Published: Wednesday, 3rd March, 2010 1:00pm

From here to Holyrood - Des McNulty

IT was refreshing to hear deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon apologise last week for her error of judgment.

She wrote, on behalf of a convicted benefit fraudster, to the court, seeking a non-custodial sentence for a further offence for which her constituent had been found guilty.

Her candour and tone were welcome, especially when contrasted with the stridency and unwillingness of Alex Salmond to admit the mistake she had made.

But it was a serious error of judgment - she should never have written the letter.

I deal with constituents every week and would always check out the details when taking up a case rather than rely solely on what someone I had not previously met told me.

I would have thought someone with legal training would be especially careful and I remain unconvinced by her account of the circumstances under which she undertook to write on behalf of Abdul Rauf.

Still, she did say sorry, which is more than Alex Salmond would have the good grace to do.

He should be apologising for the fact that across Scotland teacher numbers have dropped by nearly 2,000, while the SNP Government in Edinburgh has found jobs for another 1,000 civil servants.

While schools are short of pencils and paper, he is wasting money on an unwanted referendum.

And while carers' organisations serving vulnerable people are having their funding cut back, he is seeking clarification on using the Parliament's restaurant for party fundraising.

On March 11 I will be taking the case for St Margaret's once again into the debating chamber.

I am confident that yet again I will get cross-party support for my motion condemning the health board for its treatment of the hospice. Ministers will get the opportunity to respond to the points raised.

Why it is taking so long for the board and Ms Sturgeon to accept that the decision taken to cut back beds at St Margaret's is simply wrong, I do not know. The community is united in support of St Margaret's and if we do not make progress, we will have to consider what further steps can be taken.

But there is an opportunity now to end the uncertainty and secure the future of St Margaret's.

Surely when so many people speak up, when the board is left so isolated, it is time for the Scottish Government to over-rule the officials and ask them to start again. The need is there for both St Margaret's and additional provision at Blawarthill.

The health board should come up with a revised plan so that the outstanding care provided by St Margaret's is retained.

THE news that Prime Minister Gordon Brown can lose his temper is hardly surprising.

When he discovered that one of his staff had recycled bits from the speeches of Al Gore and Bill Clinton to use in his own speeches, was the PM not entitled to express his anger?

When informed that a civil servant had lost two computer disks containing the personal and banking details of 20 million people, he lost his rag.

Wouldn't you if you had to answer for it?

Over the last two years, Gordon Brown has been subjected to constant harassment by the media about his character and fitness for office.

Throughout that period he has behaved with dignity, getting on with the job of tackling the real economic issues in the deepest recession for nearly 60 years.

It was his leadership and steadiness under pressure that led the way in the banking crisis and he has been working tirelessly to bring about recovery.

Far from being a bully, Gordon is beset by bullies who want to drive him from office, by people with none of his courage or his commitment to social justice. When the election comes the choice will be between Gordon Brown and an Eton educated toff who has never had to worry about financial security.