FMQs: Recap as Shona Robison steps up for first minister's questions
Recap on what happened at today’s FMQs.
FMQs: Follow along live as Shona Robison faces questioning
Key Events
- Humza Yousaf is away in New York this week - meaning Deputy First Minister Shona Robison will be leading FMQs today
- Cosla has until 5pm today to put forward a new pay deal to stop three days of school strikes next week
- Yesterday Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a raft of delays to key green policies - putting them at odds with the Scottish Government’s climate change targets
Anas Sarwar clearly only has one thing in his head right now - the upcoming Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.
It is a straight fight between Scottish Labour and the SNP, and Labour do have more to lose here.
His questioning today seemed to be an election campaign speech, attacking both the SNP and the Conservatives and pitching him and his party as the alternative choice for voters.
Back to discussing RAAC concrete
Alex Cole-Hamilton from the Scottish Lib Dems up next, and he’s going in on potentially dangerous RAAC in public buildings.
This is something our Education Correspondent Calum Ross has been looking at extensively - catch up on his latest exclusive here: https://www.scotsman.com/education/raac-concrete-scotland-scottish-government-held-series-of-secret-meetings-to-discuss-dangerous-concrete-in-universities-and-colleges-4339135
Bizarre scenes again in the chamber.
Conservative MSP Brin Whittle asking a question about Cosla funding for net zero targets - this got a lot of reaction, to which he retorted with a false laugh.
Shona Robison said: “I’m sure he’s regretting submitting that question after his Tory prime minister hollowed out their plans.”
She added: “You are on the wrong side of history.”
Brian Whittle has now accused Humza Yousaf of bashing others to disguise his own failures.
Shona Robison responds to say the Scottish Government will show leadership on net zero, and asks how Maurice Golden (Conservative MSP and climate change campaigner) is feeling on the backbenches - definitely got a smile out of him at that remark.
Ms Robison added the Conservatives will need to explain to future generations why they had no backbone on the environment.
Green MSP Mark Ruskell says Rishi Sunak is more interested in the next general election rather than the next generation.
Shona Robison agreed and said the Conservatives are stirring up culture wars, anti-migrant rhetoric and anti-environmental policies ahead of the election next year.
She said: “What an unappealing, negative, backward-looking, small-minded prospectus, and it will be roundly rejected by the Scottish people again.”
What’s Twitter saying?
A number of Conservative MSPs are having their say on Twitter/X on the exchanges at FMQs.
Deputy Conservative leader Meghan Gallacher not mincing her words on what she thinks of Shona Robison’s performance.
Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands Jamie Halcro Johnston also criticising Shona Robison on her FMQs performance. I wonder if #BringBackHumza will catch on?
Not everyone agrees that Shona Robison did a bad job though - SNP MSPs are singing her praises on Twitter/X.
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