John Swinney’s welcome reaction to the riots

Many Scots – including political leaders who should know better – talk of their fellow countrymen as if we are uniquely moral and decent. The rise of the SNP has been accompanied by a new wave of Scottish exceptionalism; simply to have entered the world in a Glasgow hospital is to confer up on a person greater wisdom and kindness than someone who arrived in Oxfordshire.

And so it was quite a relief when First Minister John Swinney convened a meeting of political leaders and faith groups in Edinburgh while riots scarred the streets of England and Northern Ireland. We might not have seen that kind of carnage in Scotland but when it comes to racism and hatred, we’ve more than enough to share.

Of course, the victims of racism do not need to directly experience each incident for it to have a impact. Swinney was right to recognise Scotland is not immune from this ancient hatred. Over