There are probably only a few inhabitants of Glasgow who feel rural bus links should be a policy priority for the Scottish Government, few residents of Edinburgh who truly "get" the challenge of living in a remote community without a broadband connection, and not very many Dundonians who wonder when their GP practice will ever have a permanent doctor again.

The harsh reality is that the challenges facing rural Scots do not always seem that important to the urban majority - which is why Scotland's first ever "rural parliament" is such an important innovation. More than a million Scots (roughly 20 per cent) are rural dwellers and the new parliament will give them a stronger voice to engage MSPs, MPs and ministers, not to mention the public at large.

Sweden's 25-year-old rural parliament has made its government take greater notice of rural issues and there is no reason why Scotland's version should not do the same.

The recent independence referendum has reignited calls for greater devolution, not just to, but within Scotland. The rural parliament is an idea whose time has come.