Scotland debate: MP dismantles SNP as Sturgeon's £36BN independence nightmare exposed
SCOTLAND Secretary Alistar Jack has faced questions from MPs today as he revealed that the Scottish Government's budget had a deficit of £36.6billion last year.
Tory MP calls out Nicola Sturgeon for chatting during his speech
Nicola Sturgeon said a vote would only be held after "the Covid crisis has passed" but added the Scottish government intends to hold another independence referendum before the end of 2023. The government previously paused indyref2 plans due to the pandemic but the First Minister announced officials will resume work on a "detailed prospectus" in favour of independence.
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Ms Sturgeon added that the case for Scottish independence is a "strong one".
But MSP Douglas Ross was quick to pick holes in the First Ministers speech, recalling a commitment made by Scottish politicians to put the country's recovery from the pandemic at the forefront of their political goals.
Mr Ross pointed out that her Programme for Government speech to Holyrood mentioned Scottish independence "four paragraphs in" and accused her of getting her "priorities wrong".
Hours after the announcement Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for a summit with Nicola Sturgeon and other government leaders.
READ MORE: Boris throws out SNP's 'reckless' independence demand
KEY EVENTS
- Covid vaccine passports branded 'absolute sham' by Scottish Tories17:17
- SNP hit back at claims Govt not fully focused on Covid recovery 14:08
- PM humiliates SNP Westminster leader Blackford13:08
- Decision to divert resources is 'shameful'12:51
- Scotland has one of the highest Covid rates in Europe12:33
- £36.6billion deficit for Scottish budget last year12:22
- Call to publish public research on the union12:08
- Sturgeon slammed for referendum announcement11:48
- 'No solutions or suggestions' for drug deaths11:40
- Independence will "starve" priorities10:27
- PM 'opposed' to second referendum09:00
Scottish Government is 'pro-prosperity, pro-business' - Finance Secretary
Kate Forbes has attempted to emphasise the Scottish Government's business-friendly credentials during a debate between MSPs on the future of Scotland's economy.
The Scottish Conservatives accused the SNP and Scottish Greens of having conflicting views on the role of business and economic growth.
the SNP-Green cooperation agreement signed in August did not include the role of GDP measurements and the concepts of sustainable growth.
But Finance Secretary Ms Forbes insisted: "We want to create a pro-prosperity, pro-business and pro-jobs environment, which fosters entrepreneurship and makes Scotland an even more attractive place for investors.
"We can stimulate business growth by investing in our people and expanding opportunities, and we can also do it with well-paid, fair jobs, fast securing a just transition to net-zero."
Covid vaccine passports branded 'absolute sham' by Scottish Tories
The Scottish Government and Nicola Sturgeon are coming under pressure ahead of a vote by MSPs on Thursday over the planned introduction of the vaccination certification scheme.
But the Scottish Tories are demanding answers, with party leader Douglas Ross saying while Ms Sturgeon may have promised to publish a paper on how the system would work, it was "not good enough" to do this "just hours before Parliament is expected to vote".
He told MSPs in Holyrood: "So far there is no details and no answers on the SNP's plans.
"We wanted to look at the content of the First Minister's proposals - but quite frankly there is nothing to scrutinise."
"We need specifics but we don't have them. We don't know how the scheme will be administered, or enforced. We don't know if the data concerns have been fixed.
"We don't know if the SNP will rule out extending them indefinitely or rolling them out to further venues at short notice."
Mr Ross told Ms Sturgeon: "We have been asking these questions for a week now and have received no answers.
"This is clearly a last minute, rushed job and the more businesses hear about the proposals the more they agree they are an absolute sham."
Sturgeon defends possible introduction of vaccine passports
Speaking ahead of a debate on Thursday on the implementation of vaccine certification, the First Minister told MSPs a paper would be published on the issue and insisted the plans don't go as far as other countries.
She said: "Fundamentally, we believe that certification can help us reduce the overall harms caused by the pandemic," she said.
"It will to help to reduce transmission in some higher risk settings, and it will maximise protection against serious illness.
"And we believe - as has been seen already in some other countries - it will help encourage take-up of the vaccine.
"It also represents a targeted way in which we can - we hope - enable certain events and venues to continue to operate, even at times when rates of Covid may be high and even rising."
Decision on vaccinating 12 to 15-year-olds expected 'within days'
The Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI) last week advised against the extension of the vaccination programme.
But the four nations of the UK have asked their respective chief medical officers to undertake a further assessment to see if jags should be given.
Ms Sturgeon said: "The four UK governments have asked our chief medical officers to undertake a rapid assessment of the latest evidence and provide advice on wider benefits.
