Nicola Sturgeon’s arrest on the 11th of June caught many off guard. In the swamp of British politics, Nicola Sturgeon is the last person one would expect to see photographed in the back of a police car. As First Minister, Sturgeon put herself beyond reproach. Her style of politics was designed to be incompatible with public embarrassment. Once venerated for her honesty, Sturgeon must now publish statements on Twitter maintaining her innocence “beyond doubt”. Contrast with her resignation when, the Guardian insisted, Sturgeon had “left on her own terms.” Other politicians are forced out of leadership, but Sturgeon was supposed to be different.

In the coming months, Sturgeon continuationists will likely call for ‘kind and honest’ politics. The last thing Scotland needs is pacifying. As Sturgeon demonstrated, ‘kind and honest’ politics is but a pretext to dilute principle and banish ideology in favour of a settlement that moves the operation of government behind closed doors and beyond the reach of the Scottish people. It requires contradictory accommodations, stifling civil society and concessions to capital.

Want to see more SNP fails? – Health Matters