Willie Rennie: Lib Dems and Labour had talked, but had no plan, ahead of Holyrood's first coalition deal

The Scottish Parliament was born after a long period of considered debate and discussion across civic and political Scotland.

The Constitutional Convention developed a detailed plan created by the politicians from across the spectrum, the unions, the churches and wider society.

That plan was consented through multiple manifesto commitments and also by the referendum based on a White Paper which had already been the subject of parliamentary scrutiny. Donald Tusk’s special words for the architects of Brexit who didn’t have a sketch of a plan find no parallels here.

No government should ever put forward a proposition in a referendum that it does not want to happen, especially if there is no plan on how to deliver it.

Those sunny days 20 years ago were exhausting yet exhilarating. Forging something new and fresh was an honour.

I was a young party campaigner who had returned to Scotland after a few years in the West Country to take up the position of Chief Executive to run the first Scottish Parliamentary Elections.

There was a new challenge with contesting the elections under proportional representation. Reaching out to every voter in every part of Scotland with a message of hope and opportunity to fully utilise the new powers in Edinburgh meant a bigger and more expansive campaigning machine.

Jim Wallace and Donald Gorrie had opted to transfer from Westminster to Edinburgh and Nicol Stephen had served in the House of Commons for a period but the rest of the group were new to parliamentary office. Yet they were immediately plunged into coalition discussions with the Labour Party.

There had been some pre-election chats but no plan which made the following week frenetic. Late night discussions between the parties and with members. It worked because we were serious and committed to make the first years of Parliament work and to cease the opportunity to prove we were a party of government that could deliver change for the better.

We had to learn about government and fast. The Labour Party had to learn about partnership. They arrived with little more than a sheet of paper which invited us to join their government! We arrived with a fully worked out programme for government. Of course there were compromises, as there should be with any good partnership, but there is little doubt that we won the case for a detailed programme for a joint government, not a just a few Liberal Democrats in a Labour Government.

However, the real reason for success of that first government was the foundations built on a personal, trusted relationship between Jim Wallace and Donald Dewar. They were principled but also pragmatic and reasonable people who want to change the country for the better.

The second striking contrast with today was how the constitutional debate brought the country together. The Parliament was a force for unity and shared endeavour. It is such a disappointment to so many that the good will of 20 years has been squandered by the forces for division on extreme of the Brexit and Independence debates. Yet there is hope. I can sense the desire from the public that the politicians should put the constitutional divisions behind us and unite for a better country.

Willie Rennie is leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats