Three days til Scots vote for the next set of MSPs in Holyrood

That’s his prerogative of course. In the same way as it is of the UK PM to say no. We’ve done this particular dance before.So the in and outs of the dusty constitutional bluebells will continue for the next five years, with arguments over whose mandate is bigger and which counts for more, and whose dad is bigger.And let’s not forget the other policy which is sure to wade into similar territory - the SNP’s plan to fix essential foodstuff prices. The Scottish Parliament has no power to do this, the UK government will say it’s a breach of the Internal Markets Act, they will stand accused of not letting the moral SNP help people in a cost of living crisis, and the whole thing will end up in the courts.It is all incredibly wearisome. A case in point is last week’s lifting of US import tariffs on Scotch whisky (also Irish whiskey from Northern Ireland) by President Trump. The Donald, basking in the warm glow of so many Royal pleasantries, made the decision he said, in honour of the King. A toast to Charles then.But immediately we had Scotland’s two governments arguing about who really should take the credit. Yes the announcement came during an election campaign, and we should perhaps therefore not be surprised that the SNP and Labour parties would want to use it to their advantage, but the whole thing was incredibly juvenile, and what was a good news story for one of Scotland’s most vital industries, became little more than a playground spat.No wonder then that pundits and pollsters alike are describing this campaign as the “meh election”. Voters are shrugging their shoulders and declaring dismissively “whatever” when they hear the promises and pledges made by the parties. The resounding vibe on the doorsteps is “we’ve heard it all before… nothing changes… what is the point?” Turnout then is expected to be low. No chance it will get anywhere near the 63.5 per cent of Scots who voted last time round, in what was the Covid election. Unlikely too will it reach the heady heights of the very first election back in 1999 of 58.8 per cent. There are some suggestions it could fall below 50 per cent as it did in 2003 - certainly the numbers of postal votes being returned are reportedly down on the same time in 2021.The only party which appears to be galvanising support is Reform - the new kid on the block in Scotland, which at least appears to be offering something different, even if most of it is really reheated Toryism in turquoise packaging. The messaging though is direct, and in a world of political spin and evasion, plain speaking, no matter how crass or discriminatory, appears to have a certain appeal to those who are scunnered with the usual political class.But Reform’s issue will be getting those voters out on Thursday - they don’t have the boots on the ground in the way other parties do when it comes to ensuring people have got to the polling stations. Supporters might be liking what they hear, they still might not be bovvered to vote.The SNP too are concerned about apathy and complacency given the polls have consistently shown a lead. And even its supporters are cynical about John Swinney’s independence plans.They have been marched up that hill too many times to believe it - if they do go out to vote on Thursday it won’t be in the belief that independence is round the corner, rather it will be because they still think John Swinney is a better deal than Anas Sarwar - and they definitely will vote to ensure Reform do not win.Meanwhile Labour believes it does have the ground operation to get its vote out - even if they are reluctant. It also appears to have the best data when it comes to knowing exactly where its vote is - something the other parties acknowledge - which is why those still saying they don’t know how they will vote, around one in five voters, are the main target. Turning those into Labour votes they believe could put them in poll position.The opinion polls themselves are all over the place when it comes to predictions. Some have the SNP on an outright majority - others see them losing ten or so MSPs. Some polls say Labour and Reform are neck and neck to come second, others suggest Labour could have its worst outcome since devolution began.The one thing they agree on is that the SNP will remain the largest party. So it will be John Swinney who will go to Keir Starmer to ask for the powers to hold a second independence referendum; and John Swinney who will be told no. He has said in a Daily Record interview he would want to work with Labour to lock Reform out of holding any sway in Holyrood - the chances of that, given the vitriol over the whisky deal - are negligible. Even more so when he told reporters that relations with the Scotland Office under Douglas Alexander are perilously close to the enmity which existed with the Conservatives were in power.Yet in this time of a cost of living crisis, with global volatility causing chaos here in the UK, surely now is the time for our politicians bring people together rather than to divide, to find solutions beyond the constitution, to put away the barbs and schoolyard jibes and grow up in the interests of all. To give people something to vote for, rather than to vote against. To give people reason to believe that the national interest is ahead of the party’s. They’ve got three days.

View Original Article