We should take cheer in intelligent politics when we see it these days. The Scottish and UK governments have a less than noble history of playing silly schoolyard games, and trying to get one over on each other – mostly in word, but sometimes in deed.

So it’s welcome to learn that the two governments are cooperating on war-planning, in the light of Russian hostility.

Due to the increased threat from Moscow towards Europe, the Scottish Government will, as The Herald reported, for the first time help draft war plans with London. In any future conflict, Scotland would play a vital strategic role given the importance of the Arctic in maritime warfare and our geographic location.

We know that Russian warships prowl Scottish waters looking for weaknesses and trying to intimidate. Russia has carried out a series of sabotage attacks across Europe. Scotland, given its defence industry, is clearly a target. Putin loyalists have threatened to target UK drone factories. There are drone factories in Scotland. Indeed, there’s one in Glasgow, not far from my home.

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So Scotland needs to contend with a dangerous future both here and abroad. The collective war-planning is a good first step. More, evidently, needs done domestically in terms of protecting civilians and civilian infrastructure from cyber attack.

Yet while progress is being made, there’s one glaring anomaly sitting at the heart of Scottish politics regarding war, security and defence:........

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