political differences to be set aside, David Cameron and Alex Salmond were “unable to bury the hatchet”, wrote Mark Macaskill in The Sunday Times. Despite hopes that the day would not be tarnished by political point-scoring, David Cameron used the occasion to point out the strength of the Union, while Alex Salmond
3. UK Education Secretary Michael Gove said Russian premier Vladimir Putin would be delighted if Scotland broke away, as the move would weaken the West’s defences. 4. Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls claimed Alex Salmond is trying to con Scots into voting for independence by refusing to reveal currency pland and transition costs. 5. Professor Iain McLean of the University of Oxford said transition costs for an independent Scotland could reach £2 billion. the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
responded in kind by saying an independent Scotland “would make a significant contribution to Nato and international peacekeeping missions” while adding “we are not going to participate in illegal invasions of Iraq, or things like that”. Writing in The Times, Magnus Linklater said that although it was not clear who had engineered the clash of the two events, the symbolism was “hard to ignore”. “One was a salute to the combined power of a united kingdom,” he said. “The other was a piece of visceral nostalgia, summoning up Scottish blood in the name of independence.” However, he suggested that appearances can be deceptive in the current Scottish political climate. “The man handing out flags at the armed forces event was careful to be even-handed. ‘There’s a Union flag on the one side, and a Scottish one on the other,’ he pointed out. ‘You can display whichever one suits you best.’ ” In its Opinion column, the Sunday Post said that those who have used the events as “political pawns” in the run-up to the referendum “should be ashamed of themselves”. Families, the paper said, were forced to pick and choose between the events, adding that: “When it comes to matters as important as this, politics should play no part.” The Courier, while lambasting both Cameron and Salmond for “uninspired political sniping” chose to praise the organisers and crowds who attended for making both events a huge success.
“The reason why the Conservatives lost all their seats (in Scotland) was because of Margaret (Thatcher). Because she was a woman.”
“Federalism has the potential to be the common ground on which we can unite a divided nation.”
Lord Young,
Murdo Fraser,
Former Trade Secretary
Conservative MSP
POLITICS Alexander says SNP have given up pound
Miliband enters the fray ■ Labour leader Ed Miliband stirred up a hornets’ nest by saying a future Labour government would set up border posts between Scotland and the rest of the UK. Miliband, on a campaigning visit to Scotland, said that the border posts would be introduced because of the SNP’s plans to loosen immigration controls. He also accused the SNP of “banking” on the prospect of a Tory victory in the general election to drive Scots towards voting for independence. Mr Miliband’s claims on immigration were branded as “scaremongering” by the SNP. Commentators were not impressed by Mr Miliband’s entry into the debate. Magnus Linklater in The Times said that the problem with the speech was “passion. Or rather the lack of it,” and added that “he neither looks not sounds entirely comfortable on Scottish ground”. And Ian Bell, writing in The Herald, said Miliband has become the “eye of the storm” in the referendum debate. “The polls say the vote will move decisively to Yes as people believe that Mr Miliband can’t win at the next General Election,” he said.
■ Danny Alexander claimed that the SNP Government have “given up hope” of sharing the pound after independence. The Scotsman reported that the Chief Secretary to the Treasury had written to First Minister Alex Salmond warning that plans to increase borrowing after a Yes vote would be putting Scotland on “a different path” from the rest of the UK, and mean that currency sharing would be impossible.
However, the SNP were quick to dismiss Mr Alexander’s claims and insisted that a united currency would be the “logical choice” for both the UK and Scotland after a Yes vote. Mr Alexander called for the SNP to come clean about alternative currency plans, adding: “John Swinney’s plan for massive extra borrowing basically shows that the Scottish Government is now assuming that there won’t be a currency union.” He added that Scotland would start off with a higher deficit and borrowing costs.
MSP points finger at MI5
Nazi jibe candidate quits
■ An SNP MSP believes the British Secret Service may have been responsible for the online abuse of JK Rowling after her £1 million donation to the No campaign. Christina McKelvie said: “The attacks on JK Rowling were down to a very few people whose accounts no one could trace back to the Yes campaign. “Whoever made them – and there are interesting conspiracy theorists who think it might all have been down to Secret Service plants – should be totally condemned.”
■ Labour’s candidate in Angus for the 2015 General Election was forced to resign after tweeting a picture that seemed to compare Yes campaigners to Nazis. Kathy Wiles put the image of Hitler Youth on Twitter after a photograph was circulated of youngsters standing under the banner of pro-independence blog site Wings Over Scotland. Ms Wiles made an online apology after her actions sparked outrage, but resigned following meetings within Scottish Labour.
“The No campaign’s scaremongering over currency makes no sense. This is just bluff and bluster designed to frighten people.”
“My Scottish Labour colleagues are baffled Alex Salmond seems to be so confident in his argument he is unwilling to debate with other Scots on the issue. I don’t understand it either.”
“There’s no room for tactical voting, no soft middle option to safely plump for. This is about the future of your country.”
Stewart Hosie MP,
Ed Balls,
Pat Kane,
SNP Treasury spokesman
Shadow Chancellor
Pop star and Yes voter
news l 7
indy BRIEFS 1. SNP MEP Alyn Smith said the Scottish Government could “do business” with new European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker, whose election was opposed by David Cameron. 2. Pro-independence supporters protested outside the BBC’s Glasgow HQ over alleged bias in the corporation’s referendum coverage. 3. Alex Salmond said stories about Robert the Bruce and William Wallace were the inspiration behind his quest for independence. 4. A company is giving all its workers the day off to vote in the referendum. The boss of Bathgate-based Direct Savings doesn’t care which way they vote. 5. An analysis of the polls by the House of Lords suggests that “there may have been a gradual tightening of the referendum race over the past six to nine months”. 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
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SEVEN BY SEVEN
news l 9
Wrong to buy – was home ownership legislation misguided?
SEVEN QUESTIONS YOU REALLY WANT TO ASK 1. Is it bye-bye for right to buy? Sure is. The Scottish Parliament has backed a proposal by the SNP Government to end the right of council tenants to buy their homes in Scotland. The right will be ended in 2016.
2. What’s their reasoning? They say that, while right to buy has increased home ownership in Scotland, it has also contributed to an acute shortage of social housing. BBC News quoted Housing Minister Margaret Burgess saying that the country could “no longer afford to see the social sector lose out on badly needed homes”. Ms Burgess added: “By ending right to buy in two years we will protect up to 15,500 social houses from sale over a 10-year period and safeguard social housing stock for future generations.”
3. So there’s broad political agreement on this move? As broad as a 103-12 vote in Parliament. The Tories remain unhappy, which is hardly surprising since their former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher introduced the policy in 1980 or, if you prefer, 19BD (Before Devolution). Scottish Tory housing spokesman Alex Johnstone has claimed in The Scotsman that scrapping the policy “slams the door in the faces of families with modest incomes who want to own their own home and who have no other route to achieve that aspiration”.
4. What’s the story in the rest of the UK? In England, Tory Chancellor George Osborne is an enthusiast for the scheme. He has increased the discounts available to council house buyers to £75,000 (£100,000 in London). He has also cut the qualifying time for tenants to buy from five years to three. In Wales, with an Assembly under Labour control, £16,000 is the maximum discount, and the qualifying period for tenants is five years. In Northern Ireland, which has a power-sharing
right to buy IN NUMBERS
534,000
administration at Stormont, the qualifying period is five years, and the maximum discount is £24,000.
5. How can Britain have a unified housing Scottish tenants with the right to policy with all that variation? buy their own home.
455,000
Homes have been sold in Scotland since the scheme started in 1980.
185,000
Households on waiting lists for council and housing association houses in Scotland.
54,600
Social housing properties became available to let last year.
54%
Of public sector housing in Scotland is comprised of flats.
30,000
New, affordable homes promised by Scottish Government in lifetime of current parliament.
305,000
Homes in Scotland which are privately rented.
Britain doesn’t have a unified housing policy. The detail’s in the devolution. Commentators say housing offers an interesting example of the different paths the countries are taking, reflecting divergent political and cultural attitudes. In Wales, where the number of council houses sold is relatively low, the Welsh Assembly secured powers in 2010 to suspend the right to buy in areas of chronic housing shortages. In March 2011, the Scottish Government scrapped the right to buy for new tenants and also removed new social housing from the remit.
6. What are the professionals saying? In Scotland, they’re behind the Government. Andy Young, of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, said on the STV News website that the policy had “no place in 21st century Scotland”. Mr Young added that right to buy had benefited “a relatively small number of individuals” while creating a loss to the greater public good, including taking better stock out of popular areas.
7. Any last words for the policy’s eulogy? In England, and among Tory enthusiasts in Scotland, it’s said the policy created a better social mix and led residents to take a greater pride in their property and even in their community. Opponents say community activism was generally the preserve of tenants and that the policy was another part of the privatisation of life. In the end, whatever the rights and wrongs, it was always going to set up conflict between individual rights and the greater good. 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
10 l news
AROUND SCOTLAND
1 HIGHLANDS & ISLANDS Work starts on A9 cameras
Work started on installing average speed cameras on the A9 in the Highlands. As part of a 24-week project to install the cameras between Perth and Inverness, foundations and cabling were put in at Blackmount junction near Carrbridge.
Council in row with House over armed police
A row broke out between Highland Council and Police Scotland Chief Constable Sir Stephen House over the arming of police. The Press and Journal reported that councillors described House as “out of order” after he had made disparaging remarks about critics of the armed police policy. Council members voted to demand a rethink of the practice after depute leader David Alston reported that Sir Stephen had said those raising gun concerns were “mischievous” and “working to a different agenda.”
2 GLASGOW & WEST Rapist may never be freed
A man who tortured and raped four women over a 20-year period was told that he may never be released from prison. John Walker (49) admitted five rapes and four assaults which took place between 1988 and 2009 at addresses in Glasgow and Dunbartonshire. At the High Court in Glasgow he was given a lifelong restriction order and told he must serve at least 10 years. The judge told Walker: “You are classed as a high risk of reoffending and you may never be released.” Walker was not reported until a daughter of his first victim decided to go to police last year.
Scout dies in Italy A 14-year-old boy died while on an an adventure holiday to Italy with the Scouts. Elliot Peacock from Newton Mearns lost consciousness and could not be revived after jumping from a mountain gorge into a rock pool at an altitude of 6,000 feet in the Aosta Valley near Turin. He was declared dead two hours after the accident. Elliot was in a party of 40 youngsters from the 35th Glasgow Scout Group who were “gorge scrambling” – walking along a river in a gorge and jumping into pools. Elliot’s heartbroken parents Scott and Colette flew to Italy to identify the body of their only child.
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5
£5m for Art School fund The UK Government pledged £5 million to help restore the fire-damaged Mackintosh building. The Scottish Government has also said it will donate £5 million of a fund seeking to raise £20 million to restore the building after it was severely damaged when a blaze swept through it on May 23.
2 3
3 SOUTH SCOTLAND Danger signs call after death
There were calls for the use of danger signs after the death of a teenager in the River Nith near Dumfries Scott Couper (15) died in hospital six days after he got into difficulties in the river at Carnsalloch Gardens, a popular spot with local the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
young people during hot weather. Local councillor Ivor Hyslop believes warning notices should be erected at such sites. “People think there is no danger there and I think we need to find some way of letting them know you need to be careful,” he concluded.
SNP gets tough on turbine development
SNP ministers have ruled that regions like the Borders will not be allowed to ban any more wind farms, even if local planners feel that they have reached saturation point. The Southern Reporter said that although Scottish Borders council had never sought a moratorium on turbines, its recent development plan highlighted the cumulative landscape impact of the increasing number of turbine developments.
news l 11
AROUND SCOTLAND 4 NORTH EAST, ORKNEY & SHETLAND Tornado tragedy report finds series of errors
An official report into a mid-air crash between two jets that killed three RAF servicemen found that opportunities to prevent the tragedy had been missed. An 18-month-long investigation by the Military Aviation Authority into the July 2012 crash over the Moray Firth found a catalogue of errors, including the failure to fit a collision warning system into the Tornado planes. Flight Lieutenant Hywel Poole (28) Flt Lt Adam Sanders (28) and Squadron Leader Samuel Bailey (36) all died in the collision. Another crew member survived, but suffered severe injuries. The men were all based at RAF Lossiemouth in Moray. The report also found that one of the victims suffered from a fear of flying at high levels and that the MoD had not put in place an effective care plan for him.
5 TAYSIDE & CENTRAL
Police were probing the mosque where Scots Jihadi Abdul Raqib Amin worshipped. Officers were working with members of the Aberdeen Mosque and Islamic Centre in an attempt to track Amin’s path to extremism. Police were believed to be keen to rule out the mosque as a recruitment platform for Amin, who appeared in a recruitment video for Muslim terror group Isis.
Attack on Barrie grave
Row over T in the Park venue switch
4
Amin mosque probed
A huge row erupted between Perth and Kinross Council and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) following the decision to move the venue for T in the Park. The Courier reported that the local authority and event organisers DF Concerts had wanted the event to continue at Balado. The move to Strathallan Castle was prompted by HSE safety concerns about a major pipeline beneath the Balado site. However, the HSE’s Scotland director later claimed any suggestion it was behind the move as “out of tune with reality”, which drew an angry response from council leader Ian Miller (pictured), who said it was “solely the HSE intervention” that led to the location switch.
An attack on the grave of Peter Pan creator JM Barrie was described as “disgusting”. Stones were removed from Barrie’s grave at the family plot at Kirriemuir Cemetery and moved to another part of the graveyard. Local councillor Major Ronnie Proctor described the vandalism at the popular local tourist attraction as “disgusting, deplorable and senseless”. The latest incident comes three years after vandals destroyed a Peter Pan mosaic at the entrance to a new play area, created to mark the 150th anniversary of Barrie’s birth.
6 EDINBURGH, FIFE & EAST 6
New bin scheme
Date set for World’s End murder retrial
A new recycling scheme is to be introduced for 140,000 Edinburgh residents. From September, the types of materials residents are able to recycle will change and bin collections will happen on the same day each week. Red boxes will be replaced by a wheelie bin and a box. The new wheelie bin will be for general waste and the green bin for mixed recycling. Blue boxes will still to be used for glass while food and garden recycling will continue as normal.
The retrial of World’s End murder suspect Angus Sinclair has been set for October 6 at the High Court in Livingston. Sinclair (69) is accused of raping and strangling 17-year-olds Christine Eadie and Helen Scott in 1977. The girls’ bodies were found in East Lothian in October that year after they had been last seen at the World’s End pub on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Sinclair was cleared of the killings seven years ago, but three judges granted an application under the Double Jeopardy Act to allow a new prosecution. Sinclair is alleged to have assaulted, tied, gagged, raped and strangled the girls with his brother-in-law Gordon Hamilton, who is now dead.
Festival snaps up supermodel Danish supermodel Helena Christiansen is to headline a major new Scottish fashion festival this summer. The model turned fashion photographer will unveil a major exhibition of her work at the Edinburgh International Fashion Festival next month. Glasgow-born celebrity photographer John “Rankin” Waddell will also show his work at the event. 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
12 l news
AROUND BRITAIN
1 NORTHERN IRELAND
2 NORTH ENGLAND
Queen’s visit to Ulster
Death preventable
Foul-mouth farewell
Savile inquiry shocks nation
The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh took in various sights during a three-day visit. Those included the Game of Thrones set, a tour of the Crumlin Road jail, and filming of the Antiques Roadshow at Hillsborough Castle.
