It's doin' me head in

Keeping up to speed with what is being worked out in the Scottish National Party (SNP) at the moment seems almost as challenging as answering the Schleswig-Holstein Question. The legal intricacies of the case are demanding, the consequences possibly far reaching, the personal un-relationships excruciating. In other words, it’s all very absorbing and productive of much merriment for those who consider the current state of Scottish politics a standing joke—or, in other words, exactly where the English would like Scottish politics to be facing the possibility of an Act of Disunion.
 
I’ve followed Craig Murray’s exhaustive reporting on this subject, and one conclusion is clear—the British mainstream media are inclined to avoid giving any credence to Alex Salmond’s evidence—even though he was acquitted of all charges of sexual impropriety (at least such impropriety that amounted to alleged criminal behaviour). His accusers are protected by legal anonymity, and their evidence—or should I say the evidence Salmond claims to have which would help substantiate his side of the story cannot be revealed lest it potentially reveals their identity. No wonder he has been stymied in coming forward with his evidence—he’s not been allowed to use it. On the other hand, Nicola Sturgeon gets away with accusing him of not providing the evidence. In the meantime, the phrase ’conspiracy theory’ is kicked around largely to Salmond’s detriment.
 
From my distant perspective it is hard to decipher all that is going on, and I suspect many Scots may see the whole thing as a distraction, or at best a mildly fascinating political soap opera. It is a drama that on the face of it doesn’t really have any bearing on the independence debate, on Covid or on Brexit. It is a source of salacious amusement. In that context, whatever the particular outcome of this particular case, it will soon be forgotten, and both protagonists may end up on the same scrapheap, quickly to be shovelled over. Which of course means, at least from the SNP ‘loyalist’ side that there will be one or two already lining up to take Sturgeon's place - she's not coming out of this smelling of roses. As for Salmond, what can he hope for? A publishing deal?