85 days to go

This is the Fletcher Monument which stands outside the Victoria Halls in Selkirk in the Scottish Borders.

It commemorates the lone survivor of the Battle of Flodden who made it back to Selkirk and whose story enlivens the town's annual Common Riding which I was lucky enough to attend in 2005, and write about for "The Herald".

The view of the statue is usually taken with the halls behind but this more unusual and more contemporary perspective was from the room where the Cabinet was held this morning.

I only got to Selkirk at ten past one this morning but was up and about early. After the Cabinet there followed the public meeting ( which was lively, positive and well attended) then a trip back to Edinburgh, a succession of meetings, a snatched ( though long arranged) dinner with a Parliamentary colleague and a pre-record for the new BBC "Scotland 2014" programme on the topic of student fees, debt and the promotion and protection of free higher education in Scotland.

A long , but enjoyable, day !