Neil McIntosh Editor of The Scotsman

Hello Voornaam,

I’m writing today’s newsletter on an early morning train back from Dundee, after an evening enjoying the V&A Dundee’s new Tartan exhibition. Brian Ferguson has all the details of what’s on show there, and although I’m no cultural critic I can certainly recommend the show: it does a wonderful job of telling Tartan’s story, and showing the textile’s cultural significance over the years. There’s an air of cool, and real historical perspective, that I’ve not seen associated with tartan before. 

Last night’s opening party in Dundee was a welcome cultural break after a heavy week of politics: Humza Yousaf’s victory on Monday, of course, and the subsequent formation of a cabinet - and high-profile refusal of a job by Kate Forbes - all grabbed the headlines. Our analysis of that cabinet was that its largely low-profile members have an awful lot of work to do to prove their worth, and achieve any progress.

Yousaf’s inaugural First Ministers’ Questions, yesterday, was disrupted by climate protestors; the sort of protest that is grindingly frustrating on so many levels. 

The Scotsman has been clear for some time now that we think the climate crisis is the principal problem facing mankind - one that is already having an impact on migration, cost of living, geopolitics and more. So it’s undoubtedly an issue we should - metaphorically - be shouting about, and debating.

But is disrupting the workings of a parliament the best way to make a point… or just an indulgent, self-aggrandising piece of posturing almost designed to put off the wider public from this vital cause? Our leader today is pretty clear on where we fall on that question.

Looking ahead to the weekend, top-flight league football returns after an invigorating international break - do catch up on Alan Pattullo’s reflections on Scotland’s glorious win over Spain on Tuesday night at Hampden, which we suspect more than a few readers are continuing to relive and enjoy.

Like last night’s exhibition opening in Dundee, the win at Hampden was a rare moment of joy in a sometimes relentless world. Both might come from opposite ends of the cultural spectrum, but we’ll take it where we can find it.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend - and don’t forget about the brilliant Saturday Scotsman package tomorrow, with movie reviews (Tetris, John Wick 4), book reviews (John Banville’s Lock Up), music, travel and much more. Whether in the pages of The Scotsman, or somewhere else, may you find more than a few bright spots in the days ahead.

Best wishes,

Neil McIntosh

Editor, The Scotsman