Hatfield and the North

Glenrothes is the Welwyn and Hatfield of Scotland. Consciously modelled on Howard's garden city concept it has the same city-in-a-park aspect and, after a disastrous single industry reliance start, (what scandals lie buried there one wonders) the same diversified manufacturing and advanced and light engineering profile. Like Welwyn and Hatfield it has replaced lost manufacturing jobs with clerking and administration, both public and private.

The Westminster constituency of Glenrothes is a modern creation that has had boundaries redrawn as recently as 2005. It is no more a natural Labour seat than its southern counterpart. Its working people stand for self reliance, high skill levels, social cooperation not political confrontation, responsive public services, no slumming.

In England that is one nation conservatism and, pace the Conservative party's line on the Union, it is also an assertion of England as the national identity, not 'Britain'. In Scotland it is the assertion of Scottish national identity coupled with all the other standards of decency embodied in the angels in marble.

If Mr Cameron cares so much for the Union he needs to come to some agreement on the recasting of the relations between England and Scotland and reach a firm basis of approach with Mr Salmond to contain the rough beast, its hour come round at last, that slouches next door.