On getting your facts right

Kez, Labour's online standard-bearer has been gazing into her crystal ball regarding a possible reshuffle of the Scottish ministerial team. I'm not sure that there'll necessarily be one, though, as the Government is still relatively young and still in an early stage in its development: the temptation is strong to do it at the mid-point, to freshen things up - that's not due for another year, and it would make good politics in advance of a Westminster election, where the gaze will be on getting the party ready for an electoral test and getting the right people to key party positions. Also, there's the last chance for a reshuffle before the Holyrood elections: Summer 2010. To my mind, moving things a propos of nothing whatsoever isn't the greatest idea.

However, she has picked up on Biran Adam suddenly shedding a number of Parliamentary posts and tips him for a new Ministerial position. I don't think that's going to happen either, but Adam is still worth watching: while I've never spotted any official confirmation, he's always struck me as a kind of unofficial Deputy to Bruce Crawford, turning up at Bureau meetings whenever possible. So I think he's up for a party position: either a proper Chief Whip role, or the SNP's representative on the Corporate Body, with Tricia Marwick moving to a key Committee Convenership. We shall see.

But the reason I'm commenting on the post is this comment at the end: "Keith Brown might need to move out of the Standards Committee as this story develops." She links to a story the BBC Website in April. Thing is, it already has developed.

A correspondent of mine has sent me a link to the Alloa Advertiser on this very matter.

Oh dear! Keith Brown has been cleared by Jim Dyer, with the complaint against him (by local Labour MP Gordon Banks) dismissed entirely. I guess he's safe after all. Unlike Wendy Alexander, who was not cleared of breaking the law, not cleared of Parliamentary rules, and has just this minute resigned.