AS his party logo is basically a noose, the First Minister was invited to put his head in it.

“In the interests of transparency,” purred Douglas Ross, “will Humza Yousaf agree to make a statement to Parliament on the financial scandal engulfing the party of government?” 

The Scottish Tory leader dangled a silken knot in front of him at FMQs. 

Mr Yousaf, despite a weakness for bad decisions, wasn’t tempted.

He was, however, “happy to answer the question”. With some quality waffle. 

There were, of course, “serious issues” involved, he admitted. All those flashing blue lights, for instance.

But he had ordered a review of party governance and transparency, and would be “focusing relentlessly on the day job”. Which in the SNP seems to be avoiding the jail.

Anas Sarwar reminded the FM that in 2017, a certain SNP minister for transport and the islands said fixing the Western Isles ferry crisis was a priority, yet it was now even worse.

“Who was that incompetent transport minister and where are they now?” he asked.

Mr Yousaf (for it was he) insisted the Government was “taking action”, albeit imperceptibly.

The Scottish Labour leader scoffed.

“That was a great example of what has become typical of his leadership in the past three weeks: Comical Ali, saying everything is fine, while the house burns down behind us.”

Mr Yousaf didn’t like that one bit. “What does not help island communities are easy soundbites from Anas Sarwar [and] silly personal attacks around Comical Ali.”

The press gallery sat up as a headline popped into every head. 'Yousaf: I’m no Comical Ali.'

But it was former SNP cabinet minister Fergus Ewing who stole the show, soundbite-wise.

Green Maggie Chapman had just railed against new oil and gas fields in the North Sea.

Mr Ewing, whose bright red puss suggests a pyromaniac love of oil and gas, was incensed.

Not burning those exquisite hydrocarbons meant destroying jobs “in a form of economic masochism advocated by the wine-bar revolutionaries in the Green Party!”

As the Nat right-winger jabbed an accusatory finger at the SNP’s erstwhile allies, the Tory benches bellowed their support for one of their spiritual own. Ewing Oil! Ewing Oil!

Deputy Presiding Officer Annabelle Ewing, his little sister, dutifully reminded him that MSPs were “required to treat each other with courtesy and respect”.

A bit harsh. Mr Ewing had clearly given Greens all the respect he could muster for them.

Mr Yousaf sighed amid the disorder of his second FMQs.

“I’ve got a feeling, deputy Presiding Officer, that that’s not the first time you had to tell off your brother.”

Mr Ewing grinned. Mr Yousaf, you ain’t heard nothing yet.