Why Scotland really is a pretty great place – leader comment

Scotland may have its problems but, with the UK placed 15th out of 156 countries in the World Happiness Report, it’s still one of the better parts of the world to call home.

Okay, Andy Robertson isn't playing tonight but he's rated as the best left back in Europe by some (Picture: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)

Brexit, austerity, the NHS in crisis, education in crisis, England scoring in over-time at Twickenham, both Andy Robertson and Kieran Tierney set to miss today’s Euro 2020 qualifier. Sometimes, life in Scotland can feel an endless progression of bad news. Sometimes, we all feel a bit like Renton in Trainspotting.

However, do not despair! Because, despite all this gloom, the vast majority of people are perfectly decent, friendly and nice.

And some of them – as Scotland’s chief medical officer Catherine Calderwood describes in The Scotsman today – are absolutely wonderful, willing to donate an organ to help a total stranger.

But there is more, for the UK has been ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world – coming 15th out of 156 nations in the World Happiness Report. compiled annually by the United Nations.

Scotland and the wider UK both have their problems. We should never deny that.

However, relatively speaking, we live in a beautiful part of the world that enjoys the benefits of liberal democracy. And we might even win in Kazakhstan this afternoon.