Gerri Peev: Wishart off the guest list?

As a former Runrig keyboardist, the SNP's Pete Wishart is used to being catapulted to the front of the queue at private parties.]

Since politics is meant to be showbiz for ugly people [no offence intended here] it is not surprising he is shocked at being left out of many events at the Scotland Office.

Ever since his nemesis Jim Murphy took over at the helm at the Scotland Office, Wishart is convinced that he is being left off the guest list. So much so that he has written to the Scotland Office demanding the official guest list.

Ann McKechin, the minister, has been forced to reply that "The Scotland Office does not hold full invitation lists for the events it hosts". This was because there are "invariably alterations" including late invitations that were not always recorded. She goes on to say that "where third parties host functions at the Scotland Office, they are responsible for their own guest lists and these are not submitted to the Scotland Office for approval".

Wishart has seized on this admission saying, writing back to the minister that "for obvious reasons, that is not a sensible [or] secure arrangement for events hosted in a government building".

He said that the initial claim that the Scotland Office did not hold invitation lists was "not so much unbelievable as it is bizarre".

He reiterated his call for the guest list. The Steamie will keep you updated.

It seems that unlike other SNP MPs who also spend a lot of time questioning the purpose of the Scotland Office, Wishart is unique in being "snubbed". Could it be anything to do with the fact that he and Murphy do not speak to each other?

This correspondent remembers once replying to a Scotland Office invitation correcting her title from "Mr" to "Ms". The response was surprising but hilarious: "Our press officer assured us you were a man". Note to self: need more flattering byline picture.