Sensitive topics
Quite frequently, politics can appear remote, separated from the issues that concern or intrigue the public.
Today, at Holyrood, matters were notably different. .
Firstly, political leaders paid tribute to Tommy Burns, the Celtic legend who has died at the age of 51. Quite right too. He made a great contribution to football and to Scotland.
Then they turned to the UEFA Cup in Manchester - or, more precisely, the shocking scenes of violence involving a tiny minority of Rangers fans in clashes with the police.
This is a notably sensitive topic. A word out of order can provoke resentment.
Credit where it is due. The first minister and the Labour leader handled their exchanges deftly and with dignity.
It is right, in my view, that Scotland's parliament contrived to comment on an issue that is dominant in Scottish discourse today. However, they had to avoid sounding like gratuitous onlookers.
No justification
They did. Wendy Alexander focused, properly, on the inquiry which has been launched by Manchester City Council. Would the Scottish Government participate? Should the remit be widened? Should the report be published?
Alex Salmond, who was at the game and travelled back to Edinburgh overnight, assented to all these propositions. But he went further.
He listed potential issues to be examined: the organisation on the ground, the technical breakdown, the late change in the message to Rangers fans as to whether they were welcome in Manchester without tickets.
He indicated he wants to co-operate with the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Office to ensure that football banning orders in England can be extended to Scotland.
He stressed, repeatedly, that the "vast majority" of fans had created a "carnival atmosphere" in Manchester.
Then the verdict. Mr Salmond said, bluntly and simply, that there could be no excuse for the scenes of violence. No justification whatsoever.
I'm 
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