A nation waits. Labour had warned the SNP would purse a "day one conflict strategy" from day one. But even if installed in Bute House next Wednesday, Alex Salmond's room even for grandstanding may be constrained.
Much of Scotland's public sector is uncertain. Will there be enough votes to introduce elections for health boards, as the SNP want, and what would that mean for the NHS? And what will the consequences be for public sector workers from the efficiency drive promised by Mr Salmond during the campaign?
Is this the time when quangoes will finally be thrown into the long-delayed bonfire, promised by Labour before 1997?
Don't be so sure. Quangoes are hard to remove, and often with good reason. Quite a few of them do a necessary job, at arm's length from politicians and drawing in expertise far below the market rate.
Some are already wondering how to avoid the chop. And hats off to Nick Kuenssberg, newly-appointed chairman of VisitScotland.com, for taking the most direct self-preservation route of all.
The businessman phoned in to BBC Radio Scotland on Friday, where Alex Salmond could be found listening to the voice of the great Scottish public. Mr Kuenssberg pleaded with the FM-elect to tear up the tourist agency, or its commercial arm.
The SNP manifesto had backed the demise of VisitScotland and the creation of a Welcome to Scotland agency, tied into a revamped, slimmed-down Scottish Enterprise, and including elements of tourism, work, study and living in Scotland.
Only identified in the phone-in as "Nick", Salmond quickly clocked who was on the line, and was predictably non-committal ahead of taking power.
I phoned Mr Kuenssberg to ask about this unusually public approach to lobbying, and he confirmed that he thinks it would be "absolutely crackers" to get rid of the VisitScotland brand, at a time when Scottish tourism is doing so well.
This raises the prospect of the New Politics in Scotland featuring every public sector boss phoning in to radio stations to plead for their jobs with the First Minister. It would, at least, be a highly transparent form of government. It would also crowd out the ranting and axe-grinding of the green ink brigade - one of whom threatened on Friday to lynch Mr Salmond if he doesn't hold an independence referendum.
Douglas -
We did indeed talk after this broadcast but I would like to correct a couple of points:
1.I did not plead with Alex Salmond "to tear up the tourist agency".
2.I was happy with collaboration with SE but did not want radical restructuring i.e. elimination of VisitScotland without further thought and discussion, which he accepted.
3.I represented VisitScotland.com, not VisitScotland which is a quango.
4. VisitScotland.com is a private limited company and is not a quango; my call was inspired by the prospect of direct discussion and not by self-preservation! In this it was successful.
4.I should add that I have been impressed by the initial speedy response from the new ministers to issues raised.
Douglas -
We did indeed talk after this broadcast but I would like to correct a couple of points:
1.I did not plead with Alex Salmond "to tear up the tourist agency".
2.I was happy with collaboration with SE but did not want radical restructuring i.e. elimination of VisitScotland without further thought and discussion, which he accepted.
3.I represented VisitScotland.com, not VisitScotland which is a quango.
4. VisitScotland.com is a private limited company and is not a quango; my call was inspired by the prospect of direct discussion and not by self-preservation! In this it was successful.
4.I should add that I have been impressed by the initial speedy response from the new ministers to issues raised.
