Lacklustre plans of a tired Government
NICOLA Sturgeon hailed it as a plan that ‘continues and accelerates the major reforms under way in our health, education and justice systems’.
In reality, her legislative agenda is a series of rehashed promises, vague commitments and ‘action plans’, bereft of innovation or radicalism. Within moments of unveiling her programme, the First Minister pointed out that it existed ‘in the shadow of Brexit’ – the SNP’s default bogeyman.
But in fact it labours in the shadow of the SNP’s continuing threat of a second divisive and costly independence referendum.
We were assured that ‘closing the attainment gap and raising standards in our schools remains the overriding mission’ of the SNP. But a flagship Education Bill has not materialised after John Swinney put it on hold earlier this year – refusing an offer of Tory votes to allow it to be passed.
Instead Miss Sturgeon is still backing a ‘pupil equity fund’ for schools in deprived areas, despite evidence some of the cash has been squandered.
Elsewhere, pledges to revitalise our sluggish economy seem anaemic and represent a deep-rooted failure to grasp the scale of the challenge ahead.
Grand proposals for a £7billion boost in capital spending lack detail – and may have to be bankrolled by further ‘progressive’ tax hikes. Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf had signalled changes to the practice of freeing prisoners early on electronic tags, following the case of thug James Wright.
He was jailed for murdering a young father after breaching his Home Detention Curfew (HDC), and remaining at large for six months. But HDC is here to stay, and instead Miss Sturgeon vowed only to consult on improving the ‘transparency’ of the Parole Board.
She also reiterated plans outlined last year to ‘extend the presumption against ineffective short sentences from three to 12 months’. Among those set to escape a jail term are criminals convicted of homicide, serious assault, attempted murder and sexual offences.
Policing, in a state of near-constant crisis for the past five years, was barely mentioned, ensuring that the ineffectual scrutiny of the Scottish Police Authority will continue. On the NHS, there were warm words for under-pressure medics but little reassurance for patients languishing on waiting lists. The First Minister promised only a ‘waiting times improvement plan, setting out a range of short and mediumterm actions’ to ‘improve performance’.
After more than a decade in power, shouldn’t any government have more to offer than a mere ‘plan’ to reform failing public services?
Ruth Davidson was right to describe yesterday’s announcement as full of ‘wellmeaning soundbites, but little of substance’. This is the fag-end of a cut-and-paste government that has reheated old policies and seeks to present them as daring and new – but voters are unlikely to be so easily conned.