Give parly more power to hold ministers to account? Great idea. I wonder why the SNP aren't that keen on it?

ALEX Salmond's body may lie “a mouldering in the grave” but his spirit is certainly marching on.

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After Nicola Sturgeon's unreliable memoirs did more to resurrect his reputation than to trash it further, as she wished, this week one of Salmond most principled of political opponents and greatest of friends will make the case for giving the Scottish Parliament - not the Scottish Government - more powers to investigate better all cases like his.

Veteran Tory MP Sir David Davis will use a lecture at Heriot-Watt University to make the case for Holyrood having full parliamentary privilege, just like Westminster.

It would allow MSPs complete freedom of speech in the Scottish parliament without fear of being sued, just as MPs enjoy in the UK parliament.

In practical terms it means the Scottish Government would face greater scrutiny. It means it would be more difficult for people like Sturgeon to be so “forgetful” when she gave her "evidence" to the Salmond inquiry at Holyrood.

The father of the Scottish Parliament, Donald Dewar wanted it to enjoy full parliamentary privilege when it was set up but was defeated by internal UK Labour critics.