By John Lamont MP
Humza Yousaf has departed as First Minister after a Scottish Conservative vote of no confidence forced him to resign.
The next First Minister must focus on what really matters to Scotland, such as improving public services and growing our economy.
There are huge challenges facing our country in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic and the global cost-of-living crisis.
It is essential that every politician from every party puts all their attention on the issues that really matter to people in the Borders and across the country.
But I have to say, I am already disappointed by the focus of Mr Yousaf's replacement, the former SNP Government Deputy First Minister, John Swinney.
Launching his leadership bid, Mr Swinney revealed his campaign slogan as "uniting for independence".
Not uniting for schools. Not uniting for hospitals. Not uniting for our economy. None of those crucial issues.
The message on the podium when he launched his campaign was simply "uniting for independence."
I had hoped for a fresh start when Mr Yousaf was forced out.
But it seems John Swinney only offers more division and more of the same obsession with independence that has defined the SNP's time in office.
He sat around the SNP Government cabinet table for 16 years and was one of Nicola Sturgeon's closest allies, so perhaps I shouldn't have expected anything else.
But it is still worrying news for Scotland that the new First Minister is making independence his top priority.
The Borders needs investment. We can't afford another SNP leader who is distracted from the day job.
There are so many other key concerns across Scotland's public services and our economy that must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Here in the Borders, we need more resources towards local health services so that community hospitals in Duns, Kelso, Hawick and Peebles remain open into the future.
We need more funding provided for local services so that councils can fix the roads and repair the potholes.
We need a better economic strategy from the SNP Government that creates high-quality jobs in the Borders and helps small businesses to grow.
Those are the kind of issues that should have formed the basis of the slogan for Mr Swinney's leadership campaign.
Those are the pressing concerns of people in the Borders and across Scotland that Mr Swinney must focus on.
Scotland needs to move forward. We cannot be stuck debating independence any longer.
