THERE’S a myth that the Scottish Tories are somehow kinder and less extreme than their bosses in Westminster.

Well, Michelle Ballantyne MSP, the Tory Welfare spokesperson at Holyrood, put paid to that myth in a debate on poverty and inequality in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday.

Her attempted defence of the defenceless rape clause and two-child benefit cap, compounded by her jaw-dropping claim that poor people “cannot have as many children as they like”, went down, rightly, like a lead balloon.

Even some of her own parliamentary colleagues were left squirming in their seats behind her.

I’ve heard some howlers in my 11 years as an MSP and Ms Ballantyne’s right-wing rant was one of the worst.

Her claim that poverty – poverty that has been imposed by her party’s cruel policies – should be a barrier to having a family will linger long in memories.

It has however served as a timely reminder that the Tories are the Nasty Party in Scotland, not just the UK. What was equally dispiriting were the attempts of her Tory MSP colleagues to explain and justify her appalling remarks.

But let’s not be tribal about this.

Another Tory strayed off message this week too, this time in an unusually sensible direction. Annie Wells MSP’s condemnation of the UK Government’s rollout of Universal Credit and claim that it risks “failing” the “most vulnerable in our society” is very welcome. This, of course, was something that many of us working with the public have known for some time.

With the UK Tories on the verge of implosion and Ruth Davidson on leave, perhaps we’ll see a few more Scottish Tories saying what they really think. It could be X-rated stuff!

Meanwhile Labour are still stuck in a rut. Their failure to act as an effective opposition, particularly on Brexit, has been reflected by Jeremy Corbyn’s party falling further behind the shambolic Tories in the polls.

In stark contrast to the doom and despair of the Westminster parties the SNP are offering hope, optimism and leadership for Scotland.

A no-deal Brexit now looks more likely than not – but the SNP will stand up against Scotland being dragged out of the EU, customs union and single market – and we are building a fresh case for an independent Scotland. This will be a national outward-looking vision of hope. Our work in this area is ongoing.

Hardcore Unionists don’t like it, yet it is a democratic necessity that the people of Scotland are given the ability to determine their own future, including having the option of a more positive outlook, once we know how Brexit will look.

As global politics lurches right, the UK and its institutions are far from immune. The BBC decision to become involved in staging an event which offers a platform to Steve Bannon is a prime example of this.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon’s decision to withdraw from the BBC and News Xchange conference on the grounds that it risks “legitimising or normalising far-right, racist views” is a decision that will be backed by all who value the principles of democratic liberalism. And we can take pride that Scotland rejects Bannon’s ideology.

The rise of fascistic views requires constant vigilance. The Proclaimers song Angry Cyclist gives a powerful warning of the dangers of passivity:

Watch bigotry advance,
Give ignorance a chance,
With fascists we will dance by and by.
Old prejudice hasn’t gone.
New energy drives it on.

We should all heed Charlie and Craig’s warning.