In this New Year my hope is that we can end the nasty divisive, nationalist politics that has split much of the country. Arguments from the SNP and Tories over the constitution are aimed at keeping Scotland split. We can and must do better.

It is saddening that we are out the European Union, however I do not see independence as the solution. Nor is the UK working as well as it can. We are led in Scotland by obsessives who want independence at any cost, and in Westminster by the clueless elite.

What we will see in the run-up to the Holyrood elections are more of the divisive politics of Scottish and UK nationalists, taking away the focus on the recovery from the pandemic. Each day more families are driven into poverty, workers are losing their jobs, and the elderly and disabled feel more isolated as more restrictions come into force.

How we want to rebuild our country should be at the heart of the campaign for Holyrood. Questions around the economy, health and social care and education cannot be put on the back burner while constitutional arguments dominate the election.

Labour wants to invest in communities and in our public services to rebuild the country.

In December, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer (right) announced a UK-wide mission focused on ensuring the next Labour government spreads “power, wealth and opportunity” out of Westminster.

In a landmark speech he announced that former Prime Minister Gordon Brown will bring his extensive experience to advise on the “boldest project Labour has embarked on for a generation”.

The work will focus on handing “real and lasting economic and political devolution across our towns, communities and to people across the country”.

Promising a “path to a socially just and secure, modern United Kingdom”, the Labour leader laid a marker down ahead of May’s Scottish elections. His speech set out a “fresh and tangible offer” to the Scottish people in the face of division under the SNP and stagnation under the Conservatives.

It is Labour’s duty to offer a positive alternative. To show that you don’t have to choose between a broken status quo and the uncertainty and divisiveness of separatism.

We do need more powers at Holyrood to tackle social inequality, but we also need the SNP Scottish Government to stop centralising power and give local authorities back the power and freedom to make choices best for their areas.