THE SNP have said the Tories and Labour have nothing to offer Scotland but insults, following the visits from Boris Johnson and Keir Starmer.
The Prime Minister said Margaret Thatcher’s coal mine closures were an "early start" on tackling cliamte change – despite the lasting damage they caused to Scotland. The “crass” comments received a backlash from across the country, including from the Scottish Tories.
The Prime Minister also refused to meet with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and confirmed on his visit that the UK Government would push ahead with social security cuts that the SNP say will leave half a million Scots poorer.
Meanwhile, the SNP said that Labour chief Starmer, while in Glasgow, "trashed" the city by claiming it had a "waste crisis" and wasn’t up to scratch to host COP26.
READ MORE: Boris Johnson refuses to apologise for Margaret Thatcher and coal mines comment
The SNP’s depute Westminster leader Kirsten Oswald MP (below) said: “Neither the Tories nor the Labour Party have anything positive to offer Scotland – and that is why they are continually rejected in election after election here. It speaks volumes that the Tory Party is now approaching 70 years of rejection in Scotland.
“This was made clear on their visits this week when both party leaders had only insults to give – proving again how out of touch they really are with the people of Scotland. Instead of putting forward real and meaningful policies that would make a difference to the people of Scotland, Boris Johnson praised Thatcher’s industrial policies – which caused devastation for Scottish communities – and confirmed austerity cuts that will hit half a million Scots, and Keir Starmer patronised the city of Glasgow.
“Both also insulted people’s intelligence by attempting to suggest Scotland’s enormous renewable energy potential couldn’t thrive without Westminster control, even though both the Tories and Labour have presided over a charging regime that holds the industry back.”
She added: “And to add insult to injury, both stood in the face of the Scottish electorate’s choice to deny the mandate for a referendum on recovery for Scotland.
“Indeed, opposition parties seem to be making the case for a referendum for recovery for Scotland without our help.
READ MORE: SNP ask 'privileged' Boris Johnson to visit and learn about Scots mining towns
“The fact that Keir Starmer and Labour want Boris Johnson and Westminster to control the economic levers in the recovery period just underlines how out-of-touch Labour have become with Scotland.
“Even before the pandemic, the UK was the poor man amongst its neighbours in north west Europe with the lowest wealth per head, lowest post-work pensions, greatest inequality and highest poverty. This record shows exactly why it is the people in Scotland who should be in control of our recovery, not the Tories at Westminster.”
Despite widespread criticism for the Prine Minister comments about Thatcher, Johnson’s official spokesperson refused to apologise.
The spokesperson said: “This Government has an ambitious plan to tackle the critical issue of climate change, which includes reducing reliance on coal and other non-renewable energy sources.
“During the visit, the Prime Minister pointed to the huge progress already made in the UK transitioning away from coal and towards cleaner forms of energy, and our commitment to supporting people and industries on that transition.”
Asked if the Prime Minister would apologise, the spokesperson again said: “You’ve got my words there, the Prime Minister recognises the huge impact and pain closing coal mines had in communities across the UK.”
While Starmer, after a meeting with Glasgow Council cleansing staff as part of his two-day trip to Scotland accused the SNP of a “failure of leadership” and called on the Scottish Government to intervene ahead of COP26.
Starmer and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar posed for photographs with council staff holding a GMB Scotland banner which reads: “Don’t treat us like trash, we are key workers, we deserve more cash.”
However, the SNP have hit back at the claims of a “waste crisis” and said Starmer was “trashing a city he clearly knows nothing about for the sake of a photo op”.
READ MORE: SNP tell Keir Starmer to stop 'trashing' Glasgow for the sake of 'Twitter likes'
SNP councillor Ruairi Kelly also called out Starmer and the legacy of his Labour colleagues who ran Glasgow City Council in the past.
Kelly, city convener for neighbourhoods, housing and public realm, said: “Glasgow could do so much on many fronts with the £30 million required every year over the next decades to foot the bill for the policy of discrimination against female workers put in place by Labour.
“This is the long-term and real-life price Glasgow pays for Labour buying the support of sections of the male workforce.
“Waste management is a challenge for every city and Glasgow is no different. The SNP will not shy away from taking on those challenges."
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