We can see you sneaking out.. a big bunch of your bad news
SNP accused of trying to bury negative announcements as Holyrood breaks up for Easter
NICOLA Sturgeon was under fire at Holyrood yesterday after rushing out a string of announcements in a few hours on the last day of term.
Statements on fracking, health and enterprise fought for space at the end of a fortnight dominated by Brexit and independence.
Damning reports were also published on support for rape victims and Scotland’s overcrowded train network.
MSPs have spent around eight hours in the chamber discussing independence in the past two weeks.
And the Government haven’t set aside any time to debate the key priority of education since October.
While political focus was on the Brexit shambles at Westminster, ministers stood up at Holyrood.
At First Minister’s Questions, Sturgeon was forced to apologise to survivors of horrific mesh implant surgery, sometimes offered to women with pelvic organ prolapse.
Mental Health Minister Maureen Watt then unveiled a new 10-year mental health strategy, months after it was due to be published.
It was immediately undermined by council leaders who refused to sign it off because of significant late changes.
And Economy Secretary Keith Brown slipped out a U-turn on proposals to scrap skills agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise. The SNP gave an update on fracking but refused to give any more information on whether they will move towards a full ban.
The four announcements and questions from MSPs took up two hours and 15 minutes before Holyrood knocked off early at 4.45pm.
Sturgeon had defended her Government’s work during FMQs. But opponents said Scotland’s priorities are being put to one side.
Labour published a list of 10 Government “failings” in the past week.
They include missed cancer patient times for the fourth year running, 6000 fewer beds in hospitals since 2007 and a ditched promise on junior doctors’ hours. Labour leader Kezia Dugdale tackled Sturgeon on complaints mesh survivors have been let down.
Dugdale said: “One thing that the First Minister has not done is deliver justice for the Scottish mesh survivors.
“Their lives have been destroyed by a medical procedure that was supposed to help them to get better.”
Tory leader Ruth Davidson accused Sturgeon of ignoring her stated aim to put education at the heart of government. She highlighted a drop of 4000 teachers since the SNP took power.
Davidson said: “The First Minister talks about priorities.
“I know that she has had a tough week and that it is getting worse but is she going to stand there after forcing a two-day debate on independence, forcing through a referendum against the wishes of the people of Scotland and still say that education is her priority?”
Sturgeon hit back with a list of SNP action in the last year.
She has committed £10million to support food and drink, signed an economic partnership with Bavaria, chaired a meeting on the future of social security and announced 300 jobs in Glasgow, among other things.
Sturgeon added: “I will take no lectures about the day job.
“It is just a pity that so much of our day job is spent cleaning up the mess made by a Tory Government.”
It’s a pity that so much of our day job is spent cleaning up Tories’ mess NICOLA STURGEON