Analysis: Independence talk not high on priority list

SOMETHING remarkable happened in the Scottish Parliament yesterday. An entire half-hour of First Minister’s Questions went by with barely a peep on independence.

First Alex Salmond was asked by Labour leader Johann Lamont about his pledge to guarantee 600 hours of nursery care. Then Ruth Davidson, pumped up, knew she had to make an impact. An unscientific straw poll of members, published on the web yesterday, suggested her approval ratings had fallen from 82 per cent to 4.8 per cent in a month. That’s not the end of a honeymoon. That’s coming back from honeymoon to find your house has burned down and someone has strangled the cat. She harangued Mr Salmond over the decision to reject the prostate cancer drug Abiraterone for use in Scotland.

On we went. Willie Rennie, for the LibDems, raised gay marriage. A lady in Paisley had had to dry herself in a hospital with a pillow case, due to a lack of towels.

Finally, independence made an appearance. Mr Salmond attacked the UK for imposing increased rates of child poverty. Come independence, Scotland would increase child poverty all by itself. I paraphrase. But that was about it for the Great National Debate. Concerns have been expressed recently that Scottish residents are already exhibiting symptoms of referendum fatigue. Is the same weariness affecting our tribunes too?