The 1707 Union brought an end to Scotland's parliament, but it preserved the Scottish legal system, its own established church, and its own universities. The Act of Union, then, was as much about preserving Scotland's unique identity as it was securing political union.
Whether it was intended or not, there was great wisdom here. The United Kingdom was conceived and born in difference. It's what we today call pluralism - a society that sees differences not as weakness but as a gift.
There would be nothing worse for the United Kingdom than if all our rich cultural identities were diluted, and we ended up as a carbon copy of the South East of England. Scotland has been a major force in ensuring that this is not the case. So, yes, London is a major building block of the United Kingdom. But so too are the Highlands, historic Edinburgh, the Gaelic-speaking Isles, and urban centre of Glasgow.
We all lose, then, if Scotland decides to opt out of the Union. Politically, it would ironically represent a massive transfer of power to the South-East of England. The ability of Scottish MPs to act as a counter-weight to the political power of the South-East would disappear.
Hey Woopert - sunny morning following overnight precipitation - off on the punt this arvo after golf - no footy tomorrow my lot got knocked out last week - the words shopping and laundry spring to the fore - Hope you have a good weekend (you to Channon) ATB