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IAN Murray’s first visit to Holyrood as Scottish Secretary yesterday was a disaster.
Honestly, I’m not sure it could have gone any worse.
So, here it is: Ian Murray’s three step guide on what NOT to do when visiting the Scottish Parliament.
1. Don't insult the electorate
Survation polling for Holyrood Sources found Scottish Labour way behind the SNP this week.
The poll put the SNP on 35% of the constituency vote – 13 points ahead of Labour on 22%.
And so, assembled journalists at Holyrood asked Murray his thoughts on whether this was indicative of how badly the Labour UK Government had performed in its first six months in power – you know, unpopular decisions like scrapping the Winter Fuel Payment for millions of pensioners or betraying Waspi women.
But no, instead Murray said the UK Government warned people it would have to make tough calls and suggested that perhaps the public "don't like honesty after all".
He was treated to a not-too-favourable front page of The Scottish Sun for that one.
2. Get your facts straight
Ian Murray evidently came armed with a specific attack line against the SNP this week.
In fact, I’m told he informed journalists of it before they even had a chance to ask a question on Wednesday – that the SNP Government had not “asked for any relevant data around the two-child cap, so they have made an announcement without a policy”.
It came after the SNP announced plans to mitigate the Labour Government’s two-child cap, which prevents people from claiming benefits for third or subsequent children unless they can meet certain conditions, such as proving that they are a product of rape.
The Scottish Government has said it will aim to mitigate the cap from 2026, but needs data from the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in order to do so.
However, Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville then published a letter, dated December 16, in which she asked the DWP for the data needed to mitigate the two-child cap. Murray was copied into the letter.
First Minister John Swinney has since suggested Murray did not give “accurate information” to the press.
A subsequent UK Government statement doubled down on Murray’s claims, claiming the list of data demanded was “not exhaustive”.
3. Don't tie yourself to the mast of a sinking ship
The only Labour politician that has perhaps had a tougher week than Murray is Rachel Reeves.
The Chancellor’s tenure had been marked with controversy even before calls for her to resign increased this week amid a period of turbulence in the UK financial markets and reports she may be set to slash billions of pounds in disability benefits.
So, Murray thought it was the perfect time to say Reeves has done a "fantastic job".
Excellent, zero notes.
