Back when the British Merchant fleet was the biggest in the world, British Shipbuilding was booming and, between them, they employed thousands of people. We had British Steel, British Coal, British Rail, British Airways, British Gas, British Power, British Telecoms, and many more, all owned by the state and run, not for profit, but for the good of the country and its people.

In 2014 I was a Labour councillor working with colleagues from other unionist parties on our plans for the Better Together campaign. In our little bubble we were confident and assured in our view that the UK was OK and the only way to ensure the future prosperity for people living in our area.

My views on independence haven't changed, I can only say that the case for independence is strengthened by the way that Scotland's promise of voting 'no' to retain EU membership has been conveniently forgotten.