IT came a day early to avoid the European elections, but FMQs will stay long in the mind for one of the most brutal, knee-scything putdowns heard at Holyrood in many a year.

Nicola Sturgeon thought she was onto a winner with her attack on Ruth Davidson as a born-again BoJo-phile.

The Scottish Tory leader and Boris Johnson have never exactly seen eye to eye.

They were in opposite corners in the EU debate. Ms Davidson accused him of peddling mince. Less savoury terms were used in private.

Tory MSPs generally think of the former Foreign Secretary as a dangerous clown.

When he tried to pitch up at her recent party conference in Aberdeen to audition for the Tory leadership, Ms Davidson shooed him away like a seagull that was after her chips.

But that was a crazy three weeks ago. With BoJo now appearing doomed to be Prime Minister, Ms Davidson had told a newspaper she was ready to work with him after all.

Well, if you’ve experienced a nappy bin, you can hold your nose for almost anything.

When Ms Davidson accused the SNP of ignoring votes it didn’t like, the FM instantly hauled Boris into the mix.

“The difference perhaps between Ruth Davidson and I is this - I’ve got principles and I stick to my principles,” she crowed.

Once, Ms Davidson opposed Brexit, now she supports it! Once, she demanded to stay in the single market, now she wants out!

“And Ruth Davidson, of course, use to call Boris Johnson names that I can’t repeat in this chamber - now she is cosying up to Boris Johnson, the arch-Brexiteer.”

As the SNP benches roared, John Swinney could be heard chuckling “Cosy, cosy...”

Then the word “Salmond” wafted across the chamber. I suspect it was Labour’s Neil Findlay who said it. But I always suspect him of something. It gave Ms Davidson her cue.

“Presiding Officer,” she said with a wicked glint. “I’ve never had a problem standing up to the alpha males in my own party. I wonder if the First Minister is able always to have said the same?”

This to a FM who last week admitted suffering from imposter syndrome, who is constantly compared to Eck, who is being briefed against by her predecessor’s camp. Had she ever really stepped out of his doubt-free shadow?

There was a mass wince. This was part psychological warfare, part headbutt.

Ms Sturgeon smiled meekly. Her MSPs stopped cheering.

Tory deputy Jackson Carlaw said something that would give our lawyers kittens.

Ms Sturgeon’s BoJo mojo was well and truly banjoed.