Today ushers in a new dawn for the people of Scotland.
Across the country there are families and communities elated and disappointed in equal measure. The task for all of us is to find a meaningful consensus that demonstrates the importance of the debate we have had and finds the best way forward.
There can be no room for recrimination. The energy and enthusiasm of ordinary people over the last year in particular to engage with the issues demonstrate that politics has a relevance beyond traditional political structures. Scotland and democracy have already won the referendum.
Continuing that momentum by engaging communities is an opportunity that must be harnessed. Building a consensus around an agenda for change in the spirit of solidarity and co-operation is a first step. This does not mean that overnight, we are all going to agree, but it means unity of purpose and confidence to look forward. Scotland has demonstrated an ability to have mature debate.
The measure of that meaningful democracy is how we are dignified in pulling together for the benefit of Scotland and our people. The scale of engagement means this can't mean more of the same. We need to be ambitious, inclusive and aspirational.
It is time to move from a simple bidding war on "more powers". To fix the debate of the next few months only on whether Scotland should deal with this area of policy or that is to miss the point and fail to seize an opportunity for change. To fix our eyes only on fiscal change is equally shortsighted. We need to look at fundamentally changing structures to give Scotland and her people a strong voice in the UK and in Europe.
How do we become equal partners in what many Scots have perceived until now has been an unequal partnership? The roles of Secretary of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have outlived their usefulness. If we were to start with a blank sheet of paper, we would never have devised a system whereby the first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are absent from a process in which many perceive token figureheads represent the populace.
It is time to recognise the democratic legitimacy of the devolved governments within UK governance and to have first ministers at the Cabinet top table with equal status in the Cabinet structure.
How about a chamber of ideas? Let's start with abolishing the House of Lords. We could replace it with a chamber made of communities, young people, volunteers; those who serve and motivate neighbourhoods across Scotland - a place where our minority groups can shape and design policy with people, not for them and a role for our faith communities.
The Scottish people have demonstrated that they are more than up to meet that challenge. The people and communities of Wales, England and Northern Ireland also deserve a say in the future of the UK.
Look at the opportunities of bringing together the voice of the people through community motivators at the front of change.
The third sector, the trade union movement, the business community, our academics, generating innovation and breathing life, generating new blood and fresh ideas. We could have a second chamber that allows the United Kingdom to benefit from the knowledge, expertise, skills and talents of its constituent parts.
Like all of us, I am proud to be Scottish. The next few months present an opportunity to move towards greater representative democracy.
I want to see a strong, confident Scotland where people and communities drive meaningful change.
We need to stop looking back and move forward to embrace renewal.
This is about more than "a race for powers". It is about a partnership between the people of Scotland and the governance of Scotland and the people of the UK and the governance United Kingdom. The tokenism of the past is simply not good enough.
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