Long to-do list awaits new government

Nothing has been sacred from Covid this past year. As Scotland battled a resurgent pandemic over the winter, questions were raised about whether the Scottish Parliament elections could – and should – go ahead as planned.

Thankfully the Scottish electorate has been able to have its say, whether by postal vote or at the ballot box.

The full results will not be known until tomorrow night.

But the real question is not who will be in power once the vote is complete, but whether the SNP have won the so-called super majority that they crave.

It is, as they see it, the key to unlocking the door of a second referendum on independence.

But while that goal will always remain for the SNP, the next Scottish Government must not be blinded by it.

The problems faced by Scotland right now are many and varied.

The new government must redouble its focus on healthcare, not just in relation to Covid but also to ensure that many other major health conditions, such as cancer, heart disease and stroke, also receive the attention they deserve.

The NHS itself must be given time to heal from the trauma visited upon it during Covid, and the implementation of a national strategy to support the many thousands of unpaid carers in the community should be a priority.

The new government will also have to redouble its focus on mental health – an issue many see as a pandemic in itself.

A coherent strategy to tackle the scourge of drugs – which Nicola Sturgeon acknowledges has been a failure of previous administrations – must also be brought forward.

The new government must step up to the mark and support the rebuilding of an economy shattered by Covid.

Those who have lost their livelihoods during the pandemic will need ongoing support to recover, while young people whose career prospects have diminished over the past 12 months will need to be given hope.

The to-do list goes on and on. It is the duty of the next government to ensure every box is ticked.

It must hit the ground running.