Alistair Carmichael is the Secretary of State for Scotland and MP for Orkney and Shetland.
Today marks 15 years since the official opening of the Scottish Parliament. A lot has been learned in that time and a great deal has been achieved. Around 60 per cent of Scotland’s public spending is now devolved to the …
On the way to Edinburgh Airport on Monday I passed Ingliston Showground and could see tents being dismantled and trucks convoying towards the motorway. It was the aftermath of another successful Royal Highland Show. Almost 180,000 people passed through the …
For tens of thousands of people, a trip to the Royal Highland Show is an annual pilgrimage. It’s an opportunity to meet up with friends, share farming experience, find out about the latest developments in agricultural equipment, see some of …
Last week I was interviewed for the Week in Holyrood, a current affairs programme on Scottish Politics which goes out to thousands of listeners over 30 community radio stations. The focus of course was on passing the 100 days to …
Many milestones have already been marked on the road to the independence referendum as our nation prepares to make a significant choice - almost certainly the most significant decision many of us will make in a lifetime. As we reach …
For most of us, it’s impossible to imagine what it must have felt like to be in the trenches in World War One or to see colleagues killed or maimed in combat. This week I had the privilege of meeting …
Entrepreneurship has been a keen interest of mine for many years. My wife started her own business as a veterinary surgeon on Orkney. I know that through all the trials and tribulations there are great rewards and satisfaction that come …
Yesterday found me back on Islay for the first time since becoming Secretary of State. It was a packed day and going from meeting to visit frequently involved running into someone that I had been at school with, or who …
Islay will always have a special place in my heart – it’s where I grew up, where I went to school and where my parents still live. It might be a few years since I lived there but I’m a …
Last week I spent a couple of days in Denmark on government business. It is a fascinating country which has recently had a prominent profile in Scotland, not least because of successful Danish TV series such as Borgen and The …
