This article appears as part of the Unspun: Scottish Politics newsletter.

Despite the fact that most humans in the real world are relatively sane and can engage in an informed conversation where even if they vehemently disagree with you they do so without blood coming out of their eyes and their lips turning to foam, the online realm is not so chilled.

Yesterday, Elon Musk’s vile basement X was filled with allegedly fellow human beings gleefully cheering for Esther Rantzen’s death because: A, as someone terminally ill, she supports assisted dying; and B, she was outspokenly pro-vaccine during Covid. Bring those two points together and you’ve got a right-wing culture war posse after you.

So, I confidently predict a digital hate-troop quickly assembling to polish their pitchforks at the mere suggestion that maybe the Scottish Government could consider an apology for the British Empire’s creation of the transatlantic slave trade. Scotland was, evidently, a willing junior partner in empire, and benefitted hugely from slavery.

The matter of an apology for slavery is front and centre – again – as the Commonwealth heads of government gather. Keir Starmer has made clear there should be no apology. Clearly, many Commonwealth citizens – whose ancestors were once slaves – disagree.

Slavery – along with vaccines, assisted dying, abortion, trans rights, and immigration – is cat-nip for nutcases. Indeed, part of me looks forward to the bug-eyed nonsense........

© Herald Scotland