POLITICS is a brutal game. I know this, having stood as a candidate for the SNP in a marginal seat where the gloves were well and truly off. But there are times where party politics should be cast aside – particularly on issues that unite us all.
I was shocked by some of the Yes movement’s reaction to Ruth Davidson’s mental health revelations. Some questioned the veracity of the story. “She has a book to sell,” said some. “She’s a hypocrite,” wrote others, given her party’s policies on austerity. Would people have reacted the same way if instead of a mental health problem she’d disclosed a serious heart condition or breast cancer? Of course not. She’d have been given all the sympathy in the world with no further questions asked.
READ MORE: Tory leader Ruth Davidson opens up about self-harming
This stigmatising attitude of questioning a mental health story is exactly what goes on in Scottish workplaces every day. Right across Scotland, thousands of Scottish workers are terrified about disclosing a mental health condition for fear of discrimination. It’s hardly surprising, when research shows that 40% of employers wouldn’t hire someone with a mental health problem. Political rivalry mustn’t cloud our judgment. The inability to see anything outwith the prism of Yes vs No is poisonous and damages our cause.
You don’t need to agree with Davidson’s party to recognise that her intervention was important – both in challenging stigma and highlighting the necessity of early intervention. Just like SNP MSPs James Dornan and Gail Ross opening up about their mental health, Davidson’s story may hep more people to come forward and ask for help – and that is an ambition that transcends party politics.
Toni Giugliano
Former head of interest groups at Yes Scotland
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