Humiliated John Swinney finally abandoned controversial plans to give every child in Scotland a “named person”.
The admitted the state-sponsored guardian scheme would not work after six years of trying to force it through parliament.
The government also spent around half a million pounds of taxpayers’ cash defending the plan at the in 2016.
The climb-down heaped more pressure on a year after he dropped a flagship education bill - but he refused to apologise for the shambles.
Labour education spokesman said: “When the cabinet secretary dropped his education bill I called it the mother of all ministerial climb-downs. He has outdone himself today, losing two bills - one dropped and one repealed.
“This must be the mother and father of humiliating U-turns.”
The named person scheme was supposed to give all children up to 18 years old access to a single point of contact, such as a midwife or teacher.
Other organisations or professionals, including doctors, could also share details with the named person to help safeguard the child’s welfare.
There were immediate warnings about the huge burden of responsibility on already overworked professionals.
But it was also supported by charities including Barnardo’s and, in principle, by some opposition .
The named person scheme was supposed to be in place by .
It was delayed by a ruling at the Supreme Court - which the government incredibly tried to spin as a victory at the time.
The court said some of the proposals breached the right to privacy and family life under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Yesterday, in a statement to MSPs at Holyrood, Swinney said: “I believe that we have taken an important step forward in providing families and practitioners with certainty about how information sharing can support wellbeing in a transparent way which respects the rights of everyone.
“The mandatory named person scheme for every child - underpinned by law - will now not happen. We will withdraw our Bill and repeal the relevant legislation.”
Tory interim leader said his party had consistently voted against the scheme.
“Parents, teachers and lawyers all told the that this policy was both universally unpopular and unworkable,” he said.
“The expert panel the SNP set up told the SNP that this policy was not the right thing to do.
“The SNP’s response at all times was to put their fingers in their ears and hurl abuse at those of those who stood against it.
“Now they are dumping it. What a total waste of time and money.”
Teachers’ union the EIS said child protection must still remain top priority.
General secretary Larry Flanagan said: “Although the named person scheme became a highly controversial subject, it was originally conceived as a genuine attempt to ensure that the protection afforded to vulnerable and at-risk young people across Scotland was as robust as it could be.
“We must not lose sight of the need that still exists to deliver on that ambition.”
