Policy Research Media Morhamburn

It might not rank as one of the great pieces of oratory, but I would suggest that Scottish Health Secretary Nicola Sturgeon’s speech before a packed Debating Chamber yesterday will long be remembered as another milestone in Holyrood’s maturation.

By saying “sorry”, Sturgeon must have gone against every political instinct in her body; because politicians, it seems, are hardwired never to apologise. But the sheer uniqueness of this approach, mixing a good dose of humility with a lot of contrition and that magic ‘s’ word, is not what makes the speech so noteworthy.

Nor is it because it has effectively saved (and possibly renewed) the career of one of Holyrood’s highest fliers and a good bet to be a future FM.

It will be remembered because it might, just might, herald a changing attitude to politics in Holyrood, moving it away the overly-partisan sniping that has so often characterised  political debate in Scotland.

And while the Scottish Tories must take the credit for starting and sticking to this culture of constructive opposition as opposed to partisan hostility, perhaps yesterday will represent the moment when that attitude caught-on.

Overly optimistic? Perhaps. But I would use the very next debate in the Chamber as evidence that this is not as utopian as it might first seem.

The Scottish Government’s debate on its new obesity strategy was a strange affair; consensual, (mostly) good natured, and with almost no party politicking.

Minister for Public Health Shona Robison accepted the Lib Dems’ amendment almost immediately, and despite the fact that the Labour amendment sought to hold the SNP to account for its manifesto pledge on two hours of PE a week, the usual Nat-Lab fault line was noticeable mostly by its absence.

Ms Robison noted the efforts of the previous administration and, in between the jocular anecdotes and one-liners flying about the benches, much praise and support could be heard. Only two notes of discord arose.

From Lib Dem Mike Rumbles, who while annoyed by one ‘silly’ point included in the strategy (the idea of government controlling portion sizes) was almost apologetic in breaking the new espirit de corps, falling over himself to make sure everyone knew it was just this one issue which he felt spoiled what was otherwise a very good document.

And Tory, Jackson Carlaw, who although he ripped into the strategy as containing far too much understanding and compassion, delivered his attack with such panache and humour that the debate was the better for it – even the Minister was forced to smile.

And as Frank McAveety shuddered in trepidation at the thought of any debate surrounding the merits or otherwise of pies (his words), the debate ended on the note with which the Cabinet Secretary had begun with her statement.

Now, roll on FMQs…