Educated messes

So Nicola Sturgeon maintains education is her“defining mission”. of course she does, eager as she is to try to defend her party’s dismal schools’ record after ten years in power.

But how many people believe her? And crucially, is there evidence backing up her claim? Under the SNP, teacher numbers have been cut by 4,000. Few in local authorities believe such initiatives as John Swinney’s aim to increase the responsibility of headteachers will help address the attainment gap.

The latest UK study of youth literacy from Dundee University shows that “in Northern Ireland and England [pupils] are moving significantly ahead of Scotland in terms of literary performance”.

Even Ross Greer from the Scottish Greens – a party rarely critical of the SNP – has spoken out against the nationalists “decade of cuts”.

Education Ms Sturgeon’s “defining mission”? The nationalist leader has admitted that for her ‘independence transcends everything – Brexit, oil and the economy.’ It would seem running a devolved domestic administration is a distraction from the business of campaigning to break up the UK. That’s what truly defines this SNP government.

MARTIN REDFERN Woodcroft Road, Edinburgh