The biggest problem with this week’s debate is that it was a bit rubbish.
I, like many others, had actually allowed myself to get quite excited about it and was quite looking forward to seeing what two of the most powerful people in the country had to say about the most important question we have ever faced.
Instead, they just shouted at each other a bit. They didn’t listen, They were evasive. And most bizarrely of all they appeared unprepared for the questions that would be asked.
What have they been doing for the last few months?
Darling had one issue with which to bash the First Minister and must have been utterly delighted that his opponent didn’t have a satisfactory answer.
In fact he was so delighted Salmond didn’t have an answer that he clean forgot to ask any other questions whatsoever. Oops.
Meanwhile, the FM decided to go on Project Fear. It quickly became clear the strategy wasn’t working but he blundered one eventually looking faintly ridiculous as a result.
It was all a bit of a shame really.
Neither leader can truly claim any kind of meaningful victory given the low level of debate involved.
One could sense the frustration of those within the debating chamber as evasion and the fear of making even the tiniest mistake served to completely stifle any potential for meaningful debate.
There are now fewer than six weeks to go until the referendum poll.
Both Darling and Salmond need to up their game.
Otherwise we might as well just get them to have a bare knuckle boxing match.
It would be every bit as informative. And at least twice as interesting.
The Scottish public certainly deserve better than the fare served up this week.