By George Through the keyhole of Scots politics
Last week I had a conversation with someone who runs a business in Paisley.
He revealed how he is looking at an alternative model of working, finding different ways to ensure that his business survives through this worldwide pandemic.
Another family-run business asked me to thank the First Minister and Renfrewshire Council for the way they were ensuring business was supported during these difficult times.
Every one of those conversations were completed using technology as most of us continue to work from home.
This brings me to the revised form of First Minister’s Questions last week.
It was a virtual FMQ’s and we saw behind the curtain of many of the party leader’s homes.
I, like everyone else, have had to have meetings using tech like
Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
As Scottish Government chief whip, I attend the
Scottish Parliamentary Bureau meetings.
The bureau’s chair is presiding officer Ken McIntosh and there is representation from all the political parties within the Scottish Parliament.
These meetings are the ones that decide the business of the Scottish Parliament and I have found myself looking through the keyhole of fellow MSP’s homes.
It is my belief there are three ways people prepare for this type of meeting.
The first is the one I do - that is to spend about 20 minutes getting the scene correct before broadcast.
My office is in the back room and it is full of Stacey’s mobility equipment.
I really need to get the angle correct so all people see is the book shelf behind me, and not the chaos that surrounds me.
I have noticed during bureau meetings that Patrick Harvie does this also, but he sits on his living room couch, relaxed, with his nice wine rack on the wall behind him.
He told me he was desperately trying to see the books on my book shelf to see what it was I had been reading.
You cannot help yourself. It is human nature in a situation like this.
The second approach seems to be to set it up with a neutral back round of a beige wall or a single colour.
This is Willie Rennie’s choice during these conversations. It does take away the distractions, but is absolutely no fun.
The final one is the tech wizard who knows what they are doing.
They set up the background but manage to manipulate the software in manner close to witchcraft as their home looks like a TV studio.
Michael Russel is the tech wizard who works this way.
The whole point of me writing this is to say the business of Paisley’s MSP continues at the Scottish Parliament and here in Paisley.
We are lucky to have all this wonderful technology and, during these challenging times, they are welcomed.
They will never replace the way we normally do business and, although helpful, can become a bit of a distraction.
Our work in Parliament is too important for that.
So once again, I urge you to stay home, stay safe and continue to look after each other.