A report has said the murder of a police officer 37 years could have been prevented. The police ombudsman ruled Sergeant Joseph Campbell’s death could have been avoided if senior Royal Ulster Constabulary officers had acted on specific threats. The father-ofeight was shot as he closed a police station in 1977.
An animal park’s star attraction has died. Max, an African Grey parrot known for his use of swear words, had lived at South Park, Darlington since 2006. “It’s a bit like if your four-year-old hears a naughty word – they don’t know what it means but they say it because they get a big crowd of people around them,” said one ranger.
A series of reports revealed that ex-BBC DJ Jimmy Savile sexually assaulted victims aged five to 75 after enjoying decades of unrestricted access to hospitals. The reports covered 28 hospitals including Leeds General and Broadmoor.
3 MIDLANDS & EAST Crossbow kidnapper behind bars
1
A man who kidnapped a woman he met on an internet dating site and threatened her with a crossbow, a BB gun and knife was jailed for 15 years. Alex Wallis (35) attacked the victim after she refused to give him £500 at his home in Burwell, Cambridgeshire. He then drove her to banks over 100 miles away during her ordeal.
2
4 WALES
Not plastic fantastic
Police chief defends force after terror threat The head of Wales’ counter-terrorism unit deflected recent criticism of police by saying officers could not “keep a hold of everybody”. Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Nikki Holland made the comment after a video showed two Cardiff men urging others to join a jihadist fight in Syria and Iraq. There had been claims police had not won the trust of Welsh Muslims.
Police in Birmingham stopped a driver whose windscreen view was almost entirely blocked by plastic planks strapped to its roof. Officers said the actions of the 30-yearold van driver showed “common sense was in short supply”. The vehicle was seized and the driver was reported for having no insurance and carrying a dangerous load.
3 4
Study on Welsh holiday habits Half of Welsh holidaymakers admit they drink alcohol every day whilst abroad, a survey said. The Alcohol Concern Cymru study found that three quarters of people drank more on holiday than at home, with many claiming that it helped them relax and have fun. A third said they drank at least four alcoholic drinks a day on holiday.
5 SOUTH WEST ENGLAND Glasto takes centre stage Thousands of revellers enjoyed the 2014 Glastonbury music festival – despite the customary mud and rain at the Worthy Farm site. Metallica and Dolly Parton were among the headliners over the weekend, with Arcade Fire, Ed Sheeran and Ellie Goulding also attracting large crowds. the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
5
6
6 LONDON & SOUTH EAST Duck Tours back on Thames
Scot ‘lay dead for six years’
London’s famous Duck Tours are back afloat after services were halted due to a serious fire last year. The amphibious crafts will return to the Thames after they were suspended pending an inquiry into the blaze last September. Thirty people had to be rescued, but two vehicles have now been given safety permits for an initial three months.
A dead Scottish woman lay undiscovered in her flat for six years, it emerged. A bailiff, estate agent and two locksmiths broke into the ground floor flat which had been occupied by Anne Leitrim and discovered her remains. Mrs Leitrim, who was in her 70s and originally from Glasgow, had not been seen since 2008 and neighbours thought she had moved out of the area.
news l 13
PEOPLE Depardieu in Festival premiere no-show French superstar fails to show up in Edinburgh after Skye pub visit ■ French movie star Gerard Depardieu failed to turn up for the UK premiere of his new movie at the Edinburgh Film Festival. Gavin Madeley in the Scottish Daily Mail reported that, hours before the superstar’s no-show, he was pictured drinking on the Isle of Skye. The Cyrano de Bergerac star was due to appear on Saturday at a screening of his new film, Welcome to New York. However, the previous night the actor, who has a reputation as a hellraiser, was pictured sampling beer, whisky, haggis and bagpipes while filming a French TV series on Scottish food at the Am Praban bar on Skye’s remote Sleat peninsula. Madeley reported that “social media sites were immediately rife with speculation” as to what had happened to Depardieu. One tweet said: “Gerard Depardieu was in a Skye pub last night, but didn’t make it to his premier at @edfilmfest tonight. Wonder why?”
Bloomin’ marvellous ■ Bo’ness mum Mairi McLay spoke of her pride after bringing new baby Kian into the world in her mother’s front garden. The Scottish Daily Mail hailed how Mairi’s mum Sylvia handled the sudden “doorstep delivery”.
Homeward bound
The night before a school trip to Bannockburn, Wullie dreamt that Robert the Bruce had been given more than a helping hand...by him and his bucket!
■ A brain-damaged Scot held by Thai authorities after being found on a beach without money or belongings is coming home. William Crook travelled to Pattaya at Christmas but did not return and was found destitute in May. However, the Daily Record reported that Mr Crook – whose visa had expired – is due to be deported.
Cheryl wows capital crowds X Factor judge jets into Edinburgh for auditions after celebrating her 31st birthday at 30,000 feet ■ Cheryl Cole jetted into Edinburgh with her fellow X Factor judges Simon Cowell, Louis Walsh and Mel B. Excited fans gathered outside the Assembly Rooms in George Street, where auditions for the show were being filmed. Former Girls Aloud singer Cole, who also celebrated her 31st birthday on her flight to the capital, was rejoining the show after several years. On her arrival at the Assembly Rooms, pipers were on hand to play Happy Birthday while fans
Memorial plan for Keane ■ A memorial is being planned for Keane Wallis-Bennett, who died after a school wall collapsed on her in April. Mum Abbie Wallis welcomed news of a possible tribute and described plans to bulldoze the gym at Liberton High School as the “right thing to do”.
cheered and called out her name. The Daily Record reported that Cole had a stylish party 30,000 feet in the air. She was joined by Simon Cowell and Mel B who donned party hats along with crew members. Cowell tweeted: “Now what shall I get Cheryl for her birthday tomorrow? 40 is an important year.” Cole had a stint as an X Factor judge between 2008 and 2010, but left with Cowell to film US X Factor in 2011. However, she was dropped after just one series, although she had signed up for two.
Last straw for Chris ■ Olympic cycling champ Chris Hoy found four wheels more challenging at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. The six-time gold medallist crashed a Nissan GT-R supercar into straw bales at the event.
Honour for Higgs ■ Nobel Prize laureate Professor Peter Higgs was presented with an honorary degree at St Andrews University. The 85-year-old predicted the existence of the Higgs boson ‘God particle’. 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
14 l news
BEST OF SCOTTISH COMMENT
TV debate dillydallying switches folk off
Support may grow for a federal UK
Bill Leckie
Brian Monteith
The Scottish Sun
The Scotsman
■ After a couple of weeks where the much-vaunted TV debate between First Minister Alex Salmond and Better Together’s Alistair Darling was on and off, and then off and on again, The Scottish Sun’s Bill Leckie urged the pair to “stop faffing about”. “You wouldn’t think it would be that hard to get two grown men into the same room at the same time,” he noted, pointing out that debating is what they do 24/7. The debacle over the date prompted Leckie to suggest that if Sky Sports was to market it as a Box Office event it would “get about two subscribers – and they’d have been trying to get porn and dialled the wrong number”. Leckie highlighted that he had interviewed both men for the paper recently and said both “dodged nothing” and would be “good TV”. Yet he said the events of the last few weeks have made the public “more and more bored with the whole thing”. And he added: “In a proper democracy, there would have been at least two live TV debates already with the third earmarked as the biggest of the lot just as the campaign goes down to the wire.”
■ In the wake of Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser’s remarks that the time is right to look to a federal UK, Monteith asked why the notion of federalism is “abhorrent to the British establishment”. Monteith believes that Fraser is far from alone in believing that this may be the best way forward. “Other Conservatives are arriving at the same destination and I expect will, in the coming months, make their views known,” he said. Unionist proposals that would increase tax-gathering powers at Holyood, while allowing Scottish MPs a say in setting tax rates in England would be “a great injustice and bring the West Lothian question back to the fore”. Monteith believes that with the Bannockburn anniversary now passed, and England out of the World Cup, only the Commonwealth Games has the potential to stir enough patriotic fervour to sway the referendum result. “Raising now the issue of how federalism can place Scotland as equal partner in any British constitutional settlement was the right thing for Fraser to do”, he concluded.
Will Scots Muslims sign up for Jihad?
Dani Garavelli Scotland on Sunday
■ Garavelli looked at the journey that had taken Abdul Raqib Amin (pictured) from being an “affable if slightly ‘hyper’ Aberdeen teenager to a fanatical jihadist, recruiting for Muslim terror group Isis. The mystery of what caused his transformation has been “exercising the minds of his former friends and fellow Muslims who fear his actions will rebound on the rest of the community.” His friends says that Amin showed no hints of extremism when living in Aberdeen and believe he may have been radicalised when he left to live in Leicester. Up until now, the consensus was that “Muslims north of the Border were less likely to
embrace violent extremism than their English counterparts because of their strong Scottish identity”. But Garavelli believes that the “emergence of the Isis video, and Amin’s role in it” may mean it is time to accept that Scots Muslims are “as susceptible to radicalism as anyone else.” She spoke to SNP MSP Humza Yousaf who does accept that radicalism is possible in Scotland, but added that having spent his whole life going in and out of mosques, he has never seen anything to concern him. Yousaf also says that the make-up of Scotland’s Muslim community makes it less likely that extremism would go unnoticed. “Because the community is close-knit, the chances are if someone was expressing extreme views, someone would notice and pass on their concern to the individual, their family or the police. Also, the police have built up a really good relationship with Muslim communities,” he said.
HAUD YER WHEESHT! ■ A German princess hurled abuse about killing Muslims after drunkenly trying to strip off at a St Andrews beer festival. The Courier reported how Her Serene Majesty Theodora Sayn-Wittgenstein (right) was fined £1,000 after admitting struggling with police at the Oktoberfest charity event at Kinkell Farm in March. A security guard spotted Sayn-Wittgenstein, who graduated from St Andrews University in 2011, shouting and trying to remove clothing as she climbed railings at the event. the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
The paper then noted how she struggled as a first aider, Farah Hussain, tried to help her, before saying: “I was doing my nails this morning. I was wondering how many Muslims I could kill.” The princess, who wore a wig as she faced charges at Dundee Sheriff Court, then stood on a chair shouting about her human rights. The Daily Record’s headline ‘Ich Bin Ein Bampot’ summed up its take on the story, with the paper also branding her a ‘Haverin’ Slaverin’ Wig-Wearin’ Bavarian’.
16 l news Harris wasn’t like Savile: he seemed beyond suspicion
Mick Brown The Daily Telegraph
■ Thousands of children across the UK grew up with Rolf Harris, which made it all the more difficult to hear the “plethora of sad, shocking and bewildering facts” that emerged during his sex abuse trial. The 84-year-old faces the prospect of dying in jail after being found guilty of 12 indecent assaults against four women and, coming hard on the heels of revelations about Jimmy Savile, The Daily Telegraph’s Mick Brown said Harris’ conviction – out of all the people brought to book by Operation Yewtree – is “perhaps hardest to countenance”. The “smell of something ‘not quite right’ hung over Savile like a shroud”, he argued, and among grown-
BEST OF briTISH comment ups he was always “more a figure of suspicion and bemusement than of love”. The crimes he committed, including ones that allegedly took place in Scottish hospitals, showed people were right to be concerned. But Brown argued that Harris was different: “a figure of unalloyed charm and personableness – the daft, madcap uncle, with a particular gift for captivating the young mind”. Clearly though, behind the scenes, he exercised power that “might have passed unremarked in an earlier age”. Operation Yewtree had at times “looked a questionable exercise”, as “septuagenarian and octogenarian light entertainers were dragged into the spotlight for expensive trials that have resulted in acquittals”. In this instance, however, it was “entirely justified”. “He destroyed the lives of the children he assaulted,” he said. “But one might say he betrayed not only their trust, but the trust of anyone who ever watched and enjoyed Rolf Harris.”
Referendum can change politics
Huge impact on UK if Scots vote Yes
Irvine Welsh
Simon Kelner
London Evening Standard
The i newspaper
■ “Something strange is happening in Scotland,” argued Irvine Welsh in the London Evening Standard. “The country is reinventing itself from the inside out.” The author believes the independence debate is “leading the way in the reassertion of the democratic ethos” in the UK, which he said “was an imperialist construct, and retains undemocratic trappings”. The most important thing about the referendum is not so much the result, massively important though that is, but that the process has “gained such traction”. He continued: “People have got used to having a say in how their lives are run, outside of the self-interested and morally bankrupt party system. The drive for more of the same will continue.” And he concluded this new political engagement may be bad news for the established parties. “Those who pushed themselves to the forefront of the debate on their futures are unlikely to cede that power back to the elites, as represented by the Camerons, Cleggs and Milibands of this world. And that might be contagious.”
■ Simon Kelner confessed that “in common with many English people”, he doesn’t quite know what to think about Scottish independence. He believes that, in contrast to many people south of the border, the Scots have always had a strong sense of national identity. However, the independence debate “does raise the issue of nationhood for us all, and particularly what binds us together”. And he shared concerns that if Scots vote to break away, then the very concept of British nationhood may be broken down. “If the Scots say yes, what does it mean for Wales? And what about other groups of population who also have an economic identity and a shared culture. Lancashire? Yorkshire? Cornwall? Is it the end for one-nation politics?” He concluded by predicting that the entire concept of the UK could be threatened in the event of a Yes vote. “John Major may well be right, if not that Scottish independence would be a catastrophe, but that this is a decision that will have huge, as yet unknown, consequences,” he said.
HAUD YER WHEESHT! ■ Two Scottish confectionery firms were savouring the sweet smell of success after judges ruled Snowball snacks were technically cakes. Lanarkshire firms Lee’s of Scotland and Tunnock’s are now set for a tax windfall after tax tribunal judges overturned an HM Revenue and Customs ruling that Snowballs did not enjoy the same exemption from VAT as tea cakes. The decision had meant the companies faced combined tax bill of £2.8m. the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
Judges decided the issue after being presented with a plate of Jaffa Cakes, Bakewell tarts, tea cakes, Lee’s Snowballs, Waitrose meringues and mini jam snow cakes during the hearing. Lee’s and Tunnock’s insisted their Snowballs should be VAT-free, in the same way as Jaffa Cakes. However, HMRC was adamant that they were confectionery. Claims for a £2m VAT rebate by Lee’s and for £800,000 by Thomas Tunnock Ltd, were rejected in 2012.
18 l news
everybody’s talking about...
Anyone for tennis? A nation inspired by Andy Murray at Wimbledon – for a fortnight at least... 1. Ah, Murray mania strikes again. Yep. Even before Andy Murray picked up a racquet at this year’s Championship, the weight of expectation on the Scot’s shoulders was massive – with England’s failure to make it past the group stages of the World Cup ramping it up. The fact he ended a 77-year British wait to win Wimbledon last summer probably didn’t help. Having said that, this time was different somehow, noted the Channel 4 News website, as Murray’s victory last year meant people across Britain were experiencing “weird and rather un-British feelings” of relaxation as the tennis got under way. It added: “It certainly makes a change from: ‘I’m hiding behind the sofa, don’t talk to me!’, ‘I’ve built my Murray shrine, I belieeeeve’ and ‘I saw his face in a cucumber in this pint of Pimm’s, right here, see? It’s fate!’.” Murray, too, seemed much more at ease, laughing off claims the nation’s summer sporting hopes rested solely on him.
