Read John McDermott's full essay on the SNP's record
In the July issue of Prospect, former Number 10 policy advisor John McDermott wrote an essay criticising the SNP's record in government in Scotland. Here are some of the responses we received.
John McDermott is right when he identifies the lack of scrutiny of the SNP’s policies. The lack of oxygen for critique in Scotland has stifled debate and stopped us looking at what the best policies are for ordinary Scots. Scots scrutinising Scots should no longer be seen as talking Scotland down, especially at the expense of proper public policy.
I don’t recognise the negative view presented by John McDermott. A recent opinion poll put support for the SNP in Scotland at 60 per cent. The Borders Railway is about to open, the new road bridge across the Forth is being built and the Curriculum for Excellence in schools is working. No government is perfect. There are issues in the NHS and education, but a majority of Scottish people have voted for the SNP for the past eight years, and look likely to do so for least another four. So, either Scottish voters have gone mad or McDermott has missed the point, which is that what Scotland is currently lacking is a credible opposition. It’s not the SNP who need to get their act together; it’s Labour.
July was the SNP government’s 300th week since it met its A&E waiting time targets. Health Secretary, Shona Robison, noted that if Glasgow and the west of Scotland were excluded then the target has been met. Jeremy Hunt would be laughed out of the TV studio if he pretended that a 60 per cent success rate was enough. But Robison went unmocked. The normal laws of political gravity don’t apply to the SNP. They are in government but blame any problems on Labour (out of government since 2007 in Scotland.) Incumbent and insurgent—it’s a potent mixture. Yet there is an actual record of an SNP government, one whose failures people experience first hand. The reality of the SNP government’s record will bring them down to earth.
McDermott’s article demonstrates that devolution from Westminster without reform of the recipient system in Edinburgh loses much of the potential benefit. Ditto, devolution to the “northern powerhouse” and to every local authority. Also clear is that for any government to work effectively it must have feedback on the outcome of its policies. This is not a matter for politics, with governments deciding what and what not to collect, publish and, often, spin. It is a role for independent bodies like the Office for National Statistics—the fourth separation of powers.
In the July issue of Prospect, former Number 10 policy advisor John McDermott wrote an essay criticising the SNP's record in government in Scotland. Here are some of the responses we received.
Lack of Scrutiny
Margaret Curran, former Labour MP for Glasgow EastJohn McDermott is right when he identifies the lack of scrutiny of the SNP’s policies. The lack of oxygen for critique in Scotland has stifled debate and stopped us looking at what the best policies are for ordinary Scots. Scots scrutinising Scots should no longer be seen as talking Scotland down, especially at the expense of proper public policy.
Labour—get your act together
David Greig, playwright and independence campaignerI don’t recognise the negative view presented by John McDermott. A recent opinion poll put support for the SNP in Scotland at 60 per cent. The Borders Railway is about to open, the new road bridge across the Forth is being built and the Curriculum for Excellence in schools is working. No government is perfect. There are issues in the NHS and education, but a majority of Scottish people have voted for the SNP for the past eight years, and look likely to do so for least another four. So, either Scottish voters have gone mad or McDermott has missed the point, which is that what Scotland is currently lacking is a credible opposition. It’s not the SNP who need to get their act together; it’s Labour.
Political gravity
John McTernan, former Chief of Staff to the leader of the Scottish Labour PartyJuly was the SNP government’s 300th week since it met its A&E waiting time targets. Health Secretary, Shona Robison, noted that if Glasgow and the west of Scotland were excluded then the target has been met. Jeremy Hunt would be laughed out of the TV studio if he pretended that a 60 per cent success rate was enough. But Robison went unmocked. The normal laws of political gravity don’t apply to the SNP. They are in government but blame any problems on Labour (out of government since 2007 in Scotland.) Incumbent and insurgent—it’s a potent mixture. Yet there is an actual record of an SNP government, one whose failures people experience first hand. The reality of the SNP government’s record will bring them down to earth.
Devo done wrong
Ed Straw, authorMcDermott’s article demonstrates that devolution from Westminster without reform of the recipient system in Edinburgh loses much of the potential benefit. Ditto, devolution to the “northern powerhouse” and to every local authority. Also clear is that for any government to work effectively it must have feedback on the outcome of its policies. This is not a matter for politics, with governments deciding what and what not to collect, publish and, often, spin. It is a role for independent bodies like the Office for National Statistics—the fourth separation of powers.
