So the referendum on Scotland seeking independence from the UK is decisively over with the Scottish electorate deciding against independence. Now the rest of the UK is musing on why they allocate £1600 more spending for every head of population in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK. What has Scotland ever given us?
Well, aside from haggis (no, thank you very much!), porridge, bagpipes and a rather dubious aquatic monster that may or more likely does not inhabit a certain loch, (none of which, it seems to me, worth us spending any money to encourage or preserve) we have to look a bit further.
There are, I suggest, three good answers.
Firstly Scotch whisky is unquestionably a great contribution to the world.
Secondly, there is the tartan kilt - although it is rather more pleasing to the eye when shown like this rather than on some hairy ginger Scotsman.
Finally, perhaps the greatest contribution of all is the Lochgelly tawse - makes the package worth every penny!