NICOLA Sturgeon expertly picked apart Douglas Ross’s opposition to vaccine passports in a fiery exchange at FMQs.
The First Minister pointed out the Tory leader’s consistent opposition to the introduction of any steps the Scottish Government has taken to stop the spread of Covid-19.
Ross claimed the government were “making things up as they go along” and that the scheme, due to go live on October 1, has “so many flaws”.
It comes after the Tories failed in their last-ditch attempt to stop the vaccine certification scheme from going ahead on Wednesday.
READ MORE: Nicola Sturgeon turns the tables on Keir Starmer over Labour divisions
Sturgeon did not hold back in her scathing response to the Tory leader who used his slot at FMQs to focus solely on the vaccine certification scheme.
Ross demanded that the government go through each regulation in the scheme and list who had been consulted at the time.
The First Minister agreed she would at a later date, and said: “Let's go back to the heart of the matter here and there is one point I agree with Douglas Ross on, if we’d listened to him and the Conservatives then many of the steps we’ve taken to try to get Covid cases back under control again we wouldn’t have taken.
The First Minister reacts to Douglas Ross question in the chamber
“But I’m afraid the consequence of that may well have been that Covid cases would still have been rising because Douglas Ross just a few weeks ago was complaining about the continued legal requirement to wear face coverings, and has opposed literally almost everything that we have done.
"So I think this is just part of a pattern and probably will lead most people to think that it's a good thing that Douglas Ross isn’t standing here facing, having to take these decisions.”
Ross then claimed there was no criteria for the scheme ending, and claimed Scotland is the only country in Europe to run a scheme which relies “purely on the vaccination status of people and banning them from venues unless they can produce official paperwork”.
He said: “Nicola Sturgeon wants independence in Europe, well she’s got it, she’s completely alone in pursuing this shambles of scheme.”
The First Minister could be seen laughing at the response from the front bench of the chamber.
She said: “It’s interesting that in the course of that ramble, Douglas Ross appears to have completely changed the basis for his opposition to Covid certification.
“Up until now I understood, Anas Sarwar I think changed the basis of his about a week ago, but up until now I understood it was because it was far too difficult for businesses to comply with this, now it's because we’re only requiring proof of vaccine and not proof of a negative test and I’ve set out clearly firstly why we’re not doing that at this point and the fact that we will keep that under review.”
READ MORE: Scottish vaccine passport app: When can I download and how will it work?
Sturgeon explained that this was part of a bid to drive up vaccination rates, and that the scheme has been scrutinised in court, by the Covid-19 committee and that the two-week grace period is because the government listened to businesses.
She continued: “But I come back to the central point, I’m left wondering what exactly it is that Douglas Ross does support us doing to keep Covid under control, to protect people's health, to protect our economy and to save lives, because the position he is taking right now is simply to oppose everything this government does simply for the sake of opposition.
“At any time that is irresponsible but in the face of a deadly virus that is particularly irresponsible from the conservatives.”
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