Are MSPs undermining the rule of law in Scotland?

Right now, everyone has political advantage on the brain with an election looming.

Swinney suggested it was “desperation” which drove his opponents to make such serious claims.

The first minister was genuinely angry about Russell Findlay’s position.

And the lord advocate was clearly upset too, as can be seen from the letter she sent to Anas Sarwar warning that his claims risked undermining the rule of law.

This is a dangerous moment for institutions, and not just in Scotland.

Trust is at rock bottom, and many seem to be of the opinion that systems need to be shaken up if not torn up entirely.

And MSPs are playing into this fevered atmosphere, while blaming each other for it.

Labour and the Tories insist the government is endangering the neutrality of the legal system, while the SNP hits back that they are trashing the rule of law itself.

Is there a political advantage for any of them here?

This seems like a debate which might chiefly benefit other, more anti-establishment movements.

But it’s just the latest point in a long curve of enmity and partisanship in Scottish politics.

It’s not just that people don’t trust politicians any more – politicians don’t trust each other.

Some of them don’t even trust the word of the head of the prosecution service.

What does that say to the public about who they should trust?

Politics has of course always had a mucky and brutal side to it, as well as one of public service which works earnestly to improve people’s lives.

But at a time when people increasingly feel alienated from politics, the rush to agree with them rather than change their minds creates a vicious cycle.

Politicians across the piece should be careful when sowing seeds of distrust that ultimately have to be harvested by all of them.