THERE are some things Nicola Sturgeon isn’t an expert in. Virology and infectious diseases come to mind, which is probably the reason she listens to the scientists and makes decisions around the pandemic based on their advice.
This may be a foreign concept to a Tory.
Boris Johnson’s Government ignored his own scientist’s advice to introduce a circuit-breaker lockdown in September, pushing England to the point where it was recording around 100,000 new Covid cases a day.
Michael Gove’s misguided mantra remains Conservative dogma. “People in this country have had enough of experts”, they chant.
Gove and Johnson prove one thing, Nicola Sturgeon knows an awful lot about dealing with leaders she doesn’t agree with.
In fact, considering the unique position of the devolved nations in the UK, Sturgeon just might be “world-beating” when it comes to that. Now there’s a phrase the Tories can get on board with.
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This afternoon, Nicola Sturgeon commented on the US election, where it looks like the out-and-out fascism of Donald Trump is being steadily beaten back by a stream of mail-in ballots in Joe Biden’s favour.
Seeing this, Sturgeon tweeted: “The world can be a dark place at times just now - but today we are seeing a wee break in the clouds #Elections2020”
Innocent enough.
Ignoring Sturgeon’s aforementioned expertise, and ever-ready to condescend and patronise, the Tory MP Andrew Bowie was soon on the scene.
“I make no comment on the US election,” he bravely began.
(Commenting on the US election would go against the wishes of his London-based bosses (God forbid), who have stayed schtum even when asked to condemn Trump’s fascism and voter suppression.)
Anyway, Bowie went on: “But I hope Nicola realises that if she wants to be taken seriously as a leader and wants Scotland to be an independent country, she'll have to learn to keep out of allies [sic] elections and work with leaders she might not always agree with.”
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Perhaps even Bowie realised how patronising and condescending he was being (for once), as he deleted the tweet after just three minutes.
However his colleague, the Tory MSP Dean Lockhart, apparently didn't, as he read, approved, and retweeted Bowie's message.
Three minutes is a long time on the internet, and once something’s online, it’s there forever.
Maybe next time the West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP will think twice before trying to give the leader of an entire country tips on navigating international politics.
Navigation is hardly Bowie’s strong suit after all, he did have to leave the navy after failing an exam in it.
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