So who was strongest on the issues that REALLY matter?
ON CORONAVIRUS STRATEGY BEST LINES:
Douglas Ross: ‘Does it really help young people who have been out of school for the last year to offer them a free device at the start of an election campaign rather than the start of a pandemic?’
Nicola Sturgeon: ‘These are serious times, and they demand serious leadership. We need an experienced hand at the wheel.’
ANALYSIS:
Nicola Sturgeon felt confident speaking about her approach to coronavirus. She feels it is her strongest card and believed the country would be convinced that her experience is still needed.
But Douglas Ross managed to land two strong blows. He highlighted how two of her ministers have broken rules on outdoor gatherings while campaigning and also exposed how the SNP made a flagship promise in a conference speech to give a laptop to every child – but has failed to act during the pandemic when they have been needed most.
VERDICT:
Nicola Sturgeon’s line about her coronavirus leadership was her strongest showing, but Douglas Ross edged it by exposing election bribes that could have been introduced long before now.
ON ECONOMIC RECOVERY BEST LINES:
Willie Rennie: ‘We need to put our differences behind us and bring our country together.’
Anas Sarwar: ‘It will take years to recover in the aftermath of Covid and Covid has hit people equally whether Yes, No, Leave or Remain.’
Douglas Ross: ‘We can’t have a recovery and a referendum.’
ANALYSIS:
All leaders agreed the economy needs to be the focus. Miss Sturgeon was less convincing when opponents highlighted that she will put independence first, meaning years of divisive debate.
VERDICT:
Some impressive points from Anas
Sarwar about the need to focus on economic action rather than more division.
ON INDEPENDENCE: BEST LINES:
Willie Rennie: ‘I’ve seen a window into the next five years in the last few weeks: arguments over the constitution, strategy about independence, arguments between Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond which have been poisonous and unpleasant.’
Douglas Ross: ‘We have heard from the studio so far today it’s not the public’s priority and that is why Nicola Sturgeon is wrong and that’s why we can’t have a recovery when the SNP and the Scottish Government are only focused on another referendum.’
ANALYSIS:
An issue that dominated for the audience and the leaders. Nicola Sturgeon confirmed that she wants an independence referendum within two-and-a-half years, while Lorna Slater of the Greens only wanted it within the five-year term of parliament.
VERDICT:
Willie Rennie made good points about the need to escape more division and five years of poisonous arguments between Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.
ON HEALTH: BEST LINES:
Anas Sarwar: ‘Even despite Covid, cancer remains Scotland’s biggest killer. We can’t have people needing to go south for treatment.’
ANALYSIS:
The issue was dominated by Anas Sarwar, who set out policy ideas about tackling the NHS backlog and highlighted the impact lockdown has had. Nicola Sturgeon also got in some good policy ideas about temporary operation facilities and mobile units.
VERDICT:
A clear win for Anas Sarwar.