IT is always a dangerous business to play the predictions game with politics, even when you are as clued up as Laura Kuenssberg.

At the end of her show yesterday the former BBC political editor would only say that she “hoped” to speak to Nicola Sturgeon next Sunday in the latest of a series of interviews with party leaders.

With Rishi Sunak grilled last week and Keir Starmer yesterday it would be odd indeed if Scotland’s First Minister “did a Boris” and decided she had something better to do. But it is always possible, hence Kuenssberg not printing the posters just yet.

It should be perfect timing, coming at the end of a week in Westminster that has the potential to be lively.

READ MORE: Warning over de facto vote rethink

On Monday, the UK Government will hear further advice from its lawyers on whether they believe the Scottish Parliament’s recently passed gender recognition law is compatible with UK law. The UK Government then has until Wednesday to decide if it will block the Scottish legislation.

Gender recognition reform displaced the strikes as the key topic on the Sunday politics shows. Brian Cox, a member of the comment panel on the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, was among those having his say on the new law.

Earlier, Sir Keir Starmer told Kuenssberg he had “concerns”, believing that 16 was too young to make a decision on changing gender. As for blocking the legislation, he would “wait and see” what the UK Government proposed.

Cox said was “proud” of Scotland for acting on gender recognition.

Kuenssberg said the debate had been heated in Scotland, with anger directed at, among others, JK Rowling for her opposition to the bill.

“I don’t like the way she’s been treated,” said Cox. “She’s entitled to her opinion, she’s entitled to say what she feels, as a woman she’s very much entitled to say what she feels about her own body. People have [frankly] been a bit high and mighty about their attitudes towards JK Rowling.”

Speaking on the same programme, the UK Transport Secretary Mark Harper said ministers were awaiting “detailed analysis” of how Scotland’s gender law will affect UK legislation, such as the Equalities Act.

Downing Street officials said on Saturday that the full legal advice to ministers had not yet been reviewed and no decisions have been made.

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That is despite reports suggesting that the advice has given Mr Sunak the legal cover he requires to apply a Section 35 order to prevent the Bill from gaining Royal Assent.

Later in the show, Brian Cox defended Nicola Sturgeon’s position on using the next general election, or the next Scottish Parliament poll, as a de facto referendum on independence. Both options have been put forward for a party vote in March.

“Nicola Sturgeon has been very canny,” said Cox. She had to be given the upheaval in Catalonia when it held an illegal referendum, he said.

Having first said gaining independence was “an impossible task”, Cox corrected himself, saying it was not impossible but it could seem so. “It seems overwhelming in a way. Nicola is the right person, she’s done a great job, her canniness is what will get us there in the end.”

A gold star to whoever booked the SNP’s new Westminster leader to appear on BBC Scotland’s The Sunday Show. (Like wishing people happy new year, is there a time limit on applying the term “new” to Stephen Flynn?).

Hearing he was on the show the shallow viewer (guilty) were looking forward to seeing a glimpse of his home. His predecessor, Ian Blackford, used to be teased by some in Westminster over the pine-clad “man cave” that was his favoured spot for interviews.

Disappointingly, the MP for Aberdeen South was not playing the Through the Keyhole game, choosing to be interviewed against a standard picture of the city instead. He was wearing a suit and tie, another sign that he is not about to be easy like Sunday morning with the politics shows.

READ MORE: SNP Westminster leader says General Election best option

That much was obvious when Martin Geissler, the presenter, asked how often Mr Flynn spoke to the First Minister. They were in “regular contact” said the MP. As for an anonymous reports that she “did not take” to him, Mr Flynn said there was “a little bit of garbage” in such speculation. Both questioner and questioned had the grace to laugh.

The last word went to Brian Cox, or rather it didn’t. Kuenssberg’s attempts to get a scoop on the new series of Succession, due in Spring, came to nothing. Citing the non-disclosure agreements he had to sign as part of playing the media mogul Logan Roy, Cox would only say season four was “pretty exciting”. Let’s hope that prediction, for one, is correct.