SHAME: RED FACED TORIES SLAPPED DOWN IN SCOTLAND

Mike Russell has given some memorable speeches down through the years, but few of them will come close to eclipsing this, which was, even by his standards, a barn-stormer.

The member of parliament for the Argyll & Bute constituency, Mr Russell is the Cabinet Secretary for the Constitution, Europe and External Affairs in Scotland's parliament.

This was a speech heavy with emotion, as he spoke of his father, a volunteer for the Argyll & Sutherland highlanders, who was wounded on the beaches of Dunkirk during WW2 and carried to safety. This story was relayed to him by his Dad and has helped shape his own pro European sentiment as a young man, which is still evident in him today.

Mr Russell didn't miss his target as he turned his gaze on the Tories, who he blamed for tearing the country out of the EU.

With all the characteristics of an angry headmaster chiding unruly pupils, he told them repeatedly that they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves, and of course they knew it, shifting nervously, fidgeting, staring at their shoes, staring at their desk, looking anywhere but at the cabinet secretary.

For all those who have been left feeling angry at how people in Scotland have been mistreated and ignored by the UK government and ultimately let down with more broken promises, this speech would no doubt have given them some satisfaction, as it struck out at the architects of their frustration.

Very rarely in history can one turn around and say: "This was where it all changed", but today definitely had that feel about it.

Of course those who have brought us to this unfortunate juncture will likely remain as blind to this as they have been all along. And it's this willful ignorance coupled with an almost sneering dismissal of anyone who disagrees with them which will see the current direction of political travel continue.

Who knows where it will all end, but independence and a return to Europe for Scotland does look the most likely outcome. Infact if I was a betting man, I'd put my house on it.