Humza Yousaf is a nice guy but he's devoid of vision and focussing on the wrong issues – Kenny MacAskill

As First Minister marks a year in office, the vultures are circling amid growing disillusionment with Scottish Parliament

Increased disappointment with Holyrood is, in some ways, to be expected. Scotland’s not unique with its growing contempt for politics and politicians, with a political malaise afflicting most western democracies. But here, where constitutional politics are to the fore, it’s heightened.

Westminster isn’t exactly excelling and that’s before a change in administration which will see little discernible change. Unionists crowing at Holyrood’s current difficulties should ponder what’s coming down the line when Starmerism becomes a continuation of Sunakism.

It’s a position Holyrood has been in before. Those who served in the early years of the restored Scottish Parliament well remember the opprobrium faced as many felt let down by devolution. Much was focussed on that “bloody building” as the early years were overshadowed by where to site the institution and its cost.

Humza Yousaf takes part in a dance performance during a visit to the Edinburgh Community Performing Arts re-connect project on Monday (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/PA)

The difference now’s that most of the disappointment then was caused by circumstance. Of course, mistakes were made. Commemorative medals for MSPs were not welcomed even by members and Donald Dewar’s fixation on avoiding building a nationalist shibboleth at the old Royal High School irritated many desperate for long-awaited changes to social and economic life.

Land of milk and honey

But despite such errors, the reality was that disappointment was always going to come. Expectations of the parliament were so high for many that no institution could deliver them, let alone a devolved chamber with limited fiscal powers. Some thought independence had been achieved, for others it was more prosaic and simply that jobs would come, with the health service invigorated, and society transformed, if not overnight, then certainly in a short time.

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The reality was that only limited progress could be made, though perhaps more and better should have been done. But still expectations just couldn’t be fulfilled. It was the same in other countries with significant constitutional change, even if with more powers. In the Baltic states, many thought liberation from the Soviet yoke and the arrival of capitalism would see a land of milk and honey flow, just like in Hollywood movies. There was immediate disappointment when it wasn’t like that, but it could never have been.

Poisoned chalice

This time, though, it’s not circumstance but self-inflicted. The Scottish Parliament has been established and its limited powers are recognised. That’s no doubt partly why support for Independence remains high. It’s the political choices being made by Humza Yousaf’s administration and often the institution more widely that are moving even committed nationalists to vent their frustration.

He inherited a poisoned chalice from Nicola Sturgeon a year ago. But he sought that and continues to trumpet her record. He’s a nice guy but devoid of vision, with a Cabinet of limited ability, and is pushing issues that will further alienate many. Energy costs and the economy are to the fore, yet the perception, if not the reality, is that the focus is hate crime and abortion buffer zones. It’s fine to be virtuous on Gaza but you’re the FM for Scotland. Independence platitudes have demotivated the core nationalist vote and warm words on almost everything else is breeding contempt more widely.

Powers may be limited but a focus on core issues, competency and even fire and passion for the grassroots are all missing. This time the disappointment in Holyrood’s self-inflicted and the vultures are circling him.

Kenny MacAskill is Alba MP for East Lothian