Barbara Dickson hurt not to be asked back

This year, Scotland is holding a huge series of homecoming events, which the Scottish parliament seems to think will underline how talented the nation is, but in effect just points up how many people can't wait to flee as soon as they get a bit of success.

Someone, though, forgot to invite Barbara Dickson:

She said: "Homecoming? I've never been asked to come home. I wasn't invited to participate in anything to do with launching that. I never even got an invitation to the opening of the parliament."

How surprising that they would have even thought of opening a parliament without inviting the woman who did Pearls A Singer. Oh, hang on, that was Elkie, wasn't it?

Dickson also tuts over the state of Scotland's music:

"In Scotland, it's vital that young folk are playing the fiddle and the box and that people sing. It keeps the music alive. The country needs its culture."

Dickson was talking from her home in Lincolnshire.