We greatly enjoyed Any Questions on Radio 4 this week. Well chaired by Jonathan Dimbleby, it was a mostly grown-up and adult discussion of issues around nationalism and independence, perhaps assisted by the fact that – we gather – Scottish Labour branch manager Kezia Dugdale was unable to take part and was replaced as a Labour representative by Lord Falconer, who offered some considered and intelligent views.

The only slight wasp in the ointment was Tory list MSP Adam Tomkins, who delivered his usual boorish, patrician and arrogant debating style, which was frequently met with boos, jeers and catcalls from a feisty Blantyre audience. But he did come out with one rather unexpected and off-message policy position.

(Any Questions, BBC Radio 4, 29 April 2017)

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Wait, did we hear that last bit right?

“I would be quite happy, Jonathan, to go to my grave never having to fight another referendum campaign. I’m a Parliament man – I think what we do is we elect parliaments to represent the people, to make decisions on behalf of the people.”

Since only one Parliament – the one in Edinburgh – represents specifically the people of Scotland (and Scotland’s representation at the UK parliament is overwhelmingly SNP and likely to remain so after the general election anyway), we find ourselves in unusual agreement with Professor Tomkins – sod referendums, let’s just have a vote in Parliament to decide on independence and get it over with.