On Thursday morning in Bute House, having delivered her statement which marked the launch of Scotland’s Right to Choose, the new Scottish Government document that outlines the immensely strong case for an independence referendum, I watched the First Minister field half an hour of intense questions from the media with grace, humour and complete command of the arguments and the detail of all her government’s activities and policies.

Over the last six weeks, the rest of these islands have seen what most of us in Scotland have known for a long time, namely that she is articulate, honest, very determined and head and shoulders above any other UK politician.

I have known Nicola since 1990 and am not surprised that she has grown into her current role and status in a way that few others could have even attempted, let alone achieved. But it takes an even more exceptional talent to cope with that type of detailed questioning to which she willingly submits on a regular basis. I understand that because I get it from time to time in my own media interviews and even though I have been dealing with it for the best part of 40 years she now handles it more calmly and more consistently than I have ever done.

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I make those points not just to give credit where credit is due but also to point up a contrast. In the last week we have seen lots of pictures of Boris Johnson going into Downing Street, or speaking at some staged meeting or other and we have heard him bluster in the House of Commons and insult, amongst others, Ian Blackford who was trying to hold him to account.

What we have not seen or heard, however, is Boris Johnson answering media questions and, by so doing, being accountable. His re-election has perhaps diminished his preference to actually hide from journalists – or maybe there just haven’t been any fridges about for him to duck into – but he certainly has not put himself up for the type of scrutiny which should be the norm in democratic politics. Indeed his “people” have made it known that he – and his colleagues – now refuse to appear on certain outlets which have been disrespectful enough to insist on serious policy discussion, not tousled hair posing and puff pieces.

There are many questions to which we need answers – for example, what his negotiating strategy will be during the second phase of EU discussions now he has boxed himself in on an end date. But for Scotland one issue predominates and it is one which, whilst being constantly addressed to the First Minster, needs to be answered by him, and him alone.

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At the election just concluded the people of Scotland clearly and in great numbers demanded the right to choose their own future.

That decision is now made. Democracy demands it be implemented.

The Scottish Parliament has done its bit and indeed on Thursday moved a step further by passing the Referendum Frameworks Bill. Now Westminster must bring forward a Section 30 order to complete the task.

But so far the Prime Minister has refused.

Accordingly, the most important question for Scotland at this time is not about what Nicola and her government will do now. We have done our bit and the people have spoken decisively.

The question must be to the Prime Minister. He must be closely questioned about what he intends to do.

He must answer why he thinks he has, in the words of Parnell, the right to “fix the boundary to the march of a nation” against the express wishes of that nation expressed at the ballot box.

In that famous speech in Cork in 1885, Parnell went on to assert that “no man has a right to say to his country thus far shalt thou go and no further”.

Johnson however clearly believes he has that right.

It is therefore the duty of our media to find out why and then to challenge not only the threadbare arrogance of both the answer and the answerer, but also the very settlement that still permits such a democratic outrage.