Meet Claire Taylor: 'The SNP has politicised the pandemic'

Make sure you subscribe to The Herald to make sure you don't miss any of Claire's columns, which you can read every Tuesday. 

How did you end up writing for a newspaper?

I was working as a BBC producer during the 2017 general election when a job opportunity arose to become a reporter for the Scottish Farmer.

It was the perfect fit – combining by background and love for farming with my interest in politics at a time where farming issues would be increasingly topical with Brexit.

I was also told that the best journalists always worked in papers at some point in their career – that is where the graft is – and there is nothing more satisfying than publishing something in print.

What’s been the highlight of your career?

All my hard work over the past few years raising the profile of important farming issues has well and truly paid off, when I was offered the opportunity to write for the Herald and in doing so give rural Scotland a louder voice – to champion issues which can too often be left on the backburner.

What’s your favourite part of Scotland and why?

I’ve been blessed through my work to travel and spend time on different Scottish islands, and I am in no doubt that there is nowhere quite as mesmerising as the Inner Hebrides.

I visited the Isle of Iona for the first-time last September and the combination of glorious weather, white sandy beaches, clear blue waters, amazing local wildlife and freshly caught seafood, made it a slice of heaven that I like to reflect on during these difficult times.

What was the last book you read?

Three Women by Lisa Taddeo – an eye-opening read, exploring the desires and sexual proclivities of three real women constrained by 21st century gender dynamics. I have since bought it for four friends.

What are you going to be writing about for The Herald?

I will mostly be covering rural and farming issues that I believe are of a matter of importance to the wider public and will also venture into mainstream politics from time to time. 

With Brexit unfolding, Holyrood elections approaching and climate change discussions accelerating, I hope to give Herald readers my own personal take on why rural and farming issues should be in the spotlight.

What will be the biggest stories of 2021 and the next decade?

The year ahead will continue to be dominated by the pandemic and how quickly we can get Scotland back on its feet. Its aftermath will sadly be felt for years to come, not only in terms of the economic recession and high unemployment rates we are seeing, but the long-lasting impact a year in isolation will have had on the nation’s mental health.

Climate change and Scotland’s ambitious targets to achieve net zero emissions by 2045 will take centre stage of future policy decisions and our daily lives will change dramatically as a result. Brexit will continue to overshadow other news stories, as the UK looks to form new trade deals with the likes of the United States and establish itself as leader on the global stage without the strength of the EU behind it. 

What do you make of the government’s response to Coronavirus?

Early doors, the UK Government failed to close its borders and enforce testing to all those arriving in the UK which has led to the unnecessary deaths of thousands of people and an NHS at breaking point. There is no excuse for their inability to take heed of what was happening in mainland Europe, given we had a head start and could have put in place an effective action plan to protect UK citizens. Better communication with the general public would have also avoided panic buying and people flocking to supermarkets which became breeding grounds for the virus.

The Scottish Government’s handling of the pandemic in the early stages was also abysmal. The care home scandal saw patients discharged into homes to fee up space in hospitals for coronavirus patients. The SNP has politicised this pandemic and used it to score points against Boris Johnson’s government from the start. Failure by both governments to work together on a joined-up plan to tackle the crisis has left the public utterly confused as to what they should and shouldn’t be doing. 

Who’s going to win the Holyrood election and why?

The SNP are likely to regain the majority they narrowly lost out on in 2016. Despite criticisms for the SNP’s early handling of the pandemic, the First Minister has been broadly supported overall for her handling of the crisis, her popularity in the polls way higher than that of Boris Johnson. Scotland is still reeling from Brexit and although it is early days to measure its lasting impact, there is hope amongst Remainers that Scotland could salvage ties with the EU by means of Indyref2.

The Scottish Conservatives will struggle to regain their strength in Scotland without Ruth Davidson at the helm. She was a huge factor in the party’s success in the 2016 election. Scottish Labour are in the midst of a leadership contest which could weaken their support and overshadow their party objectives ahead of the election.

What will happen with indyref2 after the election?

There is definitely an appetite to hold another independence referendum, heightened by the blundering efforts of Boris Johnson during the pandemic but also the party’s poor handling of Brexit. However, the Scottish Government would be unwise to focus its efforts on such a divisive campaign at this time when the nation is licking its wounds from the pandemic and recent economic figures for an independent Scotland look very worrying.

Why should Scots sign up for a Herald subscription?

There is no other paper in Scotland which delivers such a diverse offering of opinion and analysis, not only from across the political spectrum but covering a broad range of issues.