Last night's Nolan Show and Dr Paisley's interview with Eamonn Mallie

I had the absolute pleasure in attending the opening edition of the new series of BBC Northern Ireland's hit television show, The Nolan Show. Some of you may ask why I travelled all the way to Belfast, but others who know me well enough will surely understand.

The Nolan Show is the television version of Stephen Nolan's much listened to radio programme on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Radio Five Live. The format is specifically tailored to cover the latest current affairs and developments in Northern Ireland and the whole ethos of the programme is to put the viewer and the audience into the heartbeat of the action by e-mailing, telephoning and tweeting in their views. I've commented on the show's format and think it's one of the best across the UK, in my honest opinion.

Many people over the last two Monday nights will have cast their eyes on the recent two part documentary where former First Minister of Northern Ireland, Dr Ian Paisley, was interviewed by Eamonn Mallie. Dr Paisley's comments have sparked a lot of debate and much of last night's programme was dominated by it. I was absolutely gutted to have just missed out on the opportunity to put my view across on the show but, just before I fly across to Wales this morning, I wanted to put my views on the record.

Nobody can deny that Dr Ian Paisley is a major and publicly well known person within Northern Ireland and beyond. In general, as with many well known political and publicly know people I think there is always an inevitability that the person in question will have to speak out or express themselves publicly in reflection of their career and public life. Tony Blair, Nelson Mandela and Margaret Thatcher are just a few examples of people who have expressed themselves in the aftermath of holding public office or a major position in the public eye, whether they have done so through an autobiography or on television, for instance. 

Dr Paisley is well known and, albeit some may deem some of his recent comments as controversial, would it not occur to anybody that at some point he had to express himself publicly, reflecting back on times before? In the aftermath of the last couple of weeks, I would be very intrigued to hear what others like current First Minister, Peter Robinson, say about their time in office and before that also.

The other aspect to this whole discussion is on how history, in fifty years from now if God wills, will view politicians such as Dr Ian Paisley and Peter Robinson. The big ambition for Northern Ireland is to continue to move on from the sad times of the past and to continue to build a prosperous future for the people here. There has been a lot of investment into Belfast, Derry/Londonderry (I was there last September) and all over Northern Ireland and that needs to keep coming in order to sustain it's future. 

Touring Belfast yesterday, I gained an impression and appreciation of the history of the city, significant events that have taken place and where Belfast and Northern Ireland are going for the future. I have no doubt that I will come back again. Walking past many areas of this city, particularly in the city centre, it is almost difficult to imagine the carnage that had taken place here all those years ago during the troubles. I've never felt so safe, secure and welcomed and the people of Belfast and Northern Ireland. It almost felt like I was still back home in Scotland. The people here in Northern Ireland have a lot to be proud of about today and the future.

Who will become Cowdenbeath's next MSP?

There are just two days to go until voters across the Cowdenbeath Scottish Parliamentary constituency elect their new MSP in a by-election. The vote is taking place because of the sad passing of long serving MSP for Cowdenbeath, Helen Eadie, who represented Scottish Labour.

I live in the neighbouring Kirkcaldy constituency so I won't be able to cast a vote in this election. Nonetheless, the upcoming poll has aroused my interest. I can technically argue that I have played some kind of a role in the overall pre-election campaigning period. Last week, BBC Radio Scotland's Big Debate programme came to Lochgelly (which is within the constituency). Five of the seven candidates took part in a live debate which was broadcast across Scotland, presented by one of Dundee United's most famous fans, Brian Taylor.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to make three separate contributions to the programme. Firstly, I asked the candidates what they would pledge to do to improve Cowdenbeath town centres (and other centres within the constituency). As expected, the candidates gave various responses and I made a verbal appreciation to some of the candidates' ideas suggested in my second contribution. But for the purposes of this blog, I will have the ability and time to briefly summarise what the candidates said.

Scottish Labour's candidate, Councillor Alex Rowley, focused on tackling youth unemployment and how, as current leader of Fife Council, he has tried to tackle the issue since his party were re-elected as the administration for the Kingdom.

Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate, Jade Holden, stated that she believed the National Insurance cut was helping employers and mentioned a visit she made to a particular nationally known business where she said they were employing more people as a result of the policy.

Scottish Conservative candidate, Councillor Dave Dempsey, spoke about how the growth of the internet could not be inhibited and stated that Fife had to attract headquarters (I assume for major companies).

Scottish National Party candidate, Natalie McGarry, said one of the first things she would do if elected was to vote in favour of increasing the Small Business Bonus Scheme in the forthcoming Scottish budget and defended the current Holyrood government's record.

United Kingdom Independence Party candidate, Denise Baykal, was sceptical of how the current training and education programmes were being run and suggested that grammar schools were the idea place for vocational education.

