Telly clash a battle of also-rans

ELECTIONS are usually marked by drama and uncertainty about the final result.

Campaigns have turning points, gamechanging moments and an inevitable reckoning with voters.

Holyrood 2021 is the most anticlimactic election in the devolution era, with the result almost certainly known three weeks before polling day.

Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP will come first in May, and the only question is whether her party will win an outright majority, or have to rely on the pro-independence Greens.

The STV leaders’ debate, far from being a debate on who should be the next First Minister, was the battle of the also-rans. It was about the right to wear the silver medal.

None of the opposition leaders – Douglas Ross for the Tories, Labour’s Anas Sarwar, Green Patrick Harvie or the Lib Dems’ Willie Rennie – spoke about being a potential First Minister.

Ross warned of the impact of a majority SNP Government and urged voters to back his party on the regional lists. He was pitching himself as a brake on the SNP.

The similar language used by the pro-UK parties on IndyRef2 and independence was telling and revealed a defensive attempt to shore up their share of the Unionist vote.

Ross and Rennie referred to “old divisions” and Sarwar mentioned “old arguments”, but each candidate missed the point.

Regardless of your view on Scotland’s constitutional future, independence is a live debate, not an old argument.

Framing it in such a way closes each party off to SNP voters and narrows their electoral paths. Last night, we saw a scrap for the pro-UK vote.

The main difference in the STV debate format was the broadcaster allowing the leaders to quiz each other.

With Sturgeon coasting in the polls, the key duel was between Sarwar and

Ross for second place. In the first debate, the Scottish Labour leader outshone his Tory rival and left him eating dust.

This time it was closer, but Sarwar prevailed again over the Conservative MP.

He made the First Minister look uncomfortable when grilling her on the tragic death of Milly Main at Glasgow’s super-hospital, and was unflappable when questioned himself.

Ross initially scored a hit when he scrutinised Sturgeon over her Government’s appalling record on drug deaths, but he wilted after being questioned himself.

Sturgeon attacked the Tory Government’s decision to take court action on child-friendly legislation passed by Holyrood, and Sarwar needled him on the Conservatives failing as an opposition.

Harvie then hit the bullseye by pulling up Ross for appalling comments he had made over the years on travellers. He weakly offered an apology.

However, it would be foolish to think this debate will have a material impact on the result.

If people are talking about a politician’s words this week, it will be Sturgeon’s easing of lockdown.

She is on course for victory and nothing said in this latest ballot brawl looks likely to derail the SNP train.