Meeting with the Minister

I met with Mr Stewart this week to press home the case for the continuation of the Air Discount Scheme by asking him some difficult questions that he had written for me in advance.

As I told Kenny later, it all went downhill after the first question, "Your munificence, praise be to Salmond, can you please tell me what good news I can bring to the people of the Western Isles, who hold you in such high esteem, but still well below the awe in which they view our First Minister, and no mistake?"

"Shut it!", he said, "This is party political or you would have been invited to Victoria Quay to try to say something vaguely sensible in front of the civil servants. I'm going to have to answer the FoI request and you're going to be hung out to dry because of your failure to ask anything sensible."

At this I nearly choked, remembering Kenny's warning that Voldemort had been asking questions of the Executive about what I had done to ensure ADS would stay. I can't remember doing anything, so he shouldn't have anything to find, but somehow Kenny thinks this mights be bad.

"Smile!", he growled, "And issue this press release, and if you are lucky I might discuss ADS further within the department." And with that I was escorted out and into the lift. A huge
success for me, as I am sure the Gazette will report.

Ministers met (and touched!) - 1
Airmiles earned this month - 400
Gaelic words spoken to Minister and his minders - 0