THE word crisis has become synonymous with the Scottish Government. It’s time they stepped up and did the right thing for the people of Scotland.

The last 18 months has had a significant and unprecedented impact on how we live, work, and generally go about our day-to-day business as a result of Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown measures.

For many people, especially for those living alone, the lockdown was one of the hardest things they have had to endure – often living in a state of heightened anxiety as a result of not being able to see friends and family. And, in some cases, not being able to attend the funeral of a loved one.

Watching Nicola Sturgeon’s daily Covid briefing in the hope that restrictions would be relaxed and normal freedoms restored became a daily task for many people.

People were worried about what the future held for their families and their livelihoods. Businesses were worried about how they would survive and continue trading, with many sectors feeling that they had been abandoned by the government – especially hospitality and the night-time economy businesses.

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Irrespective of “freedom day” that worry is still there, especially as furlough comes to an end. But let’s be honest, if it wasn’t for the UK Treasury implementing furlough Scotland’s lockdown would have been a lot worse for many people.

There is no denying that Nicola Sturgeon is a good communicator but the people of Scotland played their part and accepted what had to be done in order to curb this awful virus. Now is the time for the Scottish Government to play their part and do the right thing for the people of Scotland and also learn the lessons from Covid-19 which have illustrated the fragility of life and work as we know it.

Right now, people want to hear more about Scotland’s recovery following Covid-19 and not about a second referendum. Constitutional politics doesn’t lift people out of poverty, constitutional politics doesn’t improve people’s lives and for the last 14 years that is all we have heard in Scotland at the expense of domestic policy.

The cost of a government which is centred around one aim is that there is usually a lack of well-thought out policy. That is very much the case at Holyrood and the voters are starting to see through this and expect more from their government, as they should.

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Over the last 14 years, we have seen an increase in inequality, and a rise in homelessness with its visible impact in every corner of the country – which isn’t a good look for a government that emphasises the importance of Scotland’s wellbeing economy.

The SNP aren’t daft, and they will be aware that their argument for independence is quickly becoming stale and out of date, as it hasn’t moved on since the 2014 referendum. Underpinning this staleness is the fact that they haven’t addressed the key issues of currency, monetary policy, economic strategy, and Scotland’s border with England.

James Carville, former advisor to US President Bill Clinton, coined the phrase: “It’s all about the economy stupid” which up to a point is true, especially when you consider the fact that some people will vote on the basis of how it will hit them in the pocket. However, you could extend this quote and say it’s all about the economy and wellbeing economy as both go hand in hand.

A good functioning prosperous economy often produces greater societal benefits – more employment, increased consumer confidence, improved business activity, greater job creation – that results in better wellbeing for people.

The word crisis is becoming synonymous with the Scottish Government in every aspect of their policy platform, which begs the question: why they are so afraid to govern in the best interests of the people of Scotland?

To me the most obvious answer is because deciding on policy results in having to be accountable to parliament and ultimately the electorate. This is a simple case of fear of the electorate, fear of making the wrong decision and, of course, fear of becoming unpopular with the electorate which explains their lack of policy making and U turns when under pressure from opposition parties.

Scotland deserves better than this. At the moment, we have a housing crisis due to a lack of new homes. The emphasis by the Scottish Government is often on affordable housing which is important but usually at the expense of the private housebuilding sector which also delivers affordable housing.

We have a teacher recruitment crisis but this problem is about more than just recruitment – it is about retention of those teachers that are recruited in the first place.

We have a crisis in our local authorities that for years have had to deliver key services often under severe financial pressure as a result of reduced central government funding.

Furthermore, we have a health care crisis and a crisis in social health care which we haven’t even seen the full impact of yet.

Now is the time for the Scottish Government to focus on recovery not referendums.

Our columns are a platform for writers to express their opinions. They do not necessarily represent the views of The Herald.

Barrie Cunning is the managing director of Pentland Communications and a former Scottish Labour parliamentary candidate. Follow @BarrieCunning