Ever helpful

The National, a Scottish paper from Newsquest that campaigns for independence, chased former BBC Radio Scotland boss Jeff Zycinski, for a comment on Boris Johnson's thoughts on the licence fee, and got more than they bargained for...

Mr Zycinski, who also used to produce shows for UK-wide networks, said the job would often involve going to pitching meetings at Broadcasting House in London where there would “be a smug commissioner at a table festooned with fruit and pastries, showing a complete lack of interest in the cultural scene in Scotland.”

“You only have to listen to Front Row on Radio 4 to understand their outlook on the world. I think the producers there think their annual trip to the Edinburgh Festivals covers Scotland for the year.”

He called for the money devolved north of the Border to be tripled “to allow the commissioning of more high-quality content such as drama and scripted comedy.”