Scottish sectarianism

Is it significant that Cameron will speak in a Catholic church in his visit to Glasgow East today? You can bet any Scottish politicians would have avoided any church in a constituency where sectarianism remains a factor – and one not very well understood in Westminster. Church observance may not be high, but the east of Glasgow is still an area where pubs are known as Catholic, Protestant or mixed. It is still shaking off a long and deep legacy. My father grew up in one of Glasgow East’s council schemes, and in those days Protestant kids like him simply didn’t know any Catholics. The self-segregation was complete. It has got better now, but it is still there.

When I started as a reporter in the Scottish Parliament, I was told you can tell the Catholic MPs because their names start with Mc rather than protestant Mac. I grew up in the Highlands (my dad married a Catholic, not that it mattered up there) blissfully unaware of all this nonsense.