Kenny in the crosshairs

Whatever the ins and outs of the Megrahi decision it looks as if the knives are out in London medjialand for Kenny MacAskill, the Scottish Justice Secretary, over his announcement that the Greenock prisoner can go home to Lybia to die.

The blogosphere, dominated by the right wing libertarians it must be said, has gone ballistic over the decision and the way Mr MacAskill handled it.

"Grotesque political grandstanding" is what the Economist is describing his release speech as. I think Mr MacAskill has seen off worse than that in his time.

I think most Scots watching, and they are his electorate, would have felt a fair amount of sympathy for the Minister, realising that he was damned either way. He must be just grateful that the day is over.