Among the public and Political circles, it is acknowledged that Humza Yousaf has been a less-than-inspiring leader for the Scottish Nation. When he published his “Programme for Government” in September, it was immediately criticised as being “underwhelming” and nothing but “reheated sturgeonism”. The lack of ambition surprised opponents, with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar describing the plans as “tired and rehashed”.
It is being reported that Scotland’s top civil servant, John-Paul Marks, the Permanent Secretary appointed by Nicola Sturgeon in 2022, was furious when he saw Yousaf’s original draft for his “programme for Government” and told Yousaf that he would be forced to resign as his plan was financially illiterate and would burst the Nations budget by millions of pounds. A budget that is already under extreme pressure, with the Scottish Government admitting that it is facing a £ 1 billion black hole in the Nation’s finances next year.
It is unprecedented for a top civil servant to make such a threat, which shows how serious the situation must have been with the original plan. Yousaf was forced to rewrite his original plan, but now questions are being asked about announcements that Yousaf made at the recent SNP Party conference. The Programme for Government is an official Scottish Government publication bound by all the Civil Service rules about financial transparency. At the same time, announcements made at the Party conference did not have to meet any rules, being nothing more than vague promises.
Yousaf announced at the conference that there would be a freeze on council tax rates for the coming year, which took many by surprise, with Yousaf allegedly not discussing the announcement with the councils, the trade unions or the Green Party before the conference. He also announced that £300 million would be spent to cut NHS waiting lists, which have been growing yearly under SNP rule. These “policies” were probably announced at the conference rather than in Parliament as they would receive less scrutiny and may have been part of his original “Programme” that had to be cut after Mark’s threat to quit.
While many may welcome the Council tax freeze, it is only a reprieve that will cost the Scottish councils an estimated £183 million in the coming year and put pressure on them to cut services yet again, Services which have already been savagely cut under SNP rule or misrule as is more accurate. With a Westminster election looming and the SNP coming under pressure with the recent Rutherglen and Hamilton West loss by-election. Loses in council elections, defections from the party and internal issues, the Freeze looks like a desperate move to “bribe” the public into supporting them, a tactic they have used in the past.
With this latest example of their lack of financial competency, the SNP have shown they are not fit to be the Government of Scotland. The Scottish people deserve better than the mismanagement and decline that Scotland has seen under the 16 years of SNP rule. Scotland needs a real Nationalist Party, not the fake Nationalism of the SNP, a Party that will put the interests of the Scots first and rule competently. This party has ambition for our Nation and its people, a Party that will build a true Homeland. Hopefully, those who call themselves Scottish Nationalists will one day wake up and see that the SNP is not that party but that there is an alternative out there that is all these things: True Nationalism for the True Scots.
