But the event, sponsored by the British government and others, mattered to many, not least the ruling Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP).

ECONOMIST: And now for some cultural Olympics north of the border

Scottish Nationalist Party MPs support the devolution of further powers to Scotland, but say the bill does not go far enough.

BBC: Scotland Bill part one

The referendum committee organising the vote is made up of the Dialectic Society, Politics Society, Labour Club, Scottish Nationalist Association, Liberal Democrats, International Socialist Group, Conservative and Unionist Party and the Feminist Society.

BBC: Glasgow University

This kind of jibe jangles on Scottish Labour nerves, particularly those left-wing and nationalist-minded election candidates who are anxious to see the party adopt policies which are either more socialist than or just simply different from Labour policies in England.

ECONOMIST: Scottish politics