ALL WE WANTED WERE SOME STRAIGHT ANSWERS

Mark Carney turned on the charm when he visited Edinburgh yesterday by deciding to tell everyone just how much his homeland, Canada, owes to Scotland.

He also tipped his hat to influential Scottish economists Adam Smith and David Hume.

Better known as a philosopher, Hume was concerned with answering life’s big questions.

It’s a shame Mr Carney shirked away from such ambitions despite dropping some heavy hints about his views on a currency union between an independent Scotland and the continuing UK.

The governor’s inability to give straight answers to any questions in the packed out press conference was only made more frustrating by his repeated refrain of “that would be for someone else to judge”.

Indeed, the line had me drifting off to an episode of cult comedy TV show Father Ted where the title character trains drunken colleague Jack Hackett to repeat “that would be an ecumenical matter” in an attempt to circumnavigate questions put to him by a party of visiting bishops.

Not that the governor was drunk, obviously.

I just would rather have had Father Jack answering the questions.

That goes for most press conferences, mind you.

Mr Carney suggested an independent Scotland would not have full control over its fiscal policies if it entered into a currency union.

The SNP have, rightly, pointed to his committal to making any joint system work if the political will is there, with one spinner putting it down as a “score draw”.

I’m not sure that’s the case, but I’m fairly certain backers of the Yes campaign will be relieved that his next visit will be to go to the Commonwealth Games.