2. Must be difficult for Murray handling that sort of pressure. Of course. Murray freely admitted he was “nervous” going into Wimbledon and the media spotlight only became more intense. And apparently the demands of being Britain’s top tennis player don’t stop at the court. Murray revealed in his BBC Sport website column that his girlfriend Kim Sears (bottom left) cooks his dinner every
night during Wimbledon – and that his options are kept “simple”. “You might not be surprised to hear that I don’t order a pizza when I get in,” Murray said, adding he has either salmon, chicken or steak. His relationship with Kim also hit the headlines, with the Scottish Daily Mail reporting Murray is set to “pop the question” after nine years together. Some might say Murray brought it on himself during a Twitter Q&A with fans in January when he jokingly tweeted “We’re getting married just after Wimbledon, should be a great day” – which prompted many media outlets to jump the gun. Then there’s the added pressure of being a role model to millions. The Nottingham Post highlighted the so-called “Andy Murray effect”, with people “expected to dig out their tennis racquets” as the nation followed his progress. Others had different reasons for wanting Murray to do well. An anonymous Glaswegian punter placed a
£100,000 bet on Dunblane’s finest to retain his title, so you could bet he or she has been doing some sweating in recent days.
3. He’ll win more titles, won’t he? You would like to think so. But he’s already added a few more titles to his name over the past fortnight. The Beano made him guest editor – described by Murray himself in The Courier as potentially his “greatest title yet” – while The Independent’s Jenn Selby said Murray could add “dog saviour” to his CV after he saved a runaway labradoodle from a busy road. The Daily Record’s Charlie Gall also said the All England Club was considering the creation of a statue.
4. I wish I could follow in his footsteps. I’d even forgo the canine rescuer tag. Unless you are a quick learner or extremely gifted, according to The Independent’s Jack de Menezes, you “better start practising”. He pointed out that by the time top level pros turn 24, they will have hit a tennis ball “an incredible 2.4 million times”. And he added: “As well as having the muscular endurance to hit the ball into the hundreds of thousands, a player must also be capable of covering around 2,496 miles in a single year.”
WIMBLEDON 2014 IN NUMBERS
£17,000
What some tickets for the men’s final were going for, well over a week before the event the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
28,000
The number of strawberries, in kilogrammes, consumed at SW19 during the event
news l 19
BOFFINS
Diseases found in the frame
Software uses family pics to detect rare disorders ■ Researchers at Edinburgh and Oxford universities have developed new software that uses photographs to diagnose rare genetic diseases, The Herald reported. The programme allows a computer to study family snaps for facial features that characterise conditions such as Down’s Syndrome. It builds a description of facial structure by mapping the corners of the eyes, nose, mouth and other features. Between 30% and 40% of rare genetic disorders are thought to involve changes in the shape of
Try chocolate ■ Chocolate bars rich in cocoa can improve rugby skills, according to a study by nutritionists at Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University. Researchers gave a dozen Scottish rugby sevens players various chocolate snacks in addition to their usual strict dietary regime over the course of a month, The Scotsman reported. Players who had eaten a Scottish artisan chocolate bar, with high levels of antioxidants, scored the highest in cognitive function tests for speed and accuracy, implying better reaction times and improved tactical ability in their game.
the face and skull. However, these may not be obvious, and the new technology could identify people born with such disorders, allowing them to receive early treatment and support. Professor David Fitzpatrick, of Edinburgh’s Institute for Genetics and Molecular Medicine, said getting a diagnosis quickly was challenging because of the range of possible disorders. “This technology will help doctors to pick up extremely rare disorders and may be able to identify new conditions,” he said.
Fitness app to get feet moving ■ A fitness app developed by researchers at Glasgow and Strathclyde Universities has been launched ahead of the Commonwealth Games. The ‘MyCity: Glasgow’ app uses the built-in technology of smartphones to track how much users walk each day and to set daily goals, The Courier reported. Every time a goal is achieved, a ‘reward’ is unlocked and a map shows one of 42 landmarks, which players are encouraged to visit. Dr Cindy Gray, of Glasgow’s Institute of Health and Wellbeing, said the app was “a fun way for people to engage with the spirit of the Commonwealth Games by being more active”.
Scotland’s renewable electricity output increased by
50%
■ Scientists from the
Scottish Carbon Capture and Storage partnership have won a share of a £2.57 million UK fund to combat global warming, The Scotsman reported. Researchers from HeriotWatt and Edinburgh universities will lead three new projects investigating how to trap carbon dioxide and safely lock it underground.
in the first three months of the year, compared with the same period in 2013, The Herald reported. A record 6,678 GWh of renewable electricity was generated by various schemes. Green energy met a recordbreaking 46.5% of gross electricity consumption last year.
New dementia study group’s whole body approach ■ Scottish scientists will play a major role in the world’s largest dementia study group. The UK Dementia Platform (UKDP) is made up of research teams from Edinburgh and seven other universities, as well as industry experts from pharmaceutical and biotech companies. As The Herald reported, the group aims to improve detection, treatment and ultimately prevention of dementia by examining the
disease in the context of the whole body instead of just the brain. The UKDP will study data from two million volunteers aged 50 and over who have taken part in existing long-term research projects such as UK Biobank. Professor Ian Deary, director of Edinburgh’s Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, hoped the whole body approach would yield “significant breakthroughs in this larger setting”. 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
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LETTERS TO THE EDITORS Taking a gamble?
best of the week
Wrong way ■ The Commonwealth Games are now less than a month away. The £550 million public investment is intended to showcase Glasgow and Scotland. On the westbound lanes of the M74 there are no signs to indicate that visitors should take Exit 1. Tell friends driving from the south or east to follow the exit for Kinning Park and Tradeston. If they see exit signs for Glasgow Airport or Greenock, they have gone too far. Glasgow City Council has just eliminated the taxi rank on the west side of Queen Street Station. Why? To make visitors welcome and ease their journey to their hotel? There is also a very large tent in George Square. This is the Merchandise Superstore, selling the equivalent of ‘see-youJimmy’ bunnets and other Games tat. The opportunity to greet visitors with the best of Glasgow and Scotland is gone, lost in the rush to cash in.
■ I was born into a generation whose dreams of wealth depended on the single eight from 11 line on the Pools, and the annual bet on the Grand National. When I grew up, I too had a line on the Pools, and later in the UK National Lottery. It’s a small gamble which brings me great joy. The rules on the National Lottery website are clear: you must be aged 16plus, and be located in the UK or the Isle of Man to play. So I have been irritated by the White Paper claim that I will “still be able to play National Lottery games, and the infrastructure enabling them to do so will remain in place”. This is not Scotland’s gift. For the UK National Lottery to operate in Scotland after independence both Scotland and the rest of the UK would have to agree and new legislation would have to be passed. So it looks as if I shall have to depends on Premium Bonds: not so much fun.
Burns a merchandising gift to the tourist industry but his image is known worldwide. For those in far flung parts of the world who don’t immediately recognise him, his appearance is significant enough to attract curiosity. His face is instantly recognisable, as are those of Lincoln or Einstein, but, unlike them, his poems and works are known the world over and many people given the stimulus of the name and the image would be much encouraged to include Scotland on their trip. I say: ‘Let’s give it a try for the sake of Auld Lang Syne’. Philip Wilson, 25 Fenwick Road, Glasgow The Herald
Asking the question
Burns’ name could be boost
■ In the light of the current abdication and appointment of a new monarch in Spain, I’m curious to know what happens to any monarch if the population votes in a referendum to abolish it in favour of a republic. Could the UK even allow a referendum on such an important matter and if so (God forbid), what would happen to the Queen?
■ I fully agree with suggestions Prestwick Airport could be named after Robert Burns. Not only is the name Robert
Charles Miller, Kirkliston, West Lothian Scottish Daily Mail
Jean Johnson, Westhill, Aberdeenshire The Herald
John Black, Helensburgh The Scotsman the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
A fitting ditty ■ I would like to add to the debate over Scotland’s national anthem. We are, indeed, all accustomed to Flower of Scotland as our sporting anthem, but I agree that a less self-effacing anthem would be more fitting. Prior to Roy Williamson, of The Corries folk group, writing Flower of Scotland in the 1960s, our accepted national anthem was Scotland the Brave. It is a great tune, which is used widely as a march, and it has words to inspire us and praise our beautiful country. Whether we vote Yes or No in the independence referendum, this great old song would be a fitting anthem to bring us together in what will be a new era in our history. Elizabeth Grey, Fort Augustus The Press and Journal
Not dead yet... ■ Am I the only one shocked by Stanley Baxter’s intervention in the Scottish independence referendum, not for what he said but because they too thought he’d been dead for well over a decade? Mark Boyle, Johnstone, Renfrewshire The Scotsman
that’s debatable ■ How ironic that the day after the announcement that, because of arrangements for the Commonwealth Games, cyclists are to be prohibited from using several of the city’s most important designated cycle routes, including Bell’s Bridge, a bike hire scheme is announced. These mixed messages show that cycling is still considered a form of recreation, a mere “optional extra”, and as such can be curtailed for convenience rather than a serious mode of transport. If the powers-that-be are serious about achieving anything like 10% of journeys being undertaken by bicycle, they must realise that facilities cannot be turned on and off like a tap. The keenest and most confident cyclists, the “Lycra warriors”, are already awheel and will remain so, but policies now need to be implemented to provide permanent facilities
to encourage the less confident to feel safe enough to swap four wheels for two. Jane Ann Liston, Largo Road, St Andrews The Scotsman ■ Why can’t we just state the obvious, which is that cyclists are on the same anti-social level as skateboarders, and the few who behave responsibly can never atone for the hooligan majority? If you need proof, just spend an hour in any pedestrian precinct and watch both these breeds weaving their high-speed ways through pedestrians. At least the skateboarders make an appalling noise so – provided you are not deaf – they can be heard coming. Malcolm Parkin, Kinnesswood The Scotsman Letters have been edited
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THE WEE PAPERS
A taste of...
Home is castle ■ Tourists and locals have been flocking to see a house decorated for the Cockenzie and Port Seton Gala. The home of Jordan Neil and Lauchlan Beaumont was transformed into a castle to represent Jordan’s role as a standard bearer, with a boat alongside for Lauchlan who was a fisherman in the gala.
Treasures recorded
SPORT Big turnout for Hub ■ More than 1,600 participants and 1,000 supporters enjoyed the first ever East Lothian Community Sport Hub Games. Held across the county, the event comprised a series of competitions and fun activities designed to capture the imagination ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. Thirteen sports involving 60 community clubs were involved.
There goes Grace ■ Seven-year-old golf ace Grace Crawford is getting ready to head to America for the US Kids World Golf Championship at the end of this month. Grace, from North Berwick, sealed her place at the prestigious event in North Carolina after finishing eighth in the US Kids European Championships.
■ An Iron Age strapmount found in Dunbar features in the annual Treasure Trove in Scotland report. The item has been allocated to East Lothian Museums, as has a harness loop found in Haddington. A fragment of carved stone from Traprain Law has been allocated to the National Museum of Scotland.
Abuse doubled ■ Domestic abuse crimes brought to police attention in East Lothian have more than doubled in the past year, the Courier’s Marie Sharp reported. Police investigated 613 complaints, compared to 269 the previous year. However, Chief Superintendent Gill Imery said the 58%
rise reflected increased police focus on the crimes.
manicured lawns and intimidated visitors.
Porkers seized
■ A sandstone statute honouring Dunbar’s fishing heritage could be erected near the town’s harbour. Dunbar Shore and Harbour Neighbourhood Group has lodged plans for an eight-foot-tall monument called The Creel Loaders. Design ideas include two people loading a wicker creel of herring on a female fish-seller’s back.
■ A stately home resident had his pigs removed after allegedly failing to pen them in. Kevin Martin has gone to court to have the animals returned by East Lothian Council. Neighbours in the upmarket apartments of Whittinghame House complained that the Tamworth pigs churned the mansion’s
Statue mooted
The big story County wants to waste not ■ A rubbish revolution is under way in East Lothian, with weekly collections going fortnightly and a new weekly food waste uplift. The Courier’s Cameron Ritchie reported that the county’s recycling rate was 45% and that the Scottish Government had decreed that all councils should be recycling 70% of their communities’ waste by 2025. Failure to meet this target would incur what council leader Willie Innes described as “very significant financial penalties”. As well as fortnightly refuse collections, the county’s changes, starting next April, will also see fortnightly garden waste collections expanded across all of East Lothian. The capital cost of the new bins, boxes and ‘kitchen caddies’ is £304,000, with an additional £118,000 needing to be spent annually. However, the changes will bring an employment boost, with jobs created to cover the food waste collections. ‘Doorsteppers’ will visit properties throughout the county to publicise the changes and deal with potential problems.
EVENING ALL Edinburgh Evening News
Evening Express
Evening Times
Greenock Telegraph
Evening Telegraph
■ The ‘Godfather of
■ NHS Grampian
■ Undercover police
■ Immigration officers
■ A man who assaulted a
Gaming’ has bought a landmark church building in the capital’s Stockbridge area to save it for the community. Leslie Benzies, president of Grand Theft Auto games firm Rockstar North, is thought to have bid in excess of £500,000 to acquire A-listed St Stephen’s.
chiefs have welcomed Scottish Government funding for a new £120 million maternity hospital and cancer centre in Aberdeen. Last year, the existing maternity hospital was criticised in a report, which found “significant” issues, including blood on bed rails.
officers are to tail Glasgow taxis in a bid to stop attacks on drivers. Unmarked cars will follow the vehicles after they pick up fares to reassure drivers. The move follows an increase in robberies and attempted robberies on taxi drivers during recent months.
found four illegal workers at Aania’s and East-West Spice Indian takeaways in Greenock. East-West boss Bahadur Singh claimed he was duped by fake paperwork. His two employees were detained pending deportation. The other two cases were being considered.
suspected house-breaker was admonished at Dundee Sheriff Court. William Miller (31) assaulted Darren Coughlin after he noticed his front door handle moving. Sheriff Alastair Brown said the court disapproved of “vigilante behaviour” but accepted he acted instinctively. 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
22 l
VIEW POINTS: THE BEST OF THE REST
NEWS BLOGS England would be better off without Scots By Bryan Glass ❘ The Conversation Much of the debate around independence has been all about the Scottish point of view, but Bryan Glass, a lecturer at Texas State University, said there are “powerful reasons” why the English should be “enthusiastic” about Scotland going it alone. A yes vote would make England “financially and governmentally” better off, he argued, the Barnett Formula would be ditched, and the West Lothian question would disappear. Plus, the English must know that offering devo max would be “a disastrous policy fraught with dire consequences for the union”.
■ The Kenyan Warriors perform in Princes
Street Gardens in Edinburgh to promote their Continental Circus Berlin show.
■ Baton bearer Rebecca Stewart carried the Glasgow 2014 Queen’s Baton through Inverkeithing in Fife.
It’s not that bad being alone By Nick Hancock ❘ The Guardian blog Nick Hancock blogged from the tiny islet of Rockall, 230 miles west of the Outer Hebrides, as he continued his second attempt to live alone there for 60 days. Some key markers have come and gone – “the first change of underwear, the first Calor gas canister to be finished, the first 25l jerry can of water to be emptied” – but his e-books have been a godsend. Albeit that his “grand ideas” of reading ‘War and Peace’ fell by the wayside in favour of ‘Mr Nice’, drugs runner Howard Marks’ autobiography, and ‘Ice’, rapper Ice-T’s memoir.
■ Judy Murray took time out to serve coffee to people waiting in the queue at Wimbledon.
