The pantomime that is the deliverance of Scotland's ferry services is anything but funny, says Herald columnist Calum Steele

One of the greatest traditions that Christmas throws our way is that of pantomime. The ability to completely lose yourself for a couple of hours watching ridiculous, exaggerated characters act out a vaguely familiar story, with mirth, merriment and song for no other reason than entertainment, is a simple pleasure everyone should experience at least once in their lifetime.

Christmas is also the time where plonking yourself down in front of the telly to re-watch films so familiar that you know the script, and find yourself reminiscing that the new stuff isn’t a patch on the old favourites, as your own particular favourite version of A Christmas Carol is consumed for the umpteenth time. Patrick Stewart and Michael Caine both play a fine Scrooge, but even their stellar performances don’t stand a chance when the officialdom of Government enters from stage left – and issues guidance on how to have fun. Few things bring Christmas cheer like a government memo, after all.

For those of us unable to get to a theatre, we have to be grateful that the pantomime performances from our parliament are able to be beamed live into our own living rooms. Where else can we watch the veritable “who’s that” of Scottish politics perform in their own farce – failing to realise we are laughing at them, not with them – while we bemoan that they don’t make them like they used to, as the performers of yesteryear at least managed their appearances without a script.

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