But the highlight of the programme came towards the end of the programme. UKIP's Denise Baykal's scepticism of Holyrood became more and more notable as the debate continued on, leading me to spontaneously put a question to her about what she would replace Holyrood with. Her response was unequivocal: "UKIP", she emphasised.

After a hysterical reaction erupted across the room, Brian Taylor himself asked Denise what she would actually do with the Scottish Parliament and she suggested that local democracy should take it's place and the Scottish Parliament should not be making the decisions (but she did say she wouldn't abolish it).

Also, for the purpose of neutrality, the other two candidates standing in the election this Thursday are James Trolland of the Scottish Democratic Alliance and Stuart Graham of The Victims Final Right Party. The Scottish Democratic Alliance support Scottish independence and they are seen as an alternative to the Scottish National Party (especially on issues such as membership of the European Union). The Victims Final Right Party was set up by Stuart and Margaret Graham and focuses on human rights.

It has been a short, yet sharp campaign period in the run up to the vote later on this week. Realistically, I am expecting a battle for the top spot between Scottish Labour and the Scottish National Party. I have gained the impression that this is a strong Labour voting constituency and I do not see this changing for the vote. I predict that well known Fife Council leader, Councillor Alex Rowley, will become Cowdenbeath's next MSP and clinch an important victory for Scottish Labour. However, complacency should not be on the menu for him nor his party and nobody can ever dispute the fact that Natalie McGarry is a highly active campaigner who will undoubtebly provide a strong challenge to Labour.

Meanwhile, there are just three days left to listen again to last week's BBC Radio Scotland debate. You can listen to the whole programme again or listen to my contributions at 22:40, 30:10 and 53:36.

Scottish First Minister's Questions

A little after 11am last Thursday, I rushed my way down to the Scottish Parliament to witness before my own eyes Scotland's MSP's congregating inside the chamber for First Minister's Questions. 

Unlike previously, this was the first time I watched the event live at Holyrood. I knew what to expect in some ways as I watch the event on the television or online. Yet as I was about to find out, watching First Minister's Questions right there and right then brings a totally different experience.

To secure a seat in the public gallery, a telephone call needs to be made to the Parliament's visitor services line first thing at 9am on the previous Thursday. It might be difficult in securing a ticket if you just turn up before the event as all the tickets may have been allocated in the previous week, but there might be a spare one or two if visitors don't turn up or can't make it. However, this is not guaranteed so it is better to book a ticket the week before at the right time.

First Minister's Question starts at 12noon on a Thursday so it's best to make your way to the public gallery half an hour before the event starts. But before you do that, ensure that you obtain a copy of the details of business taking place in the Parliament for that day. You will normally be able to get a copy from the reception desk. When it comes to selecting a seat, I would strongly recommend that you take the seat closest to the chamber. Beware, however, as some of the front row seats may be reserved so seek advice from the staff on duty who will be more than happy to help. 

Before the big event, another event commences at 11:40am called General Questions. This is where MSP's ask questions to members of the Scottish Government cabinet on a range of matters. During this time, many of the representatives will make their way into the chamber. What fascinated me (and to be fair didn't surprise me either) is the fact that this exaggerated idea that some form of "tribalism" that some claim exists within the Parliament wasn't really present. MSP's from different parties do talk to each other. You have to remember that most serve alongside each other in committees (where a lot of the work at Holyrood takes place). Although the MSP's position themselves in the areas where their own political parties are present during proceedings inside the chamber, in other instances, they generally don't avoid one another. 

When midday strikes, it's the big event of the week at Holyrood. Each of the opposition leaders quiz the First Minister for much of the half hour session with the backbench MSP's also able to put questions forward too. What I loved especially about the experience last Thursday was the fact that you had, literally, all of the MSP's within your sights. You can examine their body language and their reactions to things said in the chamber. For me, the viewing experience had been dramatically enhanced. 

I can assure you that last Thursday was pretty eventful and I would predict that every First Minister's Questions will be similar in the build up to the referendum on Scottish independence this September. If you know who the politicians are, then that will engage you further with the proceedings. If not, then don't despair. You will pick something up from your experience and hopefully increase your appreciation for the centre of Scottish public life at Holyrood.

One year today, I was a pharmacist out of work. Today, where am I?

Reflection is a key part of anyone's life. I've done lots of it.

Today is the 1st anniversary since my appearance on the STV News at Six where Political Correspondent, Claire Stewart, interviewed me about my desperate situation in being unable to find work at this time last year. After registering as a pharmacist in late 2012, I found myself unable to find the first step on the employment ladder and my case was featured in illustrating how I, and many other graduates across this country, have been affected by the damaged job prospects.

It's hard to believe that it's already been one year since I surprised many people (from what I anecdotally heard anyway!) by appearing on their television sets. But this week has been quite a surreal experience for me personally. It was only yesterday that I found myself in the public gallery at the Scottish Parliament, watching a debate taking place on the Scottish economy.

