'Sham' education debate to stop indyref Bill, stymied by SNP and Green MSPs

An attempt to derail the Scottish Government’s plans for another independence referendum bill failed after a “sham” debate on education.

A motion by Scottish Tory education spokesman, Jamie Greene, demanded the government “drop its plans for a further Referendum Bill and focus on closing the attainment gap”.

However it was defeated after a stormy debate in Holyrood yesterday, with SNP and Scottish Green MSPs voting together, in favour of an amendment by Education Secretary John Swinney, which put the blame for the difference in educational attainment between the wealthiest and poorest children on poverty “exacerbated by the policy choices of the Conservative administration at Westminster”.

Both parties were later criticised by the Scottish Liberal Democrats for holding a “sham debate” on education.

Mr Greene said his motion asked the Scottish Parliament to “focus what time and attention we can on education and not on passing bills on referendums” and came in response to the government's latest legislative programme in the run up to next May’s elections, which included a Referendum Bill.

He said the government amendment “spoke for itself” and added: “Because you know when the SNP shoves Brexit, Boris and ‘power grab’ into an amendment when debating something over which they have presided for over a decade, you know they have truly run out of arguments.

“Why would we as a parliament with less than six months’ sitting time think it wise to spend out committee time or civil service time or legislative time or chamber time on a referendum bill?”

Labour education spokesman Iain Gray also hit out at the SNP, saying: “All the evidence does show that they have consistently prioritised the pursuit of independence over education. After all, since 2007 we have not just had an actual referendum and white paper on independence, but also countless discussion documents, draft bills, bills, consultation papers, commissions, consultations on draft bills, more white papers.”

However Mr Swinney responded, saying: “The Conservatives have linked this debate to the question of independence. That is ironic first and foremost because they are forever claiming that we are the ones who are the ones who always raise the issue of independence.”

He continued: “MSPs opposite sit here and support children being fed from food banks, mothers being sanctioned for their benefits and the most vulnerable abandoned by a UK Government as uncaring as it is unelected by the people of Scotland.”

He said the Scottish Government planned to publish a draft Referendum Bill before the end of the current parliament, which would set out “clearly and unambiguously” the terms for a future referendum.

The pupil attainment gap is believed to have grown further as a result of coronavirus, but last year, before the pandemic, it was predicted by government advisors it could take up to 15 years for the gap to close. The ten-member International Council of Education Advisers recommended a focus on investment in additional needs education and bringing parents and communities into the classroom in more rural areas.

After the debate, Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Beatrice Wishart said: “Instead of using their time to stand up for those at the hard end of the SNP’s decisions, the Tory motion today leans into the constitutional divide. It offers nothing constructive.

“This could have been an opportunity to generate parliamentary consensus or for opposition parties to force the pace of this minority government.

“For example, getting the rollout of funded childcare back on track, emboldening the Pupil Equity Fund, strengthening testing for staff and pupils so that their return isn’t put in jeopardy, and getting counsellors, educational psychologists and support staff in schools to help tackle the developing mental health crisis.

“But instead, it has been used to play the political game that the Tories and the SNP enjoy so much. As a result there will be no grown up decisions in the Scottish Parliament today.”

However Jamie Greene said: “It would have been easy for the SNP to send a clear message today that in the middle of a pandemic, we should be putting the future of Scotland’s young people before the SNP’s plans for another Referendum Bill.

“But it’s too difficult for the SNP to say that schools should come first over their selfish push for separation.

“The Scottish Conservatives have announced plans to restore Scotland’s schools and tackle the attainment gap with 3000 more teachers, free school meals and a new way to measure and target poverty. Meanwhile the SNP have made it clear to parents that our schools are not their priority.”

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