First Minister's Questions sketch: Humza Yousaf opts for a narrow escape over WhatsApp message furore

WhatsApp messages again dominated First Minister’s Questions.

Humza Yousaf has a breadth problem. Not a mean outburst of halitosis, but an obsession instead on the scope, range, and extent of what was, in reality, a pretty straight-forward request from the Covid-19 Inquiry.

Yes, everyone’s favourite FMQ’s topic, transparency and WhatsApps, led the day for a third week running. Those nerds among the audience rejoiced, while the public sighed as their bills continue to rise.

But this was serious stuff. Douglas Ross, restraining himself from lurching angrily towards the use of the banned ‘lie’ accusation, instead unleashed the parliamentary equivalent.

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf during First Minster's Questions (FMQ's) at the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh.

Humza Yousaf had misled Parliament, so had his deputy Shona Robison, and now it was to face the wrath of that ever reliable arbiter of justice, a Scottish football referee.

Had he not been “caught red-handed in a cover-up”, queried Ross? Alas, with the helpful use of parliamentary VAR, Yousaf disagreed.

After apologising to families for the Government’s “too narrow” approach to the Covid inquiry’s request for messages made, initially, in February, he said it was clear he had been referring to a different request made in September.

But the requests from the inquiry were black and white and not remotely subjective, nor should the Scottish Government have been surprised the inquiry wanted everything, not just what ministers were happy for them to see.

These facts mattered naught to Yousaf, who lurched down this alleyway multiple times in a desperate attempt to avoid the sights of his political opponents.

A narrow escape, but Anas Sarwar, Scottish Labour leader, set a second trap around legal advice not being disclosed to the inquiry. The walls may very well close in again.

Outside the chamber was Michael Matheson, who somehow managed to rack up a £11,000 phone bill while on holiday in Morocco.

Such was the health secretary’s confidence in the defence of a figure that equates to £65 an hour, 24 hours a day, for the duration of his trip, he attempted to avoid as many questions about the farce as possible from reporters hovering outside the ministerial tower in Holyrood.

Did he use Netflix while away on the phone, the First Minister’s official spokesperson was later asked.

Not to his knowledge, he responded. No need for Netflix anyway, Natflix drama is in plentiful supply.