IT was a dog-whistle so shrill, so crude, so blatant, so ugly, that nobody can now doubt the depths to which Douglas Ross is prepared to sink as he clings to the wreckage of a Tory Party heading for electoral oblivion.

After demonising the travelling community, after exploiting the homeless for clicks, after flip-flopping like an amoral vacuum during the shameful reigns of Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, the leader of the Scottish Conservative Party chose a new target this week, stoking fears over ‘Drag Queen Story Hour’.

READ MORE: Neil Mackay: Tax capital as we tax labour

The ‘Story Hour’ in question is hosted by Miss Lossie Mouth, stage name of the performer and teacher John Naples Campbell, who has now been subjected to hate and vilification online. Ross insults parents with his implication they’d take their children to a show which endangers them.

READ MORE: Neil Mackay:Tory attack on DRS is proxy war to destroy devolution

One wonders what Ross will target next? Panto? What’s the difference between Christopher Biggins as Widow Twankey and Campbell as Miss Lossie Mouth? Or maybe Ross will turn his guns on the Bible? It’s not far into the Book of Genesis, after all, before Lot offers up his daughters to be raped by a mob.

Ross has turned the Scottish Tories into this nation’s version of the DUP. It jumps on any moral panic - of which there’s plenty these days. It says ‘No’ at every opportunity, constantly attacking devolution, even delighting in destroying an attempt by the Scottish Government to introduce something as mundane as a recycling scheme. And this in the era of climate change.

Culture war and obstruction seem all this party has left...

To read the full article, sign up to our Unspun newsletter, delivering the best political insight and analysis at 7pm every weekday. You will find Unspun and more of our newsletters here.