WELL, the felicitations of the festive season didn’t last long. Barely had the cries of “Happy New Year” faded into the stillness of the morning of January 1 and it had started.

“The SNP has even managed to ruin Hogmanay” claimed Iain Martin, self-described hack and editor of @CapX. Whit? In the old days, that used to be the prerogative of the weather or too much imbibing before the bells. But now, in “captured” Scotland, the blame sits at the SNP’s door. I know the party has grown and is streets ahead of the competition, but I really didn’t think Peter Murrell was either so all-powerful or indeed, mean. He isn’t. What had exercised Mr Martin and the many re-tweeters was “A Burdz Eye View of Hogmanay” on Scottish Television, hosted by Elaine C Smith. And what was actually wrong with it? The First Minister was on for exactly seven minutes and 14 seconds of a 42-minute programme – I counted. I know that very many of those wielding power in our “union” find her competence, acumen and popularity a frightening thing, but seriously, she doesn’t “ruin” anything in seven minutes and 14 seconds. Nor does Elaine C, although clearly she was being viewed entirely through the prism of her support for independence, with scant if any regard for her talent or professionalism.

All nonsense of course. But a headline that played to the old politics of scare and fear. Like the ones that tell us, and everyone else, that the 50 per cent plus consistent poll ratings for the SNP are not a reflection of support, but a clear indication that north of Hadrian’s Wall, we’ve all been brainwashed. We are “cultish” in our support and behaviour. The fact that those poll ratings have to include support from folks who didn’t support independence in 2014 is blithely ignored. And let’s not even mention the same twisted logic that heavily and persistently asserts and defends the “right” of Cameron et al to do whatever they wish, on the basis of a mere 30 per cent support level.

So we don’t get the headlines that acknowledge sensible decisions like closing the Forth Bridge because it was unsafe or even acknowledging the considerable steps taken to offer alternative ways out of Fife and then the hard, hard work to make the repairs so it opens ahead of time. Far less the foresight to commission the new Forth Crossing which will come in ahead of time and, under budget. No, we get an almost “cultish” race to find out how this whole situation could possibly be the fault of the SNP Scottish government. So this “one party state” we apparently are living in ruins our national New Year celebration and breaks bridges. And there is so much more where that came from.

But the real questions are why, and what should we do about it. I think most readers of this newspaper will know why. Those who have wielded power across the UK for so very long with a sense of entitlement that beggars belief and those whose sole ambition is to kick and claw their way into that elite, simply cannot thole the notion that an alternative set of political views carries weight, gets things done and is – persistently – popular. Not only can’t they thole it, they can’t control it and that is very, very scary to them indeed. And no, this isn’t my #SNPgood response to all the #SNPbad nonsense we’ve seen. It’s not the SNP that is frightening, it’s the sense that here, now, people in Scotland are wising up to the hypocrisy, the lies and the self concern of those who claim to be our betters.

Now what do we do about it. We need to work hard to increase our own understanding of power, how it works and how we can harness it by good means to win good ends. So we don’t need to see conspiracies around every corner. Or collude in vetting or dismissing an artist – any artist – on the basis of their views on independence. I don’t think we even need to have a mass boycott of Tunnock’s tea cakes and hear their MD delight even more about all the free advertising he’s been given. Other brands are available, and cheaper, and if so minded, we can just calmly switch and exercise our bit of “market choice” where it counts.

We need to keep our eye on the prize. Independence. Our best route towards the socially just, equal, prosperous country we deserve. Winning that prize, as our resident FM, and alleged destroyer of Hogmanay, made clear this week means winning more support than we managed in 2014. Conversation by conversation, neighbour by neighbour and friend by friend. Conversation in person or on social media that shuns misogynistic language or knee-jerk reaction and is never shouty. Conversation that is calm, reasonable and remembers that we speak best when we listen most.