New Statesman Scotland

When history comes to be written (as they say), it may be that the recently deceased author Nigel Tranter might be seen as one of the 20th century's most politically influential Britons. Which may seem like a large claim for a writer of easy-to-read historical romances. But Tranter quarried Scottish history with an energy and an application that was truly awesome. There was a hardly a corner of it into which he had not delved. Well into his eighties, he was churning out a book a year. Like Walter Scott before him, he reinvented Scotland for his own time. He gave Scotland back its heroes. Long before it occurred to Mel Gibson and his ilk, Nigel Tranter was writing stirring tales of Kenneth MacAlpine, Macbeth, William Wallace, the Bruce and the various saints and paladins who surrounded them. Historically the stories may have been dodgy, but they were invariably great fun.

This diary has always been struck by the number of Scots (and particularly young Scots) who learnt what they know of Scotland from Tranter. His version of Scots history may have been (in fact it was) rose-tinted and partial, but it fired the imaginations of thousands, maybe even millions. Many of them are, of course, now out-and-out Scottish nationalists. So if their Great Day ever comes, and the Scottish people decide to go their own way, the break up of Britain may owe more to the dashing heroes of Tranter's fancy than the carefully modulated arguments of Tom Nairn. Whether Tranterism is a sound basis on which to see Scotland through the 21st century is another matter.

The Scottish establishment is a source of abiding interest to this diary, so we were intrigued to see an empty niche looking for a body to fill it. It seems that the Countess of Airlie is about to give up the job of chairing the ten trustees of the National Galleries of Scotland, so the Scottish executive is currently hunting for a replacement. What the ministers are looking for is someone with "knowledge or experience of the Fine Arts, or of management, industrial relations, administration, photography, portraiture and education. The management and display of collections are also relevant." Not to mention "sound management experience".

Judging from the above job description, the Countess will be a hard act to follow. She is, after all, a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen and wife of Her Majesty's one-time Lord Chamberlain. So how much will the new paragon of virtue and culture be paid? Nothing. "The post is unpaid, but travelling and subsistence expenses are met." Application forms from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Division of the Scottish executive!

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