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Stephen Flynn has said he thinks Nicola Sturgeon \u201cmade a mistake\u201d publishing comments on the SNP in the foreword of her book.<\/p>\n
Speaking at the Edinburgh Fringe event the Political Party with Matt Forde, the former Westminster leader was asked about the comments which were published at the beginning of the month in the paperback edition of Ms Sturgeon\u2019s memoir, Frankly.<\/p>\n
Ms Sturgeon said the SNP\u2019s Holyrood election campaign had \u201ca lack of vision or big picture thinking\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said the comments were: \u201cA little bit frustrating because you\u2019re trying to get on and deliver, and there\u2019s there\u2019s a distraction here which is being created.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued that he agrees that the former first ministers should add to the debate on political issues but that Ms Sturgeons recent comments were a \u201cmistake\u201d.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cGiven what they experienced in their position as first minister, it\u2019s vital actually that they partake in that ongoing set of debates about what society looks like and how we deliver that positive future in politics.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think when you\u2019re doing that, you do it in a constructive fashion.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve made mistakes at points over the course of the last couple of years in the way that I\u2019ve approached things and I\u2019ve reflected on that, and I think we all do certain things\u2026I think Nicola made a mistake in this context as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut that shouldn\u2019t detract from the value of her input into political debate going forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Flynn, who is now the cabinet secretary for economy, tourism and transport, was asked if Ms Sturgeon\u2019s departure from the party and her comments had affected the party hierarchy\u2019s relationship with the former first minister and if people were \u201cannoyed\u201d with her comments.<\/p>\n
He said: \u201cI think they were more frustrated than anything else because they didn\u2019t they didn\u2019t necessarily see it as constructive in the way that I\u2019ve tried to to present there because they want to hear what Nicola Sturgeon has to say, I want to hear what Nicola has to say because she\u2019s incredibly good at politics and she was incredibly successful.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut if you\u2019re going to do it pick your way to do it, and I would think that she would probably regard it as a misstep.\u201d<\/p>\n
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