Well, she is threating to accuse an American Syrian – code named Abu Elias – of being the man responsible. These are the people running my country!

Some background information… what is called the Scottish Government is not a government in the sense it has tax-raising poweres or executive authority. It’s formal name is the Scottish Executive, but when the Scottish National Party took control of Holyrood in 2007, it decided to re-brand itself a Government.

The SNP Administration is a minority administration, with just 47 of the 129 seats. It’s enjoyed an easy ride the past couple of years ‘cos of the disarray of the opposition parties, and the insouciance of the Scottish media. Then this happened – the biggest single foreign policy event to hit Scotland since Bonnie Prince Charlie landed in 1745 with the intention to taking the British throne – and, in a word, they fluffed it.

There are doubts about al-Megrahi’s conviction, and an appeal was granted in 2007. But, flush from the success of back-door electral success, no action plans were put in place, no committees were established to prepare for what would happen if he were acquitted. And that’s before we get onto Macaskill’s headless-chicken act over the past few weeks: in May he said that he was not minded to release al-Mehrahi. So what changed?

The SNP are very small fry in a very big tank. First Macaskill spoke of this “higher power” judging al-Megrahi – cancer is not a punishment from God! Every prisoner is going to judged by this “higher power”.

The past two years, they’ve defined themselves on simply not being English and self-aggrandizement; and given political clout to the angry and frustrated brigade. One Minister, in perfect seriousness, called for Berwick-Upon-Tweed in England, to be ceded to Scotland. Alex Salmond recently decalred his determination, when it was suggested the haggis is an English dish, to fight it to last. Macaskill has called the English football-team, the Great Satan.

And they simply do not appear to have grasped what’s happening. Start with Macaskill’s claiming ownership of Scottish opinion, which he said was “compassionate”, i.e. Americans ain’t. Then there was his announcement at 1300 hrs local time. This is not a big news time here – that belongs to breakfast or evening news. Funnily, though, it did coincide with the Eastern Seaboard waking up. He wanted to put himself centre-stage.

When asked if he sympathized with American disgust, he replied that “we and they have different standards”. Although, to be fair, a large part of the smart liberal left has shown difficulties as seeing an aeroplane-load of human beings being blown-up – it is only Americans to them (cf. the BBC audience who verbally abused and reduced to tears the American Ambassador, a native New Yorker, after 11/9) – and make no secret of seeing this as delivering a snub against Washington.

Salmond has insisted that US/Scottish cultural/business relations remain strong, as if just wishing for it can make it true. If I were a businessman, with significant interests in the USA, I would be very scared.

Holyrood has been recalled one week early. It was requested for last week, but was swatted down. They’re meeting as I type, and all the opposition parties were against this. With only 47 seats there is a very good chance that motions of no confidence will be made both against Macaskill and the whole Administration.