The legend that is Dave Kett

FOR journalists all over the country, the name Dave Kett will be very familiar.

The guy is a legend who has taught public affairs on the south coast for more than 40 years. Among his former pupils at BBC Five Live's political correspondent, John Pienaar, the BBC's home editor, Mark Easton, and the ITN newsreader, Mark Austin.

Dave began teaching at Highbury College in 1971 and he has also taught at the University of Bournemouth and the Southampton Institute.

Last year, he was presented with the NCTJ chairman Kim Fletcher's award for his outstanding contribution to journalism training and education. In presenting Dave with the award, Kim described him as "the eminence grise of public affairs".

Since taking over running the journalism courses at Highbury College, Dave has offered me some very useful counsel over the summer break. Since I will also be teaching public affairs this year - Dave taking the Fast Trackers and I've got the One Years - the sage of PA has been very generous in helping me to prepare for delivering the course.

Last Thursday, I sat in on Dave's class to see the master at work. For two-and-half hours, he had the young journalists spellbound with a textbook display of teaching. It was a masterclass of engaging with the students, connecting with the subject and engaging in the conversation.

Topically, Dave's first lesson looked at the British Constitution and with the Scottish independence vote looming next week, on the State of the Union.

Whatever the outcome next Thursday, the role of government in the UK will be the same, predicted Dave. Whatever Scotland get, Wales and Northern Ireland will want a piece of it too. And will England look towards it own government or even regional assemblies? It's an interesting point.

I'm not that bothered. Like a unhappy girlfriend who keeps telling you that she wants to leave, I say just let her go. I can't do with this pandering to the Scots.

Anyway, what right have the three political party leaders go to offer concessions without the vote of Parliament - in other words, England's democratically-elected politicians? If Scotland want to go, then let them go.

During this first public affairs lesson, Dave explained what is known as the West Lothian question, warning the students not to get too angry once he'd told them about it.

The West Lothian question relates to the former Labour MP for West Lothian, Tam Dalyell, who raised the point back in 1977. He asked why Scottish, Welsh, or even Northern Irish MPs have the same right to vote in Westminster as any English MP, now that larges area of policy are devolved to the national parliaments and assemblies.

Dalyell was an anti-devolutionist who argued how it would be unfair for Scottish MPs to have equal rights to vote on English-only legislation.

So, it is ironic and galling that in January 2004, Labour Prime Minister Tony Blair, needed the support of Scottish Labour MPs to introduce tuition fees, a policy firmly rejected in Scotland and where university education is free - but where they will charge English students up to £9,000.

Now that really sticks in the craw.

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