A problem shared is a problem quartered and a crisis owned by all cannot fairly be the property of a single political party. This was not quite what Nicola Sturgeon said but it was the essence of what she meant.
For neither the first nor last time, Douglas Ross focused upon Scotland’s lamentable, indeed grotesque, drugs crisis. In response, Nicola Sturgeon once again pled for “consensus” on this issue. If we are all in it together, nobody is in it more than anyone else. Only a cynic might think this convenient for the governing party.
“I have been very open about this,” she said, meaning that openness should earn its own reward. “We have a significant challenge” she admitted, meaning that it will not be resolved in the foreseeable future. “We are open to ideas and suggestions” she added, meaning that you cannot seriously expect the Scottish government to come up with solutions on its own.
Nor can it really or fairly be expected to tackle the long-term troubles afflicting the NHS. It is all very well and good for Anas Sarwar to girn that Scotland is indeed as the first minister put it, a nation in waiting: “Waiting on record long NHS treatments, waiting for an ambulance, waiting at A&E, and waiting for her to take responsibility.”
To which Sturgeon replied, in effect, “So what?” Or, as she said: “With respect to Anas Sarwar, I have held the positions that I have held for as long as I have only because, on several occasions, I have put before the people of Scotland my record in the ministerial posts that I have held . . . and have been re-elected”. But, with respect first minister, who did you beat? In any case, it may be that election success should neither be confused nor conflated with policy triumphs. Except in Scotland, of course, for we judge matters kindly here.
