Russell Findlay was elected Scottish Tory leader on a platform of common sense, so what he was doing on Question Time this week is anyone’s guess.
Someone once said the best argument against democracy was five minutes with the average voter.
At a gruelling 60 minutes, Question Time is enough to make you long for the iron fist of a totalitarian politburo.
We can only hope the experience hasn’t totally disillusioned Findlay with electoral politics, for his performance showed the value of rationality in these most irrational times.
Speaking of which, the first topic of discussion was Donald Trump, of whom an audience member asked: ‘When was he elected master of the universe?’ Next week, the way things are going.
Kate Forbes remarked that the US president ‘makes inflammatory remarks to dominate the news cycle and all we do is talk about him’. Then the panelists did just that for a good 20 minutes.
The studio audience, composed as usual of Concerned of Kelvinbridge types, lapped it up.
Findlay offered a pragmatic take, which commanded only modest applause but was no less canny for that.
Russell Findlay’s Question Time performance showed the value of rationality in these most irrational times, writes Stephen Daisley
‘We have to live in the world that we live in, not the world we would like to be living in,’ he said, reminding the room that Trump is a man who ‘does bear grudges and does listen to what people say about him’. (If that’s the case, I’d like to state that he has fabulous hair and I’m available if he needs someone to Make America’s Policy on Scottish Independence Great Again.)
Findlay cautioned that the UK would have to be ‘diplomatic’ in how it handled Mr Trump. From offscreen came a gasp: ‘So we let him bully us?’
Findlay occupied the space to the left of Lorna Slater and it was the co-leader of the Scottish Greens who had squealed in his ear.
No, Findlay told her, adding: ‘Politicians in positions of power in Scotland who go out of their way to make personal criticisms of him, it could potentially be counter-productive. Diplomacy goes a long way.’
Poor Michael Shanks. A punter told the energy minister that voters had booted out the SNP in the general election only to find out that Labour is ‘even worse’.
His tone was one of cold fury, and I suspect he didn’t need a voice coach to help him with it.
‘I’d start by saying we’ve been in government for eight months,’ Shanks whimpered, in what might have been a plea in mitigation or a warning.
‘If you reckon we’re buggering everything up now, just remember we have four years left.
Findlay, pivoting to the higher tax burden north of the Border, was abruptly interrupted by further yapping to his right. ‘Baby boxes! Free prescriptions! Free bus travel for under-22s!’
Slater rhymed off, sounding like the average Scottish poet applying for a Creative Scotland grant.
He turned to her, deadpan: ‘You’re no longer in the government.’
Finally, some love from the audience. Whatever may divide us in Scotland, we can all be brought together by finding Lorna Slater very annoying.
