THERE is an old saying that “a fish rots from the head down”. The above quote amply demonstrates the accuracy of this maxim. Anyone who has the slightest knowledge of BBC Scotland news output would find risible grouping “impartiality” and the “BBC” in the same sentence.

And any notional journey to “impartiality” ought to begin only after making its Scottish management directly and, perhaps, solely accountable to its Scottish audience. While “impartiality” may be a challenge, democratic oversight should be very straightforward.

That said, it must be helpful that its head at last accepts the BBC is presently not “impartial”.

The rotten fish description could apply equally to the other institutions on this septic isle. From highly dubious contracts stoutly defended by civil servants; to the truly insane notion of using binmen as long-distance truckers; coupled with the plan to make the ability to reverse a truck optional. We can see the rot happening in front of our eyes.

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One clear sign showing a country is doomed is to look at the health (or otherwise) of its institutions. When the leadership of a state is incompetent and/or corrupt, it inevitably results in the degradation of the institutions upon which the competent running of the state depends.

In normal times politicians, always tempted to aim low, are restrained by the understanding that they need competent institutions to run the state. They can propose, but the institutions dispose. However, ministers recognise that the heads of all institutions, such as the BBC, know they are temporary custodians, and may be dispensed with on a politician’s whim.

To destroy any activity the first place to start is by requiring those around to accept your view of what constitutes ethical behaviour. It begins slowly. You demand bad behaviour, and when the leaders of the institution refuse, you sack them. And that is generally sufficient. The other members of the institution soon get the message. Step out of line and you will quickly find out that you need to find another way to make your mortgage repayments

As a wise man once said: “Whatever may have been is not.” What may have been in the context of the UK was a bunch of conventions together with half-remembered judgements and pronouncements that masqueraded as a constitution. This awful bunch that constitutes the present British Government has put paid to all that. They daily and hourly exploit the complete lack of effective constitutional controls to raid the public purse and abuse the public trust. No state can withstand this onslaught for long.

Dr Elliot Bulmer, Scotland’s pre-eminent constitutional expert, puts it this way. “You fix these things with a constitution. Agree the principles. Specify the institutions and the rules by which they operate. Write it all down in some detail in a fundamental law. Make it quite hard to change so the government of the day can’t wriggle out of it.

“Constitutional issues are neither abstractions nor distractions. The way we are governed (how governments are chosen, how they are held accountable, who makes decisions, and what the rights, values and principles underlying them are) can make a real, life and death, difference.

“Constitutional government (government that is legitimate, balanced, representative, responsible, rule-bound, and rights-respecting) offers more hope for security and freedom, more chance for human flourishing and for the realisation of the common good, than any form of despotism.

“The UK is amid a constitutional crisis like no other – because, not having a constitution, it does not recognise that its crisis is constitutional. It thinks it is about Crown symbols on pint glasses. It’s really about the identity and foundation of the English State.”

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Historians tell us that Roman emperors distracted their starving citizens with “bread and circuses”. Their UK equivalent has signally failed to keep supermarket shelves from emptying, but he has at least gone big on circuses.

His latest wheeze is a return to imperial measures.

While this distraction will likely go the same way as the bridge between Scotland and Northern Ireland, we need to be prepared in case someone asks what the heck is going on.

In the public interest, here’s some help. 1 inch is 3 barleycorns; 1 hand is 4 inches; 1 foot is 3 hands; 1 yard is 3 feet; 1 chain is 22 yards; 1 furlong is 10 chains; 1 mile is 8 furlongs; 1 league is 3 miles; 1 fathom is around 2.027 yards; 1 cable is 100 fathoms; 1 nautical mile is 10 cables; 1 link is 7.92 inches; 1 rod is 25 links.

You’re welcome.

Professor Iain Black is Wednesday’s guest on the TNT Show Join us at 7pm, September 22, on IndyLive