Too Kind to Bad People

Another week, another "scandal" dominating Scottish politics. First Minister's questions today dominated by, what the Scotsman has already named "Fraudgate", Nicola Sturgeon's intervention in the criminal case of a constituent. The "scandal" involves the Deputy First Minister writing a letter to court on behalf of a constituent Abdul Rauf who has been convicted of benefit fraud (for the second time) and awaits sentencing. The letter, thanks to Stephen's Linlithgow Journal for getting a copy, says that Mr Rauf has been paying the money back and hopes to pay the rest soon. Further, she cites his "poor health", young family and involvement in the community as considerations to be taken into account when sentencing.

Without a doubt Nicola Sturgeon has made an error of political judgement: as I have said before the opposition are constantly on the lookout for any holes in the governments armour, this move leaves a big gaping one in Nicola Sturgeons.

But does this make her unfit to be Deputy First Minister or Health Secretary as Iain Gray suggests? No. She did not represent Mr Rauf for her own benefit, nor did she do it because she believed those convicted of benefit fraud should be allowed "off the hook". She did it because her own moral compass told her that society would not benefit from locking up Mr Rauf, that he could repent and be forgiven. She only offered this opinion to the court, she did not abuse her executive power by doing anything in her capacity as Deputy First Minister.

There is a similarity here that so far has not been drawn by commentators or fellow bloggers, between this situation and the Megrahi case. Kenny MacAskill made that decision alone based on his own moral convictions which he hoped the people of Scotland shared. He made a error of political judgement but he appealed to our higher ideals and values. He reached out to Scotland to share in his view but, for the most part, the Scottish people responded with confusion and anger. So to has Nicola Sturgeon been met by the disapproval and confusion of her peers in Parliament.

At the time of the Megrahi release my view was that I would rather Scotland be viewed by the world as a country that was "too kind to bad people" than "too cruel to good people". This remains my conviction. If I had been in Kenny MacAskill's or Nicola Sturgeon's position I would have probably made different decisions but that would have been based on politics. If they have been guilty of anything it is of thinking as a person and not as a politician.

Our MSPs should look on their example, esspecially on a day that they have spent looking for scandal and forgetting the needs of their own constituents. The people of Scotland expect Parliament to discuss issues of importance to them, not issues of importance to politicians.