AFTER the debacle of where they stand on a referendum, Labour had a chance to regain some dignity by being consistent on their policy on free personal care. Two weeks ago it accepted all the recommendations of the Sutherland report which called for Westminster to restore attendance allowances worth £30million.

But then it changed its mind, presumably because Wendy Alexander couldn't risk Gordon Brown's wrath yet again.

Since free personal care was Labour's flagship policy under former First Minister Henry McLeish, it might have been assumed they would be more enthusiastic about levering the cash from Westminster's wallet.

Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon immediately claimed it was another Labour U-turn and she has pledged to find £40m to make the system work .

When Ms Alexander accused First Minister Alex Salmond of "populist"

policies, she forgot that these policies are winning votes for the SNP.

THE highly responsible, if somewhat confused, Labour Party accused Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill of "gross irresponsibility" for offering to "sup a pint" of lager with a popular brewer.

Mr MacAskill was trying to dig himself out of a hole after calling the booze "cooking lager" - a name used by thousands of people who drink the stuff.

But as well as insulting the drinks manufacturer, Mr MacAskill also offended Labour's public safety spokesman, Paul Martin.

He accused Mr MacAskill of sending out "mixed messages" about alcohol - claiming he couldn't be serious about taking a hard line on the booze culture while making a grovelling apology to the drinks firm.

Offering to be seen drinking a pint is obviously an affront to public decency.

The apology was certainly over the top, if not entirely unnecessary.

But does offering to have one glass of beer make a mockery of Mr MacAskill's declared policies to curb cheap booze sales and tackle alcohol abuse?

As Springburn MSP, Mr Martin suggested innovative and tough lines to tackle the drinks culture.

But with statements like these, it sounds like his title - rather than alcohol - may have gone to his head. This is posturing - not rational criticism.

Maybe Mr Martin and Mr MacAskill should get together to exchange ideas - perhaps over a pint?

TWO Glasgow MSPs have been slugging it out with each other - not at Holyrood but in the letters columns of a broadsheet newspaper.

In the blue corner, Tory Bill Aitken, and in the sort of pinkish soft left corner, LibDem Robert Brown.

Mr Brown landed the first blow with an attack accusing the Tories of rolling over "in the face of SNP blandishments" and making the government's life easier.

Bailie Bill - a man who gets outraged round about the time he's having his cornflakes - counter-punched claiming the LibDems had been "locked into a sterile coalition" with Labour for eight years.

And in a lowish blow, the former city councillor pointed out he didn't recall his opponent "apologising for all the trappings of ministerial office".

Hopefully, this sparring will sharpen them up for a match against the increasingly heavyweight champ, the First Minister.