Why is the level of devolution so misunderstood? I would argue it’s because politics in Scotland has become mired into a simple binary debate between Yes/No on the issue of Independence. This helps Nationalists as they have no interest in answering for their record on devolution because they see devolution as the wrong solution.
If you’re like me, new year’s resolutions are rarely new. They’re the same as last year’s. Here’s a policy resolution which should be kept precisely because it’s not new: the Scottish Government should set up a First Minister’s Strategy Unit. The appeal is that numerous countries have similar units. They blend futures, foresight and strategy work.
We know the divisiveness of the constitutional question has led many to believe nothing can be better without Scotland becoming independent, that’s not new. But a side-effect of our current polarisation is a reduction in understanding of the various different levels of government, and in voters confidence it can deliver better and fairer outcomes.
This, in effect is the beauty of devolution, four governments collaborating, sharing information, and making individual, differing decisions for their nations.
The UK government has done the right thing in extending the immigration to offer to Hong Kongers. But the government have done little to pro-actively attract emigrees from Hong Kong. This represents a huge opportunity for Scotland to instead attract some of the most talented and capable Hong Kongers who otherwise might have chosen to relocate to London, or elsewhere in the south of England.
Perhaps one of the most immediately visible effects of the last two years has been on Scotland’s town centres. A walk through any high street paints a depressing picture. Once bustling streets are often deserted. Family-owned independent businesses have been replaced by charity shops and nail salons. Many more lie empty, their boarded windows a crude symbol of decay.
How do we make children in Scotland safer? This question ought to be asked by everyone at every level of government and in every one of the many organisations that have the wellbeing of children and young people as their objective. But of course, that is not the world we live in.
We are looking forward to a big year where – Covid permitting – we finally hope to engage properly with communities across the country. Our basic plan is the same one as last year: we hope to set out a positive argument for Scotland’s future as part of the UK, which is open to change and reform, and which reflects the views of “middle Scotland”.
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