IF anyone needed any more proof the Scottish Tories aren’t really paying attention, Douglas Ross was happy to provide it in yesterday’s Internal Market Bill debate.
Taking to the floor of the House of Commons, the “ever charming ray of sunshine that is the honourable member for Moray”, as MP Pete Wishart labelled him, began his short contribution with an attack on the SNP.
Ross said: “I want to make the point that this bill at its heart, at its core, at its centre, is about jobs and businesses.
“Is it not telling that in all the SNP speeches that I have listened to tonight, jobs and businesses have not been mentioned once?”
Maybe Ross simply hadn’t been listening, which you might expect from a politician claiming to speak for Scotland while his party polls at around 20%, but Ian Blackford had in fact spoken at length about both of those things not two hours earlier.
What’s more, Blackford wasn’t the only one.
Drew Hendry, the SNP MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, also mentioned businesses and their concerns about the proposed bill.
READ MORE: Tory Brexit Internal Market Bill: Here's how Scotland's MPs voted
Hendry represented views from the National Farmers Union, the General Teaching Council for Scotland, the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, and the Scottish Trades Union Congress. He said: “It leaves our businesses uncertain and wary.”
And to show just how little attention the Scottish Tories' shiny new leader had been paying, here is what Blackford said on the matter: “We have just heard the bluff and bluster of the Prime Minister in seeking to defend the indefensible.
“He can try all he likes to dress this up as a business bill, but no amount of dressing up will hide the fact that this is a naked power grab.
“The Tories are fooling no one, least of all businesses in Scotland.
“If this UK Government were actually serious about delivering an ounce of business confidence, they would not be threatening to blow apart any hope of a future trade deal with the European Union.”
He went on: “The provisions of this legislation recklessly and deliberately risk a bad deal or, increasingly, the economic devastation of a no deal.
“You cannot claim to support business while pursuing a bad Brexit.
READ MORE: Joanna Cherry praises Ed Miliband for making PM 'look a fool'
“You cannot claim to support business by burdening it with yet more economic uncertainty, in the face of a global pandemic, one where we know the challenges we face.
“Yet, in the midst of this, the Prime Minister brings this bill.
“The Government cannot claim to support the Scottish economy by taking more economic powers away from Scotland’s democratically elected Parliament.”
Commenting today, the SNP said: "Douglas Ross proved on Monday night that he can't be trusted to speak truthfully in the House of Commons, and he can't be trusted to stand up to Boris Johnson when his Government threatens to end devolution as we know it."
Let’s hope for football’s sake that Ross pays more attention refereeing than he apparently does in Parliament.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel