Last month marked 100 days since the gavel fell on COP26 in Glasgow. 100 days since the end of a conference that was going to ‘save the planet’ and avert climate catastrophe. Of course, neither of those goals were achieved – not that they were ever going to be. Without popular pressure, our governments will sit on their hands. As it did in Glasgow during COP26, it falls to us to create an environment in which they have no choice but to act, and act radically.
In the real world, we must start and build a movement for change. I think about lifting our eyes a little to the potential that Scotland has and the opportunities that are there for the taking – opportunities I have had in my own life.
In the wake of figures last year which showed that 1,339 people died from drug-related deaths in Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon pledged £250 million to tackle the issue. But Auditor General Stephen Boyle said last week that “it’s still hard to see what impact policy is having on people living in the most deprived areas, where long-standing inequalities remain.” I hate to say I told you so but this is exactly what we were warning about last year when the money was announced.
Recently, the leader of Scottish Borders Council apologised for the local authority’s failure to investigate attacks by a teacher on vulnerable pupils in the local authority.
The pandemic has taught us all how much we rely on the smooth functioning of our own health system. But it has also highlighted one of the major problems affecting the sustainability of health and social care – the rising health inequalities in our country between the rich and the poor.
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.
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 best things in life are free. Money isn’t everything.
This hippy-dippy Scottisness is an example of the image of country that Nicola Stugeon wishes to sell to the world. Today however, her government must seek to grapple with hard tacks.
When the Scottish Government sets new proposals on Greenhouse Gas Emissions they get reviewed by an independent body, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC). So what was the verdict?
In short, our overall targets are world leading. The plans for getting there are more problematic.
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