Kenneth Morton

This is where political tribalism needs to stop. @ReformUKScot needs the support of 25 MSPs to trigger the process that can bring this motion of no confidence before the Scottish Parliament for debate and a vote. I understand that other parties have profound disagreements with Reform. But supporting that process is not an endorsement of Reform or its wider politics. It is about whether Parliament is prepared to debate political accountability after 1,133 Scots died from drugs in a single year, an increase of 11%, with male deaths rising by 19%. @michaeljmarra said this week that “just because we do not agree on everything does not mean that we cannot agree on anything”, and called on MSPs to find common ground and work together. @RussellFindlay1 has said much the same: “We can forget party allegiances sometimes and work for the common good.” Good. Then this is the test. There are 1,133 reasons to put party allegiances aside. Supporting the motion sufficiently to get it into the parliamentary process does not require an MSP ultimately to vote for no confidence. If MSPs believe the minister retains their confidence, let them stand in the chamber, make that case and vote accordingly. But let the argument happen. Because refusing even to allow Parliament to confront that question simply because of the party that initiated it would tell us something deeply depressing about Scottish politics. After years of strategies, taskforces, standards, promises and a National Mission, another 1,133 people are dead. At some point, political accountability has to mean something. The dead do not have party memberships. Their families deserve better than tribalism. Let Parliament debate it. Let every MSP make their case. And let every MSP put their vote on the record.