That is the positive, proud story our unionist politicians should be telling, trumpeting past triumphs that point towards a similarly energetic and ingenious future. Belfast, Clydeside and Tyneside shipbuilders made craft that spanned the world, establishing global trade networks during the Empire. Now scientists from the home nations devise ever faster digital networks that drive our e-commerce and services abroad. The City of London has always provided the investment to develop these ideas into world-beating products, while Westminster and a free press has provided political stability to allow our citizens to flourish. Recent events in Scotland have thrown a harsh light on what can happen if a state becomes dominated by one party that subverts its own institutions and intimidates opposition voices. It is little wonder the Sturgeon/Salmond affair has made some Scots think twice about independence.