This time their approach has been rather different. In fact, it would not be far from the truth to characterise the SNP manifesto as a wetter contribution to public policy than the debate on Scottish Water. 

These are serious times. We face searing ideological cuts from the ConDems in Westminster, spiralling youth unemployment, a concerted attack on public services and public-sector workers, whilst the most vulnerable carry the can for a global financial meltdown brought about by the greedy few. 

This is an election about serious issues. Scottish Labour understands this. A guaranteed modern apprenticeship for every suitably qualified young person, the Scottish Future Jobs Fund to provide real jobs and training for those who have been unemployed for over six months, funding businesses to create those jobs, finding ways for small businesses to ‘pool’ apprentices to ensure stability for the apprentices as workloads fluctuate. Anything, to get people back to work. Not, however, at the cost of decent pay and conditions. Scottish Labour’s commitment to the living wage, not just in the public sector, but through procurement contracts reaching out into the private sector, will help guarantee the dignity of work. 

The SNP, to be fair, are not against employment, they just want someone else to take care of making it happen. Their manifesto tells us they will ‘Make it easier for small businesses to take on an apprentice’, that ‘Scotland’s charitable and voluntary organisations are superbly placed to provide opportunities for young people to develop skills’. It’s not good enough. It’s too little, too late. 

On equalities issues, the SNP show even less backbone. ‘We recognise the range of views on the questions of same-sex marriage and registration of civil partnerships. We will therefore begin a process of consultation and discussion on these issues.’ Are they in favour, are they against? It seems the poor loves would rather not commit. 

Pushing the blame for their decisions onto others does seem an easier task for the SNP. On teacher numbers, ‘A difficult period for teacher employment, in part caused by decisions by some local authorities’, is the closest the SNP come to acknowledging that teacher numbers have dropped by 3,000 since 2007. 

Even when it comes to their erstwhile raison d’etre of separation, the SNP have become strangely timid. In this manifesto, their policy on high hedges (p26) is given more prominence than their policy on independence (p28). It is reassuring though to see that some things haven’t changed. The voters are promised a referendum on independence, just like we were in their last manifesto. 

So, we have a wobbly, tentative raft of policies, as the SNP try desperately to pretend that they haven’t really been in government for the past four years, and if they don’t achieve too much over the next four, then it really won’t be anything to do with them. 

The thing is, Mr Salmond, if you are so keen not to take responsibility for governing the country, there is one, very easy, solution, and I suspect the Scottish electorate will be taking that decision for you.

Photo: Saul Gordillo