How wise was Ed’s pitch to the Left? By James Kirkup ❘ The Daily Telegraph blogs Ed Miliband’s pitch to Left-leaning Scottish voters was “understandable and probably sensible”, said James Kirkup, who noted the Labour leader’s comments that independence could mean “lower taxes, lower terms and conditions and lower wages – a race to the bottom”. However, he highlighted a “potential perverse consequence” in that both the Scots and English could enjoy lower taxes. “Mr Miliband clearly thinks that’s not an appealing prospect,” he concluded. “Others may not take the same view.”
Protest left sour taste in the mouth By Clyn Gallagher ❘ Scots Politics The BBC’s coverage of the indyref “hasn’t been great” so far, according to Clyn Gallagher. But while the latest protest against BBC bias “looked fun”, it was a “whinge made flesh”. In her opinion, the constant complaint against mainstream media bias has been one of “more unappealing” parts of the pro-independence campaign. the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
■ A soldier looks on as the crowds gathered in Stirling to mark Scotland’s sixth annual Armed Forces Day.
■ A giant mural of Schubert was drawn on the beach at Elie as part of the East Neuk Festival. It disappeared with the next tide.
NEWS TWEETS #Haggis #Haggis was embargoed by #America in 1971. Free Haggis, America wants Haggis.
So Scotland is to petition US to bring back haggis. I do hope it’s wild haggis, not shop bought!
Good to see UK ministers finally taking an interest in getting US ban on haggis imports lifted – should’ve been a bigger priority before now.
Oscar Brandser @OBrandser
The Food Snob @TheFoodSnobUK
Richard Lochhead @RichardLochhead
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VIEW POINTS: THE BEST OF THE REST good week Warship comes ‘home’ A Royal Navy warship returned to its adopted home town for the first time in five years. Members of the public were able to have a look around HMS Montrose, which is taking a break from operations in the Baltic and docked in the town which shares its name.
Hitting the right note A rare guitar played by Gerry Rafferty fetched £10,000 at auction. The Paisley-born singer’s daughter Martha put the Fender Esquire – which featured in his Shipyard Town video – up for sale.
■ Our word cloud amalgamates all the week’s news from the Scottish papers, with greatest prominence given to the most frequently used words.
GOSSIP OF THE WEEK
bad week
day since the age of 16. The Scots singer, who confirmed he is to perform at Glasgow’s SSE Hydro on October 27 for the only Scots date on his tour, reportedly claimed marijuana is no worse than alcohol in an interview with Q magazine.
A moo-ving tale A cow which fell or jumped into Aberdeen Harbour had to be humanely put down. The animal entered the water while being loaded on to a ferry and had to be destroyed despite valiant rescue attempts.
Tickets please More than 200 people were fined for failing to show a ticket during the first month of Edinburgh’s trams. The Herald revealed how an average of nine passengers a day have been penalised since the trams were launched.
Summertime Sadness?
Murray keeping mum A quiet retirement for Hoy Sir Chris Hoy and his wife Sarra announced that they are expecting their first child. This six-time Olympic cycling champion told Sky Sports that the timing could not be better after his retiral from the sport last year.
Paolo in dope defence Paolo Nutini admitted to smoking cannabis every
Judy Murray is keeping tightlipped on continuing rumours she is set to appear on the next series of Strictly Come Dancing. The 54-year-old mum of tennis star Andy has been linked with the ballroom dancing show and fuelled speculation by telling The Scottish Sun she had a soft spot for dancer Artem Chigvintsev. But she also told the Scottish Daily Mail: “I don’t think I’m a celebrity.”
Scots rocker Barrie James O’Neill described rumours he had split from fiance Lana Del Rey as “just bedtime stories”. The ex-Kassidy frontman said his relationship with the US star was “not over”.
Hollywood’s hair a help Mrs Brown’s Boys star Gary Hollywood believes his red hair has helped his career. The 34-year-old Scot appears in ‘Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie’’ (see p27) and told Scotland Now: “When I was in Taggart, aged 12, the director told me to ‘be proud of your red hair’. “I think the red hair brought me luck.”
Who to hit Glasgow The Who will celebrate 50 years together with a show at the Glasgow SSE Hydro on November 30.
If the Americans take to it like they have done with ‘Scotch’ whisky they are on to a winner.
Suspect these trendytypes glorifying haggis are also those who simper over bacon. In words of my grandma: “A decent meal will kill ‘em.”
Fab news for the Scots that they can now sell #Haggis to the US will they still be able to sell in England if they go independent?
Where does #ukip stand on #Haggis?
Perfectly understandable that US eschews haggis. To my knowledge it doesn’t contain even a drop of corn syrup. #mmmsheeplung #haggis
Liam McLoughlin @LJPmcLoughlin
John Bull @larrymeath
Sam Summers @SamSummersPR
Sir Bill Taylor @SirBillTaylor
Susan Rae @Susan_Rae1 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
24 l
Stooshie of the week
aye or ay ❘ eye ❘
1. means yes. Usage: “Aye, why not let the lags play XBox games?” ■ You know what it’s like. You could be sitting watching the World Cup on your 55-inch TV and think: “You know what? I could quite easily go a bag of crisps.” So you toddle off down to the local shop at half-time, buy said bag of crisps, and enjoy the rest of the game. That, my friends, is liberty. Prisoners do not share that kind of liberty, and for good reason. Most of them, if not all, are there because they have committed a crime. They have done something wrong and should be duly punished for it. That’s not disputed. Here is probably not the place to debate just how severely convicted criminals should be treated on a sliding scale, and who should be given what privileges when – if any. What is for certain though is that anyone sent to prison is not allowed to come and go as they please, and that jail should fundamentally be about rehabilitation. Those who say prisoners have it too easy simply do not know what they are talking about. While people on the outside are making money, having fun and learning things, the social contacts and skills,
the sanity, vocational prospects and remaining wealth of convicts decline. So when they do get out, many are ill-prepared for what’s in front of them and end up caught in the vicious circle of re-offending. Any suggestion a convict simply re-offends when they hit the streets to get back into the “comfort” of their cells is utter rubbish. No-one LIKES incarceration. So surely it is for everyone’s benefit that, albeit properly monitored, prisoners are allowed things to keep their minds active? Nobody is suggesting they are given whatever they desire, but at the same time you can’t lock someone in a cell with a bucket, a blanket and four walls for company. If you treat people like animals, more often than not they will behave like animals. What’s more, most prisoners earn their privileges while in prison, not simply through the avoidance of further bad behaviour but also by working, taking part in education or accepting the opportunities to rehabilitate themselves. The aim is for people to learn from their mistakes, not turn them into pets of the state.
Should convicted criminals have home comforts in their cells?
A story in the Daily Record this week revealed that prisoners at Glenochil jail have been allowed electric guitars, 2,000-piece jigsaws, games consoles and even rugs in their cells, while cons at Addiewell have been allowed to have football flags on their walls. We ask: should that be allowed?
AS ITHERS SEE US!
O wad some Power the giftie gie us To see oursels as ithers see us! To a Louse ❘ Robert Burns young people, many of whom A battle is being are first-time voters. Using waged for the hearts mock referendums and issues and minds of Scottish youth, reported Angela MacKenzie of debates, town hall meetings and even hip hop lyrics, Canada’s CBC News, with the Scotland’s youth are being future of the country at stake. encouraged to voice their own With the referendum opinions.” looming, “campaigners, For the first time, teens as politicians and youth groups young as 16 will now have the are busy trying to engage the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
right to vote and, according to Scottish Youth Parliament chair Kyle Thornton, the youth vote could be crucial. “If it’s very close, 16 and 17-year-olds would decide the referendum,” he explained. The decision to allow this age group to vote seems to be working, with, 80% of
newly enfranchised youngsters (100,000) registering. That’s “an impressive number” said MacKenzie, especially as the referendum is still months away. What is not clear is what choice they will make come September 18, with mock referendums in universities producing wildly differing results. “However, a recent survey, meanwhile, shows twothirds of Scottish youth are concerned with the economic future of an independent Scotland. It’s clear that young Scots aren’t yet unified in their choice.”
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Stooshie of the week
naw
❘ naw ❘
1. means no or not. Usage: “Naw. They’ve been locked up for a reason.”
Alan Cowell of the International New York Times said that “the decision on whether Scotland breaks away will be made by just a fraction of the people who stand to see their notions of national identity upended.” The key “interested parties” missing from the debate on the UK’s future, he said, are “the English, the Welsh and the (Northern) Irish.” He described the potential consequences of the referendum as “breathtaking: for the first time in 307 years, Scotland could break away; the United Kingdom could be not so united.
“By comparison, imagine Italy allowing Tuscany to secede, or Texas detaching itself from the United States, or Bavaria bidding auf Wiedersehen to Germany without the consent of the bulk of Italians, Americans or Germans.” Cowell cited President Obama’s recent departure from America’s “vaunted neutrality” by saying the US had a deep interest in keeping the UK together. And he said the vote would be “closely watched by other Europeans eyeing independence – the Catalans in Spain, for instance. It might
■ There’s nothing more likely to upset the average punter than stories about pampered prisoners. While the rest of us are working our fingers to the bone to make ends meet, the thought that the collection of murderers, rapists, thieves fraudsters and assorted ne’erdo-wells who populate our jails are living in the lap of luxury is enough the make your blood boil. There seems to be a disconnect between the voters and many of our politicians on this issue. Any time our rulers have taken the trouble to ask our opinion on the subject, the answer has been loud and clear; we want our jails to be tougher; we want the regimes to be so hard and unforgiving that nobody in their right mind would want to go there. Instead, we are told that prisoners at Glasgow’s Barlinnie prison are allowed luxuries like games consoles, huge jigsaws and personal organisers in their cells. Of course, this sort of thing is nothing new. Two years ago we discovered that a third of all prisoners had access to subscription TV channels in their cells and there were reports that prisoners at Saughton in Edinburgh were
claiming for luxuries like designer jeans and Playstation consoles that had, perhaps unsurprisingly, gone missing. And that’s before we even talk about the availability of drugs in prison. A couple of years ago it was reported that prison officers were finding drugs 140 times a month in our prisons and it was acknowledged that authorities can do little to stem the tide. Yes, compared to the spartan regimes of old, our prisoners do have a cushy number, that’s if they even go to jail in the first place. In the face of massive public opposition Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill pushed ahead with plans to scrap three-month sentences for minor crimes, and dole out community punishments instead. So there we have it. If you commit a crime you’re less likely than ever before to end up inside, and if you do end up behind bars the authorities will bend over backwards to make sure you are as comfortable as possible. Of course, nobody wants our prisons to be inhumane, and slopping out was a disgusting and degrading practice. But it is time to say enough is enough and make our prisons places to be feared one again.
even inspire thoughts further afield - in the Middle East, perhaps, where the debate is far more intractable.”
interviewer by saying he got the perfect training for the role growing up in Glasgow. “Yep. It was something that they taught us at school, that ‘one day, you two will be in a film riding dragons.’ ”
Turkish newspaper Zaman reported on “two of Hollywood’s prominent Scotsmen” Gerard Butler and Craig Ferguson, as they publicised their roles in animated fantasy sequel How To Train Your Dragon 2. In the movie Butler and Ferguson reunite as two burly best friends helping young dragon rider Hiccup save dragons from a Viking villain. And US chat show host Ferguson surprised the
5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
26 l
REVIEW & Preview
STAGE
Footprints COTTIER THEATRE, GLASGOW Run ended ■ Although High Heart Dance Company’s Footprints has been and gone, it will return in full force as part of the Made in Scotland showcase at the Edinburgh Fringe. The country’s key dance critics both believed that this is one show you should seek out amid the maze of August.
In My Father’s Words SEEN AT TRON THEATRE, GLASGOW Dundee Rep, until July 12 ■ Playwrights are increasingly keen to take on the subject of dementia, something that would have been unthinkable even a decade ago. But given the reviews for In My Father’s Words, none of them are likely to have quite hit the nail on the head the way Justin Young has. In this co-production between the Tron and Dundee Rep, the story takes place in a Canadian lakeside home with a man’s state worsening as his family are left to try and understand what’s happening. When his Gaelic-speaking past is tapped into, it seems to unlock possibilities for a kind of progress. In The Scotsman, Joyce McMillan was impressed with this motif: “There’s something powerful and fascinating, too, about the way this play uses screens and live surtitles to lead us into the great political and emotional gulf between languages”, while in The Times, Allan Radcliffe noted that “Young’s exploration of the inadequacy of language to express the unsayable comes through most effectively in quieter moments”. At The Herald, Neil Cooper pointed out the qualities of the family drama between father and son: “Their quest for mutual understanding reveals a shared history that is both intimate and epic in its reach for roots and reconciliation.”
Hyperion GOVANHILL BATHS, GLASGOW Run ended ■ Performed by a mix of recent college graduates and semi-professional actors, this 50-minute drama also features playwright Jo Clifford offering us the voice of God. Merging beatboxing and rap with group choreography and a lyrical
EXHIBITIONS Generation VARIOUS VENUES Until January 25 ■ Still making waves across various parts of the country, Generation, the vibrant showcase of contemporary Scottish art across a quarter of a century. Flagship shows at the National Galleries in the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
Edinburgh and at Tramway and GOMA in Glasgow enjoyed their official openings last week. Among the artists on show are Douglas Gordon (left), Ross Sinclair, Christine Borland and Martin Boyce. In The Sunday Herald, Barry Didcock noted that the quality of creative talent on display cannot be denied.
Enjoying the intoxicating mixture of live music and dance, Mary Brennan in The Herald praised the ambition: “It’s a nicely balanced partnership: dance tends to thrive on live music, but it’s more of a challenge when the choreography is tied into the imagery in song lyrics. It all comes together with a swagger and a bounce.” Over at The Scotsman, Kelly Apter also applauded the merging of the two disciplines. “The collaboration works for a number of reasons, not least the obvious enjoyment of the performers. This coming together of musicians and dancers, grounded in a deep respect for each other’s artform, produces a combined joyfulness and shared poignancy perfectly attuned to each song’s requirements.” text, it follows a princess’ dream of immortal love with morning star, Hyperion, which is finally replaced by something rather more earthly and tangible. As Joyce McMillan in The Scotsman reported, after an uncertain comic start, the piece soon gets into its stride helped in no small measure by its unique setting. “I doubt if Govanhill Baths can ever have witnessed an event quite so bold, strange and precarious as Alexa Ispas’ Hyperion, based on a magical verse romance by Romanian poet Mihail Eminescu. In the end, it’s the lyrical magic of the text – beautifully spoken by the whole cast – that binds the show together, and lends it real dramatic force,” she said. “Chuck a stick in the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art this week and you’ll hit a Turner Prize winner.” And in Scotland on Sunday, Susan Mansfield remarked upon the sheer diversity: “There is no single curatorial thread to follow. It encapsulates a period when art exploded in a multiplicity of directions.”
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REVIEW & Preview FILM
Chef (15) Starring: Jon Favreau, Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey Jr ■ A rather sad tale of Casper, a chef who was once at the top of his profession, but can no longer, well, cut the mustard, the cynical might consider this is a rather all-too-concise summation of director and star Jon Favreau’s career. Alison Rowat in The Herald believed that “Favreau makes
a convincing chef though a less convincing ladies’ man”, while The Skinny’s Jamie Dunn reckoned that “a public spat with a critic lifted straight from Ratatouille, is absurd”. For The Scotsman, Alistair Harkness could see some value in this light comedy, stating that “this is a film about taking the time to rediscover and appreciate the things that make one happy”, while Edward Lawrenson for the Big Issue in Scotland concluded that “the result is amiable, pleasant and occasionally funny but I can’t pretend Chef is any great leap in creative ambition”. James Mottram at The List was the most positive of the reviewers, dubbing it a “charming work that’ll tickle the tastebuds, as well as the funny bone”.
