The SNP’s communications operation used to be the envy of the political world.
In Nicola Sturgeon, the Nationalists had a leader who could articulate complex ideas clearly, argue difficult cases effectively and, on occasion, even humiliate her opponents with a witty putdown.
Meanwhile, the SNP backbenchers – even those repeatedly passed over for promotion – loyally spouted the party line even in the most difficult circumstances.
When crises came, as inevitably they would, the Nationalists had a team of expert advisors ready to shield their leader and party, extricating both from any difficulty as quickly as possible.
Under Humza Yousaf, this operation has completely collapsed, leaving the new First Minister exposed and the party in disarray.
Of course, events have not helped.
But with the departure of Sturgeon and much of her team, the SNP has seemingly forgotten the fundamentals of good communication or any semblance of crisis management.
Yousaf forced to frontline in SNP communications crisis
Following the police raid on Sturgeon’s marital home and her husband’s arrest, the SNP and Yousaf only had two options.
The first – and best – would be to try to regain the initiative by immediately airing all the SNP’s remaining dirty laundry at a press conference.
The resignation of the auditors, the purchase of the mysterious campervan and who knows what else would all need to be divulged in one painful, media feeding frenzy.
After a brief period of reflection, Yousaf, the new leader, could blame any mistakes on the old regime, promise a review and a change of direction, and in due course try to move the story on.
Such a strategy would, of course, lead to days of negative headlines. But, with nothing else to come out, the SNP could only hope interest in the scandal would slowly fizzle out.
The alternative would be for Yousaf to lay low, avoid all media interview requests, and try to ride – or rather, hide – it out.
This would be tricky. Not least for someone as prominent as Yousaf. But given parliament is currently in recess, not impossible.
At the very least, it would avoid Yousaf as the new leader being publicly associated with – and forced to defend – mistakes made by his predecessors.
Instead of following either of these two courses, however, the SNP has instead opted to put Yousaf in front of the media every day, with each appearance yielding a new and more embarrassing tidbit.
As such, the scandal is growing and evolving organically while Yousaf, far from being shielded from it, is now practically its official spokesperson.
Who’d be new FM spokesman?
In fairness to Yousaf, he recognises Sturgeon’s departure has led to something of a void in media-handling expertise at the top of the party.
Whether he can tempt anyone to be his new chief spokesperson – even with the princely offer of £90,000 a year – remains to be seen. But it will be a tough ask.
Signing up to work for Yousaf must be one of the few jobs in the world where your boss is more likely to get fired than you during your probation.
NEW: Humza Yousaf tells me he was unaware the SNP owned £100k motorhome until he became party leader. The vehicle was seized by police at a home connected to Peter Murrell.
❓Was Sturgeon wrong not to reveal auditor issues?
“Would of been helpful to know beforehand”.@SkyNews pic.twitter.com/IChI4Qmo79
— Connor Gillies (@ConnorGillies) April 13, 2023
Equally, the resignation of SNP media chief Murray Foote, after it emerged he was misled by his own party, is hardly likely to inspire confidence.
All this matters because the SNP’s electoral success has been largely predicated on its unparalleled communications operation.
Without that ability to articulate a vision, or navigate a crisis, the SNP will find itself in an increasingly difficult and uncomfortable position.
Whether Yousaf can resolve this – and the myriad other issues facing the party – remains to be seen.
What is clear, however, is that the SNP’s communications operation is no longer the envy of the political world.
Conversation