LAST weekend, I called on the First Minister to suspend Nicola Sturgeon after she was arrested by police as part of the ongoing SNP fraud investigation.

While she was released without charge pending further investigation, it is clear that in the past she suspended her MPs and MSPs when similar issues arose.

Both Natalie McGarry and Margaret Ferrier were suspended and Mr Yousaf should have followed the precedent set by his predecessor.

All the time this investigation goes on, the SNP have taken their eye off the ball.

The SNP has failed to adequately fund local health services in East Lothian and this is directly contributing to the scaling back of Community Treatment and Care Services (CTACs) throughout the county.

READ MORE: Craig Hoy MSP column: We ‘deserve better’ than SNP

Humza Yousaf and now Michael Matheson as the Health Secretary have failed to stand up against the closure of the Edington Cottage Hospital’s minor injuries unit and in-patient beds, despite widespread opposition.

They are now set to remain closed for at least nine more months and they don’t seem to care.

Locally, we have also witnessed SNP MSP Paul McLennan and Councillor Liz Allan fail to stand up to the majority view of their constituents in North Berwick.

They supported Labour’s ill-thought proposals to introduce parking charges, which will leave North Berwick with fewer spaces and put independent high street shops at risk of closure while out-of-town retail parks and supermarkets are opened with free parking.

My Conservative council colleagues have stood with the community and small business owners to oppose parking charges, reinstate local bus services and support local health services.

The SNP remains mired in a police investigation, sleaze and claims of murky financial affairs. East Lothian deserves better.