Average rating 6/10
Cold In July (15) Starring: Michael C Hall, Sam Shepard, Don Johnson ■ When Richard Dane, a Texas family man, shoots dead an unarmed intruder in his home, it sets off a train of events that lead to unexpected places. Riddled with guilt, Dane (Hall) seeks out the father (Shepard) of his victim to apologise and immediately regrets it. The arrival of a flamboyant PI (Johnson) cranks up the film’s oddness as it spirals towards its conclusion. Alison Rowat of The Herald enjoyed the way the movie flitted between filmic conventions: “With its pick-and-mix approach to genre – one minute it’s a revenge drama, the next Texan gothic, a moment later a sly comedy – Jim Mickle’s picture certainly scores high on the value for money front.” For Alistair Harkness in The Scotsman, the movie’s feel was worth savouring: “Soundtracked with a John Carpenter-esque synth score that enhances the atmosphere of its late 1980s setting, this is a minor gem.” The List’s Allan Hunter wasn’t quite as enamoured, noting that “the more melodramatic elements of the plot barely withstand close scrutiny as it heads towards a grand guignol bloodbath of an ending”, but The Skinny’s Chris Fyvie gets the plauditry back on track by claiming that “Mickle delivers a real highlight of the exploitation sub-genre with this lean and menacing thriller”.
Mrs Brown’s Boys D’Movie (15) Starring: Brendan O’Carroll, Sorcha Cusack, Jennifer Gibney ■ When it moved from the stage to the small screen, Mrs Brown’s Boys became a foulmouthed treat for fans of the defiantly mainstream. The fact that it’s now deemed significant enough to make the leap into
Average rating 7/10
the nation’s multiplexes is nothing short of staggering. A market stall is being closed down by some nasty property developers. Mrs B and co ride to the rescue, of course. Only Scotland on Sunday’s ever-courageous Siobhan Synnot seemed to be up for dipping into the somewhat icky world created by Brendan O’Carroll, but she wasn’t exactly nourished by the experience: “I liked the way the movie blends its blooper reels into the body of the film, rather than waiting till the credits at the end, and the sniggers during the retakes suggest that at least the cast are having fun. Eventually, however, the relentlessly puerile tone turns punishing.”
Rating 4/10
Gray’s Degree Show 2014 GRAY’S SCHOOL OF ART, ABERDEEN Run ended ■ Jan Patience in The Herald took to Aberdeen to see what the Gray’s students were up to and was impressed with their versatility: “Boundaries are crossed all over the place. Sculpture students are
sewing or acting, printmakers are creating textile works, painters are making 3D objects and graphic designers are making films.”
John Byrne: Sitting Ducks SCOTTISH NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY, EDINBURGH Until October 19
■ A rip-roaring exhibition of
portraits featuring many of Byrne’s famous pals (left), as well as a series of selfportraits. According to The Scotsman’s Duncan MacMillan: “The magical combination of sympathy, observation and sheer fluency in the communication of eye, hand and mind that makes a great drawing is apparent in them all.” 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
28 l THIS WEEK
SCOTS on the box
REVIEW & preview
Worth catching… Terrible conflicts in the Middle East and on Europe’s 20th century battlefields dominate the week, while light relief is provided by a much-missed actor being Walter Scott.
TV: The Honourable Woman BBC Two ❘ Thu July 10, 9pm ■ After the glorious success he had with stylish British cop drama The Shadow Line, writer-directorproducer Hugo Blick will be hoping for similar glory as he unleashes The Honourable Woman upon us. Given that it has a terrific cast featuring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Stephen Rea, Lindsay Duncan and Janet McTeer, the odds are already stacked in its favour. Nessa Stein (Gyllenhaal) is a Briton of Israeli extraction and a key figure in the Middle East peace process. But despite all her good intentions, there are some around her who are making progress difficult and seek to derail anything that might lead to an end in this age-old conflict. Damien Love in the Sunday Herald positively raved about the series: “This eight-part serial is, by an enormous distance, the best drama British television has produced this year, if not in several years.”
Pipers Of The Trenches BBC Two, Friday July 11, 9.30pm ■ For more than four centuries, Highland regiments have advanced and led the attack to the inspiring, driving sound of the bagpipes. Over two thousand pipers served on duty during World War One, but within the course of a year, around a thousand of these men had been killed. Documentary Pipers Of The Trenches brings together some stories of extraordinary bravery as the soldiers’ descendants visit the Somme and Gallipoli, two of the battlefields where these unarmed men piped their unit comrades ‘over the top’. Contributions from military historians provide the relatives with new insights into the courage these men displayed and the terrifying prospect they faced as they led their friends into a pitiless battle. The documentary uncovers why these centuries-old tunes about ancient battles still have a relevance today. Pipers Of The Trenches is part of the BBC’s World War I centenary scheduling, an ambitious project which doesn’t end this year, but continues until 2018 echoing the exact time frame of that terrible conflict.
RADIO: My Own Right Hand Shall Do It
Vic Galloway GET IT ON
Radio 4 Extra, Sunday July 6, 8pm
BBC Scotland’s request show played songs by pop siblings
■ Last week, David Tennant was at it. This week, Alec Guinness is being Walter Scott from a broadcast back in 1974. The drama tells of Scott’s determined recovery from financial ruin when the printing business he was the sole investor of collapsed.
Sister Sledge
We Are Family
The Kinks
All Day And All Of The Night
The Beverley Sisters Sisters
The Everly Brothers
The Jacksons
Can You Feel It
Wake Up Little Susie
Biffy Clyro
Van Halen
Sly And The Family Stone
Jump
Dire Straits
Bubbles
Family Affair
Sultans Of Swing
■ Get It On ❘ Weekdays at 6.10pm
RADIO: The Art Of Artists Radio 2, Monday July 7, 11pm ■ Dominic West has made a TV name for himself playing a wayward cop in The Wire and as Fred West in Appropriate Adult. He also has some serious stage credits to his name, most notably performing opposite his Wire co-star Clarke Peters in Othello. He talks to Russell Davies about his work and they play some tunes.
the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
Louise White morning call The following questions were asked on BBC Scotland’s weekday Morning Call programme ■ Should it be water only at the dinner table? ■ Parents: do you swear in front of your children? ■ Are Scotland’s roads equipped for more cyclists?
■ Is painkiller addiction being taken seriously enough? ■ Should tighter regulations be introduced to make gambling harder?
■ Morning call ❘ Weekdays at 8.50am
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REVIEW & preview
The best of this week’s books
SCOTTISH BESTSELLERS
An analysis of the banking crisis rocks The Stooshie reading pile plus Gordon Brown argues for the union, Dave Eggers feels funny about America and Limmy unleashes his musings.
HARD BACK 1. My Scotland, Our Britain
RECOMMENDED
by Gordon Brown
Shredded
2. Written In My Own Heart’s Blood
by Ian Fraser
■ The Royal Bank of Scotland meltdown might seem to have already used up acres of newspaper and book space, but Ian Fraser’s Shredded is arguably the set text. Critics have been impressed by its sheer scope of evidence. Bill Jamieson in The Scotsman stated that the book is “a definitive and unflinching 435-page account of exactly what went wrong – and few are spared”, while Colin Donald in The Herald was taken aback not only with the fresh facts revealed about the RBS leadership’s hubris, but the forensic detail which avoids the book being simply an anti-capitalist tract: “Combining obsessive, detailed research with the dry-mouthed, heart-thumping human drama of Britain brought to the brink of social meltdown, Shredded has a place on the top shelf of financial investigative journalism.”
by Diana Gabaldon
3. Kingdom by Robyn Young
4. Shredded by Ian Fraser
5. Fighting Spirit by Fernando Ricksen with Vincent De Vries
6. The Sex Lives Of Siamese Twins by Irvine Welsh
7. Bannockburn by Alistair Moffat
8. Och Wheesht And Get Oan Wae It by Lewis Dawson (ed)
Your Fathers, Where Are They?
My Scotland, Our Britain
A Song For Issy Bradley
by Dave Eggers
by Gordon Brown
by Carys Bray
■ One of the most innovative American literary voices of the last two decades, Eggers continues to startle. Here, his new book about an America at odds with itself is written entirely in dialogue, a technique which Rosemary Goring in The Herald believed works like a dream: “In this slight but intriguing novel, Eggers shows the tripwire that lies between acknowledging the world is unfair, and finding targets on whom to pin the blame.”
■ Shooting straight into the number one hardback slot, the former PM makes his own contribution to the debate over the future of both Scotland and Britain with a typically forthright and solidly argued defence of the union. David Robinson in Scotland on Sunday was certainly convinced by the work: “There is a philosophical rigour and detailed historical analysis to this book which mark it out as the most robustly argued case yet presented for voting No.”
■ Told through a series of different characters’ perspectives, this debut novel concerns the sudden death of a young Mormon girl and the struggles of her family to carry on. Bray grew up in a devoutly religious home and used those experiences as the basis for this drama. Paul Gallagher in The List wrote that “her prose could occasionally be leaner, but Bray is a bold writer. And for all its sadness, A Song For Issy Bradley is an embracing, life-affirming read”.
LOOK OUT FOR... ■ Workers and residents in Edinburgh’s West End are being encouraged to hand in their old books for charity. A donation station provided by Better World Books has been set up at 23 Melville Street to help fund new schools and libraries and provide scholarships around the globe.
■ Limmy (right), the Glasgow comedian they used to call an ‘internet sensation’, is capitalising on his recent TV success by signing a deal with Century books. His Daft Wee Stories, “a mix of thoughts, musings and anecdotes” of variable lengths, will be out in the summer of 2015.
9. The Last Refuge by Craig Robertson
10. Where Memories Go by Sally Magnusson
PAPER BACK 1. Extraordinary People by Peter May
2. There Was A Wee Lassie Who Swallowed A Midgie by Rebecca Colby and Kate McLelland
3. Bertie’s Guide To Life And Mothers by Alexander McCall Smith
4. Katie In Scotland by James Mayhew
5. Saints Of The Shadow Bible by Ian Rankin
6. The Blackhouse by Peter May
7. The Quarry by Iain Banks
8. The Lewis Man by Peter May
9. Road To Referendum by Iain Macwhirter
10. The Chessmen by Peter May ■ Lists from Waterstones 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
30 l CHEF’S CORNER
LADY CLAIRE MACDONALD Kinloch Lodge hotel , The Isle of Skye.
People often say that strawberries no longer taste the way they used to, noted Lady Claire Macdonald in The Press and Journal. To avoid this problem, she advises shoppers to swerve “disappointing” Elsanta strawberries and seek out Ava or Jubilee varieties. Scottish Jubilee berries are best and, when “bought in season”, should be “luscious, juicy and fragrant”. Strawberries with black pepper are “very good” and “surprisingly delicious” with balsamic vinegar. However, to bring out the best in your strawbs, eat them with citrus. Lemon, orange or lime all “enhance the flavour of strawberries wonderfully”.
tastiest FOOD & Drink New Brazilian for Aberdeen ■ According to the Evening Express, Viva Brazil Churrascaria is to open in Aberdeen in July. The new restaurant will operate from the Golden Square premises which were vacated by Tropeiro, another Brazilian-themed restaurant, in June. The Viva Brazil company has three other branches in Glasgow, Liverpool and Cardiff. Billed as “an authentic Brazilian dining experience”, the new restaurant will offer fifteen different cuts of meat.
Scotherbs in Waitrose ■ The Longforgan-based herb producer Scotherb is to start selling its products in the six Scottish branches of Waitrose. Grown on the banks of the Tay, the herbs will be sold under a newly developed brand name: Robert Wilson’s Herb House. In The Courier, Scotherbs’ founder and director Robert Wilson is quoted as saying: “For a supermarket to replace a range of herbs with our produce is a sign of great confidence in us.” At the peak of the season, Scotherbs produces 15,000 kilos of herbs a week from its 250 acres of land. The family-run firm also imports herbs from countries such as Kenya, Ethiopia and Turkey.
WINE OF THE WEEK PENFOLDS KOONUNGA HILL SHIRAZ/ CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2012 (TESCO) In The Scotsman, Rose Murray Brown has been mulling over Australian wine. The country’s wine producers have been suffering from a triple whammy of increasing prices, falling demand and competition from South America. The wine critic still found a lot to like about this Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon blend from Penfolds, one of Australia’s largest producers. “Sweet ripe black fruits” and “spicy smoky undertones” are the key characteristics of Koonunga Hill. For less than £10, this is a “smouldering beauty”, she wrote. the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
Quartermile ENZO ■ A new Italian restaurant and bar is scheduled to open in Edinburgh’s Quartermile district towards the end of July. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, ENZO will feature a large courtyard seating up to 40. As well as a ground floor bar with a capacity of 120, ENZO will have a first floor restaurant with 60 covers. “We want to create an Italian that everyone wants to dine at,” said owners Barrie Brown, Michele Civiera and Robert Reid. They hope that ENZO will have “echoes of the great Italian restaurants around the world like Trattoria Dell’Arte in New York, Sarti in LA... and El Burata in London”.
McDonald’s 40th birthday ■ McDonald’s contributes £170 million a year to the Scottish economy, according to the independent economic report Serving the UK: McDonald’s at 40. Scottish businesses sold almost £90 million of goods and services to McDonald’s in 2013. Of that sum, Scottish agricultural produce, including seed potatoes, beef and milk, accounts for around £10 million each year. The first McDonald’s in England opened in 1974. Scotland had to wait until 1987 when a branch opened in Dundee. The company employs 6,900 people in 94 Scottish outlets.
RECIPE of the week
Arbroath Smokie Flan with a Lemon Sauce Tim Dover, The Roost Restaurant Bridge of Earn Ingredients (Serves 6) For the flan ■ 1 pair Arbroath Smokies to yield 275g ■ 3 eggs ■ 6 tbsp crème fraiche ■ Juice of ½ lemon ■ Freshly ground black pepper For the sauce ■ 1 lemon ■ 120ml virgin olive oil ■ 1 tsp caster sugar Method To make flan: 1. Split Smokies in half. Remove all flesh from the skin. Put fish in food processor, work to a fine paste then add eggs. 2. Blend in eggs then add crème fraiche and blend again. Pass this mixture through a conical sieve pushing through with your hand or back of spoon, into a bowl. 3. Mix in lemon juice, black pepper then cover bowl and refrigerate until required. 4. Take six ramekin dishes approx 8cm diameter and 3.5 cm deep. Line with cling film then fill with mixture. 5. Place moulds in bain marie, fill with hot water until half way up sides of ramekin dishes, cover loosely with aluminium fold and simmer gently over a low heat until mixture is set – approximately 7-8 minutes. To make sauce: Peel lemon, remove membranes, put lemon segments in liquidiser and blend, then slowly add olive oil then sugar until emulsified. Sauce can be made in advance.
