Humza Yousaf believes his government is functioning “quite well” despite the ongoing police investigation into the SNP.
The First Minister accepts that many people would expect him to say such a thing. He wants the public to recognise the government he leads can operate separately from the party he is simultaneously in charge of.
But the SNP has been in power at Holyrood for so long, he must recognise how difficult a task that is. Yousaf wants to be judged on tackling poverty but his challenge is making himself heard above the racket caused by the most high-profile police investigation in the country.
He has faced an extraordinarily tough start to his new job, as the Record examines in detail today. He has faced the most enormous setbacks amid the collapse of the SNP and the police probe into finances.
However, he has tried to drive a progressive agenda with an emphasis on driving down shockingly bad poverty levels. He has also backed the Daily Record’s Our Kids ... Our Future campaign by committing to delivering resources to helping children across the country.
Yousaf deserves praise for setting out such a positive stall in the early days of his government. But if the SNP continues to unravel at speed, then his good work risks being lost in a morass of sleaze and infighting.
If the new FM can deliver on improving public services and somehow stop the SNP ship from sinking, he might stand a chance of staying the course.
Put brake on thefts
Having a bike can bring huge pleasure and satisfaction to someone’s life.
They are great for exercise and seeing parts of the country never experienced. But bikes are much sought-after and are a target for heartless thieves.
About 14,000 bike thefts have been recorded over the last three years – a shocking number. Even worse, the police “detection” rate is a tiny 11 per cent, with about 90 per cent remaining unsolved.
This is another slap in the face for owners who have lost a prized possession and found themselves out of pocket. Cycling websites provide great tips for how people can keep their bikes safe.
We also need a well-funded police service that has the resources to catch criminals. Police Scotland should set a target for increasing the detection rate and helping bringing more people to justice.
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