Jamie Halcro Johnston: Sturgeon's 'obsession' with picking fights with the UK government is harming Scotland

There was a deafening silence from the SNP’s Health Secretary over the Christmas break, despite the crisis facing Scotland’s health services.

While pressure from the Scottish Conservatives forced Humza Yousaf to come to parliament and make a statement on NHS winter pressures, it was devoid of any detail on how to actually improve what is a worrying and worsening situation.

And as the Scottish Government’s attention swiftly moved on to an independence debate they’d scheduled as the very first parliamentary business of 2023, too many local people are still on long waiting lists for vital treatment.

But while Nicola Sturgeon and her ministers should be focused on fixing the problems in the NHS – making sure patients get an ambulance when they need one, are not left waiting in A&E or for life-saving treatment, and can get a GP appointment - yet again her attention is actually focused on creating more constitutional grievance, this time on her ill thought-out Gender Recognition Reform Bill.

Her obsession with picking fights with Scotland’s other government won’t make Scotland’s education system better. Or improve our local public services. Or boost the Highland economy. Her priorities are not Scotland’s, or the Highlands, priorities.

The Scottish Parliament has the powers to make a real difference to folks’ lives. Unfortunately, under this regime, too often it just makes a lot of noise.

I’m delighted that Opportunity Cromarty Firth’s bid to become a green freeport was successful, and I was pleased to meet with the Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, as he visited the Highlands ahead of the announcement.

It will be a major boost to both our local and regional economies and, along with the recently announced Islands Growth Deal, shows just what can be achieved when the UK and Scottish governments work together to deliver for our communities.

But to take full advantage of these new opportunities, it’s vital that local infrastructure is in place to support them. And this includes the SNP government in Edinburgh meeting their commitment to dual the A9 as promised, and that the project to dual the A96 will not be kicked into the long grass.

I questioned the Deputy First Minister John Swinney about this but, as ever, his response gave little encouragement. However, I’ll keep up the pressure and I’m pleased to have secured cross party support for a Member’s Debate in Parliament on the dualling of the A9 which will take place on 1st March.

The SNP made promises and they must keep them. And if they’re not going to, as is the case with the commitment to get it done by 2025, they should be honest about why they haven’t.

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