Scrutiny on the Bounty
Nicola Sturgeon's role in the ferries fiasco comes under the spotlight at FMQs.
This is my sketch of the First Minister’s Questions held on Thursday, March 24, 2022.
Like a great kraken, Douglas Ross roared from the depths, thumping down lethal questions like colossal tentacles swooping at their victim.
His target was Skipper Sturgeon, serenely navigating her way through rough seas in a leaky dory, First Mate Forbes left to valiantly chuck buckets of water back into the ocean. The ship of state had collided with HMS Audit Scotland the day before and the breach was flooding the vessel with something far deadlier than water: scrutiny.
Ross thundered that Kate Forbes had been 'put forward to respond in the chamber and to the media' but was unable to say 'who made the key decision to sign off the disastrous contract'. This, of course, was no error on the Scottish Government's part. It's why she was put forward.
'Can the First Minister give a straight answer where the finance secretary could not? Which minister gave the green light for the contract against expert advice?’ Ross pressed.
'The report that Audit Scotland published yesterday is entirely fair and justified,' Sturgeon allowed, generously, before stating it was 'a matter of public record' that Derek Mackay was transport minister when the initial decision was taken. She didn’t so much throw Mackay under the bus as drop the no. 27 directly on his head.
Still, Sturgeon was careful to add in some throat-clearing about 'collective responsibility' and how 'the buck stops with the Scottish Government'. 'Ultimately,' she pronounced, 'as with any decisions, whether I am personally involved in them or not, responsibility stops with me.' It really is magnanimous of the First Minister to accept responsibility for the things she does.
Ross wasn't having a bar of this old tune. 'Yesterday, the finance secretary could not tell parliament or the media who was to blame but, 24 hours later, the SNP spin machine has spun into action and it is the fault of the disgraced former finance minister,' he puffed away, like a ferocious paddle steamer — the Vital Snark.
The Tory leader picked up the First Minister's reference to 'ultimate responsibility' and ran with it: 'Will she tell us, with her ultimate responsibility, why Ferguson’s started building the ferries when there was not even an agreed design? With her ultimate responsibility, will she tell us why Ferguson Marine was given the contract in the first place? With her ultimate responsibility, will she tell us why there is not going to be a public inquiry into the whole scandal?'
She kept saying things like, ‘nobody who had read Audit Scotland’s report could reach that particular conclusion’, as though opponents were jumping to conclusions and the report was some dry read-out of technical challenges. In fact, the Scottish Government comes out of the report looking like one of those lottery winners who sinks the lot into a doomed casino development.
Ross demanded to know what 'input' Sturgeon had had into the contract award, but she continued pivoting back to her former transport secretary. Somehow Derek Mackay had bought a couple of ships without her knowing. Life must be a succession of surprises for Nicola Sturgeon. Things keep happening involving her closest political allies without her having the slightest clue.
Ross said there needed to be a public inquiry to get the answers Audit Scotland could not. (It would also be a welcome boost for the shredder industry.) ‘The buck stops with me,’ Sturgeon replied, while picking up silver in the Olympic buck-tossing category.
The arrogance dripped off the First Minister. She exuded certainty, vanity, invincibility and those around her cheered her on. They know they are untouchable and think they are unsinkable. If this government was the Titanic, you’d root for the iceberg.
Originally published in the Scottish Daily Mail on March 25, 2022.
Good piece, especially about the arrogance. Here is the best example of it that I know: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-b0KFD9BM_4
I was trained in Ferguson Brothers drawing office, from 1967 to 1974 and am embarrassed at the current state of affairs. Ferguson Marine is a disgrace to the shipbuilding skill sets and expertise of Inverclyde. A yard that once delivered three specialist ships a year to Owner's and insurer's specifications is reduced to this! It is painful to accept that the ships are costing the Scottish taxpayer more pain than gain with no return, however in its current state Glen Sannox, yard number 801, could just about serve as a prison hulk for those deemed responsible. Yard number 802, well not much hope there, expensive scrap or a kiddies theme park anybody, maybes aye maybes naw...?