I've found my inspiration in two people who live far, far away from Holyrood... it's a place called Scotland

I MET, in recent weeks, two people who embody and live the values which made me join the Labour Party and reminded me why I am still in it. The odd thing is, neither is a member.

- PAUL SINCLAIR ON SILLARS AND WARD

One was Jim Sillars, the former Labour MP and deputy leader of the SNP. The other is a woman best known for her campaigns against addiction - Annemarie Ward.

They were remarkable conversations. Two people whose opinions I might not agree with but whose passion, whose intellectual vigour, whose obvious faith that tomorrow can be better than today is inspiring.

People who want to win you to their cause, not just tell you what they think you might want to hear.

I don't want be condescending to Jim when I say that, at 87, his mind works as remarkably as it ever did. I may disagree with him on independence but every argument he made was compelling, engaging, coherent and reminded me why politics has intoxicated me since my youth.

He argues the economic case for the British state is waning. But he argues much more than that. He offers a Scotland of hope which has no place for any anti-Englishness but wants to work closely with our biggest trading partner.

He poses questions neither the SNP nor the Labour Party can answer.