Another superb performance by Nicol Stephen at FMQs last week, challenging the First Minister to explain the SNP’s broken promise to dump student debt.“ Last week, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning, Fiona Hyslop, was asked on television's ’Politics Now’ programme: ’Are you going to remove student debt? Are you going to write it off?’ “Her reply was: ’We never promised to write it off.’
“Does the First Minister think that she was absolutely and completely accurate in saying that?
“The SNP seems to have a new tactic, does it not? It used to deny breaking its promises. Now it denies making them in the first place. Does the First Minister expect us to forget that "dump the debt" was on every leaflet, on every badge and on postcards to students? There was a cartoon logo and there was even a podcast by the First Minister, yet Fiona Hyslop said last week: ’We never promised to write it off’"
“I wonder whether the First Minister has seen the SNP website that says: ‘We will write off the accumulated debt’. Who should people believe, I wonder—Fiona Hyslop or fionahyslop.com?” Official Report
Angus MacLeod; Scottish Political Editor, Times: “Salmond wasn’t just caught off guard, it was the final riposte from Stephen, and it was an absolute bullet bullseye when he asked who had been speaking, Fiona Hyslop or fionahyslop.com? It was an absolutely brilliant one. It showed again that Nicol Stephen is developing a rare, rare talent for First Minister’s Questions.” (STV’s Politics Now show 06.03.08)
Eddie Barnes; Political Editor, Scotland on Sunday: “He absolutely got him. He creamed him. Salmond answered the question by not answering. Alex Salmond knew he had been absolutely got on this one.” (BBC’s Holyrood Live show, 06.03.08)
Alan Cochrane; Scottish Political Editor, Telegraph: “For a sheer knock-em-down, unmitigated parliamentary victory we had to look no further yesterday than Mr Stephen. Again...chalk up another victory for Mr Stephen.” (Telegraph 07.03.08)
Brian Taylor; Scottish Political Editor, BBC Scotland: “Do you remember the “debt monster”, a hideous carton beast besetting students? Only the SNP could slay it, apparently. Nicol Stephen certainly remembers all this and he cited this evidence with vigour in challenging the First Minister. The wry smile on Alex Salmond’s face told the story... He had been, temporarily, tackled. And the Chamber knew it.” (BBC Online blog 06.03.08)