It's a Record transfer deal

The news is out anyway so I may as well confirm my move to be the Daily Record's Westminster Editor at the end of this month, ending a long association with the Herald.

I first joined the Herald in the early 90s then returned to print after a spell as a tv director to the Sunday Herald in 1999.

When I moved back to the Herald in April 2008 my first phonecall to the Glasgow newsdesk was answered by Allan Laing, who shepherded me through my first day on the paper in August 1992. "Allan, as I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted 16 years ago..."

The Herald was very good to me and long-suffering Glasgow subs used to my 400 word intro sentences will understand when I describe the Record as a good challenge. The job starts with the general election campaign of a generation and it will take me beyond that with a big Scottish readership. I'm looking forward to it.

As the job title implies I'll remain at Westminster, just moving to another office, and I hope I'll be able to keep Whitehall 1212 going as it is, a personal website that logs my journalism, shaggy dog stories and whatever else I'm interested in.