Nicola Sturgeon: No confidence motion defeated in parliament

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Yesterday, Ms Sturgeon survived a vote of no confidence after a Holyrood committee found she had “misled” the Scottish Parliament. MSPs voted down the motion by 65 votes to 31 in favour with 27 abstentions.

The vote of no confidence was launched by Scottish Conservative Ruth Davidson who urged the First Minister to resign.

But now, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said there were “no winners” following yesterday’s ruling and said Scottish people deserve a “better government”.

Mr Sarwar said: “As I said in the Holyrood chamber yesterday, on one side we had a litany of failings from a government that let down two women – and on the other an opposition guilty of playing grubby party politics on an issue as serious as sexual harassment.

“We can’t go back to this divisive politics after the election on May 6.”

He then added: “A failing government on one hand – a game-playing opposition on the other.

“The people of Scotland deserve a better government and a better opposition.”

Mr Sarwar continued his attack on the First Minister and the SNP and said he is “determined” to focus on uniting Scotland rather than dividing.

He wrote in the Daily Record [ADD LINK]: “We must focus on solutions which will deliver a fairer recovery and a stronger Scotland, which is why a national recovery plan will be my only priority.

“I do not have confidence in the SNP’s record and its ability to focus us on a national recovery.

“It came on the day that a report into our education system revealed the SNP has failed to close the educational attainment gap between pupils – Nicola Sturgeon’s so-called ‘defining mission’.”

Earlier this month, Ms Sturgeon was warned the election of Mr Sarwar as Labour leader could pose a threat to her seat in Glasgow.

Brian Monteith, the editor of ThinkScotland.org, said support for the opposition parties is “turning” and Mr Sarwar could encourage more “tactical voting” elsewhere.

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He said: “All of that offers hope for the opposition that the tide is turning, but here’s the kicker, Sarwar could well stand in the same constituency that Sturgeon currently holds with a handsome majority – and with the possibility of tactical voting becoming half of Scotland’s new favourite pastime and SNP support falling she might then lose.

“Even were the First Minister to hang on a fall in her support would be a serious embarrassment and Sarwar’s challenge a rallying cry to encourage tactical voting elsewhere.”

Mr Monteith went on to say how Ms Sturgeon is also ranked second on the SNP’s Glasgow regional list but could be “out of politics” altogether if she does not win Glasgow Southside.

The ThinkScotland editor added how the Alex Salmond inquiry has sparked a “festering civil war” within the SNP.

He continued: “The opposition parties have further cause to smile for the advantage lies with them.

“Firstly, the SNP is experiencing a festering civil war with the demarcation being far deeper than just [Alex] Salmond versus Sturgeon, but also including Sturgeon’s abject failure to offer a deliverable route to deliver an independence referendum.

“Saying repeatedly it will happen does not amount to a strategy.”

Recent polls have indicated support for the SNP, Ms Sturgeon and Scottish independence have all dropped ahead of the Holyrood election.

Scotland will go to the polls on May 6.

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