Scotland’s public health minister has resigned from the SNP government days after figures revealed the country’s drug-related death toll had risen to another grim annual record.
Joe FitzPatrick said he had “agreed” to quit after discussions with first minister Nicola Sturgeon on Friday and hours after Scottish Labour lodged a motion of no confidence in him. On Tuesday, the National Records of Scotland revealed there had been 1,264 drug-related deaths registered in Scotland in 2019, an increase of 6% from 1,187 in 2018 and a death rate more than 3.5 times that of the UK as a whole.
FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee City West, one of the areas worst affected by Scotland’s ongoing drug crisis, described the rising death toll as “the most heartbreaking and difficult problem I have faced”.
“As the minister responsible for this area I, ultimately, take responsibility. It is clear that my presence as a minister will become a distraction, when we should be focused on achieving the change we need to save lives,” he said.
The public health emergency, which was the subject of political deadlock between the Holyrood and Westminster governments over drug legislation before the pandemic, was condemned by experts earlier this week as a “national tragedy and disgrace”.
Nicola Sturgeon said “no one should doubt Joe’s hard work, dedication and sincerity” but acknowledged: “Scotland’s record on drug deaths is simply not good enough and as first minister I know we have much more to do.”
She immediately appointed the former equalities secretary, Angela Constance, to a new position of dedicated minister for drug policy, to report directly to her.
Constance said: “Government can and will do more and I am determined to use the short time before the election to work with the drug death taskforce on the actions necessary to reduce Scotland’s drug deaths and better support those living with addiction.” Scottish parliamentary elections will be held in May.
Responding to the resignation, the Scottish Labour health spokeswoman, Monica Lennon, said: “Joe FitzPatrick doesn’t bear that responsibility alone.
“Having been neglected for too long, Scotland’s drug deaths emergency must now be given the full attention of the Scottish government. Urgent funding is needed to boost access to treatment and residential rehab. The Scottish government must get behind safe consumption facilities, like the voluntary service being run in Glasgow. This must be a turning point.”
