Alex Salmond vs Alistair Darling, the Rematch

Like Paradise Lost, no-one – not even humble freelance hacks – ever wished the Scottish independence referendum campaign longer. We are, most of us, exhausted. Almost all passion has been spent. Which is just as well since, frankly, people are beginning to lose the run of themselves. Take the ice bucket challenge. (Readers unfamiliar with social media may be unfamiliar with this. It is a fundraising challenge – originally for Motor Neurone Disease research – in which the hapless gallant stooge is soaked by a bucket of iced water. All to prove what a good egg they are. They then nominate other folk to be soaked to prove what grand eggs they are. And so on.) Clearly this is the sort of thing that must be ruined by politicians. Just for fun and a good cause, obviously, but really to show what good sports they are. So when Alistair Darling – who does at least know a former colleague with MND – agreed to be soaked you knew it was only a matter of time before Alex Salmond would do so too. We