Linda was off to Malawi with SNP MP Pete Wishart last week, taking part in a programme to help enhance the democratic structures there.  Malawi is a country that Scotland has strong links with and has had for a long time, and it’s a country that could do with our help.  The SNP is pleased to play our part in helping where we can, and Linda is only too glad to help out where she can.

Flying back home turned out to be more eventful than she bargained for as she became unwell on the journey.  A trip to the doctor back home, and she’s been given a course of medicine and told to take it easy for three weeks. 

It’s not until you try to clear an MSP’s diary that you realise how much she does.  Morag spent most of the day cancelling appointments and I spent a couple of hours arranging for other people to cover her commitments in Parliament – even with the help of the Parliament’s clerks.  Luckily, we’re heading into recess next week and the workload isn’t as heavy as usual.

Stuck in house unwell, though, Linda is still emailing and phoning, carrying on with her work and asking for some documents to be posted to her, and she’s determined to go to party conference next week to keep the promises she made to people about speaking at their events.  It seems she’s not sure about this concept of taking it easy!

When she’s back at work properly Linda will have plenty to tell you about the work in Malawi and how hard it is to take things easy.  Meanwhile, we’ll carry on with the work here and wait for further instructions tomorrow.

Linda Fabiani
02.10.06