Linda Fabiani

Burns season is upon us and I’m looking forward to my first local event at Mossneuk Primary School this Friday and at Kilbryde Burns Club on February 6.

Much haggis will be consumed in between! Tam O’Shanter’s wife: “...tauld thee weel thou was a skellum, a blethering, blustering, … … blellum!”

On Friday, this seemed an apt description when I watched some of the inauguration ceremony of the new President of the United States.

I thought his speech was the most inappropriate, such peroration I’d ever heard – and the embarrassment of some of the platform guests was palpable. I’m still finding it difficult to comprehend that the US has elected Donald Trump as one of the leaders of the free world. The offensiveness with which he has offered opinion and potential policy over the last months appals me.

That got me thinking about diplomacy – one relevant definition is “the profession, activity, or skill of managing international relations”. Another, though, is “skill in handling affairs without arousing hostility”. That’s the one that Mr Trump may well find difficult.

It is a skill, diplomacy at world stage level, and so very important.

I have been privileged over the years in my career as a politician to observe diplomacy at work, and even to exercise it at times at fairly high levels: working with both partners in the Northern Ireland Government when it was reformed in 2007, having to deal with UK Government ministers as part of the minority Scottish Government, being involved in Catalan politics.

All great experiences which I am so glad I had.

I learned a lot from Alex Salmond, First Minister at that time. Alex is a first-class statesman who taught me that you could exercise diplomacy on behalf of your community, your cause, or indeed your country, whilst still leaving no doubt about your views.