The SNP Approach

If you are ever curious as to how the SNP Government in Scotland prefers to do its business, then the recent SportScotland debate is a good insight.

In case you are not familiar with the story, the SNP pledged in their manifesto to have a 'bonfire of the quangos' with SportScotland one of the key targets. However, when the SNP started investigating the issue, they found that SportScotland is widely respected and considered a key part of the development of Scotland's sport and the successful Commonwealth Games bid. In the face of this expert opinion, the SNP backed down, performed a U-Turn and saved the agency.

Now, this was an ideal opportunity for the SNP. Afterall, the Scottish public is quickly becoming used to the fact that SNP promises are, shall we say, flexible. Therefore the U-Turn was hardly going to be a disaster. Rather they could use it to demostrate that they listened to the right people, and were humble enough to admit that there was a better way forward.

Of course, this is nothing like what happened. Instead of the balanced approach, the SNP went after some of the very experts in a pathetic revenge bid. Following the merger of SportScotland and the Scottish Institute of Sport, both the Chairs have been sacked. Dougie Donnelly (Sports presenter and Chair, sorry former Chair of SportScotland) and Julia Bracewell (a former fencer and his counterpart at the Institute) are both well respected. However they made the cardinal mistake of criticising the Government.

And unfortunately for them, Our Beloved Leader Alex Salmond does not take criticism lightly. Or at all. So in a move that is blatantly obvious to everyone in Scotland, he has thrown his rattle out of the pram and dealt a blow to Scottish sport.

Sadly, I think we will only see more of this. The first year of the SNP Government has been fine for them - short term populist policies, a disorganised opposition and the welcome realisation that actually they wouldn't automatically destroy the country. However, the pressure is going to start improving now as the public start to realise that when the SNP make a promise it's not worth the paper it's printed on. Salmond is the most impressive figure in Scottish politics just now, but he can't cope with anyone disagreeing with his divine mandate - indeed, that smug smirk that we have all missed is making an irritating comeback. But more importantly for the SNP, their talent pool is rather shallow. Stewart Maxwell, the Sports Minister humiliated in this fiasco, is picking up favourite status as to who will be the first Minister to be sacked/resign, Kenny MacAskill is obsessed with picking fights rather than doing his job and the back benches of the SNP posse in the Parliament are quite frankly terrifying.

The opportunity is there for Labour to start working hard and pulling apart the stitches of the SNP group. The discipline that the SNP have exerted thus far has been surprisingly efficient (although checking out their online contributions demonstrates some of the worrying group-think that is becoming prevalent) but the cracks are already there to see. It is our job to open them up.

Salmond has had a good first year, but now the real work starts. Welcome to Government Eck, it's going to be a bumpy ride.