Holyrood Drama! For Real!

So, what to make of yesterday’s drama at the Scottish Parliament? First things first: it’s good to have some actual drama. Secondly, the failure to pass a budget marks the first real defeat for Alex Salmond’s minority administration since the SNP squeaked a victory in the 2007 elections. Mr Salmond’s many enemies will revel in seeing him be embarrassed for once.

What did it come down to? In a £33bn (itself a monstrous sum) budget the bill was lost for want of a measly £11m. The Green party – both of them – had demanded £100m a year for ten years to insulate every loft in Scotland. The SNP, not unreasonably, suggested this was not the most pressing of concerns and offered a £22m bribe sum instead. Not good enough, replied the Greens, who demanded £33m instead. OK, said John Swinney, the kind of finance minister who looks and sounds like a Scottish bank manager from the days when Scottish bankers were generaly viewed as sound, sensible fellows, I’ll see that we get that done.