A senior SNP figure has warned that Nicola Sturgeon risks making the same mistakes which precipitated Labour’s decline in Scotland.
Kenny MacAskill, who was in Alex Salmond’s cabinet for seven years, has delivered a blunt assessment of the SNP leader’s premiership, saying it had been “marked more by timidity than radicalism”.
He claimed her approach to domestic issues carried echoes of the complacency that triggered the downfall of Labour north of the border a decade ago.
The former justice secretary also highlighted the risks to the SNP’s support in its traditional heartlands from Ms Sturgeon moving the party to the left.
Writing for The Times, he said: “The SNP has become a formidable electoral force, replacing the old Labour machine. [It’s] able to win elections, but seemingly unsure what to do thereafter.
“The First Minister’s political agenda has been marked more by timidity than radicalism, other than on gender.
“The danger is that her government end up simply managing, not leading, the political agenda; much indeed, as Labour did in the years before devolution. Mitigating austerity, but managing decline.”
His comments came ahead of this week’s SNP conference in Glasgow, where the issues of Brexit and independence are likely to dominate.
Mr MacAskill is one of a number of SNP figures who have called for restraint in the decision over whether to call an early independence referendum.
At the weekend, Tommy Sheppard MP, one of the contenders to be Ms Sturgeon’s party deputy, said most SNP activists do not want to rush into indyref2.
On maintaining support in areas where it had historic backing, Mr MacAskill added: “She has moved the party to the left, which has risks in former SNP heartland areas.”
He cautioned that the First Minister had the challenge of keeping “old SNP and all Scotland on board” as the party focused on ousting Labour from its heartlands in the central belt.
However, a spokesman for the First Minister defended her record.
He said: “Our electoral success has been built on a record of competent government and standing up for Scotland against Tory austerity.
“During our time in office, we have made necessary, and radical, long-term reforms such as those to police, colleges, health and social care services – precisely so we are equipped to face the challenges of the future.”
He insisted that plans over local taxation and the new social security powers devolved to Holyrood had “made clear there will be no let-up in our reform agenda”.
Scottish Conservative deputy leader, Jackson Carlaw, responded: “Here’s yet another reminder to Nicola Sturgeon that her priority has to be the day job, and this time it comes from one of her most senior MSPs and cabinet colleague.”
