Ruth returns… but reality doesn’t meet expectation
Expectation versus reality is, as those with young children addicted to Youtube channels will know, a series of comedy skits by children proving how the two things just never match. Yesterday’s First Minister’s Questions, and the return of Ruth Davidson, the charismatic, sock-it-to-’em Tory leader, appeared to be the latest episode.
After maternity leave, expectations were high for her return to FMQS. But reality– well reality bites, and it bit hard. Davidson’s focus was on whether “positive destinations” for school-leavers were for some a negative? For Davidson it was black, for Sturgeon, it was white.
No she did not agree. No she was not interested in a Tory policy of a Skills Participation Age of 18 to help the 20 per cent of 16 to 19-year-olds who are neither in education or formal training after school – even though the IPPR are fans as are the governments of her usual go-to small countries.
The Chamber waited for the incisive comeback. But Davidson appeared to lack a certain “Ruthiness” – “half the time she complains we don’t bring ideas to the Chamber, now she’s complaining when we do,” was all she could muster.
Expectations were too high.