Indyref2 supporters embarrass themselves (again)

Oh dear. The nationalists are at it again. In the past 48 hours, two examples have shown how –despite being Scotland's main governing party for the past 15 years – old habits die hard in the SNP, where protest and grievance are the de facto response to any minor irritation.

First, consider the BBC News story that NHS Scotland chiefs had discussed abandoning the founding principles of the health service by having the wealthy pay for treatment. The basis for the story could not have been stronger: mention of a 'two-tier' health service had appeared in draft minutes of a meeting of the country's NHS leaders in September.

Yet that did not stop furious pro-independence supporters from enacting a pile-on against the BBC for having the audacity to publish an accurate and truthful story. Accusations ranged from claims it was merely the Beeb recycling a different story from 2014 (it wasn't) to allegations that it was 'false' because SNP ministers subsequently confirmed they would not introduce charges – something which doesn't change the fact that it was discussed.

Indeed, BBC Scotland and its staff were subjected to so much abuse that the Corporation was forced to put out a statement saying that: 'Reporting on the NHS in Scotland is a very important story for our audience. They have a right to know what those leading the NHS in Scotland are discussing - and that's what we've been reporting today.' In short: journalism is not a crime.

In fairness to the SNP, most of the abuse largely came from anonymous Twitter bots, rather than elected officials. Still, cometh the hour and cometh the man. For, as Scotland awaits tomorrow's Supreme Court verdict on whether Holyrood can hold a second independence referendum, SNP MPs Douglas Chapman and Angus MacNeil have been demonstrating their own commitment to accepted democratic norms like the rule of law.

MacNeil, who is the chair of the Trade Select Committee, approvingly shared on Sunday a post by Chapman, supporting a call for people to take to the streets in response to the court's decision 'irrespective' of the outcome. Hmm. A signal perhaps that the SNP aren't expecting the verdict to go their way? Or an advert of the kind of joyous civic nationalism that awaits an independent Scotland?