Illusion of virtue can’t hide failings of SNP
THE Nationalists swept to power in 2007, promising a new kind of politics. Declaring themselves unencumbered by the feet of clay that affect mere mortals in other legislatures (such as, spit it out with poison, Westminster), they were going to show Scotland the kind of nation we could be.
They built a myth of unique virtue and a campaign machine on criticising others.
Nicola Sturgeon’s default setting became sanctimony and, when challenged, to conflate party with country and accuse any critic of the crime of being un- or even anti-Scottish.
Well, that slick and disciplined unit, convinced by its own righteousness, is the same shambolic ragtag of infighting Ministers we now see shrilly firefighting on a dozen different fronts.
We have a First Minister and her predecessor seemingly at war, inquiries piling up into care home deaths and malicious prosecutions by the Crown Office.
There are mumbled explanations as to why taxpayers’ money was spent coaching civil servants on how to avoid answering questions, senior colleagues dismissed for scandal and internal systems changed to block a threat to the leadership entering Holyrood.
Then we have policy failures, courts striking down chunks of legislation, targets missed, standards dropping and threats of a wildcat referendum during recovery from a global pandemic.
And all the time Ms Sturgeon is shrugging off responsibility, denying knowledge or casting blame elsewhere. Let’s start with some of the people – wife-beater Bill Walker, a councillor promoted to MSP even after a relative met members of Ms Sturgeon’s office team and gave documentary evidence of his domestic violence.
Children’s Minister Mark McDonald resigned over inappropriate behaviour towards female staff, while former Finance Secretary Derek Mackay bombarded a 16-year-old boy with messages – and is still claiming a full salary despite not setting foot in Holyrood for a year.
MP Margaret Ferrier tested positive for Covid yet trailed the virus halfway round the UK – and is still in Parliament. Although suspended by the SNP, she remains a member.
MP Neale Hanvey, disciplined for hateful, antisemitic messages on social media, is now sitting on the SNP’s conduct committee in charge of members’ behaviour.
He was axed as vaccine spokesman last week, for backing a campaign to sue a colleague.
Under the SNP’s watch we’ve seen terrible legislation repealed, such as the Offensive Behaviour at Football Act, or, in the case of the Named Person plan, struck down in part by the courts.
There are huge questions over the use of public funds. A farm payments system has been beset by problems, two ferries are years late and £100 million over budget, and promises made to manufacturer BiFab broken after millions spent.
Plus we’ve seen oddities such as hundreds of thousands of pounds of cultural funds going to a publisher which is now printing a book of Ms Sturgeon’s speeches.
That’s before we get onto the civil war between Ms Sturgeon and Alex Salmond.
The inquiry examining the botched handling of complaints against the ex-SNP leader is looking at, among other things, Ms Sturgeon’s undocumented meetings with Mr Salmond. Its work has been hampered at almost every turn, having to resort to legal action to get evidence.
Internal systems have been changed to stop Joanna Cherry, a potential leadership threat, from standing for Holyrood.
Malicious prosecutions pursued by the Crown Office, which have cost £20 million, were spearheaded by the Lord Advocate, a Cabinet Minister.
That’s before we get to Ms Sturgeon only restoring money she cut from the drugs budget after Scotland became the drugs death capital of Europe.
I don’t know whether it is the hypocrisy that makes the stench worse. But something rotten is at the heart of this Government and all the sanctimony in the world can no longer disguise the smell.