PATRIOTIC nationalism is a worthy and oft-quoted emotion, and justification for a variety of political actions, sometimes even violent ones.

There is, of course, a real attraction, in ‘freedom fighters’, independence movements’, ‘self-determination’. A swirl of bagpipes, haggis and whisky drinking is – to some – more than enough to hide the catastrophe for Scotland were she to leave the UK (overturning the decision in 1603 when the Scots King took over England’s throne, and 1707, when the Scottish Parliament decided it was too small to survive on its own, and joined the English one.)

There are some who argue for freedom for Kernow (Cornwall in case you are not quite up to speed with these things), Brittany, Wales.

The Tamils fought a bitter war in an attempt to divide Sri Lanka, the IRA wanted to reunite Ireland. The centenary of the Balfour Declaration whence came the State of Israel is welcomed by most, but not necessarily by some elements of the Palestinian and Arab factions. One man’s freedom fighter is another man’s terrorist.

There is some similarity amongst the current troubles in Catalonia, the forthcoming independence referendum in Kurdish Iraq, and in the SNP muddle north of the border.

Each of them have got as far as believing themselves to be ‘different’ from the mainland, to rely on historical or cultural ties to argue the case for independence, rather than economic, or diplomatic or political ones.

Of course we sympathise with those seeking cultural unity in their areas, and any sensible central government allows the level of devolution which should satisfy that cultural craving. But that devolution must not be allowed to trump hard-headed economic realism about the true wellbeing of all of the people.

The Brexit argument is wholly different. We are not saying that we are culturally or historically one. We are not, as the very name ‘United Kingdom’, makes plain. We are not seeking to break away from some nation to whom we subscribed many centuries ago, nor are we ignoring the hard political and economic realities.

It is my longstanding view that 65 million people living on an island such as this makes a very logical unit of government, which a diversified population of 750 million spread over a Continent does not. We are a proud nation state, with a much loved and internationally recognised Head of State, and a long history of brave independence from our Continental near neighbours.

The people of Catalonia, and Iraqi Kurdistan – and even of Scotland - may have a nationalistic, cultural war-cry which stirs the blood of (at least some of) their peoples. But they must not allow sentiment to trump good government. Historic nation states, like Spain, Iraq and the United Kingdom are the right units of government, and ones which people can truly love.

Patriotism means that we love our countries. Nationalism means that we dislike everyone else’s.