The hard work must come first

IN his first major speech to the Scottish Parliament since hiselection victory, First Minister Alex Salmond announced hisGovernment would "take Scotland forward" and "make Scotland better".They are the kind of phrases that sound good in the chamber,particularly delivered by a politician who has never been soconfident of his own talents. But they are also phrases - perhapsdeliberately - that are fiendishly hard to pin a meaning to.

What was much more significant than these cliches was the detailin Mr Salmond's speech, particularly on the two Bs he has promisedto tackle in this term: booze and bigotry. Mr Salmond has said hewill take action on both these problems and that is to be warmlywelcomed. The only other thing to say is: about time too.

To give credit where it is due, Mr Salmond demonstrated his willto do something about the first B, booze, in the last parliament,with a bill to introduce a minimum price for alcohol.

That reform was thwarted by some unpleasant posturing by theopposition parties, but it is expected that the idea will bereintroduced and - with police and medical opinion clearly on itsside - that is the right way forward.

On the second B - bigotry - the landscape and destination areless clear. Mr Salmond called the kind of hatred that exists on thefootball terraces, and on the streets and in internet forums, apointless curse pursued by the pitiless, and he's right. However,the Government's expected move to increase jail terms for sectarian-related disorder to a maximum of five years will only work if it ispart of a much wider effort at cultural change. At the start of aparliament, there is always the temptation for swift law-making, butthere will be no progress on ending sectarianism until there is areal prospect of fans being identified, caught and punished ratherthan tolerated and we are still a long way from that. Scotland'sfootball clubs have made some progress and, even though sectarianismis a problem that goes well beyond the stadiums, they must do more,and be seen to do more.

It is gratifying, however, to hear Mr Salmond state his intentionto deal with these issues and there was much else in the speech tobe welcomed. On the Scotland Bill, the First Minister reiterated hisdetermination to see more powers come north and on the whole thecase for this has been made, particularly on more borrowing powers.In among Mr Salmond's talk of a "social wage", it was also rightthat he reminded the parliament that public spending must berestrained and that it will be the private sector, not the public,that will be the key driver to new jobs.

And then of course there is the issue of independence. Despitesome guileless attempts to force an earlier poll, Mr Salmond hasinsisted a referendum will not happen until the second half of thissession and this it the right approach. A new poll may show thatmost Britons agree with Mr Salmond that independence is bound tohappen, but in the meantime there are more pressing matters to bedealt with - not only the two Bs, but also the big E: the economy,and he must concentrate his energies there.

There is a case for a referendum - and there is no question itwill happen - but before it does, there is work to be done. MrSalmond can be proud of forging a credible government before theelection, but that was then. Now, he must get on with living up tothe mandate this country has given him.