One of the benefits of being in the middle of an election campaign is that we politicians get to ask our constituents every waking hour what is really important to them in their daily lives. More often than not, the answers bear little resemblance to what we debate in the chamber. I am sure that I am not the only MSP who constantly hears about potholes, difficulty in getting a GP appointment, waits to access treatment in the NHS, a lack of places at university for indigenous Scots, cuts to further education places and a lack of investment in transport infrastructure, and—yes—the issue of tax differentials is increasingly being raised on the doorstep.

Unfortunately and predictably, the Scottish Government has doubled down and relied increasingly on its fallback position of “It’s not us, it’s them”. Interestingly, it is very noticeable that that excuse is increasingly wearing thin with the public.