David Maddox: Revising the political lexicon

I've just returned from yet another conference on 10 years of devolution although, as The Scotsman is the official media partner, I should say that Scottish Parliament and Government: 1999 to 2009: Scotland after the first decade, the possible future, organised by the consultancy Mackay Hannah is one of the best ones I've attended yet.

It's two keynote speakers were inevitably First Minister Alex Salmond and his Labour rival Secretary of State for Scotland Jim Murhpy (no not Holyrood Labour leader Iain Gray).

There had been a lot of to-ing and fro-ing over when they should speak. One was supposed to open and the close, in the end they were both placed at the beginning. Then Mr Murphy tried to turn it into a debate, an idea quickly dodged by the FM.

It was noticeable that the conference was chaired by a professional mediator, John Sturrock QC of Core Solutions.

The end result was two speeches and Q&A sessions where the two outlined ideas and thoughts familiar to many of us who have heard them regularly before. However, if ideas were not a new currency the two at least tried to invent some new words and phrases for their ongoing conflict.

Firs up, Mr Salmond, managed to invent a new word - "bandiage" - as in the general political bandiage, otherwise known to the rest of us as "debate."

Not to be outdone, Mr Murphy decided to go digital on the First Minister, so to speak. A referendum, he said, is "a black and white solution to an HD conundrum." I should explain to the less technically minded that HD refers to high definition the latest ultra visual technology used for televisions.
He went on: "Nationalism is the pathway to the past, we are in the fast lane to the interconnected super highway."
One suspects it was all getting a little geeky for the audience and there was some bafflement at his phrase TGI Britain, which after a moment's thought turned out to be "thank God it's Britain."

But both seemed quite pleased with their innovation in political lexicography, so I would guess we will hear these and further additions more in the coming months.

Hamish Macdonell - post-budget slumbers

THERE have been better debates in the Scottish Parliament than this afternoon's on the pre-budget report - more than a week after the fact.
John Swinney churned out numbers for the SNP, Andy Kerr bolted through his speech as if he was in a race to get it finished and although Derek Brownlee for the Tories was as rousing and caustic as he could be, he suffered the worst indignity of all.
Just when he was at his loudest and most passionate, one of his fellow MSPs fell soundly asleep.
It would be un-gallant to mention the member's name because it could be said that he showed remarkably good taste, falling asleep just when Mr Brownlee had reached his umteenth almost identical attack on Gordon Brown.