IT started with a heckler jeering the new Labour boss about Trident, and just got worse.
Jeremy Corbyn’s first visit to Scotland since becoming party leader was a much anticipated media event. Would he hold a press conference? Would he give a speech? Would newspaper reporters get interviews?
The answers, after spending much of yesterday trying to speak to him, were no, no, and no (well, unless you work for the Daily Record).
As everyone in Scotland knows, his once-powerful party faces a slow death north of the Border after being left with just one MP, and could well end up being relegated to being the third party at Holyrood behind the Tories if the downward slide continues.
So, you would think the new leader would be launching the ultimate charm offensive as he arrived in Edinburgh.
Not so, it seemed.
Dozens of photographers and reporters massed outside Holyrood yesterday to try to speak to the Labour leader.
Normally journalists would leave picture opportunities to the photographers, but as he had refused to call a press conference or give interviews to all papers but the Record, this was our only chance.
The man of the moment eventually arrived at the Parliament, a little later than promised, shortly before 1pm.
Against a backdrop of Arthur’s Seat and under bright blue skies, he stood for a few minutes to get his picture taken with Kezia Dugdale, before being whisked into the building for a private meeting with her.
Reporters called out questions – one asked whether Labour would win north of the Border again – and Corbyn mumbled some platitude that “of course it would” before disappearing behind closed doors.
Empty-handed, the press gang hung around hoping that the Labour leader, who had professed just days ago to want a kinder and more open politics, would maybe stop to speak to us as he left the building.
We waited and waited. A couple of people said that maybe he’d left by the back door to avoid the press. But some 45 minutes later he reappeared, and had his photograph taken again with Dugdale outside the parliament’s entrance.
Pictures taken, there then unravelled one of the strangest interactions between a politician and a group of journalists I’ve ever witnessed.
Corbyn was to meet Labour MSPs in the Serenity Cafe, around the corner from the Parliament. But, while just a short walk away, he had to make his way there accompanied by photographers taking pictures and about 20 frustrated reporters asking questions.
“Jeremy, you’re Live on Sky News, will you contemplate a second referendum?” asked political editor Faisal Islam. To which there was no reply from Corbyn.
“How are you going to win back Scotland for Labour?” Again, head down, no audible reply.
“Should Labour MPs and MSPs be allowed to campaign for a Yes vote in any second referendum?” No reply.
“Is Scottish Labour a branch office and are you in charge?” That was met with silence too.
As the march of the dispossessed moved towards the cafe, burly Labour minders tried to shield their leader from the uncomfortable barrage.
At one point, Dugdale was left behind, which forced Corbyn to stop and wait. This prompted one female colleague beside me to say in a hopeful tone, “Is he actually going to speak to us?”
But no, Dugdale back at his side, the throng moved determinedly onwards.
There were a couple of moments of light relief.
A young family with a baby were finishing off their lunch in a pavement cafe, so one newspaper man, tired of being rebuffed, asked: “Do you like babies?” To which, of course, he answered, “Yes”.
Then, BuzzFeed’s Jamie Ross got a picture of Corbyn with a tin of Irn Bru (which the Labour leader ignored, although he later made a point of sampling it on the train to Glasgow).
So we learned that Jeremy Corbyn has tried Irn Bru and likes babies, but nothing about his views on Scotland; on independence, on why he thinks Labour lost so badly, on a second referendum, on whether he will stop appearing to backtrack on principles he seemed to hold dear, and how long he thinks he will last as Labour leader.
On those issues, we’re still in the dark, as of course are most newspaper readers and voters all over Scotland.
The National View: Why Corbyn is just another Labour hero set up to fail
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here