Nicola Sturgeon, SNP 4/10
Message Would you rather have me or Boris Johnson making the decisions that will influence Scotland’s future? He is an awful man; I am a decent woman whose hard work and commitment to seeing us through this pandemic is beyond question. As we emerge, we need all the tools and powers to build a better future. That means independence.
Delivery Tried to ride two horses, offering the carrot of a referendum to the SNP faithful while reassuring middle-Scotland voters that such a plebiscite would only be held in the fullness of time. “I will not stand here and deny we haven’t made mistakes” is not a great line, though not as bad as admitting that “I think we took our eye off the ball on drug deaths”.
Verdict Is unlikely to have lost votes but this was a poor performance. Vulnerable to the charge that if you haven’t fixed problems after 14 years, when will you? Even so, she was the only potential first minister appearing in this debate. That will have to do.
Douglas Ross, Conservatives 5/10
Message You may have heard me say that another divisive independence referendum is the last thing the country needs. And since this is the case, I shall say it again. Recovering from Covid-19 is going to take years and we need to work together to make it a real recovery. That means parking independence.
Delivery So docile that he appears to have been taking class in anger management. They have, if anything, worked too well. Inexperience still shows sometimes, tripping over his own questions when he had Sturgeon on the ropes on missed targets and broken promises.
Verdict Notably focused attention on the list vote, not the constituency ballot; an indication, perhaps, of a tide turning against the Tories. Made a stout defence of specific northeastern interests where the party remains strong: oil and fishing. A work in progress as leader and debater, but does he have enough time to make a real mark?
Anas Sarwar, Labour 7/10
Message “This election matters, so let’s do something different”. The old arguments are exhausting; let’s have some fresh ones instead. We must focus on recovery. Choose jobs, restoration, renewal, choose something better than tiresome bickering over terrain we’ve all covered many times before.
Delivery Positions himself as the reasonable and affable adult in the room and has developed a nice line in quasi-parental disappointment when questioning Nicola Sturgeon. Once again had her measure on problems in the NHS and has wrapped specific criticisms into a general, all-purpose critique of the SNP government: failure, denial, secrecy and a lack of accountability.
Verdict Having won the BBC debate, suffered from higher expectations this time. Another assured performance, however, offering a plausible “plague on both your houses” critique of the SNP and Tories alike.
Willie Rennie, Liberal Democrats 5/10
Message Sometimes people ask why we can’t have nice things but we can, you know, if you vote for me and the Scottish Liberal Democrats. I can help make this happen. Let’s learn from the mistakes of Brexit and not repeat them by rushing towards another divisive independence referendum.
Delivery An old pro, not afraid to ham it up when required but this was a quieter Willie Rennie than is sometimes seen on these occasions. His best moment, by far, came when noting that present “progress” in closing the education attainment gap means it will be eliminated in just 35 years’ time.
Verdict A marginal presence. What you see with Willie Rennie is what you get with Willie Rennie. Like Forrest Gump, he is always there even if it is sometimes hard to remember why. Ticked his policy boxes and reminded Liberal voters in the seats the party is targeting that nice folk vote for nice folk like Willie Rennie.
Patrick Harvie, Green Party 6/10
Message We need independence to tackle climate change and it need not be a divisive issue. With regard to each of these topics it is “time to vote like our future depends on it,” for this is the last election we may have before the climate crisis spins out of control. The North Sea oil industry should be shut down within ten years.
Delivery Earnest but less sanctimonious than sometimes. Skewered Douglas Ross on his past comments about travellers but, due in part to the running order, struck a more marginal figure as the evening progressed. Survived the terrifying ordeal of Sturgeon asking if he agrees that Boris Johnson is a bad man.
Verdict Scotland’s contribution to climate change is neither here nor there in global terms. Nevertheless, Harvie spoke to his core vote while reminding SNP voters who are thinking of voting tactically on the regional list that the Greens are a safer alternative to Alex Salmond’s Alba Party. In that respect: job done.
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Colin Mackay, STV 8/10
Unlike some moderators, Colin Mackay, the STV political editor, is happy to allow viewers to see how much he enjoys the cut and thrust of proceedings.
STV’s format, sensibly eschewing contributions from members of the public, left him with less to do but he oversaw proceedings with his customary aplomb.
He was happy not to intervene too much — though on one occasion he reminded Nicola Sturgeon and Willie Rennie that if they kept talking over one another nobody watching at home would be able to hear what either was saying. This, his tone suggested, might not worry viewers too much.
He signed off with a good, dry line, that the final whistle would now allow partisans to “press send on those pre-prepared messages claiming your candidate won tonight”.
The game is the game is the game.
