Pacified Quay ?

Pete MacRae, BBC Scotland's newsgathering boss, steps up as Head of News & Current Affairs on an interim basis, as John Boothman, who's been with Auntie for the best part of thirty years, moves aside.

In the BBC world where no manager does anything wrong, John, 57, joins the Scottish element of the quest for Charter Renewal, in a "key role". Read on, dear folk, and you learn that the BBC will be advertising for a permanent replacement for Mr Boothman. This follows a successful complaint against him by camerawoman Zoe MacDonald. It's estimated 17 other complaints over the years failed.

The NUJ is clear: it "welcomes the transfer of John Boothman out of his current role; he has overseen a period of damage to the health and morale of many of our members which we believe has affected the quality of news delivery during his tenure. ”

MacRae (Stirling University and Cardiff post-grad) has covered for Boothman before, when he had to to take time off last year with a burst ulcer.