As someone born in the shadow of devolution, I have never known life without the Scottish Parliament. The vision and optimism of a devolved Scotland, imbued with a sense of purpose and ushering in a new feeling of pride, potential and identity was something to look forward to.
Devolution and the Scottish Parliament should be at the centre of Scottish life and ought to be a force for good.
For too long, Scotland’s government has neglected its core responsibilities which are outlined in the Scotland Act 1998 and subsequent revisions. Holyrood and its Government must rediscover its legislative zeal and make good on the promise of a more open Scotland.
Scottish devolution was supposed to offer a fairer and more balanced society, enabling a system where no single party could achieve a majority. Governing in coalition was supposed to be the norm, where compromise was needed to bring about change, ultimately making a positive difference to Scottish society. A society where education, health and the economy were core to our success and values. That has failed to materialise with few politicians of any stature remaining in Holyrood and the promises of a new era, of politics being different, serving a nation rather than itself, a distant memory.
At its opening, the so-called ‘Father of the Nation’ Donald Dewar remarked that the Scottish Parliament was about more than our politics and our laws. This was about who we are and how we carry ourselves. Donald was right! It is however disappointing to see devolution in a place that is so different to what those of Donald’s generation envisaged. Scotland needs, and deserves, more from its institutions - its government and parliament. But, they are only the sum of their parts.
We now find ourselves in the grip of a deadly pandemic, with a First Minister using every opportunity to create a presidential democracy, rather than be accountable to parliament. The reasoning behind such a strategy is up for debate, but one must hazard a guess that the lack of any potential successor or talent within her cabinet may be a contributing factor. It is possible that Walter Bagehot was right when he said that ‘Cabinet governments educate the nation; the presidential does not educate it, and may corrupt it’. Within the Scottish political bubble, it would be wise for many to remember that without Parliament, any Scottish administration would lack any legitimacy at all.
Scotland’s Parliament can be a force for good. It must rediscover its legislative zeal, become more accountable to its nation and, crucially, restore trust in the political profession.
Reuben Earl
February 2021