IF the UK media is to be believed, the SNP have been having a barnstormer of a day.
Not only has the party managed to secure another two MPs, bringing their total up to 50, but one of those was a high-profile defection from the Scottish Tory leader.
That’s only if the UK media is to be believed, mind.
First up we have Alistair Carmichael, the MP for Orkney and Shetland.
Speaking today in the House of Commons, Carmichael said: “We all know that those who want to break up the United Kingdom love nothing more than a manufactured grievance, but I have to tell the Prime Minister that he does nothing to help those of us who want the United Kingdom to stay together when he is the one manufacturing the grievances.”
READ MORE: 'Union of Equals nonsense buried': PM dodges questions on furlough extension
Ignoring the inference, that this MP doesn’t quite understand what a “manufactured grievance” is, should we take a wild guess as to what party he may be in?
He clearly identifies as a Unionist, so, perhaps a Tory? Well he's not one of their six. Labour? He's not Ian Murray either.
That means he is, of course, a LibDem. Or was, before the BBC took their wild and uneducated guess.
According to the BBC, Carmichael has joined the SNP.
In a monumental day for diversity in the party, the SNP now have their first pro-Union politician.
In an even more monumental day for the party, he’s not the only one.
Reporting on the same proceedings in the Commons, the Independent newspaper had some even wilder news.
They knowingly informed us that Johnson had been quizzed on the extension of the furlough scheme by “SNP MP Douglas Ross”.
The news will come as a sorry blow to the Scottish Tories, who made Ross their new leader just a few short months ago (he obviously hasn’t made much of a splash south of the Border).
READ MORE: FIFA confirms probe which could end Douglas Ross's refereeing career
It will come as even worse news considering the Tories have quite blatantly manufactured today's furlough "win" for Ross, only to have it go to the SNP.
Boris Johnson didn't spend all day dodging questions around the furlough extension from just about every other party in Westminster just to accidentally hand the win to that "Scottish Nationalist Party".
Johnson did it to give Ross something to claim as his own. A little victory he could say he'd won.
Ross hasn't managed anything else yet after all (except maybe get himself banned from refereeing).
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 hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel