The National:

WOULD you believe it, George Galloway's sources might not be up to scratch?

The "straight talking, straight forward" former MP had a big rumour to share on Twitter.

Those on the pro-independence side of the debate will be accustomed to some hilariously wild pronouncements and claims from Galloway, and this was no exception.

He tweeted out: "Heavy rumour at Westminster the the [sic] #SNP has done a deal to save the Tory Government over #Brexit by abstentions in exchange for #IndyRef2 Same old Tories, same old SNP."

The first clue should probably have been the idea that the Tories would do any deal in exchange for indyref2. That might actually have convinced Ruth Davidson and David Mundell to step down (maybe...).

You'd get better odds on the Tories striking a positive Brexit deal that solves the Irish border crisis than one giving Scotland an indyref just now.

Yet Galloway doubled down. "Rumours not facts," one user tweeted. "Are they aye...", he responded. "Am I often wrong?", "Well, am I?"

Readers, is committed Unionist George Galloway often wrong?

Sorry George, but in this instance, at least, it seems you are.

An SNP spokesperson confirmed: "This is utterly rubbish which is no surprise from George Galloway.

"The SNP has a mandate to call a referendum and it is democratically unsustainable for the Tories to stand in the way."

Ouch. "Utterly rubbish", and "no surprise from George Galloway".

Galloway is a cheerleader for Jeremy Corybn – who needs more votes in Scotland but doesn't seem to understand the first thing about the country's politics.

Wishing that the SNP had struck this deal with the Tories, positioning Labour as the real opposition, doesn't make it true.

And, in fact, those us north of the Border will be far more familiar with deals between Labour and the Tories.

Galloway did revisit the subject today ... but not to say he'd been wrong.

The lesson? Make sure you don't question "utterly rubbish" rumours, because that'll make you an unhinged, monomaniacal, paranoid cybernat.

We look forward to seeing what other "heavy rumours" emerge from Galloway's sources.