The Better Together campaign that kept the union intact in 2014 was based on a simple proposition.

Country was deemed to be more important than party: Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Tories put aside historic rivalries to fight for a supposedly higher cause.

However, while Better Together helped win the referendum, its very existence proved to be a nightmare for its leading member.

Labour, which provided most of the personnel, suffered for its alliance with the Tories and has never recovered.

Two years on, and with the First Minister seeming to move inexorably towards a second vote, a Better Together reunion is highly unlikely.

If Labour took part in a similar coalition, it is almost certain there would be a revolt by party members.

In any case, the result of May’s Holyrood election means Labour would not be the strongest voice in a new campaign group.

As former Labour MP Tom Harris has said, Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson as leader of the opposition would have to front the group, and that would mean the debate quickly becoming one framed around 'Scotland versus the Tories'.

Let's be clear: as a paper which supports independence, this would be good news for the Yes movement in terms of garnering votes. But it would leave the debate empty of substance. We need to work hard on answering the questions which proved problematic before - chiefly the economy.

What does seem evident is that Labour's decline is becoming part of the growing catalogue of events which is hastening the end of the union.