Scotland possesses both wealth and the idea of wealth, but the former still belongs only to a select few. The latter is shared by all, but only as a distant star pleases indiscriminately, and ideas are dangerous when they fail to ever find solid ground...

It is fair to say that these days the UK’s wealth distribution graphs bear an unfortunate resemblance to an expiring hour glass. Such has been the inexorable draining of wealth from North to South, that Scotland almost invariably looks like a colourless patch of poverty. And you’ll never be confused by London’s location; it’s always the colourful part, the capital’s affluence packaged in striking bright red lipstick like a dolled up lady of the night. But Scotland is certainly not poor...