Michael Russell: Why opposition for opposition's sake is ...

Opposition for opposition's sake has led Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross into the absurd position of being against a proposal in Scotland, ... Deactivate Pianometerdebugger DatareturnedfromthePiano'meterActive/meterExpired'callbackevent. Asasubscriber,youareshown80%lessdisplayadvertisingwhenreadingourarticles. Thoseadsyoudoseearepredominantlyfromlocalbusinessespromotinglocalservices. Theseadvertsenablelocalbusinessestogetinfrontoftheirtargetaudience–thelocalcommunity. Itisimportantthatwecontinuetopromotetheseadvertsasourlocalbusinessesneedasmuchsupportaspossibleduringthesechallengingtimes. Close MichaelRussell:Whyoppositionforopposition'ssakeisfailingScotland 20 Menu Politics   MichaelRussell:Whyoppositionforopposition'ssakeisfailingScotland By MichaelRussell comment Oppositionforopposition'ssakehasledScottishToryleaderDouglasRossintotheabsurdpositionofbeingagainstaproposalinScotland,butforitinEngland 20 comments ACCEPTINGthatpollsareonlypolls,itisstillstrikingthatScotlandhasapoliticalparty,juststartedonits15thconsecutiveyearingovernmentanditsfourthconsecutiveadministration,whichisbetween20and30pointsaheadinthelatestsurveys. Trendsareofcoursemoreimportantthansnapshots,soitisalsosignificantthatthisdominancehasbeenclearforadecadeandthatnotonlyistheSNP’scentraltenetofindependencemorepopularthanatalmostanytimeinitshistory,butalsothatthenewco-operationagreementwiththeGreenshasalreadyattractedsignificantpublicapproval. Allofthis,youwouldhavethought,shouldprovokesubstantialsoulsearchingbytheoppositionparties,ifonlytotryandworkoutwheretheyhavegonewrongandhowtosetthingsright. ButnotinScotland. READMORE: HolyroodcannotexistonlytomitigatecruelpoliciesimposedfromLondon So,doingthesamethingoverandoveragainbutstillexpectingadifferentresult–theclassicdefinitionofstupidity–bothoppositionleadersintheScottishParliamentthrewthemselvesoncemoreintothefraythisweekinexactlythesameover-the-top,negative,unpleasantmannerthathasbeenthehallmarkofalltheirpredecessorssincetheSNPfirstcametopowerin2007. Ihavewatcheditclose-upanditisnotaprettysight.IainGrayandJohannLamontwereparticularlybitter,atraitnodoubtborneoutofthatangryfrustrationwhichAnasSarwarisnowsoobviouslyfeeling. OntheothersideRuthDavidson’ssourandhectoringapproachhasbeentakentonewdepthsbythesingularlyunpleasantDouglasRoss. ThesedismalperformanceshavedonenoharmtotheSNPbutitisworthjudgingthembyanothercriteria,whichisthedamagetheydotoScottishgovernance.Forbyactinginthisway,LabourandtheTorieshavereducedeveryissueinScotlandtooneofconflictandmadeeverythingaproxyfortit-for-tatconstitutionalpolitics. Infactitisthenarrowconstitutionalfocusoftheoppositionparties–theiroverwhelmingobsession–thatisthemostremarkablefeatureofthecurrentpoliticalsituationinScotland,notthedominanceoftheSNP,thoughthereisaconnectionbetweenthetwo. Thepartiesofindependence–theSNPandtheGreens–donotweakenintheircommitmenttothatessentialnextstepbyalsotryingalwaystobethepartiesofcompetence,radicalchange,equality,prosperityandwellbeing.TheyrecognisethedualityinherentinScottishpoliticstoday–theneedtodeliverbutalsotoaspire–andworkonboth. READMORE: LesleyRiddoch:ToryUKvoterIDlawwillunfairlyimpactScots