Scotland the Feckless

A short visit to the Highlands last week was refreshing. The scenery is just as spectacular as ever, and the people just as welcoming. But elsewhere, the tectonic plates are shifting. Last week, a televised debate took place amongst the political leaders contesting the elections to the Scottish Parliament in May. It resembled a bidding contest in which each participant had to outdo the previous one in terms of boasting about how much public money they would spend. The excellent Ruth Davidson from the Conservatives was the conspicuous exception.