There were two distinct reactions among supporters of independence yesterday when Alex Salmond won his case against the Scottish government over its investigation into alleged sexual misconduct.

One was a kind of appalled dismay at the message this sent, not just to the two women who had come forward with complaints about the former first minister but to women in all walks of life who might be wrestling with the dilemma of whether to act on their own workplace experiences.

The other was a roar of rage at the way Mr Salmond had been treated, fuelled by a suspicion that he had been deliberately set up by political enemies within and outwith the SNP.

The stark difference between these two reactions bodes ill for the