Not having been very often on the same side of many arguments with Gordon Brown, I was happy to agree with his recent pronouncements about the likely result if there was ever to be another referendum on Scottish independence.

The Great Broon, as he’s known north of the Cheviots, believes that the British Government has nothing to fear if there was ever to be another vote on the future of the UK. Given the shambles Nicola Sturgeon is making of running a devolved government, goodness knows the mess she’d make of an independent country.

After all, it was British (English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish) taxpayers that stumped up the billions on furlough payments and vaccines during the height of the pandemic. Without that comfort blanket and a laughable SNP economic policy, Scotland couldn’t hope to go it alone.

And so, of course, the former prime minister is correct; there is nothing to worry about in “Indyref2”, as it’s known. 

But wait a minute, what if Boris Johnson is still Prime Minister when, and if, that second independence vote is ever held? Thanks to his seemingly perpetual habit of infuriating even the most unionist of Scots, the result of a referendum while Mr Johnson is still Prime Minister would be too close to call. That is certainly the view of most election strategists I know.

After all, in the space of a week, he’s managed to annoy the Scots twice. First, by saying that only Brexiteers were freedom fighters when most Scots voted Remain, and then by saying Ukraine deserved a bye into the World Cup, forgetting the fact that would mean Scotland, which was due to face the Ukrainians in a qualifier, having to stand down.

I’m sure every Scot has the greatest of sympathy for Ukraine’s plight. But given how seldom Scotland have qualified for the World Cup – i.e. not for 24 years – could we please just have the match and if they win, good luck to them. But to simply stand down as Boris seemed to suggest… isn’t that just too much to ask? Would England agree to such a deal?

And so while The Great Broon may have common sense on his side, Ms Sturgeon thinks that for as long as he remains Prime Minister, she has Mr Johnson on her side and could use his gaffes to help win the vote to break up Britain.