View across the Outer Harbour of Stornoway

Wednesday 12 May 2010

Wednesday 12 May

I am now officially fed up to the back teeth with politics. I've suffered weeks and weeks of it and I can't stand another minute. This afternoon, we were treated to the edifying spectacle of Prime Minister David Cameron and Deputy PM Nick Clegg standing, grinning (hail feller well met), side by side as if they were the first in written history to invent the coalition government. Let me tell you, as one who has had lifelong experience of coalition governments in continental Europe, that it is not necessary to take a press conference, at the launch of your new administration, practically joined at the hip. Stop yarning and start getting on with the job.

I am satisfied that Mr Cameron won the election, even if not an outright majority. The Labour party lost 90 seats and was not morally entitled to continue in government. However, the political culture in the UK does not lend itself towards coalitions. The last effort, in 1974, came to grief and led to the demise of the Liberal party as was. Its present incarnation, the Liberal Democrats, is the Conservatives' partner in the new administration.

I spent the afternoon in Port of Ness, 25 miles north of Stornoway, having lunch in a new restaurant and enjoying the rollers on the beach below. It felt cold, although at one point we managed 12C. I have not yet uploaded the pictures, but promise a picture post at some stage.

By the way, although I feature pictures on a regular basis, this is not specifically a photoblog.