Spin won’t help dry out flooded towns
tHE disastrous floods which struck many parts of the country would, you might think, be an issue that was above politics. not so in the bitter and twisted world that is post-Referendum Scotland. Environment Minister aileen McLeod was notable largely by her absence when the floods began, but plenty of SnP supporters seemed to think Scottish Secretary David Mundell should have led the way. they were clearly unaware of the protocols surrounding one MP turning up in another’s constituency, or were simply making political mischief at a time of crisis. as ever, nicola Sturgeon was quickly to the fore, though what practical help a visit from the First Minister was for flooded families and businesses is anyone’s guess. Still the environment minister is low profile — voters might take a very dim view if she’s doing anything other than taking an urgent audit of the country’s flood defences. So it’s left to Finance Secretary John Swinney to tell us what’s going on. Well, more accurately, it’s fallen to Mr Swinney to tell the public not very much at all while ensuring criticism of the SnP is deflected. We hear from him that the nationalists are ‘committed’ to helping flood-hit communities while the Scottish government is committed to ‘sustained funding’ for floods agency Sepa. Weasel words like those might tick all the boxes at the party’s ‘How to make sure we don’t catch any flak’ meeting but they are so much hot air for communities such as mine who are in crisis because of the floods.
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