Sturgeon’s legislative programme fails to seize the initiative
The First Minister had a chance to stop the sense of Scottish Government drift but blew it, writes Tom Peterkin
Can a ruling party in Scotland ever have suffered a more anguished summer recess than the one recently endured by the SNP? That – by the way – is a rhetorical question because the answer is a blindingly obvious and resounding “no”.
Of course, the allegations of sexual harassment made against Alex Salmond were responsible for much of that anguish. As was his colossally insensitive “crowdfunding” appeal to fund the legal action he is taking against the Scottish Government.
In contrast to Mr Salmond, Nicola Sturgeon has reacted to this most unfortunate turn of events with a great deal of dignity and professionalism. But that cannot mask the challenges she faces to hold her party together amid talk of SNP splits as Ms Sturgeon is pitted against her predecessor and mentor.
Despite his bullish response to the allegations against him and his work for a Kremlin-sponsored broadcaster, Mr Salmond still seems to hold considerable sway within the party.
But there is also a big wide world beyond the internal difficulties of the SNP and the personal troubles of Mr Salmond.
This is the real world where most people live and it is where the First Minister and her team face a whole host of other problems which require urgent attention.
These were apparent during the recess before all political controversies were drowned out by the revelation that two women had made complaints against Mr Salmond. Before the allegations against Salmond broke, education was the dominant theme of the recess with John Swinney under fire over controversial national tests for primary one pupils. And thrown into that unhappy mix was the controversy over the 700 teaching posts unfilled before the start of term, a decline in pupils taking foreign languages and a narrowing subject choice under Curriculum for Excellence. No wonder that a picture is being painted of low morale in the classroom, a state of affairs that was graphically illustrated when Mr Swinney was accosted by angry teachers on the radio.
A litany of complaints were directed at the Deputy First Minister and education secretary including workload, low pay and shortages of specialists to deal with children with learning difficulties.
With parliament back from its summer break this week, these concerns are being reprised with EIS general secretary Larry Flanagan warning that it would take decades to change the culture of Scottish education.
But Ms Sturgeon’s challenges are not confined to education.
When faced with an NHS plagued by bed-blocking, missed waiting targets and doctor shortages, Ms Sturgeon does not have her troubles to seek when it comes to Scotland’s public services.
This week, the First Minister was preparing to announce her legislative programme for the next 12 months when the above point was made via a Scottish Government survey, illustrating rising dissatisfaction with public services.
Therefore it would have reasonable to expect the First Minister to come out fighting on the return to parliament with a legislative programme to get her administration back on to the front foot.
The need to seize the initiative is