As NHS cries out for help, SNP promises only more drift, infighting and bad government – Scotsman comment

Only a Scottish Parliament election will provide the country with the strong, effective government it so desperately needs

Sometimes politics can seem like a soap opera divorced from everyday reality. Humza Yousaf’s dramatic decision to sack the Scottish Greens from his government, only to have to resign days later after his plan backfired spectacularly is a storyline that has had many on the edge of their seats.

However, amid the chaos of the First Minister’s downfall, there is still a country to run, and the actions of our elected representatives really do matter. They, more than anyone else, have the power to transform life in this country for the better – or mess things up as the current government has been doing for years.

The state of the NHS is perhaps the most obvious sign of their mismanagement and incompetence. For all the talk of an “NHS recovery” after Covid, it feels much more like a steady decline, documented at regular intervals by more bad news about waiting times.

Scotland needs dramatically better government, not more of the same from 'continuity' candidate John Swinney (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

In the latest pleas for help by staff, Colin Poolman, director of the Royal College of Nursing Scotland, said many nurses were “at breaking point”. “They are frustrated by the ongoing political distractions and instability,” he said. “They want to see the Scottish Government get to grips with the workforce crisis that is facing our health and social care services and focus on delivering safe and effective care for the people of Scotland.”

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Dr Iain Kennedy, chair of the British Medical Association Scotland, added: “All politicians must recognise that the future of the NHS simply cannot wait. The next First Minister must make addressing the ongoing crisis in the NHS a priority – before it is too late.”

The two leading contenders, John Swinney and Kate Forbes, offer little hope. Swinney’s ‘continuity’ tag suggests little would change, while Forbes may struggle to command a majority at Holyrood, given how strongly the Scottish Greens and some SNP MSPs feel about her views on social issues.

The result of any SNP leadership contest is likely to be more time wasted on political power games. Only an election can save Scotland from yet more drift, infighting and bad government, all of which has a very real and damaging effect on people’s lives.