THEY were back together but would they be better together?

Or even just all right together? Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling shared a platform for the first time in four years yesterday, officially ending one of the most rancorous feuds in recent political history, at a Better Together rally.

They affected, at least, a public display of affection.

Seated side-by-side on the stage at the Caird Hall, Dundee, the former Prime Minister leaned over to his former Chancellor (the one he had tried but failed to sack back in 2009) and the pair exchanged pleasantries while a first-time voter, Shonagh Munro, addressed the audience of 300 No supporters.

Well, we are to assume they were pleasantries.

Mr Darling smiled grimly as he chatted with his former boss (the one he accused of "hopeless" leadership and "appalling behaviour" in his memoirs) but a grin is a grin and snappers got the picture they were looking for.

Later, in a speech attacking First Minister Alex Salmond's claim to be on the side of ordinary people, Mr Brown was at pains to praise Mr Darling's "integrity" and thanked him for the "incredibly difficult" job he was doing as leader of Better Together. A job made more difficult, Mr Darling must have reflected, by Mr Brown's unhelpful habit of explaining to journalists where the campaign was going wrong.

Inevitably, Mr Darling was asked about their relationship but diplomacy prevailed.

"Gordon Brown has played a very, very powerful role," he said.

"He has been a great asset to this campaign and will continue to be so." That was far as it went.

"It's a referendum. We're talking about a referendum," he protested when he was asked what he really, really thought.

So much for the big make-up. Rather to everyone's surprise, it was not the only story in town.

Mr Brown delivered a damning assessment of Mr Salmond's plan to cut corporation tax for big businesses while refusing to raise taxes on the wealthy.

He said: "The biggest beneficiaries of the SNP's tax policy are the shareholders and directors of the privatised energy companies in Scotland.

"The beneficiaries of an independent Scotland are not the ordinary people of Scotland but the richest directors of the most profitable, privatised companies in Scotland.

"When you look at the Scottish National Party policies, inequality and poverty will survive until doomsday if Alex Salmond is all that confronts it."

Not long into Mr Brown's speech a pro-independence heckler jumped up shouting "Rubbish," and "You're an absolute disgrace".

He turned out to be a disgraced former teacher called Mike Barile, who was struck off by the General Teaching Council for Scotland after receiving an absolute discharge in court for assaulting two pupils.

The audience turned its back on Mr Brown as one and gawped at Mr Barile, shouting "Out, out, out" until he was huckled away clutching his crumpled Yes poster.

Mr Brown did not break his stride and, luckily for him, the interruption came as he talked numbers about pensions. So no-one really missed much.

l US pop star David Byrne has become the latest entertainer to warn Scots against independence. The ex-Talking Heads frontman, who was born in Dumbarton, said: "As an outsider, my sense would be that by raising the issue again, Scotland can get a bit more autonomy and self-control but complete independence might be a bit much to handle."