EVEN by the low standards of this Prime Minister, it’s been a disgraceful week. Many of us had our heads in our hands while he tried to excuse away all of the parties and lockdown breaches at Downing Street – most of which has been reported on by Sue Gray.
It’s hard to keep count of the allegations, but what is clear is that it’s impossible to believe a word that the Prime Minister says. He seems totally incapable of telling the truth. First he said there were no parties, then he said there were social events that he didn’t know were parties, and then he had his allies telling the media he had been “ambushed by cake.”
But the reason for the level of public anger is about more than just parties. It is about the individual sacrifices that so many have made, and the trauma and pain that so many have endured.
Across the country there are people that have suffered physically and mentally from the pandemic. There are people who have lost family and were not able to go to funerals or say goodbye to loved ones. Every single parliamentarian will have heard stories of suffering from their communities because it was so widespread.
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Sue Gray’s report is not the one she wanted to write; in fact, it was an update rather than a substantial report. The ongoing police investigation means that there were a lot of things and events that she could not write about.
Despite these limitations, what she did write was damning. She refers to a “failure of leadership” and a “serious failure to observe the high standards expected” by the public and “behaviour that was hard to justify”. This kind of contempt and disregard for the rules would be bad enough at any time, but during a pandemic when we were all living under severe restrictions to protect ourselves and others, it is unforgivable.
We all know vulnerable people who were put in danger by the Prime Minister’s handling of the crisis. His government’s approach to the pandemic was often too little too late. From the beginning, the Tories were open to considering herd immunity, which would have put vulnerable people at greater risk than others. They delayed lockdown and support for workers, and, as we know, the consequences have been devastating.
The UK had one of the highest death rates of any country in Europe. NHS workers, and other frontline workers, put themselves in harm’s way for the good of everyone else. It is frankly disgusting that while they were facing the harrowing reality of the pandemic, Downing Street was holding parties.
The Prime Minister and his colleagues appear to have done everything they can to make things worse. They put the brakes on our recovery by mishandling the crisis so badly and inflicting a cost-of-living crisis on the country.
By ending the furlough scheme at the same time as introducing a regressive national insurance hike and cutting Universal Credit, they ensured that it would be the most vulnerable who were made to pay the price. All of this has been made much worse by a bad Brexit deal that people in Scotland have rejected time and again.
That is why it fills me with dread to think about who might come next. The bookmakers suggest that the Chancellor, Rishi Suank, is most likely to replace his leader. But would that be an improvement? He has been the cutter-in-chief and co-architect of the pandemic response. Boris Johnson must go, but our problems will not be solved by replacing one terrible Tory PM with another.
Here in Scotland we are getting on with the job of building a fair and green recovery. Last week saw the Scottish Parliament voting to support the first Budget with Greens in government. It was a positive contrast from anything being offered by Westminster. Despite the tough backdrop and a 5% budget cut, we are doubling child payments to £20 a week, a step that will help families on stretched incomes and go part of the way to mitigating the damage that has been done.
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We are investing in education and delivering £145 million for new teachers and classroom assistants. We are putting the climate first by boosting public transport and trebling funds for walking, cycling and wheeling infrastructure.
On the same day that Sue Gray published her update, Scotland introduced free bus travel for everyone aged 22 and under. This is a positive and transformative change that will help the climate as well as household budgets. It will allow young people better access to travel to work, school, or higher education, and to visit friends and family.
These are not just minor policy differences; they are indicative of a whole different approach to politics and how we believe people should be treated. There may be boozy parties and canapes in Downing Street, but here in Scotland we are getting on with the job of supporting our communities. If we are to ensure that we reach our full potential, we need the powers to do so. With our devolved powers we are delivering vital changes, and with the full powers of an independent country we can do even more.
Scotland is at a crossroads. The damage that is being done to our communities by the Tories is all too visible, and so is the potential that is being held back. It doesn’t need to be this way. We have the opportunity to build a fairer, greener, independent, and hopeful future. It is an opportunity that we must seize.
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Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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