Meeting of the Parliament 19 June 2024
As the Deputy First Minister fairly said, she and I, as well as Mr Johnson and others, have been doing the rounds with various debates during the course of the election campaign. Indeed, Mr Arthur, Mr Johnson and I enjoyed bacon rolls this morning at yet another hustings. I feel that this debate might be an extension of those particular engagements. Although I hear the Deputy First Minister’s strictures on not electioneering, perhaps we will return to the question of the black hole that is at the heart of the SNP’s manifesto on a different occasion, if we do not get the chance this afternoon.
I welcome the language that is used in the Government’s motion. Indeed, there was very little in what the Deputy First Minister had to say in her speech that I could disagree with. I find it very encouraging that we now have a Government that is talking positively about growing the economy. Now that the anti-growth Greens have been removed from the Government, it has more liberty to do that than it had previously. That is a welcome change of direction from a Government that now contains Kate Forbes as Deputy First Minister.
Of course, language takes us only so far. What we must see is action that matches the words. It is fair to say that the Government’s track record over the past few years is that, rather than putting a focus on economic growth, it has, I am afraid, put too many barriers in the way of growth.