Edinburgh

I like Edinburgh. Back in September 1997 I took a flight to Edinburgh the day after the referendum result that led to the creation of the National Assembly for Wales.

Totally exhausted after the campaign and the count that night and the most memorable low point of doing an early morning interview with a TV reporter who had a greater interest in her hair than in the difference between devolution and independence, I found myself celebrating the victory with two clergy friends on Princes Street in Edinburgh. That day I couldn't sit through the conference sessions I was supposed to attend. I just had to sleep.

Today, I kept awake all day during some supportive conversations with my colleague Bob Fyffe from Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. He lives in Scotland.

Two bits of news saddened me today. One was all the job losses at the BBC. I dread to think what would happen to democracy in these islands if all our media outlets in the UK are owned by an Australian who lives in north America.

I was also saddened to hear that Deborah Kerr had died. She gave me a certain warped view of nuns. Real ones were bound to be a disappointment.