This article appears as part of the Unspun: Scottish Politics newsletter.

Unfortunately, I’ve met far too many psychopaths throughout my life. Not more than cops, prison officers or psychiatric staff, but far in excess of the average punter’s brush with the mad and bad.

Much of my career has been spent interviewing or investigating very dangerous people. Terrorists, paedophiles, multiple murderers. I’ve looked them in the eye. In some cases, they’ve tried to kill me.

So I’m relatively good at spotting psychopaths, and understanding how they operate and what motives them.

If there’s a unifying trait it’s this: they prey on weakness, sniffing it out like sharks scent blood, and they fear strength.

Psychopaths are essentially bullies with zero moral compass, no respect for social norms, not a scintilla of empathy for others, and the ability to manipulate at the drop of a hat. But similar to the thug in the playground, if you stand up to them they back down fast.

They’re a deadly species, like aliens put amongst us pretending to be human, and using our human traits against us.

Someone doesn’t need to be bathed in blood, though, to qualify as a psychopath. I’ve met a fair few in the world of politics, at the top of industry (including the media), and within the military. Anything which permits the wielding of power over others attracts the psychopath.

My over-exposure to........

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