CAN it really be just a few short months ago that Scots were being love-bombed by Conservatives and sundry other Unionists, pleading with us to retain the fraternal ties that bind this sceptred isle?

Indeed it was, but political memories are short. On Sunday the Prime Minister, who led last autumn's charm offensive, refused to share a sofa on the BBC's Marr programme with La Pasionaria of our times and spoke of the "frightening" prospect of Ms Sturgeon's party holding any kind of sway over governance at the Mother of Parliaments.

The Herald backed Scotland staying in the Union, but we have to confess that in recent days the chief political advocates of that position have demonstrated an odd way of advancing that case.

It is one thing to say that Ms Sturgeon and her party are playing fast and loose with their plans for the next term at Westminster, or their medium term plans to get back into a referendum game. These are legitimate criticisms, as are claims that in office at Holyrood the Nationalist Government has been less progressive in policy terms than it might pretend.

But what is not permissible or acceptable is a string of Westminster politicians, some of decreasing relevance, telling the Scottish people that those they elected to represent them in the Commons are in some way illegitimate.

The Prime Minister on Sunday spoke of SNP influence on a Labour government as a nightmare. Having been single-handedly responsible for wrecking the post-referendum advantage with his ill-advised morning-after call to link progress on the Smith Commission to "English Votes for English Laws", Mr Cameron is now cheerleading his way to precisely the wrong place for a defender of the Union.

Others have jumped in, Boris Johnson being the most obvious and predictable and John Major the latest and least advised. Last August the redoubtably Rory Stewart was holding vigils at the Border and figures from across the arts and show business were urging Scots to reject separation.

Now this.

That it has taken former Tory Scottish Secretary Lord Forsyth to inform them of the error of their ways says everything about the tactical ineptness of their approach. It may not have worked, but at least in his day Michael Forsyth tried things like repatriating the Stone of Destiny.

That may have been too little too late, but Lord Forsyth recognised the dangers of too aggressive an approach to the troublesome Caledonian electorate.

Constitutional expert Professor Vernon Bogdanor of King's College, who taught David Cameron at Cambridge, has rebuked his former student by pointing out the obvious, that for as long as Scotland remains in the UK its citizens are entitled to cast their democratic vote for Westminster and their elected MPs are fully entitled to participate there.

That it takes an esteemed academic to point this out is remarkable. That Westminster politicians of the Conservative Party and other stripes require it to be pointed out is even more remarkable. And for it to take Lord Forsyth to point out that their behaviour is counter-productive is most remarkable of all.