To you, Mrs. Sturgeon. If you say the minister’s opposition was not known to you, how about you give us a statement from her that you think shows her wholehearted support for your bill? In a further breach of the iron discipline that has always been the rule in the Sturgeon-led SNP, Mrs Regan decided to continue the war of words by holding a press conference at Holyrood. Here she reiterated not only that her opposition to the bill was known but also listed her specific objections to it. She also attacked the First Minister’s decision to deny her MSPs a “free vote” in the debate. He said that “… it should have been a free vote. I think healthy discussion is important. I think this strong challenge is, ultimately, how we create good law. And I think that’s actually a strength, not a weakness.” With all that said, I still wonder why the Minister did not make a statement to the Scottish Parliament as to why she was forced to resign. This is the long-standing tradition at Westminster and I cannot see how Holyrood, which prides itself on its openness, would do otherwise. After all, a public statement to MSPs would have far more impact than a rushed press conference in the garden lobby of Parliament. It may well be my suspicious mind, but was the former minister “convinced” that she had done enough damage without “going public” in a plenary session of parliament? And, further, why did she have her press conference at 1.00pm, which is the same time as the regular SNP caucus meeting every Tuesday? Why not air her views before an audience of her peers? Or again, was it concluded – and by whom – that there was enough criticism of the Prime Minister? Perhaps, I shouldn’t be too suspicious. After all, this rebellion was a “first” for the Nats, and for the sake of democracy, let’s hope there will be many more.