ButLabourandtheTorieshavemergedthesetwomattersintoasingleactivity–oppositiononanyandallpast,presentandfutureissuesnomatterthecostanddespitetheresultingelectoralselfharm. Theypracticeasortofscorchedearthpoliticswhichwhilstapplaudedbytheirdiminishinghardlinecorevote,hasprovedandisstillprovingdeeplyunattractivetothewiderpublic. AGRAPHICexampleisthespataboutvaccinepassports. TheperversementalityoftheoppositionpartiesledtotheludicroussituationinwhichboththeToriesandLabouratHolyroodarguedvigorouslyandvotedenthusiasticallyagainstapolicythattheircounterpartsatWestminsterweresupportingandwhich,inEngland,theTorieswereactuallyproposing. This,ithastobeadmittedmadeRoss,Sarwar(below)andtheirMSPslooknotonlytwofaced,butalsofundamentallydaft.ThepublicareneitherfooledbythepretencethatthereisalwayssomegreatprincipleatstakenorthatLabourandToriesareactingsolelyoutofconcernfortheirfellowScots. Indeedmostpeoplestronglyagreethatatpresentthereisaneedforpoliticianstoworktogether,notleasttomanagepublicsafetywhilstthepandemicisstillaffectingourlivesandtodeliverbetterserviceswhenitisover. InthatregarditisalsoclearthatthelegacyoftheChristieCommissiondoesrequiretobere-energised,yetthebiggestbarrierisnotonlythebalefuleffectsoftheunionbutalsotheconstantdie-in-a-ditchLabourandToryoppositiontoanyandallchange. ThereisbothanopportunityandaneedforconsensusintheScottishParliamentaboutasmallnumberofreallyimportantissues.MoreoverthereisclearandconsistentsupportforpoliticianstoovercomedifferencesastherecentCitizen’sAssemblyindicatedandtheSNP/Greenagreementshows. ThatviewhasalsobeenechoedbythejointauthoroftheOECDreportintoScottishEducationDrBeatrizPont,whoobservedonWednesdaythatonsomeissuesinScotland“thepoliticsovertakesthepolicy”. TheSNP/Greenco-operationagreementstartstocorrectthat.Ithastaken,leadership.courageandthedevelopmentoftrustonbothsidestomakeithappenbutitwillproduceresultsovertime. Itismadeeasierbytheparties’pre-existingagreementontheconstitutionandthefactthatbothappreciatethatwhilstitispossibletostartontheprocessofchange,rebuilding,andclimateandenvironmentalactionunderdevolution,real,sustainedandeffectiveprogressneedsthefullpowersofindependencetobeavailabletotheScottishParliament. IdonotexpectthatthistruismwillbeacceptedbyLabourortheToriesbutitwouldhelpScottishgovernanceoverallifthosepartieswereabletoacceptthatcontributingpositivelytopolicydevelopmentandseekingconsensusincrucialareassuchaseducationandhealthwasasignofpoliticalmaturitynotcapitulationtotheforcesofdarkness. AlasIfearthatwhatwecurrentlyexperience–negativenonsensicaloppositionalismasdisplayedthisweek–couldremaintediouslyanddestructivelythesameforsometimeyetandonlybebanishedbyasecond,successful,independencereferendum. Butitwouldbeawelcomeifbelatedreactiontothepollsandarealbonusforeverycitizenif,atlast,careforabetterScotlandforallScotscouldovercomewhatisoftennomorethannakedandfearfulhatredoftheSNP. 20 comments × WhyareyoumakingcommentingonTheNationalonlyavailabletosubscribers? WeknowtherearethousandsofNationalreaderswhowanttodebate,argueandgobackandforthinthecommentssectionofourstories.We’vegotthemostinformedreadersinScotland,askingeachotherthebigquestions.Whatshouldwedowithoursecondvotein2021?WhathappensifWestminstersaysnotoindyref2? Unfortunately,though,theseimportantdebatesarebeingspoiledbyavocalminorityoftrollswhoaren’treallyinterestedintheissues,trytoderailtheconversation,registerunderfakenames,andpostvileabuse.We’vehadhundredsofemailsfromyoucomplainingaboutthis,askingustotakestepstoensurethatthesepeoplearen’tgivenaplatformonoursite. We’relisteningtoyou,andhere’showweplantomakethathappen. Wehavedecidedtomaketheabilitytocommentonlyavailabletoour12,000payingsubscribers.Thatway,allthetrollswhopostabuseonourwebsitewillhavetopayiftheywanttojointhedebate–andriskapermanentbanfromtheaccountthattheysubscribewith. Theconversationwillgobacktowhatitshouldbeabout–peoplewhocarepassionatelyabouttheissues,butdisagreeconstructivelyonwhatweshoulddoaboutthem. 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