Hello

I'm Robert Clarke, the founder of everyscot.com. First up, I'm not Scottish (sadly), but have been a serious "Scotophile" since my first visit at the age of 14, when a friend and I hitch-hiked from Leicester to Forres, where my friend's father had served in the RAF at nearby Kinloss.

I eventually had the opportunity of living in Argyll, on the shores of Loch Sween, for more than 15 years, until circumstances compelled me to move to France. However, I have returned to Scotland many times since, and I can't wait to return here to live.

Before leaving, however, I penned an article on Scottish Independence, which the Independent ran as an oped on 21st July 1993, the very day the Maastricht Treaty was signed. You can read the article by clicking here.

I have always been a firm believer in Scottish Independence, and in fact "invented" the Scottish European Party for the purposes of my article. Apparently the SNP at the time thought the article might be the precursor to the launch of such a party!