Tea, biscuits and a lot of goodwill – but not as far as same-sex marriage is concerned

Perhaps it was the Tunnock’s tea cakes or maybe the plush surroundings of Bute House, but the Bishop of Paisley seemed swept up by the occasion as he met the First Minister in his official residence.

Philip Tartaglia’s talks with the SNP leader were the subject of intense scrutiny, coming as they did the day after controversial anti-bigotry laws failed to win the backing of opposition MSPs at Holyrood.

The talks lasted just over an hour, with the bishop accompanied by aides Peter Kearney and John Deighan. Facing them were Lord Advocate Frank Mulholland and community safety minister Roseanna Cunningham.

After a stinging letter earlier in the week warning of a looming “chill” in relations with the Catholic hierarchy over the legislation and same-sex marriage, the bishop seemed suitably assuaged afterwards.

“I’ve met the First Minister a number of times now and – well, he would charm the birds of the trees, I think, and we got on fine,” he said. “I’m very pleased to come personally and express what I’d written in a letter and I’m very grateful for that invitation.”

All good so far. He was equally enthusiastic about the announcement to accompany the meeting, that a freedom of expression clause would be added to the anti-bigotry legislation, while statistics giving a fuller picture of sectarian attacks in Scotland would also be published.

Asked if a truce had been reached, the bishop was equally warm. “More than a truce, possibly,” he said. “We were very satisfied with the reassurances that we were given about the offensive behaviour bill.”

The cleric had been ushered in to meet the waiting media in an adjacent room after the First Minister had undertaken his own round of interviews.

Mr Salmond said “substantial progress” had been made during the talks, insisting the new laws were not about clamping down on religious freedom but to “stop sectarianism, stop the chanting in favour of the terrorist organisations in a way which is wrong and is misrepresentation of Scottish society”.

The First Minister said the issue of same-sex marriage was touched on only at the tail-end of the meeting, and further talks with the Church would be held on the issue, led by Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Here the harmony turned to discord, as the bishop made it clear this was the “real issue” of concern to Church leaders. The First Minister’s reassurance that no decision had been reached was welcomed, but the cleric added the Church would be “disappointed” if the SNP pressed ahead with the proposal.

Mr Salmond is already dealing with an internal spat in his party over this and it could prove a thorny issue, getting to the heart of civic and religious freedoms, for him in the months ahead.

Other religious leaders have backed the legalisation, but, as Bishop Tartaglia made clear, it has prompted Catholics to question: “Can we trust this government?”