If you haven’t already, I urge you to do two things today. Firstly, watch the film I Swear about John Davidson, the well-known Scot who has Tourette’s syndrome and has campaigned on the subject for many years. Then secondly, read the letter the management of Bafta has sent to its members about the Scottish awards next month at which I Swear has multiple nominations. I’ve read the letter now God knows how many times and no matter how hard I try to understand where they’re coming from and what they’re trying to do, there’s only one word that feels right: disgusting.

I will now try to explain why I feel this way and I know it won’t be easy because it touches on controversial subjects; we should also respect what John himself has said about the situation, which I absolutely do. But I’ve got to be honest about the emotions this wretched thing is stirring up for me and the bottom line is I cannot get over the contrast, the chasm, the shocking gap between the film and the letter. One of them is beautiful, moving and inspirational. The other one isn’t.

A reminder about the film. It was released last year, it stars the young actor Robert Aramayo as John and it follows his life from his difficult days at school in Galashiels, when the symptoms of Tourette’s first started, through his first job to his days as a campaigner. Growing up in the 70s was not always easy, but for John it was grim. Knowledge of Tourette’s was low to non-existent then and for John it meant confusion, confrontation and sometimes violence. We see his father leave home because of the pressure. We see him being beaten up because of what he’s said to a woman in the street. And we see his headmaster tell him, after belting him for one of his remarks, that he should be sent to some sort of institution. The implication is: at least we’re not like that now.

The heart of the film – the bit that really gets to you – is........

© Herald Scotland