THE BEST RESTAURANT REVIEWS
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Salt Cafe 54-56 Morningside Road, Edinburgh EH10 4BZ www.facebook.com/SaltCafeMorningside ■ This new all-day cafe in Morningside is a place that The Scotsman’s Gaby Soutar would happily haunt. With “stripped back walls”, “bare filament bulbs” and, intriguingly, “half a wooden rowing boat”, the decor may be “hipster-by-numbers” but the menu is flexible, “healthy-ish and ridiculously cheap”. While unconvinced by its accompanying blood orange granita, Gaby liked a beetroot and goat’s cheese salad. “Crispy smoked tofu” with quinoa and pickled red pepper was “another satisfying veggie option”. Flavoured with “smoked paprika and wild garlic”, a dish of chorizo and squid in a “rich tomato ragu” was a hit as was a special of lamb fricassée which was described as “a symphony of brown and beige tasty things”. A dessert of honey, pear and ginger mess came in a jam jar which Gaby thought rather passé. This didn’t stop her enjoying the honey-scented mix of meringue, blueberries, whipped cream, strawberries and ginger – although the pear component seemed to be missing. Being a restaurant reviewer means constantly seeking out new places, Gaby wrote. Otherwise she would be visiting Salt Cafe “twice a day”. Score: 17/20 The Scotsman
Secret Herb Garden Cafe
Casa Italia
The Brasserie at Crieff Hydro The Harbour Restaurant
32A Old Pentland Road, Lothianburn, EH10 7EA www.secretherbgarden.co.uk
1 Montrose Street, Clydebank G81 2JF www.casa-italia.co.uk
Ferntower Road, Crieff PH7 3LQ www.crieffhydro.com
15 Stuart Street, Millport, Isle of Cumbrae KA28 0JA www.theharbourmillport.co.uk
Although it currently serves only cold food, Joanna Blythman was quite taken with this fledgling herb nursery, shop and cafe. “Imaginative” flavour combinations such as a celeriac, parsnip, cheddar and hyssop tart delighted the critic. A “biodiverse” salad of ruby chard, spinach thinnings, nastursium, chickweed, marigold petal and whites sorrel was also praised. The “just-picked” taste of the herbs enhanced the dishes and prompted Joanna to realise just how “faded” were the flavours of “supposedly fresh” shop-bought herbs. This is a “fun place, fresh and original”, concluded the review.
Unwashed windows and “poor quality ice-cream” were the only gripes when The Sun’s Tam Cowan visited. As requested, Tam’s starter of spaghetti with chicken in a chilli and garlic sauce was “hotter than a junkie’s spoon”. The colourful comparisons continued with “delicious” mashed potatoes described as “smoother than The Fonz on a first date”. “Plump, juicy scallops” plus “a perfectly executed fillet steak” all met with approval. Citing the “agreeable” prices, Tam reckoned that Casa Italia meant that the people of Clydebank did not need to go into Glasgow for a “decent meal”.
Although not a “a quiet location for a romantic dinner”, the Brasserie at Crieff Hydro offers “solid cooking of classic dishes in a lively and friendly atmosphere”, wrote The Courier’s reviewer. The sheer quality of the meat overcame minor quibbles about the cooking of some fillet steaks while a lamb shank “slipped off the bone” into its “unctuous braised thyme jus”. For dessert, a crème brulée was “perfectly executed and a “full of fizz” Champagne sorbet was the “star dish of the day”. The “young, enthusiastic” and international staff were singled out for their “charm”.
A seafood platter in the “vibrant” Harbour Restaurant was the highlight of Gary Ralston’s day trip to the Isle of Cumbrae. He reckoned that the “plump” locally landed langoustines were “sensational” and his mussels were “gristlefree, fat and juicy”. Substantial portions of haddock and chips were “beautifully presented” with “light, crisp batter” and thin fries while pan-fried scallops with pea purée and chorizo were “amazing”. The chorizo added a “spicy kick” to the “four fleshy pieces of seafood”. A “spot on” pricing policy and “jumping” atmosphere sealed the deal for the Daily Record’s reporter.
Score: 7.5/10 | Sunday Herald
Score: 22/30 | The Scottish Sun
Score 37/50 | The Courier
Score 25/30 | Daily Record 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
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PROPERTY
INSIDE OUT – our Pick of the Scottish Market
Hillgrove House, Dull, Perthshire Offers Over: £585,000 Savills ❘ www.savills.com n The hamlet of Dull, a couple of miles from Aberfeldy, has been the butt of many jokes over the years on account of its name but has made the most of it, being now officially paired with Boring in Oregon. But this impressive family home, which has been
designed to provide flexible accommodation for a variety of uses, is anything but dull. It offers an extremely generous 3,869 square feet of space over one-and-a-a-half storeys, including a self-contained apartment with independent external access which can be used as part of the main house or adjusted for families with teenagers or dependent relatives, or used as a holiday let.
BIG BUDGET
Ord House, Isle of Skye Offers Over: £850,000
Tower of Glenstrae, Argyll and Bute Offers Over: £625,000
Knight Frank ❘ www.knightfrank.com
Knight Frank ❘ www.knightfrank.com
n The house boasts stunning views over Loch Eishort to the evocative Black Cullin and the Isles of Canna and Rhum. It also has a private slipway together with about six acres of coastline forming two beaches. the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
n Tower of Glenstrae was built in 1895 in the Scottish baronial style as a gentleman’s residence for Major Greig of Edinburgh. This beautiful and unusual building features spacious accommodation and boasts stunning views over Loch Awe.
PROPERTY
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74 Craighall Road Edinburgh
Pagan Osborne
McEwan Fraser Legal
Offers over: £795,000 This stunning five-bedroom property in the Newington area has been completely renovated to a high standard.
❘ www.mcewanfraserlegal.co.uk
37 Craigmillar Park Edinburgh
Offers over: £565,000
A stunning Victorian villa which has many period features.
3 Halmyre Loan Romanno Bridge
East Fettes Avenue Edinburgh
Coulters
Offers over: £295,000
Offers over: £385,000 A large detached bungalow in a popular hamlet within easy reach of the city.
Coulters ❘ www.coultersproperty.co.uk
❘ www.coultersproperty.co.uk
❘ www.paganosborne.co.uk
EDINBURGH AND THE SURROUNDING AREA
An immaculate ground floor apartment with direct garden access and underground parking.
CLIMBING THE LADDER
50/3 Netherby Road, Edinburgh Offers Over: £180,000
2 Wide Pend, Cupar Offers Over: £69,000
Pagan Osborne ❘ www.paganosborne.com
Pagan Osborne ❘ www.paganosborne.com
n An immaculately presented and well-proportioned twobedroom top floor flat located to the north of the city centre. The property boasts a welcoming hallway and a bay window lounge with open views over the Forth and to Fife beyond.
n This charming one-bedroom flat is close to Cupar’s town centre. The double bedroom features stripped wooden flooring with a shower room. There is a small garden to the front of the property and down the pend there is a private garden. 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
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the best travel writing
EUROPE FROM SCOTLAND
Jeannine Williamson Scottish Daily Express
St Petersburg, Russian river cruise
■ A Waterways of the Tsars river cruise from Moscow to St Petersburg gave Jeannine Williamson a “real insight into the people, culture and rural landscape” of Russia. Highlights of the trip included a guided tour of The Hermitage in St Petersburg and, in Moscow, the Metro, “built by Stalin in 1935 as an underground ‘palace for the people’”. However, according to the Scottish Daily Express article, it was the less famous sights and activities that really excited Jeannine. Making Russian dolls; visiting the 18th century Church of Transfiguration on the “Unesco-listed” island of
Kizhi plus shopping for shawls and “small, lacquered boxes” in the ancient town of Uglich. The natural beauty of the Russian countryside also impressed. Sailing on the Viking Truvor earlier this year, Jeannine enjoyed the sight of the “prow crackling through the last of the winter ice” on Ladoga and Onega, “Europe’s largest and second largest lakes”. If the Russian countryside was “timeless”, the Viking Truvor was a “sophisticated modern delight”. Five course dinners “with lots of regional specialities” and vodka-tasting sessions with the maitre d’ all left an impression. The writer returned home “immersed in the spirit of all things Russian”.
TRAVEL SCOTLAND
TRAVEL BRITAIN
TRAVEL THE WORLD
Shetland
Newcastle
Los Angeles
Bob MacDougall ❘ Press and Journal
Martin Gray ❘ The Scotsman
Craig McDonald ❘ Daily Record
■ A return trip to Shetland did not disappoint Bob MacDougall of the Press and Journal. At Sumburgh Head, the writer enjoyed “a close encounter of the best kind” when he spotted a puffin. Next stop was the adjacent Jarlshof archaeological site. Uncovered by a violent 19th century storm, it illuminated the lives of Shetland’s Neolithic inhabitants. Described as “wild and beautiful”, Shetland has an “irresistible uniqueness and charm”.
■ The “splendour” of Jesmond Dene House hotel provided a “perfect” base for visiting Newcastle, according to Martin Gray in The Scotsman. His “tastefully decorated”, “all mod-conned suite” could “not have been more inviting”. In Gateshead, he enjoyed the Baltic contemporary art gallery and its “floors jam-packed with intriguing exhibits”. The only difficulty was dragging himself away from the luxury of Jesmond Dene House.
■ With 60 “adventures” spread over 500 acres, California’s Disneyland understandably awed the Daily Record’s reporter. The more human scale of the Metro station at LA’s Hollywood and Vine also appealed to Craig as did the pillars which “look like palm trees” and the ceiling hung with film reels. Nearby is the famous Chinese Theatre where visitors can see which of the “200 stars’ handprints and footprints” match their own.
TRAVEL NEWS No staycation blues
With passport problems wrecking many foreign holiday plans, a recent VisitScotland plea to remember the staycation may be the only option for many. Fortunately, with multiple Homecoming 2014 events taking place over the
next few months, Scotland is not short of things to do. The Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust Scottish Game Fair takes place at Scone Palace this weekend, while there are still tickets for T in the Park at Balado next weekend. Other attractions include the Hebridean Celtic Festival (July 16-19) and the World Pipe Band
the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
Championship in Glasgow (August 15 and 16).
Craving sun
Harvard research on partially shaved mice may indicate that exposure to sunlight may be addictive. The scientists’ studies appear to suggest that sunlight stimulates the production of endorphins. These chemicals bind to
opioid receptors – the same receptors that respond to heroin. Sun-worshippers may draw comfort from Edinburgh University dermatologist, Dr Richard Weller. Quoted in the Scottish Daily Mail, he cautions against comparing sunlight’s effects on humans and shaved mice which are “nocturnal animals”.
THE BEST OF the great outdoors the garden experts Get off your lounger and visit a garden
Time for biennials ■ The canny gardener is already looking forward to next year and beyond, wrote The Herald’s Dave Allan. This is the month to plant biennials and sowing plants like Dianthyhus barbatus (sweet William) now will pay off in two summers’ time. Sow seed now to give young plants time to establish before winter.
■ The holiday season can be the perfect time to see gardens in exotic and far-flung places, wrote Agnes Stevenson in the Sunday Post. Never a fan of lying on a sun-lounger, when holidaying in Spain she has taken time to visit the Patio de los Naranjos in Cordoba, Spain, reputed to be the oldest surviving garden in the world, and the famous gardens of the Alhambra, perched on a rocky hilltop above Granada. Gardens she is still desperate to visit include the High Line in New York, a mile-long elevated railroad that has been famously transformed into a riot of colour, and the temple gardens of Kyoto in Japan. ■ The Sunday Mail’s Carol Klein admits that she used to be snobby about the dahlia. But she has now realised the error of her ways and grows lots of the plants, which have are imbued with an “earthy aroma” and a “vigour that makes them so attractive.” There is an enormous variety of dahlias available, but “whatever your taste – whether it be for the dilettantes of the dahlia domain, the cactus cultivars or the symmetry and predictability of the pompoms – you are bound to find the one you love.”
OOT AND ABOOT! Fiddling a fortune! ■ A fiddling fundraiser said he was looking forward to a dram after completing a challenge to play a tune at the top of 150 peaks. The Herald reported that Richard Lyon, from Ayrshire, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012. He walked, cycled and sailed 745 miles in his Fiddling the Munros challenge, in which he is attempting to raise £10,000 for Friends of Beatson and Prostate Cancer UK.
Mr Lyon was met by family as he tackled his final mountain, the remote Ben Klibreck in Sutherland. He came up with the idea while receiving radiotherapy for his cancer. He has been climbing Munros and Corbetts every day since April and performing a newly composed tune to mark each achievement. “It’s been a great experience and I’ve met some great people doing it,” he said.
■ The new Dundee Waterfront development has been named the best place in Scotland by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI). The development, the centrepiece of which will be the new V&A museum, topped the poll. In second place was Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park, with the 96-mile West Highland Way, which stretches from Milngavie to Fort William, coming third.
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NATURE’S BEST ■ Tough new laws are set to be introduced to protect Scotland’s seal population. The Scotsman reported that the new rules could see people who harass seals facing up to six months in prison or fines of up to £5,000. The laws, which still need to be approved by the Scottish Parliament, would protect 194 sites across the country where seals come ashore to rest, moult and nurture their young. The 194 land sites are on top of an existing network of 15 marine seal conservation areas and 33 others to be proposed later this year. The law, which is part of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, does not define what constitutes harassing a seal, but people separating pups from their mother, attempting to touch or feed the animals or causing them to “stampede” into the sea could face charges. Environment Secretary Richard Lochhead said: “Those engaging in the intentional or reckless harassment of seals in these area will be committing an offence, and if caught will be punished appropriately.”
Weather Sunniest –
Tiree 15.5hrs
Wettest –
Machrihanish, Argyll 11.6mm
Coldest – Cairngorm -1.1C (30F)
Warmest
– Glasgow 20C (68F)
Weather round-up: You might think that, with hayfever levels fairly high and at least some of us Scots seeing some sun, that it is summer. Think again, according to The Times’ Ben Webster, for autumn has apparently arrived two months early. His report quoted National Trust nature specialist Matthew Oates, who said the year had “raged its way through winter, went into an incredibly early spring, and then rushed helter-skelter through spring without stopping for breath”. And the proof is in the fact that red berries can be seen on hawthorn trees and holly bushes, sycamore seeds are turning brown, beech nuts are ripening, and leaves are turning the “deep, dark green not normally seen until late July”. Mr Oates also said he had concerns about low numbers of some species of butterflies, bees and other flying insects, but said an early autumn probably meant there would be “more winners than losers” in terms of wildlife. 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
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CONSUMER
Three of the best...camping gadgets
tried and tested
A true camping experience involves getting back to basics and being at one with nature. Well, sort of. While twigs and campfires are all well and good, there’s nothing wrong with taking a few gadgets along to ease you into the wild. Here’s the pick of the best...
Perfect
Picnic ideas
Fortnum’s Premiere Piccadilly Hamper £350.00 Fortnum and Mason
Firesteel 2.0 £17.99 You’ve gathered up the twigs and dried grass, you’ve found the perfect campfire spot (away from the breeze, flammable tents and so on) but hold on a minute! No matches. Forget rubbing two sticks together though, pack one of these spark creators and you’ll have flames in no time. Standard issue in the Swedish army, enough said. www.firebox.com
Luci Inflatable Solar Lantern £19.99
Soulra Rugged Rukus £85.15
A soaker of sun power, this nicely portable and inflatable lamp has solar panels that take eight hours to collect enough energy for up to 12 hours of action, then opens up to give a very decent sized light for under the canvas. The company policy is to donate a lamp to a developing country for each one purchased.
Beam your music to this solar powered music machine via Bluetooth and, by soaking up the sun, it can keep the tunes blasting for up to eight hours. The internal lithium battery stores the power so there’s no need to stop the party when it gets dark. It can also be used to charge up gadgets via the built-in USB.
www.firebox.com
www.amazon.co.uk
The creme-de-la-creme of picnic sets, this comes complete with signature eau de nil bone china plates and mugs, wine glasses, wine cooler, thermos, cutlery and more.
