FORGET Low Emission Zone, Holyrood is fast becoming a Low Decision Zone, as MSPs continue to squabble over proposals that previously enjoyed cross-party support.

At FMQs on Thursday, Douglas Ross began by asking the First Minister how many vehicles applied for an exemption to the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) but were refused.

In his reply, Humza Yousaf said he was supportive of Glasgow City Council’s LEZ plans.

He stated that air pollution is a "very serious problem" and said that he hoped Douglas Ross would be "unequivocal" in his support for LEZs, reminding them that ‘’every single week members of this parliament – rightly so – question the government on what more we can do to tackle climate emergency."

"As usual with the SNP, the problem with this policy is the delivery!" replied Douglas Ross.

He then began to speak about what one charity had to say about the proposals, but stopped abruptly when his ears picked the distant sound of an SNP MSP engaging in some unauthorised heckling.

"Joe Fitzpatrick – a government minister! – wants to shout me down while I am speaking about a charity in Glasgow raising concerns!" he shrieked.

"Maybe [they] should listen to Homeless Project Scotland…" he started, before stopping mid-sentence to bellow, outraged, at the SNP benches – "AND STILL THEY HECKLE!" 

This is psychology 101. If I asked my daughter to please, PLEASE stop singing the Matilda the Musical soundtrack because the sound has become an assault on my senses, she would immediately go and look for her battery-operated microphone so she could belt the tunes out even louder than before.

Politicians demanding respectful silence from their opponents is never going to achieve the desired outcome.

Douglas Ross finally went on to (wrongly) claim that Homeless Project Scotland has been refused an exemption to use their refrigerated van within a restricted area and this could impact their ability to provide meals for homeless people.

The First Minister says he "commends" the work of Homeless Project Scotland, adding: "We do have to ask ourselves, of course, why they’ve got to feed so many people in any given week.

READ MORE: Douglas Ross 'misleads parliament' at FMQs with Glasgow LEZ claim

"That’s undoubtedly the case because of over a decade of Tory austerity He went on to criticise Douglas Ross for flip-flopping on issues, which made me feel slightly nostalgic for the days when the Scottish Tory leader was bamboozled about whether he agreed with himself that Boris Johnson should resign.

"Time and time and time again, Douglas Ross will stand up and demand we do more to tackle the climate emergency," said the First Minister.

"But whether it’s on the Deposit Return Scheme, Workplace Parking Levy or Low Emission Zones, he will oppose. And why will he oppose? It nothing to do with any principled stance – he opposes it simply because the SNP proposes it. That is not good enough." 

In response, Douglas Ross said he opposes the "shambolic mess" the SNP makes of policy implementation.

Obviously unnerved by the relative quiet of the chamber, the Scottish Tory leader gave the hecklers another prod.

"SNP members wanted to heckle me when I raised the concerns of charities. Will they do the same when I read out quotes from business?" he asked.

He very quickly got his answer.