AMID the crazy heat of politics, there was a welcome moment of ice-cool understatement at First Minister’s Questions. Nicola Sturgeon was updating MSPs on her meetings in London with Theresa May and the leader of the opposition.
“Yesterday at Westminster,” she said, “I had a constructive meeting with Jeremy Corbyn... and then I met the Prime Minister.” Nicely done.
“All I got in return were the reasons why the Prime Minister didn’t agree with me.”
The Scottish Conservatives would have done well to emulate her restraint.
Instead, as Labour’s Richard Leonard asked about medicine shortages in a no-deal Brexit, the blue benches starting mooing and moaning like escaped cattle.
It was a gift-wrapped gaffe.
“I couldn’t help noticing,” said the FM, “that while Richard Leonard was asking me that important and serious question, the Conservative members were laughing.”
Shame! Shame! Shame! cried the SNP terraces.
“It’s not a laughing matter,” Ms Sturgeon went on. “Every Conservative in the Scottish Parliament and every Conservative politician across the country should be hanging their heads in shame at the fact that they have brought the country to the brink of crisis.”
Jackson Carlaw’s livestock shuffled uncomfortably on the naughty step. Ruth Davidson will be having a word, or a stun gun, after Easter recess.
LibDem leader Willie Rennie, by his own modest admission, was all charm.
He reminded the FM her Brexit stance used to be an ultra-soft compromise of single market membership, a customs union, and mandatory Eurovision sing-a-longs.
“That was her main position until I charmed her to support the People’s Vote,” he crooned. “She changed her mind after I asked her.”
There was a burst of laughter and retching.
“I encourage Willie Rennie to keep up with the charm,” the FM replied diplomatically.
Grinning like a letterbox, Mr Rennie flicked his quiff and twinkled his medallion at her.
Somehow not swooning, Ms Sturgeon said she wanted to avoid Brexit, but if that choice was closed to the UK, there was always independence.
“If we go down a different route, as I continue to hope to charm Willie Rennie into agreeing to do - I will want to protect Scotland,” she said.
Mr Rennie grinned. That meant he was even more charming, right? Result! Just call him Mister Brex Appeal.
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