Brian Taylor

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a political leader, when embroiled in a televised debate, will frequently resort to pious platitude. You know the sort of thing. A cornered contender will trill: “We have to remember that at the end of the day this election is all about…..the people!” Means nothing, costs nothing. If delivered with the requisite level of sincerity, it may even attract applause from the audience. Mind you, there are exceptions to this rule. Joe Biden, the current leader of the free world, could have used a few vaguely coherent platitudes in his encounter with Donald Trump.

He landed in mildly warm water this week when he admitted he had placed bets on the date of the election.

Don’t fancy this election? Hang on – there is another one just round the corner Less than a fortnight to go but still a bit early for firm predictions, unless you press me. However, here is one for free: the next political battles will begin the moment this contest closes.

Forget politics. A week is an eternity in football.

Let us consider the election. The one in France, that is. It holds at least two key lessons for us, as we prepare for our own exercise in democracy.

In Westminster terms, Nigel Farage is a serial loser. This will be the eighth time he has sought a seat on the green benches of the Commons.

I believe that Douglas Ross himself knows it does not look good. He has only just given up his Commons seat in Moray. He was supposed to be sticking to a single Parliament, the one at the foot of the Royal Mile.

His Majesty’s House of Commons, there assembled at Westminster, is defined by division. It is its core, its leitmotif.

The rebuke was stern. The Scottish Parliamentary chamber at Holyrood was not a suitable venue for contesting the UK General Election.

By one of the curious coincidences which are all too common in politics, John Swinney was setting out his Scottish governing priorities – just as the speculation grew that the Prime Minister was about to call an election.