By Bill Heaney
Russell Findlay, the Scottish Conservative leader, had a big question for First Minister John Swinney in the Scottish Parliament today.
And it received a noisy and unruly reply from across the Holyrood chamber.
Mr Findlay asked: “More than four out of five businesses in Scotland fear that they might go bust within 12 months.
“Around one in six people in Scotland are trapped on national health service waiting lists, with tens of thousands forced to pay for private treatment.
“Drug death rates are still the worst in Europe, with 4,570 lives lost since the Scottish National Party declared a national mission.”
He asked further: “All those issues need the Government’s urgent attention now, so why on earth did John Swinney give a speech today all about independence?”
Mr Swinney replied: “Let me reassure Russell Findlay that all those issues command my attention. They are the constant focus of the work of my ministers and my Cabinet and of my personal attention as First Minister, because am absolutely determined to focus on the priorities of the people of Scotland.
“One of the things that the people of Scotland are concerned about is that their standard of living has been static for most of the past 10 years of austerity, bequeathed to us by the Conservative United Kingdom Government. What independence offers for Scotland is—”
And a loud cry went up from the MSPs Holyrood benches: “Nothing.”
The First Minister responded: “What independence offers for Scotland is a fresh start, and that will be positively welcomed by the people of Scotland.”
Russell Findlay responded: “The title of John Swinney’s speech today was “Respecting Scotland’s Right to Decide”. That is right. That from the party that has never, not for a single minute, respected the decision that Scotland made.
“He said today—let me quote him, because it is absolutely priceless: “You can’t just support democracy when it suits you.”
“First Minister, the fringe festival is over—enough with the terrible jokes. Scotland did decide. Two million people voted to reject division, and they are still demanding that the SNP Government gives it a rest and focuses on what matters. When will he ever learn to take no for an answer?”
The First Minister booted hat one away: “One of the points that I made this morning is that, since the 2014 referendum and by 2030, a million individuals in Scotland will not have had the opportunity to decide on our constitutional future.
“One in four of the population will not have had the opportunity to decide how this country should be governed.
“I think that, when we have very substantial support in the opinion polls for Scottish independence and a clearly expressed desire of people to decide on their constitutional future, there should be no roadblocks in the way of the people of Scotland exercising their democratic right to decide on their future. That, after all, is democracy, and I am proud to champion it.”
Mr Findlay lobbed this one back: “In John Swinney’s grand declaration of Leith today, he referenced Scotland’s claim of right. Film buffs will know that this nationalist battle cry comes exactly 30 years since the release of Braveheart.
“He has done everything but paint his face blue, while Scots are blue in the face, saying to the SNP, ‘Enough is enough’.
“I really hate to break it to the First Minister, but John Swinney is not William Wallace—nor is he even Mel Gibson. We know his game. He knows exactly what he is up to.
“He is desperately trying to get the focus off the SNP’s dismal record of failure on the economy, schools, ferries, drugs, crime, health and everything else. Therefore, this week, he cynically focuses on independence and international affairs. Is it not time that he got back to the day job?”
Mr Swinney tackled the Tory leader further: “Well, I was here on Tuesday, leading a debate on the Government’s priorities for Scotland and, in that debate, I set out the fact that Scotland is now seeing in-patient waiting lists falling, the number of general practitioners increasing, the number of drug deaths—which is still far too high—falling, and young people delivering the best examination results since 2019, before the pandemic.
“I notice that there was no round of applause from the Conservatives for the young people of Scotland who delivered an outstanding examination performance, but I am proud of them and all that they have achieved.
First Minister John Findlay, Reform UK leader Nigel Farrage and Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay.
What the Scottish Government is doing is delivering on the priorities of the people of Scotland. That is what my Government is focused on. I want to make sure that Scotland is not inhibited by the failures of Westminster, and that we have the ability to democratically choose the future of independence. I am confident that the people of Scotland will make that choice.”
Russell Findlay persisted: “Scotland is inhibited by the failures of this rotten Government. When John Swinney became First Minister, he quite understandably tried to present himself as a more decent front, distancing himself from the chaos of Humza Yousaf, but the mask has now well and truly slipped.
“Despite what he said today, he is not focused on the economy, education or anything else that truly matters to the people of Scotland, who pay our wages, and he is not doing anything to help to improve people’s lives.
“The same old John Swinney is back: obsessed with independence and distracted from the day job. Does he not realise that the majority of Scots want to tell him, “Move on, John”?”
The First Minister hit back: “Russell Findlay seemed to miss the fact that, on Monday, the Government set out—no, not set out but delivered—the abolition of peak rail fares in Scotland.
“On Monday, when the Government delivered on its commitment to abolish peak rail fares, commuters travelling from Glasgow to Edinburgh daily saw their travel costs reduced by 48 per cent.
“That is an astonishing saving for households in the country and for people commuting, but even that cannot be welcomed by Russell Findlay today.
“I do not really think that Russell Findlay is in the strongest position to lecture me.”
The First Minister passed the ball back: “He just needs to look at the words of his former colleague, Jeremy Balfour, to see how moderate Conservatives feel about the outrageous leadership that Russell Findlay is delivering.
“What we are seeing in Scotland is Russell Findlay in a partnership with Nigel Farage, and Scotland is going to send both of them packing.”
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