THE SNP’s McMafia feud hung heavy over Thursday's hustings in Uddingston & Bellshill, we hear. Richard Lyle, blamed by many activists for fuelling SNP infighting, appeared jumpy about being grilled on the topic. Before the event, he privately warned other candidates: “There’s a reporter out there, so just to let you know I’m not answering any questions about party issues.” He needn’t have worried. He got pelters on the Named Persons law instead.

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MR Lyle is famous at Holyrood for once claiming £1.80 on his MSP's expenses for a bag of chips, hence his nickname, Salty Dick. But in Lanarkshire, Salty seems better known for a past career at the rustic end of the financial services sector. As he spoke of his experience helping those in hardship, a voice at the back of the hall piped up: “Aye, you were a debt collector.”

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BUT the most surreal moment of the night was Salty and Labour candidate Michael McMahon both defending buying their council houses under the Tories’ right-to-buy policy, then voting to abolish it in Scotland. I know that might look hypocritical, Mr McMahon ruminated. Er, you think?

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STILL, it wasn’t as bitter as the Edinburgh Western debate, where Nat Toni Giugliano and LibDem Alex Cole-Hamilton clashed over Named Persons. Accusing AC-H of hypocrisy, the stick-like ‘Thin Toni’ excitedly urged voters to watch videos of his rival on the subject, just as he had done. “I think Googling videos of me is a bit creepy, Toni” came the LibDem’s eye-rolling reply.

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MORE news on the SNP’s elusive Fulton “No Show” MacGregor, the hustings-phobic hopeful in Coatbridge & Chryston. Amid growing criticism of him ducking public meetings, the “strong voice” candidate this week told a local paper he had been “regrettably” detained on other duties. Oh yeah? Unspun has a campaign leaflet suggesting No Show himself organised one rival event, picking litter, which just happened to clash exactly with the area’s main hustings. One irate punter has now created a blog about No Show’s absences, the aptly titled Empty Chair.

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JUST what is the SNP’s position on fracking? Yes, yes, the manifesto says it won’t happen if it’s dodgy. Yet the diary hears that in one of the party's famous loyalty tests, potential MSPs were asked if they would back it if SNP HQ demanded. Anyone who put principle first and said they’d rebel mysteriously failed vetting on discipline grounds.