The problem with Scottish politics is that we have a
devolved parliament that is uninterested in devolution. Scottish politicians of
all political parties pretend to be interested in those areas of life that the
Scottish Parliament actually controls, but campaign primarily on issues that we
don’t control. The same goes for supporters.
What areas are controlled by the Scottish Government.
Well here is what it says itself. Devolved matters include:
The economy, education,
health, justice, rural affairs, housing, environment, equal opportunities,
consumer advocacy and advice, transport and taxation. The power to set a
Scottish rate of income tax is a new addition to our responsibilities and
further powers will be devolved to Scotland over the coming years.
That’s rather a lot. In fact, these are the issues that
most affect ordinary life in Scotland. If the SNP Government spent its time
trying to improve those areas that it controls, it wouldn’t have any time to do
anything much else.
The SNP Government spends a great deal of time pretending
that reserved matters are really devolved. It discusses nuclear weapons. None
of the SNP’s business. It continually discusses relations with the EU and
argues about EU membership. Again, this is reserved. Scotland was never a
member of the EU. The decision to join and leave were never Scotland’s to make.
Only independent sovereign nation states can make such decisions.
The SNP Government and the Scottish Parliament in
general continually argue about Scottish independence. But this is a reserved
issue. It is a constitutional matter. The SNP Government has no more business
arguing about Scottish independence than abolishing the House of Lords. It is
outside its remit. But if it is outside its remit, it therefore cannot make
manifesto commitments to having a referendum on such a matter that is none of
its business. Manifesto commitments with regard to elections to the Scottish
Parliament can only be about devolved issues that this Parliament actually controls.
Now the SNP Government wants control over immigration.
It wants to issue its own visas. Once more this is simply a failure to
understand devolution. The SNP is very quick to complain if the British
Government does anything that might affect devolved matters, but continually
strives to involve itself in those areas that are none of its business. Nicola
Sturgeon has no more business meeting EU leaders than does the leader of
Aberdeen City Council. This is why they said get lost.
SNP supporters continually blame something called Westminster
for anything and everything that may be wrong with Scotland. But it is failure
to take responsibility for your own actions that is the primary cause of
failure both in ordinary life and in politics. If the SNP took responsibility
for the Scottish economy, tried to take action that would make us more efficient
and profitable I would still disagree with them, but I would respect them.
The Scottish Parliament has become the equivalent of a
student debating society. Each party campaigns on the issues that it doesn’t
control. They are either pro or anti-independence, pro or anti EU. At the same
time each party only pretends to campaign on issues like healthcare, housing
and transport. They pretend, because the Scottish electorate is uninterested in
these matters too. Scottish voters no more pay attention to the Scottish
Parliament than Aberdeen voters pay attention to the council. We are all
interested only in higher things.
This would not matter so much in ordinary times. But
the pity is that it matters now. The SNP chooses its politicians not because
they are experts, nor because they are passionate about improving Scottish healthcare
or the Scottish economy. Only one qualification is necessary to be successful in
the SNP. You have to think Scottish independence is the only thing that
matters. It also helps if you are related to or sleep with someone else who is
in the SNP.
We have indulged ourselves for years with things that are outwith our control. We have ignored schools, and hospitals and the police. We
have not voted according to how Scottish political parties have performed with
regard to devolved issues. If anything has gone wrong with any devolved issue it
has been easier to blame Westminster rather than ourselves. We have not taken
the first step towards independence, taking responsibility for your own
actions, for which reason we are simply unready to take the second.
But our failure to take responsibility for the things
we do control means that Scotland is not as well prepared economically and in
terms of healthcare for the difficult times that may be ahead. The SNP spent
its time trying to bribe voters with free this and free that rather than using
the money to make Scotland more efficient and our healthcare system more effective.
The SNP neglected the day job because that is what their voters wanted.
We may need a Scottish Government in the next few
weeks and months that is sober and competent. Instead we have a bunch of libertines
unqualified to run a whelk stall because they dream only of this whelk stall
being independent, joining the EU, and being free from nuclear weapons.
Meanwhile when they don’t sell any whelks, they blame Birdseye because the
captain has a posh accent and votes Tory.
