In July 2005, the eyes of the world turned upon Scotland as global leaders arrived in Gleneagles to focus on matters of worldwide significance.
The United Kingdom was a different place.
At Westminster, Labour had just secured a third term with Tony Blair at the helm and continued to make poverty-reducing levels of investment nationally and debt-cancelling levels of divestment internationally.
At Holyrood, the Scottish Labour Party was in the middle of a second term as the governing party of Scotland.
I have been reflecting on how things have changed and, without seeking to be overly nostalgic, it felt a more sane, sober and serene world.
Days before the G8 summit, about 200,000 men, women and children marched in Edinburgh to “Make Poverty History”.
During the G8 summit, the first major Islamic terrorist attack took place on British soil.
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And, not long after the G8 summit, the wheels began to come off the British, European and global economy, which was a historical turning point.
Poverty is no longer global but local, terrorism is no longer international but intranational and our economy is no longer mildly beleaguered but entirely broken. Rational politics is now tribal, civil dialogue is now bitter and our citizens need only minor provocation before becoming unhinged.
Scottish independence, Brexit Britain, Trump’s America and Covid-19 all show us how quickly change can arrive.
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