COLLATERAL DAMAGE
Our First Minister presents herself as the acceptable face of nationalism, with the SNP and herself always on the moral high ground. Indeed, few can compare with Nicola Sturgeon when it comes to deflecting criticism and employing mock outrage at any suggestion of impropriety.
The First Minister’s confidence comes in part from core supporters whose loyalty to her is based on a faith in their common cause of ‘independence’. It seems some are prepared to sacrifice the checks and balances of good government as collateral damage in keeping their dream alive.
Citing the interest of complainants, and leading Scotland’s response to the global pandemic, has somehow enabled this gifted public performer to reject the most serious of criticisms with a mere rhetorical flourish.
Our parliament has been treated with contempt. Obstruction and delay has been the response of a Scottish Government that cannot contemplate being wrong. Instead the fault is always with others, particularly those who have the temerity to question the integrity of the SNP leadership.
Whatever the findings of the Hamilton or Holyrood committee enquiries, the Scottish Government has run down the clock towards the start of election campaigning. How easy it will be for Nicola Sturgeon to simply say at the critical moment that, at such a late stage, “the people must now decide”, so effectively letting herself off in the process.
Sturgeon has no moral authority left after her performance in front of the Salmond inquiry, where she disrespected the rule of law – and there’s nothing much more fundamental for government than that.
ReplyDeleteShe said on oath to the Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry (just before rising for lunch) that "...in my opinion the judicial review was conducted responsibly...." At the end of that case the court made an award of expenses based on the highest level of award as the case has been conducted "irresponsibly or incompetently."
The Court of Session (presided over by Lord Hodge, now Dep President of the UK Supreme Court) found that the case was conducted irresponsibly or incompetently. The First Minister does not accept that.
The rule of law depends on Government respect for decisions of the Courts, while the Courts acknowledge the legislative supremacy of Parliament.
In effect, the First Minister has just told us that, in her opinion, the rule of law does not operate in Scotland. She may be right. If not, she soon will be unless she and her executive fellow-travellers are immediately shoved in the sheogh.
This is vital for Scotland. The background to all this, both legal and historical, is described in what must be THE essential reading for this crisis: "THE JUSTICE FACTORY: CAN THE RULE OF LAW SURVIVE IN 21st CENTURY SCOTLAND?" (Ian Mitchell, 2020)
It is not a party-political screed. It has been endorsed by both ends of the political spectrum here: Ian ("Stone of Destiny") Hamilton QC, the renegade nationalist, and Adam Tomkins, who is both an MSP (Tory) and Professor of Constitutional Law in the University of Glasgow. The Foreword is written by Lord Hope of Craighead, ex-Deputy President of the UK Supreme Court and Alan Page, Professor of Public Law at Dundee, who is the author “Constitutional Law of Scotland”, the main reference work, has written an Introduction to Part II.
Details of the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1981993401?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860