The value of nothing 

Today was GERS day; it included the familiar assessment from Westminster and by British politicians that Scotland is saved by the Union as without or outwith it we’d be skint ; soundbites and confrontations on this coincided with the Scottish Gov’t proclamation that they’ve no choice but to make winter fuel payments means tested. Wonder no more about reasons why the SNP were gubbed at the GE or what caused the public to lose faith to the extent that hundreds of thousands of voters stayed at home on 4 July.

We’ve governments in both places, and perhaps also decision makers in local authorities, who know the figures and the sums but have lost the ability to prioritise sensibly, in the public interest, or with an eye to the future.

Police Scotland complain about shortages – yet are able to send 120 to Northern Ireland to assist there.

The Scottish exam results confirm the widening of the attainment gap – the cost of poverty in stark terms – but hundreds of teaching jobs are to be cut, including in Glasgow, that SNP flagship.

There are valiant dedicated people struggling to see The Promise implemented as local authorities stretch budgets employing at great cost agency social workers who don’t get to know families and the Reporter’s Administration is bogged down with guidance on the rights of troubled children to self identify their gender.

Waiting times and lists in some hospitals continue to extend or languish while untold millions are paid to agencies supplying doctors and nurses; ops are delayed and cancelled through shortages of staff, especially anaesthetists, but medics are not privy to the stats and the detailed budgetary provisions which remain the secret domain of managers who wouldn’t know a catheter from a crutch.

Millions are paid annually to private landlords and hoteliers to house our homeless; there’s a national housing emergency with 50,000+ homeless on any day. Seems though that it is beyond the wit of our FM to lift the phone to Alex Neil and follow his advice on building the houses we desperately need. A triple whammy – building houses, addressing homelessness, providing jobs, boosting the economy – win, win, win, achievable with political will.

On Tuesday 20 August George Square in Glasgow will see a remembrance event within the recovery community – in advance of that the FM needs to add to his contacts list Annemarie Ward and speak with her about the legally enforceable right to recovery and Scotland’s increasingly desperate need for holistic care, the provision of rehabilitation support which comprises tangible long term help, not short term detox and jam tomorrow. There are fortunes in money and human capital to be saved and salvaged by listening to those who know the path to recovery.

And finally, were you elected FM tomorrow, wouldn’t one of your first acts be to create a Scottish energy company delivering free and low cost energy to our most needy ? That this does not already exist is Scotland’s shame. Visionary leaders would demand and require nothing less.

Not only has competent government been lacking in Scotland in recent years; in fact there’s been an abject lack of common sense; from talk of shaving the doors during the pandemic to rewriting the rules of biology, pretending that fictions overtake reality to the extent that women especially are endangered and our institutions ridiculed. Hunger, fear, rising prices and failing services are a poor and sorry combination in a land of plenty.

All of these troubles are able to be rescued and our country salvaged – with integrity and honesty. A true leader will surround himself with men and women of knowledge, experience and courage. Scotland needs such today perhaps more than ever.

It is well past time that Jocks stepped out of the British box and created solutions in, by and for Scotland. That includes a Constitutional Convention where the country’s interests are paramount, where participants are selfless, capable and driven by a determination to see our country prosper without delay. We may be in the gutter now but to paraphrase Oscar Wilde once more we must not only look at but aim for the stars. 

Scots built the world; we’ve the best of universities, talent and entrepreneurial skills – for now. Rather than go out with a whimper in 26, the FM can this day begin to build our new country – by reaching out to those with ability, acumen, presence and power – let’s get the job done. No more BS.