Boris Johnson slams ‘inadequacies’ of SNP record in power

Boris Johnson has slammed the SNP over its record in power and promised to “compensate for the grave inadequacies” of the Scottish Government.

In remarks that are likely to anger senior Nationalists, the Prime Minister said he would bring forward measures to create “a much stronger Scottish economy” whether there is a deal or no-deal Brexit.

He also reiterated his opposition to a second vote on Scottish independence.

The PM said he would bring forward measures to create a much stronger Scottish economy

But SNP depute leader Keith Brown accused the Prime Minster of delivering an “ill-informed lecture”, and said the Scottish Government is delivering while Mr Johnson’s administration has “completely stopped governing”.

In an interview with BBC Scotland, Mr Johnson said: “They (the SNP) have the highest taxes anywhere in the UK. They are not doing a good job on health, they are not doing a good job on education.

“I hope the money that we are now investing is properly spent on those services.

“And I hope that Scottish Conservatives get the credit they deserve for the hundreds of millions of extra funding that we’re putting into Scottish agriculture which was secured, not by Nicola Sturgeon, but by Scottish Conservatives.”

Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already said she wants to have another referendum on leaving the UK in the second half of 2020, but Mr Johnson has previously stated his opposition to a second vote on the issue.

He told BBC Scotland on Thursday: “We had an independence referendum in 2014 and we made an explicit promise to the people of Scotland that this was going to be a once-in-a-generation event.

“The people of Scotland voted very, very substantially to stay part of the UK, which was the right decision as this is the most successful union anywhere in the world.

“They were promised this was a once-in-a-generation thing and I think we should stick with that.”

Writing on Twitter on Wednesday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described Mr Johnson as “untrustworthy, craven, not a shred of concern for the consequences of his words or actions”.

She tweeted: “The Westminster opposition should unite around a plan to trigger the no confidence process to bring Johnson’s government down, ensure the Benn Act is honoured and enable a General Election as quickly as possible. Doing nothing should not be an option.”

Mr Brown said: “The last thing Scotland needs or wants is an ill-informed lecture like this from Boris Johnson.

“The reality is that the SNP Scottish Government is delivering for people and communities, while under the Tories’ zombie administration Westminster has completely stopped governing.

“People across Scotland are looking on in horror at the chaos engulfing Westminster and the Brexit disaster being imposed on Scotland by Boris Johnson and his extremist cabal in Downing Street.

“Support for independence and for an independence referendum is growing, and a win for the SNP in the coming election will demonstrate that.”

Writing on Twitter on Wednesday, Ms Sturgeon described Mr Johnson as “untrustworthy, craven, not a shred of concern for the consequences of his words or actions”.

She tweeted: “The Westminster opposition should unite around a plan to trigger the no confidence process to bring Johnson’s government down, ensure the Benn Act is honoured and enable a General Election as quickly as possible. Doing nothing should not be an option.”