Nicola Sturgeon; The Politics of Failures, Prime Minister Theresa May easily wins vote of no confidence in Commons as unpopular SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon rushes to London to get SNP MPs to vote against the UK Government, did Sturgeon really want a general election or did she see that as a vehicle to get rid of Alex Salmond’s Westminster MP allies?

Dear All

First, the Brexit vote, this was the worst defeat in Parliament’s history for a sitting PM, Theresa May was never going to win this vote because the other political parties had other agendas. MPs were never going to be convinced no matter what the deal was on the table. The Labour Party wanted a general election, the SNP wanted a second referendum and DUP; well they didn’t like the Irish part of the agreement. Theresa May tried her best but almost everyone was going for ‘party interest’ while she trying for what she believed was ‘national interest’. As to the speech by Geoffrey Cox at the dispatch box, his pitch was to berate MPs, turning to look at the Conservative backbenchers, very much the wrong tact.

This guy couldn’t sell ice cream in a desert.

As we know the PM survived the no confidence vote that the Labour Party brought forward, I think the idea was to ‘strike while the iron is hot’. That said, with the defeat of the Brexit vote out of the way, this left ‘the problem’ of coming together mute for the Conservatives.

This was the wrong time to have a no confidence vote but you can understand why Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn wanted to push through with it, it was always going to be a gamble on his part.

But not a gamble of the UK Government!

Now, do you remember all those SNP Conferences where Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon would walk up to each other and kiss on stage? This looked to me as a sickening spectacle of false affection for the cameras which was so oily it was sickening. As the camps of both Team Salmond and Team Sturgeon circle each other looking for an opening to thrust a ‘political combat blade’ into the back of an opponent and get a career ruining moment, we all waited with hushed breath. Clearly in this fight between Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon someone has to lose rather big since it is to the death.

We know have a comic moment however as a bright young spark has asked Nicola Sturgeon a simple question, ‘is Alex Salmond still her friend’? Oh to be there when that question was asked to see the look on Sturgeon’s face. Nicola doesn’t hide her emotions well; even the media training of fake concern to create an air can’t help her. As the fight develops, Sturgeon has insisted she will not have to resign over the Alex Salmond row but admitted she faces “difficult issues” because of the rift. The rift isn’t just with her predecessor; it is with his allies who wait their chance.

Imagine being caught out like this on the issue of her relationship with Salmond, you would have think she would have a stock answer all lined up, ready to go, just dripping of the tongue.

"I'm not going to comment," she said.

Of course, Nicola Sturgeon has gone to London for the no confidence vote, getting out of Scotland when she is in trouble is a Sturgeon speciality it seems. She is attempting to play out the scenario that everything is ‘business as usual’ but it is not. The press sense blood in the water even although Westminster is pretty interesting at the moment.

Speaking on Sky News, Ms Sturgeon was asked:

“Do you actually feel at the moment that your own job is on the line?”

She replied:

“No, I don't… With regards to Alex Salmond, there are investigations underway which should be allowed now to take their course. But my job as First Minister is to do everything I can to protect the best interests of Scotland, to see the SNP - as far as we can - play a part in stopping the whole UK jumping off the Brexit cliff edge.”

Just bluster, Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP in Westminster have no role, no part and not influence in regard to Brexit.

Interesting, people will be looking at her statement:

“I've been a friend and colleague of Alex Salmond for 30 years - for most of my life. Obviously, there are difficult issues that we're confronting around that at the moment, there are a number of inquiries underway, and it would not be appropriate for me to comment any further while they're ongoing.”

Nicola Sturgeon seems to ‘hedging her bets’ on Police Scotland and their investigation into Alex Salmond to save her bacon. If Salmond comes back into the SNP, you can expect fireworks, possibly a leadership challenge as Sturgeon continues to sink as leader. All Salmond would have to do is pick his moment, build up a consensus that Sturgeon is a liability then pounce.

Here is something to think about, why did Alex Salmond need his former Chief of Staff to broker a deal for Salmond to meet Sturgeon? The reason for this question is obvious, according to Sturgeon, “I've been a friend and colleague of Alex Salmond for 30 years”.

Finally, Brexit is still rolling on, I believe that ‘Hard Brexit’ is more in the UK national interest than the deal which was presented to the House of Commons. People voted to leave the EU; that should be delivered on in full by the government. Of course there will be a relationship with the EU in the aftermath, but it should be based on mutual agreement, not as the EU attempted to do, ram their agenda down our throats.   

Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University