A low blow

ALEX Salmond is highly displeased, he has let it be known, about references to entrepreneur Jim McColl at First Minister's Questions. During the weekly set-to, Scots Labour leader Johann Lamont described the indy-curious Clyde Blowers chief as a "tax exile" – presumably because he is domiciled in Monaco.

"Unfortunate and unnecessary" is what the FM's chief spin doctor had to say about the "attack". Mr Salmond spent much of FMQs claiming that an independent Scotland's taxman would be far more rigorous than HMRC. But calling someone a tax exile, it seems, is officially off limits.

Futureproofing

Civil servants were blamed for their lack of vision in the debacle over the Raasay sporting rights when local crofters lost them to a South Ayrshire company. Ministers quickly restored the rights for a year after the outcry which followed the announcement.

But these same officials can no longer be accused of short-sightedness over the issue. One of the offers the island community has been asked to consider is a lease of the sporting rights for up to 175 years.

As The Crofter, the journal of the Scottish Crofting Federation, points out: "If the lease was granted for longer than 175 years the tenants - could convert it to ownership under the Long Leases (Scotland) Act 2012, which the Government clearly does not want."

So, no difficult questions in 2188 then.

Funny business

THIS week's stushie over a Yes Scotland video claiming the start-up costs of a born- again independent Scotland would be a mere £300 million reminds us of another film the campaign has plugged.

Intended to show business is on-side with a Yes vote, it features "businessman Dr Imtiaz Majid explaining the benefits of taking control of your own affairs and making your own decisions".

Curiously, Yes Scotland forgets to mention Dr Majid's day job: as the SNP councillor for Coatbridge South.

Depth of ignorance

Ignorance, so they say, is bliss. It certainly might seem that way to some when it comes to the cut-and-thrust of the never-ending independence debate.

But is it now taking its toll on the SNP HQ?

The question arises after a press release declared: "SNP Treasury spokesman Stewart Hosie has called on the Treasury to respond properly to the Fiscal Commission Working Group after the leading economists, including two Nobel Prize winners, expressed their disappointment that the UK Government had failed to ignore their work despite it offering answers to the Treasury's questions."

It would seem Messrs Osborne and Alexander have nothing better to do than to respond fully to Mr Salmond's panel of wise advisers.

Believe it or not ...

I DON'T believe it. Richard Wilson is expected to be star guest as the Labour for a Referendum (on the EU) campaign holds a glitzy launch in Westminster on Monday night.

The veteran actor is pro-EU and wants a public vote to settle the issue "once and for all". He may have one foot in the Algarve, but he wants to keep the other one in Brussels.

Painful laughter

REACTION shot of the week came courtesy of ex-SNP whip Bruce Crawford during a debate on chronic pain.

As the health secretary praised former MSP Dorothy-Grace Elder for her work on the issue, Bruce could be seen choking back a guffaw at the thought of his old colleague, his eyebrows pirouetting in amusement.

Our sources tell us that, like many an SNP MSP, he associates the idiosyncratic Ms Elder with a chronic pain of a rather different sort.

£4.4m of nothing

NEWS from behind the Great Purple Wall of Holyrood – that garish plywood screen behind which the parliament's new high-security entrance hall is taking shape.

The facility, dubbed "Fortress Holyrood" is on schedule and on-budget according to a progress report this week. So far, officials said, £4.4 million of the £6.5 million budget has been spent.

All very encouraging. But here's a thing: when Unspun asked if The Herald could take a picture, we were told: "No. There's nothing to see."

Getting better

HOLYROOD'S best wishes are with Presiding Officer Tricia Marwick, who underwent an operation this week and – after some cajoling by her officials, it has to be said – has agreed to take the last few weeks of the parliamentary session off to recuperate.

Probably the last thing on her mind was her planned end-of-term drinks party for the troublesome band of hacks embedded in EH99 1SP. Nevertheless the ever-thoughtful Ms Marwick has promised to rearrange the eagerly anticipated June soiree for September.