TRUST in politicians has soared. That's not a headline you read every day, but it is the conclusion of the latest, highly-respected Scottish Social Attitudes Survey. It found the number of people who believe the Scottish Government will act in Scotl
and's interests rose from 51 per cent to 71 per cent between 2006 and last year.
The survey, which questioned 1500 people between May and November last year, also found that although fewer people trusted the UK Government to act in Scotland's interests, this figure was also up on the previous year.
It is perhaps significant that the research coincided with the election of Scotland's first SNP Government and the handover from Tony Blair to Gordon Brown. The findings could be seen as capturing a rare moment of optimism – a snapshot of last year's sunny political summer.
A survey carried out now might find Mr Brown's troubles and the SNP's difficulties over its replacement for PPP, the local income tax and the impact of council cuts have dulled the outlook.
But another interpretation is that the survey reflects a genuine shift in attitudes and higher confidence in devolution. If that is the reality, it is not unconnected with the SNP's election victory.
Since becoming First Minister last year, Alex Salmond has made a point of "standing up for Scotland" over issues ranging from Tony Blair's prisoner transfer agreement with Libya to the UK Government's refusal to give Scotland back the attendance allowance money it saved when free personal care was introduced. Labour labels this "picking fights with Westminster" – but many people will welcome a more robust attitude towards the UK Government.
One of Labour's problems during its eight years in coalition with the Liberal Democrats was the feeling that ministers were always having to take care not to offend or contradict their Westminster colleagues. It did not completely stop Scotland going its own way.
Henry McLeish introduced free personal care despite Westminster's dismissal of the idea. He incurred the wrath of Labour MPs when he began talking about the "Scottish Government" instead of the "Scottish Executive".
Jack McConnell appointed Scottish ambassadors to the US and China and pioneered the Fresh Talent initiative, recognising the strategy on immigration needed to be different north of the Border. But there was always the feeling the Labour line in Scotland could not stray too far from that at Westminster. Criticisms of dawn raids on asylum seekers were muted for fear of a major fall-out with UK ministers.
MSPs opposed to the replacement of Trident were expected to back Westminster's decision to renew it – and when Edinburgh North and Leith MSP Malcolm Chisholm voted the other way he was obliged to resign from the Cabinet.
The SNP, of course, suffers no such inhibitions. Mr Salmond and his colleagues have proved they can work well with Westminster on matters such as the terror attack on Glasgow Airport.
They have also shown they are willing to cooperate where Westminster is reluctant – for example when Home Secretary Jacqui Smith declined to host a joint summit on firearms.
But they have made clear they will argue the toss over issues where they feel Scotland is being done down, as they did when Scotland was refused a share of extra cash being invested in prison building.
The SNP has successfully created a "feel-good" factor. But one Labour MSP argues the more positive view of Holyrood is not down to the SNP, saying: "The perception of the parliament has improved over time. A lot of the negative opinion associated with the cost of the building is in the past, and SNP supporters who didn't like it before will say more positive things about it because they're in control."
Former West Lothian MP Tam Dalyell was back in the news this week with his demand that any referendum on independence or more powers for Holyrood should include the option of abolishing the Scottish Parliament.
"It is in the nature of politicians to go on claiming additional powers for the institutions in which they find themselves," he said. "MSPs will not be satisfied until they reach a position indistinguishable from a separate Scottish state."
But there is little evidence that the increased trust in the Scottish Government and the belief that Holyrood gives Scotland a stronger voice has been accompanied by an increase in support for independence. Indeed, it could be argued greater confidence in the effectiveness of devolution means less enthusiasm for an alternative.
There is an argument, advanced by the First Minister himself, that last year's election has created the kind of government people expected when the Scottish Parliament was first established – a minority administration, taking its programme forward policy by policy, seeking support from other parties and arguing Scotland's case with Westminster when necessary. All MSPs will hope the people's trust endures.
The full article contains 848 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
