Good to be back, if only briefly

I was at Glasgow University late this morning with my Welsh Government counterpart Prof Mark Drakeford prior to a meeting of the First Ministers Council of Experts on Europe which he had been invited to attend. I had attended the equivalent Welsh body in May.

We spent an hour talking about Brexit with the Principal Anton Muscatelli and looking at some of the new developments around the campus.

It was good to be back as I have hardly been there in the last 12 months although I am still an Honorary Professor and I hope one day to return to my part time role there as Professor in Scottish Culture & Governance.

It was also good to be able to congratulate Anton on the recent THES rankings which places Glasgow as 80th in the world, one of five Scottish Universities in the global top 200, which is an amazing and unique achievement for a small nation of just over 5 million people.

Today was also the 20th anniversary of the 1997 Devolution referendum, something much in my mind tonight as I prepare for my statement in the Parliament tomorrow on the EU Withdrawal Bill.