Horse sense

Former Tory Scottish secretary Michael Forsyth was noted, some might say notorious, for making policy on the hoof. Those glory days were recalled by MP Jim Wallace of the Scottish Liberal Democrats during a Scottish Grand Committee debate. He harked back to a similar debate two years ago, when he challenged Mr Forsyth to make a political commitment to the University of the Highlands and Islands. When Mr Forsyth duly made such a commitment, "my delight was equalled only by his officials' surprise".