The two-week Easter break from Holyrood will have come at a good time for First Minister John Swinney, one would imagine.

This is all relative, of course.

His government is progressing remarkably well, outstripping all realistic expectations.

He and his deputy, Kate Forbes, took control at a time when the SNP's support was tracking inexorably downwards, Anas Sarwar’s Labour was on the ascendancy, and despite Labour gutting the SNP at the General Election, its support has plummeted and the SNP has not only stabilised, but is now beginning to increase.

Moreover, it appears that the only party in Scottish politics which is invulnerable to the rise of Reform UK is the SNP.

Read more from Andy Maciver

Nonetheless, while political life has been fairly rosy outside of the Parliament building, circumstances inside the walls have been significantly more challenging.

Primary, of course, was the sad death of Health Minister Christina McKelvie; I happened to be in Parliament on the day her passing was announced, and the sense of shock and grief amongst her colleagues was palpable and upsetting to witness.

Ms McKelvie had already announced her intention to stand down, and it is the sheer number of her MSP colleagues who have decided to move on from Holyrood that will give Mr Swinney food for thought over a hot cross bun this Easter.

The last couple of months have been characterised by the........

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