Mealy Mouthed
I listened to the rather mealy mouthed apology offered yesterday by Ian Davidson MP - chair of the Scottish Affairs Select Committee at Westminster.
Ian Davidson has been accused of threatening to give another MP - Elidh Whiteford - 'a doing' - is she 'leaked' information to the press.
And the honourable lady member objected strongly to his behaviour - by registering a formal complaint with the House of Commons authorities.
Now I've no doubt that there's a bit of politicking going on here - after all there's no love lost between Labour and the SNP.
But I listened carefully to the TV coverage last night - and I didn't hear anyone deny that Ian Davidson actually said those words to Elidh Whiteford.
What's not clear is precisely what he said and the context in which his comments were made.
So what I would like to know is:
1 What exactly was said to Elidh Whiteford?
2 Were the words addressed only to Elidh Whiteford or to any else?
3 why would Elidh Whiteford be singled out as the possible sourceof a leak?
4 Does Ian Davidson accept that he actually spoke these words to Elidh Whiteford?
5 Were Ian Davidson's comments intended as a lighthearted or 'off the cuff' remark?
On Newsnight Scotland last night a fellow Labour MP - Willie Bain - seemed to accept that Ian Davidson should apologise directly to Elidh Whiteford.
Now that would seem the smart move to me - because all he's done so far is to try and wriggle out of things with a half-hearted apology - at the start of a meeting at which Elidh Whiteford was not even present.
I know from personal experience - that there are lots of boorish male MPs at Westminster.
I have no idea if Ian Davidson is one of them - but if I were him I'd remove all doubt - by taking the matter very seriously - which of course it would be in any other place of work.
And assuming Ian Davidson said what he's alleged to have said - a sincere and proper apology to Elidh Whiteford - would be a good place to start.
Ian Davidson has been accused of threatening to give another MP - Elidh Whiteford - 'a doing' - is she 'leaked' information to the press.
And the honourable lady member objected strongly to his behaviour - by registering a formal complaint with the House of Commons authorities.
Now I've no doubt that there's a bit of politicking going on here - after all there's no love lost between Labour and the SNP.
But I listened carefully to the TV coverage last night - and I didn't hear anyone deny that Ian Davidson actually said those words to Elidh Whiteford.
What's not clear is precisely what he said and the context in which his comments were made.
So what I would like to know is:
1 What exactly was said to Elidh Whiteford?
2 Were the words addressed only to Elidh Whiteford or to any else?
3 why would Elidh Whiteford be singled out as the possible sourceof a leak?
4 Does Ian Davidson accept that he actually spoke these words to Elidh Whiteford?
5 Were Ian Davidson's comments intended as a lighthearted or 'off the cuff' remark?
On Newsnight Scotland last night a fellow Labour MP - Willie Bain - seemed to accept that Ian Davidson should apologise directly to Elidh Whiteford.
Now that would seem the smart move to me - because all he's done so far is to try and wriggle out of things with a half-hearted apology - at the start of a meeting at which Elidh Whiteford was not even present.
I know from personal experience - that there are lots of boorish male MPs at Westminster.
I have no idea if Ian Davidson is one of them - but if I were him I'd remove all doubt - by taking the matter very seriously - which of course it would be in any other place of work.
And assuming Ian Davidson said what he's alleged to have said - a sincere and proper apology to Elidh Whiteford - would be a good place to start.
