Tories refute ‘hypocrisy’ claim

In Scotland last week, education secretary Mr Swinney instructed the SQA to award pupils their predicted grades after admitting the moderation mechanism in place was the wrong thing to do.

The same situation happened in England despite them having an extra week to do things differently.

Ms Grahame said: “The Tories are guilty of rank hypocrisy on this issue, and voters will see them as the opportunists that they are.

“As a former secondary teacher myself, I fully recognise the real distress the exam process caused students this year which is why John Swinney took quick action to rectify it when the reality became clear.

“This has been the first time an exam diet has been cancelled in 130 years – challenges were likely – but I’m glad the Scottish Government listened to students and teachers to resolve it.

“Unfortunately, despite this, the Tories and Labour continued to play petty political games in calling for the cabinet secretary’s resignation in the middle of this crucial time, regardless of the resolution. “Gavin Williamson MP, the UK education secretary, was meanwhile refusing to learn lessons from Scotland ahead of the English results being announced and chose instead to take a cheap pop at the SNP, claiming the restoration of teacher estimated grades was “rampant grade inflation”.

“Now that the Tories in England have been forced to U-turn on this by Ofqual after protracted uncertainty for students, the Tories silence in calling for Mr Williamson’s resignation is frankly deafening.

“It only goes to show that as far as the Tories are concerned it’s one rule for the Scottish Government and another for the UK Government, dependent on what suits them politically – it’s nothing to do with students best interests.”

In reply, John Lamont MP and Rachael Hamilton MSP both launched a counter-attack on Ms Grahame, while still remaining silent on the UK government’s failings.

Mr Lamont said: ““I was contacted by dozens and dozens of young people from across the Borders following the chaotic and unfair exam results system created by SQA and the Scottish Government.

“Whilst Ms Grahame was happy to sit quietly and back her SNP masters rather than fight for the young people in the Borders affected by this, I robustly voiced my concerns about how the Scottish Government had handled the exam results.

“After a week of extreme anxiety for our young people, thankfully the Scottish Government u-turned to ensure that the hard work of pupils in the Borders was rewarded. I will make no apology for standing up for my constituents.

“Perhaps if Ms Grahame did the same, the Scottish Government’s u-turn would have come about more quickly.”

And Mrs Hamilton offered: “It is quite frankly absurd that elected members of the SNP care more about English results than Scottish ones.

“Scottish education is devolved to a Scottish Nationalist Party Government and John Swinney is responsible for letting down Scottish school pupils.

“John Swinney should resign, it’s not just the exam results this year, the SNP have presided over a litany of failures in education spanning over a decade.

“Since they have been in Government, Scotland’s once world famous educational standards have fallen, we have tumbled down the PISA International rankings, we have fewer teachers and a stubborn attainment gap remains, linked to deprivation.

“Die-hard SNP supporters like to get involved in what’s happening in England, when we should be concentrating on improving the lives of young people here in Scotland.

“We need an enquiry into this fiasco; this latest disaster compounds the SNP’s dire failings over years.”