Forget the Grinch, next year will be

Around the corner, around the world

Are you full of the joys of Christmas and bursting with yuletide spirit? Or has this year left you feeling more burnt-out than a Whirlpool washing machine and scrambling for the nearest bottle?

I’m somewhere in the middle – exhausted but happy enough and deeply, sincerely glad this frenetic, rollercoaster of a year is finally drawing to a close. Even the Grinch couldn’t destroy my positive vibes because, really, after the year we’ve endured, it cannot get any worse. Can it?

In London, plumped-up PM Boris Johnson and his triumphant army of grinning Tories will have no worries about how to toast Christmas.

For them it came early when they smashed it at the General Election. So for them it will be champers all round.

A victory that has gifted them an unassailable majority, one that guarantees his oven-ready Brexit will be served up, like it or not, at the end of January. Meanwhile, Jeremy Corbyn is also oven-ready, a total turkey who led his party to humiliation.

In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and her battle-hardened and emboldened battalion of MPS have rightly vowed to oppose the Tories at Westminster while ramping up demands for another Scottish independence referendum.

There may be a festive lull and ceasefire in place, one both parties will no doubt use to recharge their batteries, but hostilities will soon begin again in earnest. And it will make the past three years of divisive squabbling over Brexit look like a tea party. And there might be worse to come. Donald Trump’s impeachment is almost certain to be overturned by the senate and seemingly just as certain is that later in the year he will be re-elected in for a second term of office. So if I were you and wishing to soften the blow or hurt his re-election may inflict upon you, I would hare it down to the bookies while the odds on him winning are still favourable.

Equally, you may want to take a wee punt on Tony Blair, the ghost of Labour’s Christmas Past, making a return to politics. I know it’s a long shot, but he’s never out of the news these days and he might also be the only member Labour have left who has enough political acumen, nous and experience to reunite the party and make them re-electable.

He’s infinitely better than any of those proven failures who have so far put their names in the ring. Emily Thornberry? Give me a break. As for the rest of them – Keir Starmer, Lisa Nandy, Jess Phillips, Angela Rayner and Rebecca Long-bailey – none of them has shown any leadership potential and will only, as Jo Swinson recently did with the Liberal Democrats, drive them further into the mire.

However, not all is doom and gloom. There is plenty to look forward to in what will be the start of a new decade. For 2020 promises to be a cracker of a year for festival goers and live music fans, especially in Scotland.

The home-grown Gerry Cinnamon sell-out at Hampden will be a belter as will TRNSMT festival with Liam Gallagher, Snow Patrol and Lewis Capaldi all topping the bill at Glasgow Green and Green Day finally playing at Bellahouston Park.

And, for the slightly older audience, next year’s Summer Nights at Kelvingrove Bandstand promises to be a hot ticket.

As will Linlithgow’s Party at

The Palace and Rewind in Perth. And my hugely popular rock club, The Cathouse, celebrates its 30th birthday. That will some party.

For football fans, there will be Euro 2020 and, if climate change floats your boat, Glasgow will be proud host of the World’s Climate Change conference.

There is, of course, a lot more things to look forward to and fun to be had.

So no need for humbug. Next year will be better.

Onwards and upwards to a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!