Don’t expect the election campaign to be brimming with hopepublished at 12:33 GMT
12:33 GMT
Phil Sim
Scotland political correspondent
Anas Sarwar followed the same blueprint as Russell Findlay,
reeling off a catalogue of complaints about the SNP’s record in government.
John Swinney hit back insisting he has “delivered on the
priorities of Scotland”.
The question is whether voters will agree with Sarwar’s core point
– that everything has got worse over the last few years, on the SNP’s watch.
It’s broadly accepted that an anti-politics mood persists among
voters. Many people are not in a happy place, in their personal finances or
their view of politicians.
But does that mean they want to see change at the ballot box, as
opposition leaders hope?
Swinney comes back again and again to the idea that the Scottish
government has one arm tied behind its back by Westminster.
That’s why he too can push a more anti-establishment message of
change, in keeping with the anti-politics mood, by calling for independence.
It seems like we are not looking ahead to a particularly hopeful
campaign – from these exchanges, it’s all about who can most successfully
direct the anger of voters against their opponents.