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Time was when people could disagree about politics and remain civil. Taking a different view was a matter of opinion, not of moral superiority. Certainly, there were some politicians who cast moral aspersions (in Scotland, Labour against Tories), but public personal insults were not the norm. The referendum of 2014 changed all that. 

The tone was set by Nicola Sturgeon, whose idea of debate was to shout down opponents such as Johann Lamont and Alistair Carmichael. This was done on TV, with the ‘moderator’, Rona from STV, doing nothing to restrain her. No wonder some of us called it ‘Salmond TV’ at the time. I mention this because I am in no doubt that the deterioration of public discourse has been the result of SNP politicians deliberately giving a nod and a wink to their followers. 

Richard Leonard, Scottish Labour’s leader, has now been in the job for three years, during which time he has presided over multiple election defeats. In the European elections in May 2019, the party slumped to fifth in Scotland, polling less than 10% of the vote. The party then fell from seven seats to one in November’s General Election.

A YouGov poll for The Times puts support for Labour at 14 per cent in Holyrood’s constituency and list vote. And 53 percent of voters could not recognise Mr Leonard.

I hate Nationalism. The damage it wrought in Europe in the twentieth century should have inoculated us all against it, but, once again, it has raised its ugly head. In Scotland, it has become a virulent force and made many converts in the last ten years. 

I do not hate Scottish Nationalists on principle. Those who want Scotland to leave the UK are entitled to their opinion, and I respect those who say that that is what they want, no matter the consequences. If they would accept living at a singularly lower standard of living than we currently enjoy – which is what would happen – in order to leave the UK, then that is their choice. 

The SNP is certainly not a party in the conventional sense.

It is a post-national movement that defines itself by creating enemies and enmities. It tears through Scottish society, because it sees Scotland very differently from the rest of us. It is an ugly, frightening imagination of our country that is created through collective narcissism. 

Narcissism is the inability to distinguish self from an internalised ideal. It is pathological, unhealthy and dangerous. You could describe it as an eggshell personality, that rapidly fractures under pressure of criticism. So how do these poor narcissistic souls manage their lives?  

I have never, under any leader, felt more positive about our chances of winning the next Holyrood Election. 

I believe Douglas Ross is a political nuclear weapon that can not only strike fear into the Scottish National Party, but can stabilise this country financially and restore the power to the people, from a centralist Government in Edinburgh.

Living in South Lanarkshire, for me, Edinburgh often feels 550 miles away from home, while London feels 30 miles away. Holyrood and the devolution settlement, to this day, has been a complete failure. Tony Blair destroyed our United Kingdom’s unity by handing the Scottish Nationalists a parliament to breed dissent and grievance in. 

When the history of the last decade in Scotland is written, the role played by the Scottish Green Party will come in for special criticism. I had never really thought much about the Green Party. While serving around the world in the Army, I had formed a hazy impression of them as well-meaning eco-eccentrics, the recipients of the none-of-the-above vote at elections and recently led by Caroline Lucas, who seemed to punch above her weight, and occasionally say something sensible on Question Time.