That we never properly understand something until it’s considered in hindsight, has rarely been more evident than with the misogyny, in all its forms and degrees, that has accompanied public discussion over Nicola Sturgeon throughout her career.

The expected appearance of the former first minister before the Scottish leg of the Covid enquiry tomorrow is the latest pretext used by some commentators, opposition politicians and others in the serried ranks of Nicola haters, to dust down their assorted sexist tropes and cyphers for a renewed public airing.

When the unremittingly negative personal, and often hateful, attacks on Ms Sturgeon were a routine part of the daily grind of what passes for political commentary in some quarters, it could be argued that one’s senses became somewhat inured to them.

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Their sudden re-emergence following a period of calm, when she hasn’t featured in the news and comment pages or in online chats and forums for a while, serves as a reminder of why this malign treatment of a politician - or any human being for that matter - should not be the norm.

When a leader is deposed or steps down from office, it’s usual for the media to begin the process of generating the first draft of history around that person’s achievements, or lack of them, during their career.

The legacy of Thatcher was framed around the Falklands conflict, the miners’ strike and the destruction of communities that were dependent on traditional industries. With Tony Blair, it was his ill-judged decision to go to war in Iraq.

Schoolchildren studying history in a decade........

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