Scotland’s political leaders set aside FMQs for tennis

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jan/29/scotlands-political-leaders-set-aside-politics-tennis-andy-murray

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The all-female leadership of the three largest parties in the Scottish parliament have been praised for breaking with the confrontational style of Westminster after they joked about cancelling preparations for their weekly clash to watch Andy Murray in the Australian Open.

As Nick Clegg said he would be better off playing Candy Crush during prime minister’s questions at Westminster the Scottish first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, joked that she would open up her office to watch Murray play in the semi-final.

Sturgeon made her offer after Ruth Davidson, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, tweeted: “Hmmm … FMQ prep Vs tennis … #comeonandy.” Sturgeon tweeted back: “I’m sure we could come to some arrangement – @kdugdalemsp” – a reference to Kezia Dugdale, the deputy leader of Scottish Labour who leads the party’s group at Holyrood.

Davidson then tweeted to Sturgeon: “ok, I’ll bring the snacks – let’s use your office. @kdugdalemsp Kez, you in?”

Dugdale tweeted: “yes, there in a minute, looking for the Pimms.”

Not to be missed out, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Willie Rennie, tweeted a picture of his feet on his desk as he watched Murray on television. “Way ahead of the game,” Rennie tweeted.

The friendly exchanges were praised by the historian Tom Holland. He tweeted: “I wish Dave & Ed would sometimes tweet each other in the way @RuthDavidsonMSP & @NicolaSturgeon currently are.”

The exchanges at Holyrood came as Clegg spoke about the pointlessness of prime minister’s questions. Speaking on his LBC phone-in, the deputy prime minister said: “Just imagine having to sit there, as I do week in, week out, not able to say my piece and listen to these folk.”

He said that Danny Alexander, the Lib Dem treasury chief secretary who has reached level 230 on Candy Crush, had told him to play his favourite game on his iPad. “Danny Alexander tells me Candy Crush is a great game. I could perhaps catch up a little on that or help with my children’s homework by looking at their homework schedule.

“Joking aside, it has descended into the most facile yah-boo kind of politics. The only people who get excited about it are the people in the Westminster village – their whole world revolves around who said what, who made what joke. The vast majority of people don’t listen at all. Perhaps that is a blessing in disguise.”