I could be wrong but I don’t recall Nicola Sturgeon saying the Scots were more humane than the English. But the message was clear – at least to this viewer. Of course, it was all incredible, especially in relation to immigration, where the Prime Minister and her ministers tried to perpetuate the myth that immigrants are more welcome in Scotland than in England. This is simply not true and there is no evidence to support the claim. Indeed, most polls show that attitudes about immigration are identical on both sides of the border.
The promise to house Ukrainians is falling apart
But it has now emerged that on a separate but related issue, Mrs Sturgeon’s lofty views – of how brilliant and welcoming her government’s welcome would be to those Ukrainian refugees who had been driven from their homes by Vladimir Putin – they have come off. The welcome would be better, he suggested, than he would receive in England and he repeatedly criticized Westminster for its approach, saying it lacked humanity. Under her plan, those fleeing the conflict could be sponsored directly by the Scottish Government, rather than having to be sponsored by a person willing to take them home, as was the case in England. This would get refugees to Scotland more quickly, with Ms Sturgeon saying they could be placed in temporary accommodation until a suitable household is found for them to stay.
A nasty case of the fallacy of incompetence
But the incompetence bug that seems to bite Sturgeon’s team at every turn has bitten again, with the Prime Minister admitting her plan has stalled – at least for now – as there are no homes available to house refugees. It is not so much that there is no room in the inn. There are no inns. As a result, her government had to charter a former Estonian ship, which will provide accommodation in 739 rooms. It is moored in Leith, ironically close to one of Scotland’s biggest tourist attractions, the Royal Yacht Britannia, and two 200-room Lanarkshire towers, which are being refurbished at a cost of £5 million. The Scottish Government said applications had increased since Wales closed its system last month and that Scotland had already taken in proportionately more refugees than other UK nations. However, the number of Scots who have personally sponsored a Ukrainian visa is much smaller.
Stand first, details later
It’s hard to disagree with the Lib Dems’ Wendy Chamberlain, who said this was another example of the Scottish Government “prioritising excellence over getting the detail right”. One aspect of this story still needs answering. Will Ms Sturgeon offer to share her home with a refugee, as she suggested she would if deemed “necessary”? They should tell us. After all, it was a pretty spectacular deal. After her government refused to pay more for UK financial aid to Ukraine because it was not their responsibility, this latest mess in a party that prides itself, above all, on its communication skills, is a hugely damaging own goal . Her government said it was simply “pausing” its refugee program before resuming support when it is certain accommodation will be available. Let’s hope he gets it right this time. But perhaps they should have sorted that out before Mrs Sturgeon started her ‘Scotland does better’ routine.
