CommonSpace columnist Richard McGinley says the honeymoon period is over for the SNP’s 56 MPs – and they better learn how to deal with ruthless Westminster quickly
IT hasn’t been a great first month for the SNP.
Westminster, clearly alarmed by the dissent north of the border, and unable to re enact the clearances, has moved to castrate the Scots with the sharp blade of legislation.
Full fiscal autonomy has been denied. The Holyrood Parliament can still only exist as long as Westminster allows it. Perhaps when Boris Johnson used an expletive to tell a taxi driver what to do, he was actually leaking Conservative policy towards Scotland.
Alex Salmond, former leader of the SNP, is a skilled debater and experienced politician.
Although Scotland is more or less a one-party state, it’s still another party that is making the decisions, and they are making them very quickly, and very quietly.
On the BBC Question Time programme this week, he gave a composed and mature performance, but unfortunately the programme discussion is determined by audience questions, meaning that while Salmond may have wanted to debate the fact that within just a month or so Cameron has proved to be a man who simply cannot be trusted, by the time the discussion turned to a bloke who had lost his job because he said something stupid, you knew that although the SNP finally had a man on the panel actually getting round to allowing him to discuss Scotland was going to take a little longer.
Which is disappointing.
Salmond cannot set the agenda of the television show. All he can do is continue the admirable policy of promoting what he and his party stand for. Calmly and rationally.
He cannot control what the legislature does within Westminster. So although Scotland is more or less a one-party state, it’s still another party that is making the decisions, and they are making them very quickly, and very quietly.
Salmond is a nice guy. Sturgeon is a lovely lady. Both have charm, wit, and a capacity to endear themselves to the public. They speak well, they speak sense and above all people listen to them.
But while the idea of promoting what the SNP wants is perhaps the way things should be done, especially as the results at the polls back this up, it’s not the way to do things when you are actually in Westminster.
In Westminster they are ruthless.
Perhaps the 56 weren’t ready for this. Maybe the speed with which the government acted surprised them. Fair enough, but it’s time to go to work now.
This is evident in its rejection of full fiscal autonomy, and its refusal to commit fully to devolution by passing an amendment to the Scotland Bill which would guarantee the continuation of the Scottish Parliament by restricting Westminster’s ability to close it in future.
Perhaps the 56 weren’t ready for this. Maybe the speed with which the government acted surprised them. Fair enough, but it’s time to go to work now.
The drive that propelled the SNP to a record number of MPs has gone. They cannot be blamed for pausing at the top of the hill they have climbed to reflect and congratulate themselves.
But if they don’t start moving again soon, it will have all been for nothing. They have turned up for debates, and they have voted where they needed to. But they haven’t shook the foundations yet. The lion hasn’t roared, and worse, when he wasn’t looking, someone stole his food.
That must make him mad. He might even feel like roaring. Good. Because this government needs to be challenged on every issue, not just the one’s that affect Scotland.
Right now, as Labour fights among itself again, the mantle has fallen to the SNP to at least put up some sort of fight against the Conservatives.
Cameron might be a great politician, but he’s a terrible debater. And he’s weak when in the public eye, strong only behind closed doors. Get intae him.
That will at least keep the profile high, and if the fight is with reasoned argument and skilful oratory, then it will begin to create an interest in what is happening and draw media awareness to the issues.
Cameron will force through as much as he can as quickly as he can. There are opportunities for the 56 to make a name for themselves. Cameron might be a great politician, but he’s a terrible debater. And he’s weak when in the public eye, strong only behind closed doors. Get intae him.
The new kids on the block have the chance to take the stage. Get out there and work the crowd.
Picture: CommonSpace