Since 2007 the SNP has hailed the superiority of the NHS in Scotland compared to the English model. That was challenged this week by BMA Scotland chairman Brian Keighley who described the past five years as "the continuing crisis management of the longest car crash in memory". He urged politicians and voters to consider how much tax they want to pay to fund the NHS in Scotland and how comprehensive they want the service to be, and in doing so usurped independence in the political debate. No mean feat.
It's been a hard month for the Yes campaign as Better Together gets its "No Thanks" act together and international voices rally to the Union. But as Holyrood enters recess for a month there's an opportunity to regroup and try to wrest back the campaign initiative, which (according to Ipsos MORI research) even a third of No voters think Yes holds. This contest's two and a half years old with another three months to run, so the challenge is to keep the pot simmering for another three months as opposed to the traditional three-week general election campaign.
This week's indyref celebrities were actors Daniel Radclifffe (I'd rather you didn't go), Elijah Wood (Independence? F*****g go for it!) and Stanley Baxter (ask your granny who he is) opining – President Obama, Pope Francis and Premier Li Keqiang they are not.
Scottish Conservatives chairman Richard Keen tested the No camp harmony, describing Labour's devolution plans as “incoherent, unworkable and confused” and a “failed and horrible compromise”. Labour's reply? “Richard Keen’s insights into Scottish politics are like Bernard Manning’s tips on flower arranging.” Makes Better Together sounds an aspiration rather than an assertion.
Tuesday saw the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn. It was barely remarked upon by Scots, the Scottish Government or the SNP, so the London media seemed disappointed at the lack of Braveheart-style facepaint on display.
This week's big row was over the date of a TV debate. Alex wants to debate Dave in July but Dave won't play. Alistair wants to debate Alex, but Alex keeps changing the date. Alistair won't do the date Alex wants. Get a grip guys - as Muhammad Ali said of the Rumble in the Jungle: "we gonna get it on, cos we don't get along!"
David Cameron may be gunning for arch-federalist Jean-Claude Juncker in Ypres, but in contrast his Conservative colleague Murdo Fraser MSP was setting out his vision for a federal UK in a bid to keep Scotland in the Union.
Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls' visit to Edinburgh got limited attention while Holyrood's lobby correspondents are having Ed Miliband for lunch today (Friday), perhaps literally.
In other news, the latest estimate for the start-up costs of a separate Scottish state came in at £200m from Prof Patrick Dunleavy - whose previous analysis led Danny Alexander to claim it would cost £2.7bn. Alex Salmond revealed he's received online death threats (presumably not from cybernats). The world record for the most tweed in one room was shattered as The Spectator hosted a debate on whether independence would be bad for Edinburgh. Pity Prof Vernon Bogdanor, whose warning an independent Scotland may be a "fax democracy" barely registered. Perhaps he should follow Elijah Wood's example…
Alastair Ross FCIPR
Director, Pinsent Masons