43 days to go

Whilst the First Minister was battling it out in his TV debate this evening - and winning - I was substituting for him at a reception in Bute House for this year's Fulbright scholars, who are attending a summer school organised by Dundee & Strathclyde Universities.

Last year the reception culminated in the FM seating the scholars round the Cabinet table while he explained to them what happens in this room on a weekly basis and who takes part. By popular request I did the same this time, mindful of the fact that Fulbright participants usually go on to great things.

From the evidence of their questions this group - from states all across the USA - will be no exception.

However I did get to see see the last half of the debate in the Oxford Bar in Thistle St, fictional haunt of Rebus and somewhere I used to go when working in the city centre though I had not been in for years.

Earlier I had followed the progress of exam results day with great gratitude to teachers, education administrators , Councils, the SQA, Education Scotland and my own officials who had all worked tirelessly over a long period of time to make sure that the real stars - pupils all over Scotland - got their reward for their very hard work.