Assessing progress of parliament

THE Queen’s visit to the Scottish Parliament to mark the 10th anniversary of devolution provided an opportunity to assess how far it has come and what lies ahead.

The parliament has been at the forefront of many innovative policies, such as the smoking ban and prescription charges, which stole a march on the rest of the UK.

It goes out of its way to engage with its public and convey an air of openness. In the process, it has sidestepped some of the more unsavoury issues which have shamed Westminster.

Scottish MSPs have grown into their new clothes despite some awkward moments along the way. The power shift in the last couple of years has been seismic, with the old-guard alliance of Labour and Liberal Democrats caving in to the bright and aggressive SNP, which captured a new mood in Scotland while cashing in on the demise of New Labour.

The parliament and Scotland is approaching a critical crossroads which will shape the country during the next 10 years. The Calman Commission, offering extra powers to Scotland within the UK, and the SNP’s National Conversation on an independence referendum are competing head to head.

A major poll a few days ago indicated that, despite the SNP being at the helm, increasing numbers of people were turning against outright independence in favour of a “mix and match” approach, which would allow much more independence in certain key areas while remaining within the framework of the UK. The Calman camp would appear, in current Wimbledon parlance, to have the advantage at present.