Sophie Conran Drinks Flask £14.95 Sophie Conran
Suitable for keeping drinks cold or hot, these flasks come in different sizes and in Cherry Blossom or Allium Bloom colours.
Aviary Garden Picnic Insulated Back-Pack £35.00 Laura Ashley This moveable feast features plates, cups, cutlery, napkins and a bottle holder.
DRIVE TIME
Nissan Qashqai 1.5 dCI
Price from £20,000 Andy Enright ❘ The Press and Journal With this new version of the Qashqai, Nissan has “worked its socks off to keep buyers loyal” – and that has delivered a car that is “genuinely hard to fault”. The new Qashqai is “practical, safe, well-priced and well-finished”, and it is undoubtedly a “more mature, assured looking thing, clearly well engineered without having to adopt try-hard tactics to attract your attention”. Sure, it has plenty of rivals on the market but buyers will mostly “delude themselves” if they think they are getting better for their money. A car that was previously marketable on style has now become the “biggest advocate of substance over style”.
Volvo XC70 Price from £34,410 Alisdair Suttie ❘ Sunday Post The Volvo XC70 is Swedish, and this certainly reflects its home nation’s character. “Sensible, practical and eminently capable”, it also has the “durability and style” Swedish design is famed for. In terms of the drive, those behind the wheel can expect “more oomph than you would expect from a relatively small engine in a large car”, but it is still “extremely refined” and the handling is as “safe and secure” as you’d hope for. In terms of quality, the XC “feels as solid as a glacier” and the sense of Swedish calm is furthered by a cabin that is “as comfortable as it is spacious”.
BMW M3
Price from £58,820 Andrew Mackay ❘ The Herald Boys from an era where cars were the toy of choice now have adult versions of the real thing. And for those who yearn for “cut and thrust, ballistic acceleration and a screaming banshee of an engine”, the new BMW M3 should meet their needs. Although “artistically challenged” on the outside, it is designed with aerodynamics in mind and is “as fast as a Porsche 911”. Indeed, on the road the M3 “will do its best to lose your driving licence”, with the engine noise ranging from “the bubbling lava of Vesuvius” to “a siren-like howl”. Perfect for dads – like “an ageing band of Hell’s Angels” – who love to have fun in cars like this one. 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
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BUSINESS & FINANCE Hired, Fired & RETIRED
RBS: we will close the last branch in town if it’s not used The soap opera continues – concerns about access and the impact on town centres as bosses reveal more branches face the axe at the bank’s annual general meeting ■ The Post Office and mobile vans will replace branches of RBS on Scotland’s high streets, chairman Sir Philip Hampton told investors at the meeting. The lender – which, lest we forget, is still majority-owned by the state following a huge bailout at the height of the financial crisis – currently has “more branches than Asda and Sainsbury’s stores combined”, Sir Philip added. Chief exec Ross McEwan said the truth was “some branches hardly see a customer”. Around £1bn of costs are expected to be taken out of the business this year – leaving a further £4.3bn in savings and asset sales to be found by 2017. Shareholder ire appears to have been kept at bay, at least. The meeting was “bizarrely subdued”, the Scottish Daily Mail said.
Leisure operators and US shopping chains will help fill
1m ft
2
of new retail space to be built in Scotland’s cities, according to a new report from property firm Colliers
COMMENTATORS SAY “RBS must recognise it has responsibilities to the communities it serves,” said The Herald’s main leader. It admitted the reality of a one-third reduction in inbranch transactions and a 200% increase in online banking over the last three years was “hard to deny”, but argued that the bank must put alternatives in place for those worried about access to services. “It cannot simply close branches and walk away,” the paper warned. The paper’s Ian McConnell returned to the theme later in the week, contrasting talk of earning customer trust with warnings over more branch closures. “A funny way of going about things,” he said, The agency said it had been involved in talks with major names like American Eagle (right), David’s Bridal and Victoria’s Secret, as they seek their first Scottish outlets. Its report said new entrants were a good sign for landlords as rents stabilised, while Scotland on Sunday’s Dominic Jeff also highlighted how fresh development will see centres in Glasgow and Edinburgh grow.
the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
warning it was difficult to see how cost-cutting could make things better for customers – least of all those who prefer to bank in person. Scotland on Sunday business editor Terry Murden said the meeting had demonstrated the banking giant’s “fading grandeur”. Bosses had steeled themselves for a mauling – only to suffer what turned out to be a rather “timid affair”. Shareholders, he mused, must have lowered their expectations, weary of fighting the same old battles. Murden might have been critical of the mismanagement which got the bank where it is today, but he defended RBS’ right to cut its cloth according to its coat. He tweeted a view contrariwise to The Herald’s, stressing that the bank had no obligation to serve communities and would deliver alternatives. The Daily Telegraph said the bank remained “under siege” and the legacy of the dark days – plus some new headaches – would mean its “inglorious” recent history will hang around for years yet.
■ Finance chief Tony Durrant has been named as the new boss at North Sea operator Premier Oil developer of the Catcher and Solan fields. He replaces Simon Lockett, whose departure – following downgrades in production guidance – prompted a 9% jump in the share price when the news was unveiled in February. The company later announced the $130m sale of its non-operated interests in the Scott area. ■ Senior Bank of Scotland director Graham Blair has been appointed to a new nationwide role as director for SME banking. He will lead the bank’s 100-strong team charged with proving lending to firms with a turnover of up to £25 million. The Bank of Scotland lifer joined the lender from school and has worked on both the east and west coasts.
BUSINESS & finance WEEK IN NUMBERS
500
The number of creative industries jobs which could be supported by full development of Dundee’s innovative District 10 project. The Courier reported how the first of nine buildings made out of shipping containers is filling up just months after it opened. Scottish Enterprise is already in talks with the private sector over successive phases.
2 billion
The number of paper bags made each year by Kirkcaldy-based manufacturer Smith Anderson. The historic company, which supplies a string of major fast food brands, has made a multimillion pound investment in new premises in the Fife town following decades in the villages of Leslie and Falkland.
£267m
The value of The Queen’s property assets in Scotland, following a 12.5% rise during the year to March 31. The Crown Estate owns about half the UK’s shoreline and invests in marinas, aquaculture sites and moorings as well as a string of other property interests.
Taxing subject Combined contribution ■ What’s the difference between national insurance and income tax? Plans being concocted by Chancellor George Osborne could result in the two being done away with altogether, claimed Michael Savage in the The Times. Merging the two systems would make the whole thing
Norwegian state oil firm Statoil expects to invest
£15m
in innovative small companies this year. It has signed a partnership deal with business development agency Scottish Enterprise as it seeks to support the UK’s oil and gas supply chain.
■ News pay-day lender Wonga has been forced to pay £2.6m in compensation to customers sent fake ‘legal’ debt collection letters brought howls of derision over regulation of the controversial sector. Courier business editor Graham Huband said the revelation was a new low when it came to damning practices which had been employed by the “pay-day profiteers”. Where cash is laid out to our most vulnerable and most desperate it must only be done under the terms of robust regulation, he added. And Scotland on Sunday’s Terry Murden said the scandal left oversight of the sector looking lax. He said somebody had “forgotten” to hand retrospective power to the new Financial Conduct Authority – leaving it powerless to impose fines for crimes of the past.
COMMENTATORS SAY
58%
Dundee-based furniture and fittings maker Dovetail Enterprises won a five-figure contract to produce 150 chairs to be used by VIPs, including the Royal Family, at this summer’s Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. The supported company, which provides work for the disabled, had a long association with the late Queen Mother.
simpler to understand and also help his plans to provide a breakdown of spending. Mr Osborne is believed to be “looking again” at the policy in time for next year’s general election. In the Scottish Daily Mail, Max Hastings urged him to reform the taxman’s monthly “smash and grab” on wages.
Wonga far from the letter of the law
Profits at Isle of Arran Distillers jumped by more than half last year after success in the United States and Taiwan, according to The Herald’s Ian McConnell.
£23,000
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Global push for Grouse ■ Spirits firm Edrington Group hailed its moves to take charge of distribution channels in America and south east Asia as it revealed annual results this week. It spent £14m setting up new offices as it seeks to take control of its own marketing, sales and shipping operations. Profits at the company, which makes The Famous Grouse and Highland Park, rose by 3% – with turnover also on the up.
In its View, The Herald said Edrington had been either fortunate or canny in avoiding the effects of a clampdown on conspicuous consumption in China. It said the group had offset the slowdown seen by other drinks majors – like Diageo and Pernod Ricard – by making progress in other areas. Growth opportunities in south and central America, Africa and the Middle East are under the microscope, the paper argued. The Press and Journal’s Keith Finday noted growth in demand amid Korea’s 30-something professional classes – a model which can be exported across the rest of the developing market in south east Asia.
talking heads “...it is a particularly good time, with the development and capital the brands are putting in as well as the upturn in the economy with people feeling that little bit more confident.” Motor industry veteran Hugh McMahon (above) explains why he’s getting back into the game after taking on the rights to represent Rolls Royce and Aston Martin in Scotland.
“You are not Madonna, or a church, you are a general store. It is not your job to get yourself loved.” Private shareholder Anthony Lee tells bosses at Tesco’s annual general meeting to get on with the basics of being a grocer, like improving service and filling shelves. Managers had said they wanted to become a “loved brand” once more.
“Designed to be used as a shuttle bus service in the sky all the way from Aberdeen in the north to Jersey in the south, we are again showing we are faster than road or rail.” Bosses at airline Flybe unveil their new FlyShuttle service, which will see a hop-on hop-off service connect the Granite City with the Channel Island. Through passengers will stay on board during stopoffs at Leeds Bradford and Southampton on the four and a half hour trip. 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
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SPORT
Suarez bite gave Scotland’s media something to get their teeth into... ■ It seems like every man and his dog commented on the rights and wrongs of Uruguay striker Luis Suarez’s bite on Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup – and Scotland’s pundits weren’t going to passively look on in disbelief either. Top of the list was Scotland manager Gordon Strachan, who used his Daily Record column to suggest that players like Suarez, because they come from tough and often impoverished backgrounds, “don’t think twice about what they do in order to win a football match”. “Kids from places like that are so desperate to be a footballer that they become capable of doing just about anything to win,” he noted. However, he said such situations did not justify what Suarez did and believes Suarez needs “help”.
“Quite clearly the demons took over to such an extent that he lost all ability for rational thought. There is no other explanation,” he added. In the same paper, Michael Gannon also extolled the virtues of helping the player, adding: “Suarez isn’t an animal, despite plenty of evidence to the contrary. He’s just a gnawty boy.” The Scotsman took a stronger approach and quoted Scots criminologist Professor David Wilson as saying Suarez had demonstrated “a classic criminological pattern” by biting a player for the third time in his career. The incident even made the paper’s leader, which said any voices raised in defence of Suarez “defied belief”. “There is no room for this kind of behaviour in a game adored by young and old the world over,” it concluded.
Bolt boost for Glasgow’s Games
OTHER NEWS
■ Usain Bolt gave Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games a huge boost after the fastest man on the planet confirmed his availability. There had been doubts about Bolt’s appearance in Glasgow, given the fact the 100m and 200m world record holder had pulled out of events in Paris and Ostrava in recent weeks due to a foot injury. But the 27-year-old looks to have quashed those fears after declaring himself ready to take part in events at Glasgow. “I do not wish to take the place of anyone who qualifies this weekend in an individual event but am available for relay duty if the selectors feel I can be an asset to the Jamaican team in Glasgow,” he said on his website. “I have received lots of requests, invitations and messages of support from my fans in Scotland who are looking forward to a great event.” His team-mate Yohan Blake previously confirmed he will not appear.
Glasgow in full glare Glasgow 2014 is on course to become the most watched Commonwealth Games ever with the announcement that the BBC and Glasgow 2014 will allow other news organisations access to BBC Games footage within the United Kingdom. Non rights holders will be allowed to show short extracts of sporting action via websites, mobile websites and mobile apps during the Games which begin on July 23.
Badminton pair bow out Scots badminton pair Robert Blair and Imogen Bankier bowed out of the Australian Open – but not without a fight. The Commonwealth Games medal hopes lost their first game to China’s second seeds Xu Chen and Ma Jin 21-14, but rallied to win the next 21-10 to take it to a decider. That was eventually won 21-13 by the Chinese duo, but Blair and Bankier can expect to be among the top seeded pairs in the mixed doubles at Glasgow 2014 after climbing to 11th in the world.
Bradley’s victory bounce Newly-crowned Amateur golf champion Bradley Neil has climbed to 7th in the amateur world rankings following his victory at Royal Portrush, The Scotsman revealed. The 18-year-old from Blairgowrie is now the topranked European player after his win saw him rise an incredible 31 places in the world standings.
HAUD YER WHEESHT! ■ England’s short-lived appearance at the World Cup might feel like a distant memory to some now. But they WERE there and apparently most Scots wanted them do well – but only when they had little chance of glory. The Herald ran a story on the results of a social media study by University of Sussex computational linguistics student Simon Wibberley which showed the Scots “were at their most fervently anti-English” in England’s first group game against Italy, but “became
very supportive” of England against Costa Rica when they had already been eliminated. The paper highlighted how the study had focused on Twitter, suggesting that “for every two tweets backing the Auld Enemy there were three wishing them ill” against Italy. However, against Uruguay, there were 1.3 tweets to one in support of the English from Scots, before the country “threw caution to the wind and went a bit England daft” for the Costa Rica game – backing Roy Hodgson’s team five to one. 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
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SPORT Tiger should play Scots Open, says Faldo
Played like a champion
Andy Murray more at ease in his Wimbledon defence ■ There had been some doubts about how far Andy Murray could go at Wimbledon this year, but thankfully fans have been kept glued to their screens well into the second week at SW19 as the Scot launched a staunch defence of his title. Perhaps last summer’s win over Novak Djokovic, which ended the 77-year wait for a British men’s winner at Wimbledon, had something to do with it, but Murray looked far more relaxed as he made the quarter-finals for an incredible seventh
year in a row. Other rivals like Rafael Nadal found it far tougher throughout, with the world number one eventually succumbing to wildcard Aussie Nick Kyrgios in the last 16. Preparations had not been ideal for Murray, given that he had back surgery last year and the fact that he only recently appointed Amelie Mauresmo as coach to replace Ivan Lendl. However, the 27-year-old has been majestic throughout much of his Wimbledon defence and, whoever goes on to lift the prestigious trophy this weekend, one
would find it difficult to say that Dunblane’s finest did not defend the title to the best of his ability. One need only look at Murray’s stats heading into the latter stages to see that, with the Scot cruising past opponents without dropping a single set en route to the last eight. As The Herald’s Hugh MacDonald pointed out, his route to the tournament’s final few days was all “very un-Scottish”, almost “very unMurray”. “It is supposed to be nerve-shredding,” he joked.
