His Majesty’s House of Commons, there assembled at Westminster, is defined by division. It is its core, its leitmotif.

When MPs vote, the House divides, with members physically walking through different lobbies: signalling Aye or, to the contrary, No.

The Treasury and Opposition benches are two swords’ lengths apart. Frequently, combatants narrow that gap by leaning aggressively over the despatch box.

These days, few resort to cold steel. But the level of partisan indignation, whether real or bogus, is still striking. It thrills Commons worthies – and enervates observers.

And, of course, that is amplified by an election when nerves are raw. The prospect of losing seats and/or ministerial office tends to concentrate minds somewhat.

So there is much in this curious contest which is visceral. It affects everything, including the devolved Parliament at Holyrood.

Yes, our MSPs get on with the day job, for example enacting a statute to exonerate Scottish sub-postmasters, wickedly mistreated.

But always election bite. The controversy over Michael Matheson would have been acerbic in any case. That is magnified.

Douglas Ross, the Scottish Conservative leader, is thinking of voters when he condemns an SNP “shambles”. Ditto Anas Sarwar of Labour who accuses John Swinney of “defending sleaze.”

Mr Swinney says he accepts the sanctions applied to his colleague, while arguing that the system is tainted.

But he also takes the chance to excoriate the impact upon Scotland of Tory fiscal constraint and its potential Labour equivalent, which he describes as “austerity on stilts”. His rivals counter in kind.

So far, so familiar. And yet........

© Herald Scotland