J-J

You only need to look at Swinney's hysterical bluster and weasel words to see @HarrietCross_MP has him bang to rights. You can celebrate a Sikh festival and Remembrance Sunday on the same day. But shouting "Bandi Chhor Divas!" during the 2 minute silence is cringe and disrespectful. An SNP government so desperate to look inclusive, instead exposed its extraordinary cultural ignorance. Thousands of Sikh soldiers fought and died alongside British servicemen in two World Wars. Their sacrifice is part of our shared national history. Remembrance Sunday belongs to them too. As people of every colour, faith and background fell silent to remember those who died for our freedom. The SNP govt's official account wanted to make it extremely clear to everyone that it had a different message to send. What they posted at 11am was so naff, it might as well have said "Remembrance Sunday is for everyone else. You minorities can have your own little celebrations." to match the levels of extreme crassness and condescension. Ethnic minorities don't need the SNP's performative gestures or patronising crumbs. This is the poisonous consequence of politicians who see people as separate groups to be managed and patronised, rather than fellow citizens united by a common country and shared traditions. The SNP talks endlessly about inclusion while displaying a remarkable inability to understand what actually unites us. John Swinney laid a wreath on Sunday. Good. Now he should explain how the Government he leads managed to get this so spectacularly wrong.