For the last three years I’ve used January to try and learn something new. Three years ago it was to try 31 days of exercise, two years ago it was 31 days of stretching, last year it was 31 days of learning to play the piano and this year it’s 31 days of… lunch.

I was invited to join a Q&A seminar with the Scottish Tory leadership team at lunch. I’ve been to a few of these with other parties but this was this first time I’d ever met a Tory MSP.

At each session, I like to ask the same question:

“Politician’s always criticise other parties, can you tell me what policies or actions you admire of the SNP/Labour/Tory [delete as appropriate]”

I asked an SNP cabinet minister and he praised the Conservatives then approach to many foreign policy issues. I asked Ian Murray, now the Scottish Secretary, and he praised many of the domestic reforms introduced by the SNP. I asked Russell Finlay, Craig Hoy and Murdo Fraser today and they, well…

I like this question because it tells me a lot about the person answering it. Can they put aside their standard responses and give a considered reply? Can they show genuine praise of people they normally oppose? Do they have empathy for them? And can they answer the question, as I’m not asking for criticism, I want a straight answer.

And from the Torys, I got two minutes of waffle and then a joke about Hamza Yusuf.

What a bunch of plonkers.

And I didn’t even get a decent sandwich. Instead, I got tiny wraps filled with a bit of tomato and ham. Less a sandwich and more a tiny napkin that looks like it’s been used to wipe up a messy table.

Bread: Wrap.

Ingredient: Scraps

Taste: Disappointing, all round.