FOR THE PAST ten years, I have had the privilege of serving as Chief Executive Officer of Scottish Business UK, alongside my great friend the founder and chair of SBUK, Robert Kilgour, championing the interests of businesses that believe Scotland’s prosperity, economic security and future success are best served by remaining an integral part of the United Kingdom. It has been a decade of political turbulence, economic uncertainty and constitutional argument. Throughout it all, my enthusiasm for defending Scotland’s place in the Union has remained undiminished.
I have always believed that business is the engine of prosperity. Politicians may deliver speeches, issue manifestos and indulge in constitutional grandstanding, but it is businesses that create jobs, generate wealth, pay taxes and sustain the public services upon which we all depend. Scotland’s entrepreneurs, manufacturers, exporters, farmers, retailers and professional service providers deserve encouragement, stability and opportunity. They deserve a government that recognises their contribution rather than treating them as convenient sources of taxation or collateral damage in an endless constitutional crusade.
At SBUK, our mission has been clear. We stand up for Scottish businesses that value the Union, benefit from the enormous UK domestic market and recognise the economic advantages of sharing a common currency, integrated infrastructure, established regulatory systems and the international influence of one of the world’s leading economies.
The rest of the United Kingdom is Scotland’s largest trading partner. For countless Scottish businesses, access to customers, suppliers and investment across England, Wales and Northern Ireland is fundamental to their survival. These commercial relationships support livelihoods in every corner of Scotland. Putting unnecessary barriers between these businesses and their principal market would be an extraordinary act of economic self harm.
My conviction in the importance of these relationships is rooted in a lifetime of public service.
Before taking up my role at SBUK, I spent fifteen years as a Member of the European Parliament, representing Scotland in Brussels and Strasbourg. I served on committees dealing with fisheries, agriculture and international affairs, witnessing at first-hand how political decisions can transform the fortunes of businesses and communities. I learned that successful economies depend upon cooperation, competitive markets, sound regulation and political stability.
Before that, I spent twenty-two years as an elected councillor, experiencing the daily realities of local government. Council chambers may lack the grandeur of the European Parliament, but decisions taken there affect the lives of ordinary families just as profoundly. Roads, schools, housing, planning and local enterprise are the foundations upon which communities flourish or decline.
These thirty-seven years in elected office taught me one enduring lesson. Political ideology must never be allowed to triumph over economic common sense.
My commitment to Scotland’s economic future has also shaped my writing. In my book So Much Wind, I examined the realities of energy policy and the consequences of political decisions driven by fashionable assumptions rather than practical considerations. Scotland possesses extraordinary natural resources and engineering expertise. Harnessing them intelligently requires affordable energy, dependable infrastructure and policies that sustain industry rather than undermine it.
My book Stalin’s Legacy explored the devastating consequences of political repression and the abuse of power. That interest in freedom and democracy subsequently developed into a sustained campaign against the theocratic dictatorship in Iran. Over many years, I have written several books and hundreds of articles exposing human rights abuses, supporting democratic opposition and challenging the complacency of Western governments towards authoritarian regimes.
My historical interests have taken me in another direction through The Course of History, a book exploring ten remarkable meals that helped change the world. Written with celebrated Scottish chef Tony Singh, it combines history, politics, personalities and gastronomy. It reflects my fascination with the extraordinary ways in which seemingly ordinary events can shape the destiny of nations.
There is a common thread running through these diverse activities. Whether confronting dictatorship, examining energy policy, investigating history or defending Scottish businesses, I have always sought to challenge conventional wisdom and expose the consequences of bad political decisions.
For me, supporting the Union has never meant diminishing Scotland’s identity. Quite the reverse. Scotland is a proud nation with a magnificent history, distinctive culture and formidable international reputation. Our scientists, engineers, universities, financial institutions, food producers and creative industries have contributed immeasurably to the success of the United Kingdom. We should celebrate that achievement and build upon it.
The Union offers Scotland the opportunity to retain its national identity while enjoying the advantages of a much larger economic partnership. It provides businesses with scale, stability and access to markets that would be far harder to replicate following independence.
Of course, Scottish businesses face formidable challenges. Rising costs, burdensome regulation, skills shortages, fragile supply chains and economic uncertainty all demand urgent attention. The last thing they need is another prolonged constitutional battle that diverts political energy away from investment, productivity and growth.
During my decade at SBUK, I have been inspired by the determination of business owners who continue to invest, innovate and employ people despite these difficulties. Many are deeply concerned about the prospect of independence. Others simply want politicians to concentrate on creating the conditions in which their businesses can thrive. Both deserve to have their voices heard.
I have also been struck by the courage of those willing to speak publicly in defence of the Union, sometimes in the face of considerable political hostility. Business leaders should never feel intimidated into silence when discussing policies that could affect their employees, shareholders and customers.
After ten years leading SBUK, my enthusiasm remains as strong as ever. Scotland’s future should be defined by ambition rather than grievance, enterprise rather than division and opportunity rather than constitutional obsession.
I remain immensely proud of my years in public office, my writing and my international campaigning. Yet helping Scottish businesses defend their livelihoods and secure their future has been among the most rewarding chapters of my career.
Scotland has the talent, resources and determination to achieve extraordinary things. Within the United Kingdom, we have the economic strength and shared opportunities to turn that potential into lasting prosperity.
It is time to put business before constitutional battles, prosperity before political posturing and Scotland’s future before the grievances of the past. That is a cause worth fighting for.
