Sarah Smith is, as I write, prattling away on Radio 4 about how Scotland likes to boast that it is different from England & Wales. And as evidence of this, Sarah tells us that 4 of 6 party leaders in Scotland are openly gay, Nicola Sturgeon is promising the most transgender legislation in Europe and Sarah tells us that Scotland is the most gay friendly country in Europe. Great. Happy days. I shall get out an old John Inman video and book my holidays now.
Over in Glasgow male life expectancy is lower than anywhere not just in Europe but even than in places such as the Ukraine. The country's deficit to GDP ratio is the worst in the EU and - at 9% - twice that of the UK as whole. If Scotland was to be independent it would be bust within years.
In that Scotland is set up so that its State is bankrupt and its poorer folks die earlier in poverty than anywhere else in Europe it is certainly different from England and Wales. Tackling its chronic economic issues and the knock on effects on matters such as health, is surely the critical issue facing Scotland rather than making its laws even more gay and transgender friendly.
Listening to the BBC prattle on about how Holyrood tackles what it deems the real issues I am reminded of that point in "The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy" when all of the most useless folks from a planet facing overcrowding, all those who never do anything to create the wealth that pays for vital services, who cannot see what really matters and obsess instead about trivia, are packed off to "start a new colony." Should we ever face such a situation on planet Earth I suggest that as we fill up that spaceship we start with employees of the BBC and anyone assocdiated with the Scottish Parliament.