"We expect this advice soon - I hope within days - and the Scottish Government stands ready to act in accordance with any recommendations we receive."
Sturgeon makes appeal to ensure lockdown restrictions not re-imposed
The SNP leader has called on the help of "every business and individual across the country" to ensure there is not a return of lockdown restrictions.
She told MSPs: "We continue to hope that - and indeed as I have been outlining, recent data gives us a bit more of a solid basis for this - we can turn the corner through continued care and caution and stringent compliance with existing mitigations and without having to re-introduce any tighter restrictions.
"But to do that - as has been the case throughout the pandemic - we need the help of every business and individual across the country.
"We need everyone to continue to stick to the basic mitigations that we know are effective in helping to slow down transmission."
Rate of increase of Covid cases slowing down, insists Sturgeon
The First Minister has insisted new data proves the rate of increase of Covid cases in Scotland is slowing down.
Ms Sturgeon told MSPs: "The latest data also gives us some early, albeit tentative at this stage, indication that the rate of increase may now be slowing down,
"That can be seen from an analysis of the last three weeks of case numbers.
"In the week to August 22, based on the date test samples were taken, an average of 3,374 new cases per day were recorded.
"In the week to August 29, that had risen to an average of 5,763 a day - an increase of more than 70 percent.
"However, figures for the most recent week, to September 5, show a daily average of 6,304 - an increase of nine percent."
Paul Withers taking over live reporting from Francesca Edwards
Additional reporting from Francesca Edwards
Latest Covid figures for Scotland
Public Health England figures show a further 5,810 people have tested positive for Covid.
A total of 883 people are also in hospital with the virus, 82 of who are in intensive care.
There have been 17 more deaths reported in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 8,198.
SNP hit back at claims Govt not fully focused on Covid recovery
The Scottish Conservatives accused the SNP of "taking its eye off the ball" with its new bid for independence as Covid cases continue to soar.
Scotland's Health Secretary John Swinney today admitted the government is not "100 percent focused" on Covid recovery.
Appearing on Good Morning Scotland, Mr Swinney said: "I hate to break this news to you but not absolutely everybody in the Scottish Government has been 100 percent focused on Covid recovery."
PM humiliates SNP Westminster leader Blackford
During Prime Minister's Questions, SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford used the government's plan to hike National Insurance as an argument for a second Scottish Independence referendum.
But Boris Johnson quickly shut him down reminding him of a contradiction in his argument.
The Prime Minister argued: "I just remind him of the deputy leader of the Scottish government who welcomed when the Labour Government put up National insurance by a penny to pay for the National health service.
“[John Swinney] said ‘I am absolutely delighted that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has now accepted the progressive taxation is required to invest in the health service in Scotland!”
Decision to divert resources is 'shameful'
David Mundell MP said the focus across the UK should be on Covid recovery and supporting the NHS and jobs, not diverting recourses to indyref2.
Nicola Sturgeon's decision to divert government resources into a divisive #indyref2 while Scotland still has some of the highest rates of COVID in Europe is shameful. The focus across the UK should be on combatting COVID, supporting our NHS and protecting jobs pic.twitter.com/u6V64VTYmB
\u2014 David Mundell MP (@DavidMundellDCT) September 8, 2021
Scotland has one of the highest Covid rates in Europe
Scotland Secretary Alistar Jack confirmed the focus is on "rebuilding the economy" and "restoring the NHS".
But Labour shadow minister Chris Elmore MP has criticised the SNP government for "wasting the summer months".
Mr Elmore said: " While Covid rates soared, the First Minister announced this week the Scottish civil servants will be tasked with drawing up arguments for Scottish independence.
Minister Ian Stewart went on to agree, saying that Covid recovery should be the "primary focus" of the government and "not obsessing with another divisive referendum".
£36.6billion deficit for Scottish budget last year
Scotland Secretary Alister Jack has said that the deficit for the Scottish budget was £36.6billion last year.
Mr Jack said: "The recent GERS report in August showed that the deficit last year for the Scottish budget was £36.3billion which is more than the Scottish government spends a year on education, housing, transport, culture and health."
SNP 'should focus on tackling social issues'
The SNP should focus on tackling social issues instead of "obsessing" over independence, a Scotland Office minister Ian Stewart has said.
Mr Stewart hit back after SNP MP Mhairi Black pressed him on the decriminalisation of drugs, in which she told the Commons: "In what world do you get to claim to be taking our nation seriously whilst with the same breath commit to change absolutely nothing?
"If the logical arguments were not convincing, maybe the financial ones will.
"Crimes linked to drugs in Scotland cost £750 million a year to investigate and prosecute. Experts tell us that money can be better spent. If the experts and the Scottish Government and even the Scottish Conservatives can now agree that health needs to be the main approach, why doesn't he?"
