The SNP should focus on its day job

Since the referendum vote in June, we have heard little from the Brexiteers on what they hope to achieve by dragging us out of the European Union.

Boris Johnson says one thing, David Davis another. And the International Trade Secretary Liam Fox has been slapped down by Downing Street for rubbishing the very businesses that he is supposed to be promoting overseas—he called British business “fat and lazy.” It would be laughable if it were not so serious.

With the Tories divided, it is important that Scotland—which voted “Remain”—can speak with a united voice and make clear that we are determined to protect the many benefits that we take from being part of the EU. In the aftermath of the referendum vote, Nicola Sturgeon came to Holyrood and sought the support of all parties for an approach of this sort.

The Liberal Democrats backed the First Minister then. But since that point it has become clear that many within the Scottish National Party see Brexit not as a challenge to be overcome, but an opportunity to advance the cause of independence.

The blow of Brexit and the threat of another independence referendum means that divisive constitutional politics looms over the centre of our national debate like a dark cloud.

Over the summer, time and again we saw the First Minister and other senior figures in the SNP tell us that Brexit would be the spark for a second independence referendum for Scotland. The First Minister has launched a so-called listening exercise to pave the way for a second poll. Her Programme for Government included plans to draft a referendum bill so it is ready to go if needed.

Nicola Sturgeon says that she will only pursue a second referendum if she thinks it is the best way to protect Scotland’s interests. Well, if you think there is any chance she will conclude that independence is not the right option then I have a bridge to sell you.

Again, we are seeing the SNP put the day job to one side while it focuses on independence. This has broken the consensus that we saw at Holyrood after the Brexit vote. And it means that serious problems in other areas are not getting the attention they deserve.

On education, the latest statistics show that attainment has worsened in numeracy, just as it has in literacy. The Scottish Government promised nearly 30 per cent of two-year-olds free childcare. Only 7 per cent have benefitted from it.

The Liberal Democrats have called on the government to use the tax powers of the Scottish Parliament to support a transformative investment in education. This would enable ministers to expand childcare provision, introduce a Scottish pupil premium to support children from more deprived backgrounds and deliver record funding for colleges, instead of the cuts on the SNP’s watch that have caused college places to fall by 41 per cent since 2007.

And look at the poor care in place for those struggling with their mental health. Hundreds of children are being forced to wait more than a year for specialist care. There are no dedicated beds for them north of Dundee. This is a national scandal that won’t be solved by the Government allowing its mental health strategy to expire last December.

Our GP service is in crisis. The Royal College of GPs is now warning that 830 more GPs will be needed by 2020.

These are all things that are under the control of the Scottish Government. SNP Ministers have the powers they need to address these problems. They need to use them. The last thing that Scotland needs is more divisive constitutional politics.

Yes, we need to have a proper discussion of what Brexit means for Scotland and the rest of the UK. Yes, we need to do everything we can to ensure that things like access to the single market are protected. Liberal Democrats believe that we need a second vote on any final Brexit deal too. But independence is not the answer to the question of what happens next.

Pursuing a second independence referendum at all costs will not fix Scotland’s NHS. It will not help a single child do better at school. The First Minister must not lose sight of that. Nicola Sturgeon has marched her troops to the top of the indyref hill. She needs to march them back down again and get on with the day job.