Greek tragedies, Travis, Lords and aeroplanes – Alex Salmond’s Courier column

What connects Athenian playwright and soldier Sophocles, the lead guitarist of popular (circa the turn of the century) Scottish band Travis and the House of Lords?

The name Andrew Dunlop, according to Alex Salmond. In another explosive, exclusive Courier column, the former First Minister turn his sights on the UK’s second chamber in the wake of a raft of new appointments.

Surely with no one specific in mind for these first couple of examples, he writes: “Among its members are jailed fire raisers, fraudsters and of course the very noble Lord Archer.

“It is abused by the Prime Minister as the means of rewarding donors, cronies and party loyalists. It is abused by the Liberal Party as a means of pretending they didn’t get wiped out in the election.

“It is also abused to bypass Scotland’s democratic choices. Most people think of Andy Dunlop as a member of the indie band Travis. In fact there is another one the recently ennobled Lord Dunlop, the new Under Secretary for Scotland.”

For the full read, plus an argument about why Scotland is shortchanged by the expansion of London airports, pick up a copy of Monday’s Courier or try our digital edition.