By Bill Heaney
She used to be the darling of the SNP – young, articulate, feminist, ballsy and working class.
MP Mhairi Black was portrayed by the Nationalist party to young people as someone to emulate and look up to.
Now, the Paisley and Renfrewshire South MP has apologised after she was filmed downing lager on a ScotRail train, despite a ban on alcohol being in place.
Footage has 
emerged of the SNP politician drinking from a can while surrounded by football fans.
It’s understood the six-second clip was recorded on a ScotRail service between Ayr and Glasgow Central following the Ayr United versus Partick Thistle match on Friday night.
The footage shows another jubilant punter waving a bottle of Buckfast over Ms Black’s head.
A ban on drinking alcohol on board ScotRail trains was extended when the rail franchise was nationalised on April 1.
A spokesman for Ms Black said: “Mhairi has been reminded of the rules and apologises.”
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, pictured left, was asked about the incident while she was campaigning in Edinburgh at the weekend ahead of the local elections.
She said she had not spoken to Ms Black about the footage but added: “She has apologised.
“I’m sure she’ll be deeply regretful at making that slip but she’s done the right thing and apologised and I know Mhairi takes her own behaviour and integrity extremely seriously.”
Ms Sturgeon also said she did not think ScotRail’s ban on alcohol should be scrapped
It’s not really the end of the world taking a drink of lager. Millions of people take a drink of lager every day of the week.
Tells you all about the absolutely puerile malicious nature of politics when the a story like this floods the airwaves.
Now if it had been a story about the frankly odious sexual promotions of Ms Black where she has sported a sweater bearing the message ‘ you can pee near me ‘ or where she brought a drag artist called ‘ flow job’ to meet primary school children, then I’d understand why that might merit attention in the media.
But a sip of lager?