'100 days of SNP failure', claim opposition as criticism branded 'nonsensical'

The SNP has been heavily criticised for failing to follow through on pledges set out prior to the Holyrood election in May for their first 100 days in power.

Opposition parties have highlighted examples where Nicola Sturgeon’s party has failed to meet pledges in its plan for the first 100 days of government such as setting up an inquiry into Covid-19, the lack of an NHS Recovery Plan and vaccinating all adults.

However, the Scottish Government has branded such criticism as “nonsensical”, arguing the 100 days began when Ms Sturgeon was elected First Minister by MSPs on May 18.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been criticised for her government's failure to meet pledges.

This would see the 100 days end on August 25, the government claims, not on August 14, which is 100 days since the election.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said there was “no sign” the SNP had begun to focus on recovery and claimed the government was defined by “delays, broken promises, and a gulf between their spin and their action”.

He said: “In the final days of the campaign they put forward a weak imitation of Scottish Labour’s message, vowing to work in the national interest – but in just 100 days they have broken promises on everything from tackling Covid to rebuilding our NHS to delivering green jobs.

"The failure to set up a public inquiry into Covid-19 is a particularly shocking dereliction of duty. We shouldn’t be waiting for Boris Johnson, we should be desperate to learn the lessons of the last year and a half – not hiding from them.

“As each day passes, their arrogance grows and they continue to lose touch with communities across Scotland as they abandon the pledges they were elected on just months ago.”

Stephen Kerr, the Scottish Conservatives chief whip, said voters were “tired of hearing the same old excuses”, adding the SNP failed to “deliver on the issues that matter” and that promises from the party had “simply failed to materialise”.

He said: “Nicola Sturgeon and her ministers promised to make Covid recovery their priority, but they have taken their eye off the ball once again. We know they have already put a push for a divisive indyref2 at the top of their conference agenda.

“Championing independence once again is a dereliction of duty from the SNP Government as Scotland aims to accelerate its recovery from the pandemic.

“No matter how they try and spin it, this is another series of SNP broken promises that are letting people down all over again.”

The Scottish Liberal Democrat leadership hopeful and health spokesperson, Alex Cole-Hamilton, demanded an apology from the SNP to healthcare workers due to the failure to produce an NHS recovery plan.

He said: “Both the public and opposition parties recognise that this is a substantial piece of work to undertake, but it is also important that we know that the health secretary is committed to driving progress on their behalf.

“An apology would demonstrate that the health secretary recognises that his government have not yet fulfilled this promise and avoid him getting off on the wrong foot with patients and staff.”

Responding to the criticism, a spokesperson for the deputy first minister and Covid-19 recovery secretary John Swinney labelled the claims “nonsensical”.

He said: “The opposition attacks are ridiculous. We have always been clear that our plans were to be implemented 100 days from forming the new government – not from the date of the election, which would be nonsensical, given that at that time there were not even MSPs to vote in the new government to carry out its programme.

“The SNP was returned office because people across Scotland know they can depend on this government to deliver, in contrast to the constant carping from Labour, the Tories and Lib Dems.

"We are immensely proud of what we are delivering, including a pay rise for our hard-working NHS staff, the abolition of dental charges for 18-25-year-olds, and completing the transformational expansion of free childcare across Scotland.

“We are continuing to work to our timetable to implement the remaining commitments, including the NHS recovery plan.”

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