2024: Starmer in, Yousaf out. Energy prices down, energy prices up. More fighting in Ukraine, more fighting in Gaza. An assassin fails in his attempt to kill the next president of the United States, an assassin succeeds in his attempt to kill the president of a health insurance company. Oasis get back together, Wham! are number one, and supplies of Guinness are running low. So you tell me: 2024 – good or bad?

Whatever your view, I’d like to suggest what we can learn from the year. You didn’t ask, but my highlights include meeting Scotland’s hate monster, helping to save (we hope) a Glasgow cinema, and taking an inspiring trip over the new Govan bridge. I think there are real signs of hope in there somewhere but there’s also considerable cause for anxiety too and to be honest I could do with a calming pint of Guinness while it's still available cheers. In the meantime, here it is: what we’ve learned.

1: Some good news for the SNP …

It was quite a thing watching Nicola Sturgeon in the ITV studios last July as the results of the general election came in, but she did make one good point. Remember this, she said: the result of the 2019 election was turned around quickly, and the same can happen with the 2024 result and I’m sure she’s right: it’s one of the reasons, despite appearances, that 2024 may actually have been pretty good for the SNP.

I say this because, despite their electoral defeat, the fundamentals are in their favour. Firstly, the electorate is volatile and willing to switch and switch again. Secondly, support for independence hasn’t dropped which provides a base of support. And third, the Scottish elections are ages away, which means there’s time for Labour’s support to fall, which it’s started to do already. And you know why: winter fuel payments, tax on farmers, freebies for Starmer.

It's also worth remembering something else that was said in the ITV studios on the night of the election, this time by Neil........

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