IT was the looming shadow of Christmas that forced my return to Aberdeen city centre.

As feared, it wasn’t a life-enhancing experience. But it’s not just Aberdeen. Virtually all our city and town centres have become metaphors for national decline and decay. Everywhere one looks, the impression is of a country of low expectations that has lost hope and generally given up. Most of Aberdeen’s department stores have been consigned to history. Those that remain exude acceptance that the war against online shopping is already lost.

It’s the little things that give the game away. My wife had the misfortune to visit the ladies in Aberdeen’s last remaining department store. I won’t name and shame, but it’s normally known by two letters. Most of the cubicles were out of order. The remainder, including the disabled facility, were dirty or choked with toilet paper.

In store, something as simple as buying a pair of winter boots represented an insurmountable challenge. Shoulders were shrugged and the usual excuses trotted out. “They’re out of stock; we don’t have your size; you could try online.” Nobody seemed particularly bothered. Carol Beer clones stared at screens, before imparting, “Computer says no.” Dante’s warning to “Abandon hope all ye who enter here” should be placed at every door.

Collectively, we’ve abandoned hope and yes, I accept I’m venting my frustration at the wrong people. The national malaise starts much further up the food chain. At Westminster we have a shameless government that over the past 12 years has systematically broken Britain and destroyed hope. It shows no remorse or inclination to fix the damage.

The Conservative Party has effectively thrown in the towel. Despite the three-line whip, most of its MPs can’t be bothered to turn up for PMQs, their only talent being to unearth prime ministers even more inept than their predecessors. The current incumbent has the profile and presence of the invisible man. It’s not down to him to offer hope by fixing things such as the epidemic of strikes. A big boy did it and ran away. Is it possible the Tories are deliberately trying to lose the next election, thereby handing the poisoned chalice to Labour?

At Holyrood, there’s recognition we are in a very deep hole. The recent budget might be a light bulb moment. If we want better health care, education, and transportation, we’re going to have pay more and some of us, a lot more. Yet, why is there more passion at Holyrood about gender recognition than the things that matter and improve lives, such as alleviating child poverty?

The erosion of hope has made us a nastier and more insular nation. Much of that is down to the disaster that is Brexit. Hostility to immigration, “scroungers” and the poor in general has become the lightning conductor for the loony right. It was they after all who sold the cruel con of £350 million a week for the NHS, taking back control and getting Brexit done. No wonder those daft enough to believe them have had their hopes dashed. Even our national anthems are depressing dirges, encouraging half-hearted renditions. In contrast, the French team and its supporters gave La Marseillaise laldy prior to their World Cup matches. It certainly gave me goosebumps

Sadly, the young are yet again the real losers. As things stand, they have little to be hopeful about. The chief executive of the Prince’s Trust has stated around half of all young people feel “a sense of hopelessness” about their futures. Perhaps not surprising as they will live and work amidst an aging population looking to them for support. They will work longer for fewer rewards than their parents. For many, owning their home is an unrealistic aspiration.

Anglo/Turkish writer Elif Shafak has warned of the danger of hopelessness and excess pessimism amongst the young. She argues many have already lost faith in democracy, dangerously exposing them to populist forces. As we move into the new year, we need to find ways to give our young people hope for their future. Ted Lasso was wrong. It’s not the hope that kills you. It’s hopelessness.