Drumlanrig

THAT'S MURPHY'S LAW

Reshuffle fever hots up at Westminster, with Scotland looking increasingly in the firing line. Gordon Brown is widely expected to do away with the Scottish Secretary's job next month, replacing it with a new Minister for the Regions with responsibility for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. One name now being placed in the frame is arch-Blairite and East Renfewshire MP Jim Murphy. It makes sense – Murphy, an ardent Blairite, was handed the poisoned chalice of Europe Minister when Brown took over last year, as a punishment for his allegiances. What better way of rubbing his face even further in the muck than forcing him to man-mark Alex Salmond for the next few years?

FUNERAL MATCH

Was Wendy Alexander the only person last week who didn't know about a certain football match taking place in Manchester? The embattled Scottish Labour leader took a call from one MSP last Tuesday who wanted to explain that he would be "going to the football" the following day. Alexander was apparently mystified by the explanation, having thought he had said "funeral". Which, come to think of it, wasn't so far from the truth.

FEELING BLUE

On the same theme, arch bluenose and Labour MSP Karen Gillon was seen carrying her lunch to her table in the Scottish Parliament canteen the day after her team got humped. On passing one table, one wag asked why she had no orange vegetables on her plate. Before she could answer, the quip came back: "Because they're all banged up in Manchester."

NEGATIVE SPIN

Wendy is looking for a press officer again. Despite having got through three in her first few months in power, another vacancy has arrived in the party's embattled media operation. Alexander's latest recruit, Simon Pia, is adjudged to have made the best of a bad job so far (although spinning Labour's U-turns on the referendum has been near impossible) but seeing as the new recruit to help him out is only going to get £25k top whack, it doesn't look likely that New Labour's reputation for brilliant spin is going to be restored just yet.

WRONG, SO WRONG

Further proof that you can't trust London-based papers to get Scottish stories right. The following comes from Andrew Alexander in last week's Daily Mail. "The head of the Scottish Labour party, Wendy Alexander, is married to cabinet minister Douglas Alexander."

Not just wrong, but rather unsavoury too.