From zero to hero(ine)

Yesterday's Scotsman carried a story about singer-songwriter Sandi Thom receiving financial 'kickbacks' of £10,000 from the Scottish Government in relation to various promotional performances. Of course, particularly relevant to the claims was that Ms Thom is a high-profile SNP supporter and is admired by First Minister Alex Salmond, who has sung a duet with her.

Defending the payments she said:

£500 for breakfast may seem a lot, but when you are feeding six, seven, eight people from my band and my manager, then it builds up.

As someone who normally breakfasts on a bowl of Tesco branded cereal and some milk - which probably costs little more than fifty pence - the reported figures seems excessive, even for eight people in a hotel, and Sandi Thom's explanation ridiculous.

But today's Sunday Times reveals that Ms Thom is to sever her ties with Alex Salmond and the Scottish Government. Moreover, she told the newspaper:

All I see within the parliament is just playground politics, people trying
to make the other one look like an idiot, trying to find something to make a mockery of the other party, and that’s got nothing to do with Scotland’s future.

That is just people being petty and wanting to get one over on each other. It is something I don’t want any part of any more. I won’t do any more gigs for the government. It is just silly and childish.

Well said that singer-songwriter. What a difference a day makes!