THIS week Rishi Sunak suggested that those “vilifying” Britain should be referred to the anti-terrorism Prevent programme for “deradicalisation”.

So, let’s be clear about this. For the last year or so I have written a column in this paper that has persistently questioned the very existence of this entity called “Britain” that he says should not be vilified. Not only have a vilified Britain as a result, but I have also demanded, time and again, that Scotland be given the right to leave Britain and all it represents to the likes of the Tories. 

I do, of course, have my reason for doing so: I am quite sure that this is in the best interests of the people of Scotland (Scots, or not), and I don’t give a damn what those in England think, even though I actually live there. It so happens that I think that the people of Wales and Northern Ireland should share this right.

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Does this mean that this would-be prime minister will want to “deradicalise” me? His team say the policy will not apply to those who oppose UK Government policy. But I take little reassurance from that. Why? Because a person I know is the academic who led the team who worked on the links between National Trust properties in England and slavery that exposed just how many of them were built using the proceeds of that hideous trade.

She has been through hell as a result of the venom unleashed on her by Tories for having the impertinence of pointing out some real history that they have found vilifying and inconvenient when drinking their tea and eating scones at the properties that the National Trust in England owns. 

The result is that I do not for one moment think that this policy is aimed at those from real terrorist groups who actually threaten the UK, including those from the far-right. The powers to refer members of such groups to the Prevent programme for “re-education” already exist. I doubt they work, but I can in those cases see a reason for trying. What I cannot do is explain Sunak’s policy on the basis of the threat that these groups do actually pose.

In that case this policy must exist to tackle what the Sunak team perceive to be a new threat to Britain. This is not specified, but presumably comes from those who are “woke”. He has, after all, described those holding such views as a threat even though all that woke actually means is that a person is aware of the threats that exist from inequality, with a particular (but not exclusive) focus on inequality arising from race and gender-related issues.

Trust me that I am very woke. I have been ever since I discovered when really quite young that my twin brother was gay, and I was proud of him, loved and cared for him, and still do for being the great guy I think he is. Do I need re-education for that as well?

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We actually have someone running for prime minister who wants to make thinking something he does not agree with a crime, with the power to “deradicalise” those doing so as a result. That is truly frightening. 

It really is time for Scotland to leave Britain in that case, and I will willingly pay the price for saying so.

You know where to get me Rishi.