Alex Fergusson, the Conservative MSP, has pointed out that, to comply with the convention, the Scottish Executive had provided a compensation scheme for fur farmers put out of business by the ban on their livelihood. If that principle was good enough then, why not for those whose livelihoods (and accommodation) depend on fox-hunting? Mr Fergusson's was one of the amendments to fall yesterday. Karen Gillon's compensation amendment was another, despite the support of Jack McConnell, the first minister. A third, from Mike Rumbles, also fell victim to a probable combination of confusion (hardly surprising when so much was being amended, rejected, and generally rushed through, supposedly to improve a badly framed bill) and party- politicking.