There was one dramatic moment during the proceedings which, for me personally, was of major significance. Angela Constance MSP, the current Scottish Government Minister for Youth Unemployment and Jenny Marra MSP, Scottish Labour's Shadow Minister for Youth Unemployment, were involved in heated exchanges over the current youth unemployment situation. It was at that moment that the jigsaw pieces fell together. A co-incidence in timing, probably, but I sensed some sort of a link between yesterday and my appearance on the television news at this time last year.

I'm incredibly glad I was invited by Claire to put my own personal story on the public record (and cannot thank her enough once again), because I want people to appreciate that, no matter what someone is trained to do or what talent someone may have, there will be times when life can get difficult and where help is necessary. Some may wonder what on earth a pharmacist was doing on the news last year, in the context of the tough jobs market, because many people think pharmacy is one of those professions where work is guaranteed after registering as a pharmacist.

It amazes me, with complete and utter disbelief, how many people think that pharmacists can still walk easily into a job without any form of disruption or difficulty. Within the last two or three years, pharmacy has been caught up in a volatile and damaging storm where more and more graduates are beginning to find that the supply of pharmacists is now exceeding demand for them. The Centre for Workforce Intelligence predicts that unless major action is taken then there could be an oversupply of as many as nearly 20,000 pharmacists in England by 2040.

If there is any lesson to be learned from what has happened in our economy over the last few years, it's that nobody is safe, nothing is guaranteed and no profession is immune to market forces in the economy. I may market myself well online and elsewhere, but I'm only human. I can't walk through this world on my own and, frankly, nobody else in this world can.

You may be wondering now as to what I'm actually doing a year on since my appearance on television. It's nearly been one year since I became self-employed. It's a new phase in my life and it's one that I've generally enjoyed. Because there are so few permanent jobs now for pharmacists (not just in Scotland, but across the United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland and many other countries), many newly qualified pharmacists go down the locuming route.

You work in all sorts of places, you meet different kinds of people and you see different ways of how things are done. I've been incredibly fortunate to work all over Scotland and really enjoy the constant change that being a locum brings. The work situation started off slowly when I became self-employed, but I got more and more busy as 2013 progressed. Now though, it's a little quieter now as many of the employers tend to hold on to their permanent staff at this early stage of the year before the year picks up momentum. On another note, Claire said something very powerful at the end of her report a year today: "...but he knows his future may not now lie in the career he's trained for."

If you know me well enough then you will no doubt know that I have my finger on the pulse when it comes to communication and the media. Whether it was my work placements at STV News and Kingdom FM, achieving my Competent Communicator award (public speaking) with Toastmasters International or presenting my weekly radio show on Victoria Radio Network in Kirkcaldy, I've got a desire to do well in the Scottish media. I cannot deny that, because if I did then I would be denying myself. You can never say never in life and it's important to engage with your own passions. I would say with confidence that I have a natural flair as a communicator and it's something I want to continue to grow and be continuously successful with.

And finally, if there is anything that I have learned in this last twelve months, it is the fact that no matter what people think of you, say about you or what opinion they hold of you, the only person who can make things work is you. Self-belief, self-confidence and self-determination go very far.

They aren't cringeworthy attributes to hold. Without them, there is no hope. These attributes are essential ingredients in creating a recipe for success.

Hassan's delight at HBA award nomination

Anas has a strong insight into Scottish politics

Anas Hassan has hailed the news at the start of 2014 that his speech package on last year's hit political play, "The Confessions of Gordon Brown", is being nominated for a Hospital Broadcasting Association award.

The broadcaster who presents for Victoria Radio Network in Kirkcaldy interviewed the director of the play, Emmy-nominated screenwriter, Kevin Toolis, for his programme on the hospital radio station last year. He also gave his own insight into what he thought of the production after going to see it for himself at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Anas' speech package entry will be competing with nine other contenders for the title of 'Best Speech Package' this March at the National Hospital Radio Awards in Bristol. Despite only being with the radio station for approximately one year, Anas has expressed his delight at the news announced at the start of the year: "When I heard the news just around an hour after midnight on New Year's Day, I could not believe what I had just learned. I am absolutely thrilled to have my speech package shortlisted."

Anas believes the achievement is a testament to his commitment to deliver quality programming for listeners: "I am very passionate about delivering quality programming and that is what I am all about as a broadcaster. I was actually very humbled and grateful for gaining the opportunity to interview Kevin about his play and I want to thank him once again for his time on air."

He also paid tribute to those who have supported him: "I want to pay tribute to my family, friends and fellow members at Victoria Radio Network for all the superb support they have given me since I joined and I cannot wait to fly the flag for VRN and for Scotland this March."

For a full list of the nominations for the 'Best Speech Package' HBA award 2014, please click here.