SNP have reasons for dodging accountability

Tydeman’s dismissal appears harsh when ministers do not seem to think they should be held to similarly high standards

The principle of accountability in public life is important. So the decision to sack Ferguson Marine chief executive David Tydeman was probably the right one even if he was good at his job, as many insist. He was brought in to fix longrunning problems with the stateowned shipyard’s ongoing attempts to build two ferries and yet problems have continued.

His dismissal, with Wellbeing Economy Secretary Mairi Mcallan describing further delays to one vessel as “unacceptable”, may be harsh but it is a welcome sign that a tougher stance is being taken. If only this had been the case long ago, the ferries might not be six years late and £300 million over budget. On the other hand, it’s also a worrying sign that things could be worse than we know.

Some islanders may be heartened that insiders regard Mcallan as “very delivery-focused”. However, it’s hard to avoid the suspicion that this is only in comparison to her seemingly “deliverycasual” predecessors.

Perhaps if ministers had been held to the same standards of accountability that saw Tydeman – praised by stateowned ferry-buying firm Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited “for all of his hard work in very difficult circumstances” – being shown the door, this scandal would not have rumbled on so long.

But then disgraced former Health Secretary Michael Matheson showed the contempt that SNP ministers have for accountability when he attempted to cling onto his seat at the Cabinet table for weeks despite lying to journalists about his unjustified and belatedly retracted £11,000 ipad expenses claim. While he was eventually forced to quit – after a Holyrood investigation found he had broken its code of conduct – yesterday he was still insisting he would not resign as an MSP.

The idea that accountability is only for other people, not the SNP, enables mediocrity and incompetence, two characteristics of our current government. However, with the health service, education, and other public services in disarray, embracing this important principle might simply add to the chaos. After all, would anyone be left to run the country?