Tuesday 11 May

A nice bright day, but feeling quite cold. Daytime maximum was a miserly 8C / 46F. There were a few showers, but not as bad as yesterday. We awoke to the sight of two cruiseliners. The Hebridean Princess, which had been at anchor overnight off the Braighe, east of Stornoway, came in at 8 am. The Marco Polo was by that time at anchor off Sandwick and discharging passengers ashore by tender. Those booked on bus tours were charged £60 for an all day tour of the sights on the West Side (Callanish, Broch, Gearrannan, Arnol). If I were to do that on the servicebus, I'd be charged about £7. Some on board the cruiseliners were wise to the rip-off charges and had hired a vehicle. That costs about £40.

Political events have accellerated this evening, with the resignation at 7.45pm of Gordon Brown and the appointment at 8.15pm of David Cameron as Prime Minister. Coalition talks between Labour and the Liberal Democrats came to nothing during the day, but seem to be reaching an consensus this evening. After 13 years, Labour is out of Downing Street, and a Conservative PM has taken over. The speed of succession is breathtaking, although the formation of a cabinet will take a wee while yet.