The National:

DO you ever feel like the Tories aren't aware of their own hypocrisy?

It certainly seemed that way as Jackson Carlaw grilled Nicola Sturgeon on currency in an independent Scotland

At the SNP spring conference in Edinburgh on Saturday, activists endorsed plans for an independent Scotland to have an alternative to the pound "as soon as practicable".

Carlaw asked the FM how "dumping the pound" is in the best interests of Scotland.

She said that deciding on the country's own currency is part of the benefits of being an independent country.

She added: "I have to say, in some ways I admire him for this actually, because it is very very brave of Jackson Carlaw to stand up here today and talk about currency.

"When he next gets to his feet, and purely in the interests of transparency, would he care to share with the chamber how much of its value the pound has lost in the last few years directly as a result of Tory policy on Brexit?"

It is worth noting that a recent poll by trade journal Central Banking Publications found Brexit is likely to threaten the pound's status with three-quarters of reserve managers predicting that central banks will alter (and probably cut) their sterling holdings.

When asked by Carlaw to list a business or trade union that supports scrapping the pound, the FM listed businesses who have spoken about the negative impact Brexit will have on Scotland's economy, including the Institute of Directors, Resolution Foundation and the Federation of Small Businesses.

This was met with laughter by the Tories but Sturgeon informed them it is "no laughing matter".

Carlaw said: "The First Minister was right when she said permanently keeping the UK pound was in the best interests of Scotland. Isn't it just a simple fact that the best way to keep Scotland successful, to protect our pensions, to boost jobs, is for Scotland have nothing whatsoever to do Nicola Stugeon's plans for a breakaway currency, to keep our UK pound and to keep Scotland in the UK?"

Sturgeon had the final word, saying: "As people with slightly longer memories than it suits Jackson Carlaw to have will recall that JC and his colleagues told Scotland in 2014 that we wouldn't be allowed to keep the UK pound. There is not a shred of consistency in his arguments."

She said independence means Scotland "takes decisions that are right for businesses and individuals the length and breadth of our country" and that we won't have to deal with decisions like Brexit "forced upon us by Westminster".

"That's why we see the terror in the eyes of Jackson Carlaw and his colleagues as they see the writing well and truly on the wall", she added.

With a recent poll suggesting the Scottish Tories would go from 31 MSPs to 25 at Holyrood, you wouldn't think they would dare to be so bold.