SNP's poor track record for delivery means lack of ambition may actually be good thing

As John Swinney unveiled his Programme for Government, he said something that should not pass without praise. Addressing MSPs of all parties, the First Minister said: "Fundamentally, we are all here to contribute to creating the best future we can for Scotland.”

At a time when intimidation and violence pose an increasing threat to democracy and populists regularly dismiss their opponents as people to be “detested” or even traitors, we need more sentiments like this from mainstream politicians.

Outlining his plans for the year, Swinney stressed his commitment to four priorities: “eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, tackling the climate emergency, and ensuring high quality and sustainable public services”. Most in the Holyrood chamber would happily sign up to each goal.

‘No vision, no strategy and no plan’

However, there was criticism that the 14 Bills announced yesterday fell short of the necessary level of ambition to turn Scotland’s fortunes around. Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar complained that, while this was supposed to be a “great relaunch”, instead what MSPs had been presented with was "more of the same, the same sticking-plaster approach, the same rehashed announcements and the same level of denial from the third First Minister in three years”. There was, he said, “no vision, no strategy and no plan”.

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One glaring omission was the lack of fresh action to deal with Scotland’s drug-deaths crisis. Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross, echoing Nicola Sturgeon’s shocking admission during her time as First Minister, said the SNP was “taking its eye off the ball” just a few weeks after it was revealed that a shocking 1,172 people had died of drugs in 2023.

Repeated failures to deliver

But, given the SNP’s repeated failings in government – they have, for example, talked for years about ending child poverty, closing the educational attainment gap, dualling the A9 etc – it may actually be better if ministers concentrate on trying to do a few things well.

Chief among these tasks, we suggest, is growing the economy as doing so would alleviate many other problems. Given this is Keir Starmer’s focus, Scotland’s two governments should be able to put their differences aside, as they pursue the “best future” for us all.