Leaving childish ways behind

Children often have a very black and white view of the world. If they want something then it must be now and no obstacle should get in the way of this. This of course is behaviour that most people eventually grow out of as they begin to realise that all sorts of things can influence what they get, not least financial pressures.

The reason that the statement above says "most people eventually grow out of" this is that it's not entirely evident when listening to political discourse.

It has always been a feature of politics that each side goads the other, says that their opponents' particular ideas are terrible and that only their party can lead the country to Utopia. It's often this myopic debate which turns many people off politics.

However in time of economic strife it's even more galling and irrelevant. As a report out this week illustrates, Scotland's public finances face real challenges in the next few years, whoever's in power. So much so that the Auditor General is suggesting that genuine hard decisions on big spending issues will have to be taken.

However what are the prospects that this challenge will be honestly taken up by political parties? Or is it not rather more likely that we will get petty point scoring instead?

In terms of Holyrood it's certain that Opposition parties will decry any issue where the SNP are being seen to spend less. However there will be no acknowledgement of the financial realities which exist, or what their alternative spending plans would be.

And the SNP will no doubt decry Westminster's financial settlement, all the while ignoring the economic pressures that every Western government is currently facing. Bizarrely they will also deny that any cuts are actually taking place when challenged by their opponents.

Every party in Scotland does need to honestly acknowledge the position the country is in and what that means for current and future spending plans. It means deciding if there are areas where no cuts can possibly take place, and those where we logically then accept that a reduction will take place.

It also means looking at 'high profile' actions, perhaps including universal free school meals, prescription charges and other similar issues and deciding whether or not we should really maintain or introduce these at the same time as we may be cutting everyday, essential services.

Part of the problem is the environment in which these discussions take place. Political opponents will not simply disagree with each other, nor will they acknowledge the reality that any of them would face if they were in government.

Instead there will be an inference - if not outright claim - that their opponents' actions are motivated by some form of malice or incompetence. Whilst the latter may be true on occasion, the charge loses its effect if it is levelled every time spending changes are proposed or made.

There are lots of things children do which would be frowned upon if continued into adulthood. That is why the job of a parent is to teach their children these skills and help them overcome those childish ways.

Would that this learning process could take place in politics too.