Does an Ill Wind Blow for the Scottish Raj? The Death of Our Most Able Politicians, the Thinness of the New Generation at Westminster and Holyrood's Rise Don't Unduly Worry

Summary

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A SEASON of funerals culminated last Tuesday in the rather odd spectacle of William Wallace's empty coffin being carried in to London's Priory Church of Saint Bartholomew the Great. While celebrating the lost paladins of 700 years ago, the tears had barely dried from the real funeral service of Robin Cook, one of Scotland's modern-day political champions.

Are we running out of heroes?

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Does an Ill Wind Blow for the Scottish Raj? The Death of Our Most Able Politicians, the Thinness of the New Generation at Westminster and Holyrood's Rise Don't Unduly Worry

Cook's untimely death highlighted, once again, the dominance of Scots over Westminster politics, throwing up the inevitable sigh of "when will we see their likes again?"

The same question was raised at the time of Donald Dewar's death and John Smith's demise. The old boys - and they are mostly boys - are all leaving and the question is: who will replace them? Andrew Neil, the broadcaster, journalist and commentator, recast the debate in The Spectator magazine last week, when he combined his usual poke at Scottish educational standards with spe...

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