Time for a new start for Scotland after Nicola Sturgeon resignation

The resignation of Nicola Sturgeon as Scottish First Minister demands a new start for Scotland, according to local Liberal Democrats.
Rutherglen Liberal Democrat Councillor Robert Brown, Liberal Democrat Group Leader on South Lanarkshire Council, said that the Scottish Government had, under Nicola Sturgeon, at best, a very mixed record and that, essentially, the country had stagnated under SNP leadership for the last decade.

Robert Brown said:

“I know Nicola Sturgeon from my time in the Scottish Parliament and, on a personal level, wish her well as she steps down from the demanding position of First Minister. There are immense pressures on political leaders and she has had a long stint in the front line.

But we can’t have yet another decade dominated by zealous demands for independence. That should have stopped after the “once in a generation” decision in 2014. The last decade under the SNP has been a period of stagnation where issues have piled up – the parlous state of the NHS, the damaging push for centralisation under Scottish Ministers, the decline in Scottish education in world rankings, the erosion of support for local services, a stagnant Scottish economy.

The contenders for the SNP leadership should take the opportunity to reset the dial and focus on what really matters to people. They should put independence on the backburner, forget the grievance whingeing about Westminster and scrap the nonsensical plan to fight the next general election as a quasi-referendum.

They should withdraw the National Care Service Bill forthwith. This ministerial takeover of social care is doomed to fail and threatens to be a hugely expensive fiasco. It is estimated to cost over £1 billion for the bureaucracy alone. It seems a crazy waste of money at a very difficult time.

The Scottish Government promised to eradicate delayed discharge eight years ago, but it is now worse than ever because they failed to tackle the shortages in social care. That £1billion should be used to support local, front line services, not least to enhance the quality of care and reward staff with better pay, conditions and career progression. This would deliver fair work, help recruit vital staff and deliver an improved care service years ahead of the SNP’s current schedule.”