Stephen Daisley

The next leader of the Scottish Conservatives will be announced on St Valentine’s Day, though there hasn’t been much love in the air during this campaign. The contest between Jackson Carlaw and Michelle Ballantyne has been unnecessarily acrimonious and key figures on either side given to intemperate outbursts. More than enough knives have been plungedContinue reading "Only one leader in race to replace Ruth"

A round-up of articles you might have missed this week. Sturgeon can deliver every vote save the one that matters My Scottish Daily Mail column on Nicola Sturgeon and independence. Boris Johnson’s greatest challenge is nothing to do with Brexit My Spectator piece on how the Prime Minister should begin responding to the threat ofContinue reading "Sunday Supplement: February 3 — February 9, 2020"

There was no anger in the First Minister’s voice but her face wore the weight of her frustration. As the questions came, she cast razor glances from her notes to Jackson Carlaw and back, gurning and muttering as she did. Carlaw was making it all so much worse by posing measured queries in a measuredContinue reading "On a grim day at Holyrood, the light of a rising star"

Nicola Sturgeon has had more comebacks than Cher, ripped denims and Boris Johnson. The SNP leader’s time in the spotlight has been declared over many times already and each time she finds a way to remain centre stage. Write her off at your peril. We cannot, however, ignore the speech she delivered on Friday orContinue reading "Sturgeon can deliver every vote save the one that matters"

A round-up of articles you might have missed this week. Triumph of patriots and the ruin of a nationMy Scottish Daily Mail column on the toll nationalism has taken on Scotland. You’re a grand old flag, you’re a politically useful flagMy Scottish Daily Mail sketch of the European flag debate at Holyrood. Boris Johnson must startContinue reading "Sunday Supplement: January 27 — February 2, 2020"

Was that it? Nicola Sturgeon assembled the world’s press yesterday to outline her next steps on independence, only to send them away with a two-word story: ‘Not yet’. ‘My job is to lead us down a credible path that can deliver independence,’ she said, ‘and that is what I am absolutely determined to do.’ ThereContinue reading "Setback and decline in the age of Sturgeon"

This week, a report concluded that SNP ministers had okayed £9bn worth of PFI contracts without understanding them. This was a scandal and there was no getting out of it for Nicola Sturgeon. Step forward, Richard Leonard, and onto a rake. When Sturgeon reminded the Labour leader at FMQs that his party had introduced PFI,Continue reading "If Richard Leonard isn’t on the SNP payroll, he’s being done out of a fortune"

Holyrood seldom gives off the air of a hallowed chamber of deliberation but yesterday was an especially low point. From every crack and crevice oozed a sense of entitlement, a slithering slime of self-regard that tackied up every surface. It was in the tone, too; those trim vowels that announce in kindergarten teacherly admonition: shush,Continue reading "You’re a grand old flag, you’re a politically useful flag"

This week, Nicola Sturgeon will deliver another statement on independence to the Scottish Parliament. It will be a response to the Prime Minister’s letter rejecting a request from the SNP leader to grant a second referendum on separation. She is expected to set out her next steps in pursuit of Scexit. This week, Nicola SturgeonContinue reading "Triumph of patriots and the ruin of a nation"

If you missed First Minister’s Questions, Nicola Sturgeon still isn’t taking any lectures from anyone, SNP MSPs retain an impressive capacity for toadying and everything’s much worse in Wales. Specifically, she would not be taking a lecture from Jackson Carlaw on police funding. The interim Tory leader said police stations had ‘water pouring in throughContinue reading "Nicola Sturgeon won’t be taking any lectures from you"