GIVEN the higher Remain vote here, it is perhaps unsurprising that a new Ipsos MORI poll finds Scots more concerned about Brexit than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK. All the same, it reflects the fact that, in the 27 months since the EU referendum, little has been done to allay their concerns. Indeed, with the UK’s simultaneously proud and fearful exit barely 200 days away, a sense of near-panic can sometimes be discerned.

What will happen to our health and care services, our flow of migrant workers, our ageing population? These concerns are not unconnected. In the same survey, Scots were nearly twice as worried about ageing and the future of social care. They were less concerned than the rest of the UK about immigration.

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The latter attitude may reflect the fact that we have less immigration here than do other parts of the UK. At the same time, as things stand, our political culture is probably more welcoming to immigrants and, dare we say it, across the board our indigenous press is less rabid on the subject.

But we also realise that we need foreign workers. Our care services, for example, rely heavily on migrant labour. They do the low paid and often unpleasant jobs that workers here may avoid. We would wish to see that pay increased. Whether we can do anything about the unpleasantness is another matter.

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At any rate, it is unpleasant to contemplate whether in future we can look after our elderly (that is to say, ourselves in later days). More broadly, in health terms, the possibility of a “no-deal” Brexit has raised concerns about the supply of medicines. Under pressure from the Brexit Health Alliance, the UK Government has lately made reassuring noises about working with pharmaceutical companies to ensure hospitals, GPs, pharmacies and patients won’t have to stockpile medicines.

That is welcome. But fears remain (and these without any crass illusions to the presence or otherwise of suicide vests). Fear and concerns among sections of the UK populace are not signs of good government. The minimum requirement of decent administration is a healthy, happy and optimistic population.

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Brexit has put much of that at risk. It may well be that it works out fine. We would not join those hoping for disaster to prove a point. But we cannot help feeling that Scotland’s needs and desires regarding Europe are in many ways different from those in other parts of the UK. It doesn’t make us better or nicer. Just different.

We feel we need Europe – and that Europe benefits from having us. With such attitudes and our different circumstances disregarded, it’s little wonder that so many Scots are concerned.