Mr Stewart replied: "Perhaps they should spend a little bit more effort focusing on tackling some of these social issues rather than obsessing about independence, which no one wants."
Call to publish public research on the union
Tommy Sheppard SNP MP has called for the Scottish Government to publish its research on what the public thinks of the state of the union.
Mr Sheppard said: "We know that for the last two years the government has been spending tax payers money researching public opinion on the state of the union.
"For the last two years I have been trying to get answers as to what that research says and the Cabinet Office has refused.
"Is it not time to tell us what he has found out about what Scottish people think of the state of the union and publish this research."
Using civil service resources is 'wrong'
Scotland Secretary Alister Jack said: "Most right-thinking Scots would agree that using civil service resources to design a prospectus for independence is the wrong thing to be doing at this time.”
Sturgeon slammed for referendum announcement
MP David Mundell slammed Nicola Sturgeon for her announcement that the government plans to hold a second referendum before 2023.
Mr Mudell said: "Whilst Scotland continues to have some of the worst Covid rates in Europe she is diverting resources into another divisive independent referendum."
'No solutions or suggestions' for drug deaths
Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross called for the government to take action on drug deaths.
"In the last year that figures are available 1339 lives were lost as a result of drug missure, the worst number since records began in 1996 yet we get no suggestions or solutions from the SNP or Nicola Sturgeon in her Programme for Government yesterday."
Sturgeon is using 'nationalist to stay in power'
MSP Murdo Fraser wrote in The Scotsman today: " Every year she tells her party faithful that another poll is just around the corner but, with Ms Sturgeon, the bend seems unending."
The Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP claims the First Minister is using the plans to stay in power without "actually advancing".
Scottish independence: Nicola Sturgeon is using nationalist cause to stay in office without actually advancing it \u2013 my \u2066@TheScotsman\u2069 column today https://t.co/pWAMm2VsJ5
\u2014 Murdo Fraser (@murdo_fraser) September 8, 2021
'Scotland is skint'
Sturgeon expected to make Covid speech
Following yesterday's statement, the First Minister will give a Covid update later today as cases and hospitalisations rise in Scotland.
The latest Scottish Government figures, published on Tuesday, recorded 5,692 new cases and 16 Covid-related deaths.
Scottish Parliament will also vote on vaccine passports tomorrow.
Independence will "starve" priorities
Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats Alex Cole-Hamilton, claimed independence would "starve" other priorities that need to be worked on "of oxygen".
Mr Cole-Hamilton said: "We're still in covid. This isn't what officials should be doing."
We\u2019re talking about tax payer funded civil servants here.
\u2014 Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP\ud83d\udd36 (@agcolehamilton) September 8, 2021
FM told us at start of Covid the civil service was so busy, key work streams would be abandoned- Child care rollout, waiting times, educational attainment.
We\u2019re still in covid. This isn\u2019t what officials should be doing. https://t.co/sg8GnL7KiV
More details expected this weekend
The announcement of the referendum came ahead of the crunch SNP conference this weekend, where the director of the SNP's Independence Unit Is expected to further reveal the party's plan for a second independence referendum.
Campaign must adjust' after Covid, says deputy First Minister
Deputy First Minister John Swinney says the campaign will have to "adjust" to make sure it is "relevant and realistic" after the coronavirus pandemic.
Speaking to the BBC Mr Swinney said: “There will have to be a financial prospectus, but the financial issues are different for absolutely everybody.
“You look at the decisions the UK Government took yesterday, where manifesto commitments were turned on their head because of the impact of the pandemic.
“So the world is different, and we have to adjust to that, and make sure we have a prospectus that is relevant and realistic for the circumstances that we face.”
How to watch
Scotland Secretary Alister Jack will face questions in the House of Commons around 11:30.
You can watch live via Parliament TV.
We will also be bringing you live updates throughout
Recent survey results
A recent survey by Panelbase for the Sunday Times found 48 percent of the 1,287 respondents supported leaving the UK while 52 percent were in favour of the Union.
'Out of touch' government
Pamela Nash, chief executive of Scotland in Union, said: “This is an astonishing insult to the people of Scotland who want their government to focus on Covid recovery.
“To use government resources and revenue on a blueprint to divide communities shows just how out of touch the SNP and Greens are.”
PM 'opposed' to second referendum
Boris Johnson's close officials made it clear that he was "opposed" to the plans, calling for all four nations to work closely together.
In a signal the UK Prime Minister was committed to maintaining the Union, Mr Johnson said by 2024-25 Scotland would benefit from an additional £1,1billion in Barnett funding and UK-wide spending from the UK Government.