Flawed judgment

DISASTROUS is the only word for the fiasco over Gillian Martin’s selection as a Holyrood minister and, inside 24 hours, her rejection.

Nicola Sturgeon admitted she knew about elements of Mrs Martin’s hateful blog in which transgender students were insulted, yet still pressed on with the promotion.

Only as further deeply distasteful detail emerged was the First Minister’s hand forced.

Even then, Miss Sturgeon launched an ill-graced ‘glass houses’ jibe at other parties.

For this was an SNP shuffle in which the party was on the very point of elevating a woman with abhorrent views to a senior government role, a time for humility if ever there was one.

And Mrs Martin’s apology was as graceless. She claimed the blog did not represent her views ‘then or now’.

That holds no water. It beggars belief that a blog crafted over years by a mature woman can now be passed off as mere fiction.

Mrs Martin’s career has been fatally damaged and Miss Sturgeon emerges diminished, her judgment again shown to be flawed.