Sunday 4 May, 2008 marks a year since the SNP made political history by winning the Scottish Parliament elections.

Writing for the BBC Scotland news website, Scottish Labour leader Wendy Alexander reflects on the last 12 months.

Style rather than substance has been the mark of the SNP minority government's first year in office ... and it's all been about Alex.

Wendy Alexander said the government was heavy on spin

The first minister has positioned himself as a purveyor of populist policies. Ever keen to grab an easy headline. It's been a different story when Alex Salmond's administration is put under scrutiny.

Then it is exposed as government-lite. Heavy on spin, light on substance. And when it comes to the big issues, his administration has been a big let down.

Scrutiny of their flagship policy - local income tax - has exposed it as woefully ill-thought out.

As for the Scottish Futures Trust, it is so lightweight no amount of government spin can hide the overwhelmingly negative response to the consultation on their plans.

And what has happened to investment in our school infrastructure? No new schools projects have been commissioned under the SNP.

Meanwhile the council tax freeze is beginning to bite. Labour was accused of "scaremongering" when we warned of cuts in local services, but now the impact is hitting councils across the country from Aberdeen to Edinburgh.

When it comes to planning for Scotland's future, the SNP have been found wanting

And then there are the broken promises. A year ago they promised to dump student debt, reduce class sizes, match Labour's school building programme and introduce grants for first-time house buyers.

Promises they solemnly made to the people of Scotland - but pledges they've broken with barely a murmur of apology.

But the reality behind the first minister's rhetoric isn't confined to cuts. When it comes to planning for Scotland's future, the SNP have been found wanting. They have slashed adult modern apprenticeships in Scotland by nearly 80%.

On the evidence of this past year, the SNP government should spend more time taking the long-term decisions - some of them tough ones - that Scotland expects its government to take.

Meanwhile, Alex Salmond speculates about securing independence - he's been doing it for years.

But who really believes there is majority support for independence? If Alex Salmond did, he would push for a referendum now.

Labour believes Scots want to walk tall in the Union, not to walk out.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version