Contrast

As the First Minister said earlier today, and as I quoted at the start of tonight's St Andrews Night Ball in Toronto when I was asked to declare a minutes silence for those who had lost their lives in the helicopter tragedy, this has been the saddest St Andrews night ever.

Yet there was also huge appreciation from all those present of the work done by the Scottish rescue services and huge solidarity from the 48th Highlanders of Canada who were the co-sponsors of the event and whose soldiers and pipers were much in evidence.