Let f lawed plan die

NICOLA STURGEON is in danger of becoming the patron saint of lost causes. She keeps the independence ‘dream’ limping along despite figures showing it is an economic impossibility. And now the Named Person plan to foist a state guardian on every child is the latest to go into zombie-like stasis – dead but too stupid to lie down.

John Swinney says the scheme faces a year’s delay after the Supreme Court ruled its cornerstone – secret datasharing – is illegal.

Having admitted parents have lost faith in the well-intentioned but fatally flawed plan, Mr Swinney should be honest enough to lay it to rest completely.