Holyrood’s New Year Political Pledges

by Robbie Dinwoodie

IT’S THAT time of the year again when we make determined personal pledges, many of which may be kept for a matter of months, some for weeks and others for just a few days. Especially in this era of post-truth politics.

So, here’s what we think our Holyrood leaders should be committing to by way of New Year Resolutions for 2017. In true d’Hondt spirit, we offer four resolutions for First Minister Nicola Sturgeon; three for the Conservatives’ Ruth Davidson; two for Kezia Dugdale of Labour; and one each for the Greens’ joint leadership of Patrick Harvie and Maggie Chapman and for Willie Rennie of the LibDems.

To all of them, we wish a Happy New Year. Our polity is important. Disengagement and cynicism serves none of us.

NICOLA STURGEON, First M in ister

CREATE two solid alternative plans for Scotland’s place in a post-Brexit world, whether that be the economic nuts and bolts of full Independence or the maximum Home Rule that might keep us in both the European single market and the UK.

TO SNP supporters it will be obvious why a potentially winning plan for an independent Scotland, more economically credible than the one drawn up in 2014, has to be at the top of the First Minister’s agenda for the year in which Article 50 is set to be triggered, bringing the material change which could justify calling IndyRef2. But why, they may ask, should she be doing the Unionists’ work for them by creating a Devo Max scenario that could keep Scotland in the UK?

Two reasons: One is that maximum Home Rule might in itself be a good thing. A century ago “Dominion status” along similar lines to Canada was seen as a viable vision for Scotland and history tells us that full independence follows. We can be fairly sure that if Devo Max had been on the ballot paper in 2014 it would have swept the boards. It could also form a useful settlement to allow Scotland to retain a place in two vital markets, with England and with Europe.