David Maddox: The growing influence of George Lyon

In these days when black apparently is the new white and vice versa, little should surprise. After all this day that is now drawing to an end was the day that the Tories called for bankers to lose their bonuses and the once upon a time socialist Labour party defended the bonuses.

Then we were also asked to believe that the avid Celtic fan and Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy had had a word with the bank to keep his team's bitter rivals Rangers in business and players.

But it is the story of a Rangers fan that is even more interesting - former Liberal Democrat Scottish Minister George Lyon (pictured right).

When he was turfed out as an MSP in 2007 many (including some in his own party) hoped they were bidding a not so fond farewell to the controversial politician. However, in June this year he returned to frontline politics as his party's one and only Scottish MEP. Since then there have been growing signs of his influence within the party at a time when the Scottish leader Tavish Scott appears to be losing his grip slightly.

Even the unfortunate affair of Rangers was taken jokingly by some as a sign of Lyon's power. Mr Scott issued a press release earlier today demanding that Mr Murphy intervened. was this because the Rangers loving George Lyon asked him to it was queried in the corridors of Holyrood?

But joking apart, there is one serious issue with which the two men appear to be having a power struggle - an independence referendum. Mr Lyon made it clear ahead of the party's conference in Bournemouth that he thought there should be one, breaking the party line set by Mr Scott to oppose a plebiscite. odd considering that Mr Lyon clearly enjoys singing Rule Britannia. Since then there has been a groundswell of support among members, candidates and some of the grandees in favour of Mr Lyon's position, despite Mr Scott's protestations.

The two shall have their day at the behind closed doors Lib Dem special conference which will discuss the matter. The way things are going you would not bet against Mr Lyon coming out on top.

Chris Mackie: LibDems 1 Labour 1 in Rangers roundup

Proof, if proof were needed, that the pervasive influence of the Old Firm extends into every nook and cranny of Scottish life reached us this morning as politicians began to wade into the ongoing travails of Glasgow Rangers FC.

The LibDems were first, calling on Scottish Secretary (and Celtic fan) Jim Murphy to intervene in the situation that has seen a representative of HBoS placed on the board of the Ibrox club to monitor spending.

Tavish Scott (bizarrely, a Liverpool supporter) said all football fans - even those of a green and white hooped hue - would be concerned by reports that the club had been threatened with administration by a bank substantially helped by the use of taxpayers' money.

“If the Lloyds group can take down Rangers, there won’t be many professional clubs left in Scotland," exclaimed Tavish excitedly.

Improbably, he was joined by Labour's Frank McAveety, who crossed the Glasgow divide to offer his support to the Teddy Bears, noting gravely: "Anyone who cares about Scottish football should be concerned about the financial difficulties experienced by one of our biggest clubs."

Despite The Steamie's enquiries, the Scottish Conservative and Unionist party have, perhaps surprisingly, declined to become embroiled in the row. And we didn't even phone the Greens.

David Maddox: Happy Birthday Andy Kerr

You would have thought that Andy Kerr (pictured right), Labour's finance spokesman in Holyrood and recently defeated leadership candidate, would have something to smile about today considering that it is his 47th birthday.

But if he dined in the parliament canteen today the passionate Rangers supporter will not have felt quite at home with the green and white balloons and flags up for St Patricks Day. That after having to endure the gloating in a box at Hampden from the "Glasgow Labour Catholic mafia" (in the words of Frank McAveety, the Labour MSP for Parkhead), as the Hoops beat the Huns two nil in the Scottish League Cup.

Maybe Mr Kerr should take a lead from fellow Rangers fan Donald Findlay (pictured left), one time deputy chairman of the club and Scotland's leading QC, who also was born on St Patrick's Day. He apparently found a prominent Catholic whose birthday was the same day as the Battle of the Boyne (July 12) and did a birthday swap.

David Maddox: Spin doctor on-side in the great football debate

MSPs were in the presence of greatness today, although probably most of them did not realise it. Scottish football legend Graeme Souness (pictured right) was in Holyrood's stands for First Minister's questions.

Afterwards he explained: "I'm Scottish and I thought it was about time I visited the place."

The European Cup winner with Liverpool, who also forged a successful career in Italy, may not have been all the MSPs' favourite football figure, especially the Celtic supporters who remember his days as manager of Rangers.

But he remained diplomatically quiet on one of the subjects in general questions which came up shortly before FMQs, the great debate on the GB football team in the 2012 London Olympics.

A question asked by Nationalist MSP Christine Graeme on former Scotland manager Craig Brown's petition against the UK government's insistence that a GB football team will be fielded, brought the usual outraged response from party colleague and Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon with its apocalyptic message for Scottish football's independence. She promised that the Scottish Government would give a full response to the Petitions Committee.

Now this may be a round about way of coming to the main point, but what we have here may be a new definition of the old and apparently outdated descriptions of SNP members being divided between gradualists and fundamentalists.

The old definition was between those who wanted a referendum for independence and those who just wanted independence without asking anybody, most now sign up to the gradualist referendum view. But the split is now perhaps clearer on the issue of greatest national importance - football.

The other day my colleague Gerri Peev pointed out in on the Steamie how the backsliding SNP MP Angus MacNeil (pictured left) has let the side down a bit by becoming part of the GB parliamentary team - a footballing gradualist no less.

But, it seems that other party members are less willing to drop their principles for a game of footie.

It turns out that former SFA press officer Will McLeish, now one of the Scottish Government special advisers (ie a party spin doctor paid for by the state), who looks like he would fit well into a 1980s team photo, is a very talented footballer.

As part of the all-conquering Scottish universities team, Mr McLeish's name was first on the team sheet. So good was the team that seven of them, including our eponymous hero were selected for the GB University team to play in the World Student Games in Sicily.

Mr McLeish, who was brought up south of the border in Worcester, told me: "The SFA said we couldn't go so we refused to be part of the team. But I would not have gone anyway out of principle because I don't recognise GB as a country."

Now that's real Nationalism!

But it has to be said that Mr McLeish rather spoils the affect by being a devoted member of the Union Flag waving Rangers' fan club and a regular at Ibrox.

I wonder if he joins in with the singing of Rule Britannia.