The Blunkett Tapes

David Blunkett's much-publicised diaries include an interesting insight into the fragile relationship between John Reid, Scottish Secretary in 1999, and Donald Dewar, who had just become First Minister of Scotland.

July 1999
I had a drink with John Reid [Secretary of State for Scotland] - I had a glass of wine and he had a Coke - and discussed how to repair relations with the Scottish Executive. He was pretty robust about what he thought about Donald Dewar, but I pointed out that he was pretty lucky himself to have got out of Transport just before the whatsit hit the fan. Lucky politicians always get out at the right time.

Of course, relations between the two got much worse later on, particularly over the Lobbygate affair which involved Reid's son Kevin.