Spectator debate: Independence is the greatest threat to Edinburgh

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A kicking. A good, old-fashioned, brutal Glasgow-kissing thrashing. Last night's Spectator debate on Scottish independence, held at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh and generously sponsored by the fine folk from Brewin Dolphin, attracted the kind of audience Unionist dreams are made of. Before proceedings began 119 members of the audience agreed with the motion that ‘Independence is the greatest threat to Edinburgh’, 27 disagreed and 36 did not know what they thought. Two hours later opinion had hardened: 169 for the proposition, 19 against and only 6 poor undecided souls.

A tough crowd for nationalists, then. So tough, in fact, that they tittered when Andrew Wilson — once reckoned to be the future of the SNP until the SNP's members disagreed — suggested that, good grief, of course you can be British and vote for independence.