Eddie Barnes - Habeus Papam. Maybe.

The Pope might be coming to Scotland next year. Or the year after. Or he might not be.

We hear that Gordon Brown, visiting the Vatican earlier this week, extended an invitation to Benedict XVI to come to the UK, potentially to mark the beatification of the famous 19th century Catholic convert, Cardinal Newman. Number Ten suggested that such a visit might include a trip up to Scotland.

The Vatican has declared that there are no plans whatsoever for a trip to Britain, and the PM's invite has been met with derision by some, including Scotland on Sunday columnist Gerald Warner. Certainly, as this particular Pope has not exactly clocked up the air miles since his election, it's unlikely at present.

If he does, I wonder if I might drop in on Iona. I understand that Brown's gift to the Pope was a small Iona cross, brought from the tiny island off Mull from where St Columba spread Christianity to these shores. Might Brown have planted a seed? This Pope likes to remind people that Europe is a Christian continent - I wonder if he'll be heading for the Oban ferry?