COMMENTATORS SAY knows – he’s in charge. ■ Murray progressed through “Murray doesn’t swagger, to the latter stages of that goes against his Wimbledon 2014 playing like complex nature, but he’s a champion, according now got a walk that expects to Simon Barnes in The deference.” Times, although he Mike Dickson, writing in acknowledged that most the Scottish Daily Mail, said people daren’t say so Murray reaching his seventh throughout the fortnight. consecutive quarter-final “It doesn’t do for anyone was also “emblematic of his in this country to get cocky admirable consistency at the about sport,” he noted. Grand Slams”. “Not that a mood of gloomy For much of the fortnight, resignation did much for the Murray looked “supremely football team.” He meant sharp”, and Dickson said new England of course. coach Amelie Mauresmo – That said though, Barnes who had taken criticism after said Murray played the her surprise appointment – early rounds of this year’s “deserves credit for that state Wimbledon with “authority” of affairs”. and “with the air of a Many thought Murray might headmaster talking prep”. come unstuck against the big He added: “No need to hitting Kevin Anderson in the shout because he knows – last 16, but The Scotsman’s and he knows everybody else the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
Stuart Bathgate said Murray dealt with that “significantly stiffer challenge” in an “at once a rational and an inspired manner”, and said it was a sign the Scot had an “unshakeable determination to hold on to the trophy he won last year”. The same paper’s Moira Gordon said Murray’s progress suggested he was a man determined not to give up without a fight. Indeed, after Murray’s victory over Anderson booked him a quarter-final spot, the Daily Record’s Colin Duncan compared his progress through the tournament to last year’s success and felt the same kind of momentum Murray enjoyed at SW19 was starting to build at that point.
■ Sir Nick Faldo urged Tiger Woods to enter the Aberdeen Asset Scottish Open to build up his match fitness ahead of The Open, reported The Daily Telegraph’s James Corrigan. Woods missed the cut on his first outing since undergoing back surgery in the US, and Faldo reckons the former world number one needs to play the Scottish Open – which starts on Thursday – to stand any chance at Hoylake later this month. “The Scottish would be ideal, on the Royal Aberdeen links and everything,” Faldo told the paper.
Quick FIRE ■ Former Scotland flyhalf Dan Parks has called time on his rugby career, just months after being released by Connacht. Parks won 67 caps during an eight-year international career that ended when he stepped down from Test rugby in 2012. BBC Sport Scotland
■ Golf’s Open Championship will return to Scotland in 2018 after Carnoustie was confirmed as the host venue by the Royal and Ancient (R&A). It will be the eighth occasion the Angus course has hosted the event and the first time since 2007. Arbroath Herald
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l 43 QUOTES
Robert Snodgrass
“At no point in a game did I ever think: “He’s annoying me, I think I’m going to eat him.”
The Scottish international swapped Norwich City for Hull City after the two clubs agreed a fee of around £7 million for the 26-year-old winger. Tigers’ boss Steve Bruce decided to match the club’s record transfer fee to take Snodgrass to the KC Stadium.
gordon strACHAN Scotland boss was baffled by Suarez’s bite
Ryan Gauld
The Dundee United wonderkid started the week preparing for another season in Scottish football – until Sporting Lisbon piped up. The 18-year-old signed for the Portuguese giants after United accepted a £3 million offer for the player dubbed “mini Messi” by fans. United chairman Stephen Thompson previously said the club did not need to sell, but no doubt found it difficult to turn down that sort of cash for a teenager.
BAD week
David Millar
One minute he was in the Tour de France, the next he wasn’t. The Scot revealed on Twitter that he was due to take part in the famous race for one final time, and then he was pulled from the Garmin-Sharp team a few days later. Strange...
■ Eilidh Child won the women’s 400m hurdles final during day three of the Sainsbury’s British Championships at Birmingham.
Simmons’ glory in Glasgow grudge match ■ Edinburgh cruiserweight Stephen Simmons said he had ended his bitter feud with Wadi Camacho after getting the better of his opponent at Braehead Arena. The 29-year-old retained his WBC International Silver title with a last round stoppage win over rival Camacho in a fight that lived up to the pre-match hype.
After reports Camacho had used social media to insult Simmons’ wife of only a few weeks, Nicole, the pair almost came to blows at a heated pre-match press conference at Braehead Shopping Centre. However, after settling his scores in the ring, Simmons told the Scottish Daily Mail he now wanted to bring an end to the matter. “He said he wants to draw a line under everything and apologise to Nicole and me for the stuff that was said,” he said. ‘That’s fine by me. I am happy to meet him and hear him out. “He tried to get under my skin and that is okay, but it became far too personal and out of order. “I am proud of myself that I didn’t lose my cool and let him affect me.”
Rhona Martin
The curling star admitted she had been left devastated after her Olympic gold medal, won in Salt Lake City in 2002, was stolen in a break-in at Dumfries Museum in April. The ex-skipper of the Great British team made an appeal for information this week on BBC’s Crimewatch.
“I’ve more chance of beating Andy at football.” Roberto Bautistaagut Murray’s third round opponent didn’t seem confident of victory
“I just hope I play well and don’t poop my pants.” BLAZ ROLA Murray’s second round opponent was just concerned about having an accident
“Everyone’s really ready for these games. I know everyone’s more than capable of winning.”
■ Shane Byrne (left) and Ryuichi Kiyonari race during the 2014 MCE Britsh Superbike Championship at Knockhill in Fife.
LEWIS BENSON Glasgow 2014 boxing hopeful confident Scots can claim medals 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
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SPORT
OFF
Cotter clinging to the positives ■ Scottish rugby head coach Vern Cotter may have seen his unbeaten record brought to a shuddering halt in South Africa, but the Kiwi was very much looking on the bright side after what turned out to be a comprehensive thrashing. The Springboks thumped the Scots 55-6 in Port Elizabeth and brought Cotter’s side back down to earth with a bump after they had managed successive wins against the United States, Canada and Argentina on their summer tour. Marcell Coetzee, Willie le
Roux and Lwazi Mvovo all scored first-half tries to give the hosts a 19-6 half-time lead, with Duncan Weir landing two penalties for the Scots. Coetzee and Mvovo both completed braces and JP Pietersen and Lood de Jager, who crossed twice, added further tries as the inexperienced Scots folded in the second half, while debutant Springbok fly-half Handre Pollard kicked 13 points. It was the second heaviest defeat South Africa have inflicted on the Scots, bettered
only by a 68-10 mauling in Edinburgh in 1997. But despite the summer tour ending on a sour note, Cotter reckons he has a much better handle on what resources he has at his disposal after using 42 players over the last month. “We got a good look at ourselves in the last game, but we will put that in context of availability, the team, the end of the tour and the end of the season,” he said. “As much as we hate losing, especially by a score like that, there are some very positive things to come out of it.”
COMMENTATORS SAY Hemisphere giants”. ■ It could be viewed by some But he said: “I agree – but as a good experience for only if it’s Scotland’s best some of Scotland’s young team available.” prospects to come up against Scotland were “blown one of the best teams in the away”, he added, and world, wrote Andy Nicol in the although Scotland “defended Scottish Daily Mail. well”, South Africa were But some others might view always on the “front foot” and the entire experience as a that made things difficult for “pointless exercise which was always going to end with a big the Scots. Having said all that, Nicol win for the Springboks”. said the tour in general had Nicol said he was very much in the glass “half empty” camp been a success and that Vern Cotter will be “suitably and did not see the point in impressed with some of the playing a team like South emerging talent”. Africa with an understrength “In many positions, there is Scottish side. now genuine competition for He noted how senior places and players will have Scottish rugby officials had said they had taken the game to strive to get better to make on because the players and selection,” he concluded. coaches would “learn so Writing in The Scotsman, much from playing against Lewis Stuart also said the one of the top three Southern game against South Africa the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
“looked like a disaster in the making” from months out, but “nobody could have predicted just how awful it would be”. Eight tries to Scotland’s zero was “the reflection of a gulf in class”, with Scotland’s only solace the fact they managed to “stem the flow” for a short period in the middle of the game. He went on to suggest the lack of players available to Cotter meant he had “no option other than to throw a bunch of novices to the lions” and added: “The result was as gruesome as that metaphor makes it sound.” The Scotsman’s Stuart McAllister said the outcome was “a statistical measure of where they stand and the trough they have to escape to make an impact at next year’s Rugby World Cup.”
THE BALL
■ BBC Radio Scotland’s hit show continued with Stuart Cosgrove and Tam Cowan welcoming former referee Kenny Clark and ex-footballer Chic Charnley to the studio. ■ They discussed referees at the World Cup and their innovations, given the success of the foam spray used by officials in Brazil, and, after Kris Boyd and Kenny Miller rejoined Rangers, the merits of youth versus experience. ■ Top of the talking points though was Luis Suarez and his now infamous bite, with Tam playing the show out with Queen’s “Another One Bites The Dust”.
Striker shuns limelight for second stint at Ibrox ■ New Rangers striker Kris Boyd insisted money was not the motivation behind his decision to join the Ibrox club for a second time. Boyd told the Scottish Daily Express that there was “a lot to be said for being back home and happy” as he rejoined the Championship favourites. The 30-year-old, who rejected offers from Premiership clubs, added he was back at Rangers to prove his doubters wrong. “A lot of people thought I’d go back to Kilmarnock and p*** about but I didn’t,” he said. “The big thing was to get fit and score goals. “I’m hungrier than ever.”
SPORT
good week
QUOTES
Airdrieonians
“I’m not one for going out any more. I can’t be bothered with it.”
Airdrie fans are in for a treat after the club unveiled plans for its own lager, reported The Scottish Sun. The brew, called ML6 after the Lanarkshire club’s postcode, carries the slogan “Sharp as a Diamond” in homage to the club’s nickname. Money raised from its sale will go to the Supporters Trust.
Lynsey Sharp
The Scot warmed up for the Commonwealth Games by regaining the UK 800 metre title at the Sainsbury’s British Championships in Birmingham. Her success added to a total haul of four gold medals, two silvers and six bronzes for the Scottish contingent, with Eilish McColgan also shaking off the effects of a dodgy mango yoghurt to win her third successive 3,000m steeplechase title.
KRIS BOYD Rangers striker says he is a changed man
“We like a moan but not as much as those two.” ■ Ricky Burns’ top level career now looks to be over after defeat to
Dejan Zlaticanin. The Scot, who was floored after 30 seconds, went on to lose his official WBC eliminator by way of a split decision.
HEADLINES
Kyle Lafferty
The former Rangers striker “got the boot” from Italian club Palermo, The Scottish Sun reported, after bosses accused him of “disappearing for a week at a time to chase women”. Club president Maurizio Zamparini branded him “unmanageable”. He said: “Why was Lafferty sold? It was requested by my coach who asked me to send him away. He is a womaniser – he disappears for a week, takes a plane to go hunt for women in Milan.” Lafferty has now been linked with a move to Norwich City.
GARY LOCKE Kilmarnock’s new assistant said he and manager Allan Johnston were nothing like former Hearts management duo Jim Jefferies and Billy Brown
FOOTBALL: New Hibernian head coach Alan Stubbs pledged to take the Edinburgh club back to the top flight “as quick as possible”.
Gardiner departs Dundee
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■ Newly-promoted Dundee have undergone a reshuffle at boardroom level after chief executive Scot Gardiner left the club. The now former CEO, who joined Dundee in 2012 to “stabilise” the club, will effectively be replaced by American backer John Nelms, who will serve as their managing director, while director Ian Crighton has taken an executive role as chief financial officer and director Steve Martin will be commercial director. Gardiner said it was the “natural time” to move on.
FOOTBALL: Celtic reached agreement with KR Reykjavik to swap the order of their Champions League qualifiers. Ronny Deila’s side will therefore travel to Iceland for the first leg on July 15. football: Glasgow City were drawn with Slovakians Nove Zamky, Kharkiv of Ukraine and Northern Ireland’s Glentoran in the group stages of the women’s Champions League. BOWLS: Scotland’s men took the Home International Series title for the 44th time after coming through their matches with a 100% record. Wins over Wales and England were followed by a 142-89 success over Ireland.
“I was dying coming down the home straight.” LYNSEY SHARP The Scottish athlete was close to breaking the two-minute barrier for the first time as she won her 800 metres race
“He’s devastated. He had a nightmare start.” EDDIE HEARN Ricky Burns’ promoter conceded it will be tough for the fighter to box at the highest level after his shock loss to Dejan Zlaticanin
■ Roddy MacDonald (right) scored for Kyles Athletic as they defeated Inveraray 6-2 in the AJG Parcels Celtic Society Cup final. 5 July 2014 ❘ the stooshie
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COMMENT
FRED SAID Comedian, broadcaster and presenter
FRED MACAULAY
Fred minds his language, or as much as he can remember Skye’s the limit for some otterly intriguing diversions into words, wellies and weather
■ Looking throughout the papers and across the internet at news stories can be a depressing exercise some weeks, so I’ve decided to reveal a bit more about myself to The Stooshie readers. I have a varied and interesting, (for which read ‘sometimes mundane’) life. Probably not much different from most people, but there are occasional highlights, a bit like a World Cup football match, but without the half-time break. I was filming on Skye this week with the wildlife photographer/environmentalist/ conservationist Simon King looking for otters for a TV show which will be shown later this month on BBC. I’d forgotten the fun to be had translating Gaelic place names on road signs into English on the long drive north. It’s dead easy, the answer is usually right
Clarifications and corrections The Stooshie is committed to journalism of the highest standards and we aim to produce our magazine with accuracy, honesty and fairness. Our journalists adhere to the DC Thomson company values of integrity, respect, commitment and creativity. We abide by the Editors’ Code of Practice which is enforced by the Press Complaints Commission. It is our policy to publish clarifications and corrections when necessary and as quickly as possible. You can contact us by email at: editor@thestooshie.co.uk or by writing to: The Readers’ Editor, The Stooshie, 80 Kingsway East, Dundee DD4 8SL.
the stooshie ❘ www.thestooshie.co.uk
underneath. It’s got to be the simplest travel game in the world. My forefathers came from Harris and Lewis and when I was a small boy growing up in Killin (from age three to seven) I had a few Gaelic words in my vocabulary. They’ve long since gone, replaced entirely by expletives, but I’m aware that when I’m in the North West my accent and vocabulary changes. “Catriona” becomes “Catreeonah”. “Sunday” becomes “The Sabbath”. And “sunshine” becomes “downpour”. That’s a cheap gag, and wholly inaccurate as the sun shone on our matching baldy heads all day. I had come to the island well prepared with factor 30 sun cream... and Wellington boots. Hospitals in the North West of Scotland are the only places in the western world to have wards which can deal with sunstroke and trench foot at the same time.
What we want to know is why Fred isn’t in Rio commentating on the World Cup? ■ Confession is good for the soul, so mine is going to be cleansed, buffed and polished to an immaculate shine when I tell you that I have the concentration of a gnat. And not just any gnat. I’m talking about a gnat with the attention span of a teenage gnat that’s got it’s iPad, iPhone, Xbox and Wii all switched on at the same time, whilst watching gnat TV. So with that in mind here’s what went through my mind whilst watching the ITV summary of the Germany v Algeria football match the other night: “That Glenn Hoddle’s got a very red face. Wonder if he gets time off to sunbathe?” Which, I’ll agree, is trivial, but I think I redeemed myself with my final thought: “Where does he find a hairdresser who’s happy to keep cutting his hair in that ludicrous 1970’s style?” Apparently the Germans won 2-1.
Information about the Code of Practice can be obtained from The Press Complaints Commission at Halton House, 20/23 High Holborn, London EC1N 2JD or email complaints@pcc.org.uk or call 0845 6002757 or 0207 8310022. Published in Great Britain by D.C. Thomson & Co. Ltd, 185 Fleet Street, London, EC4A 2HS. © D. C. Thomson & Co., Ltd, 2014. Distributed by Marketforce, Blue Fin Building, 110 Southwark Street, London, SE1 0SU. Tel: +44(0) 20 3148 3300 Fax: +44(0) 20 3148 8105 Website: www. marketforce.co.uk
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