Spot the difference

Last week’s row over the release of the Scott report brought
back fond memories of another controversial inquiry – into alleged
child abuse in Orkney.

The similarities are striking. Like Labour’s Robin Cook and the
Liberal Democrats’ Menzies Campbell, journalists were kept in a
sealed room at the Scottish Office and given just a short time to
absorb the the huge Orkney report.

And, like Scott, everyone else had to wait until Ian Lang, then
Scottish Secretary, rose to his feet in the Commons before the
report was released.

Still, the Orkney report was never intended to judge the truth
or falsity of the abuse allegations.

As for the Scott report, you can judge for yourselves.