The Tories are “threatening Scotland’s economy and risking a winter of mass redundancies” by failing to deliver the investment and powers needed to save jobs.
Alison Thewliss MP (pictured) said Scotland had been “treated with contempt” after the Tory government scrapped the UK budget without consultation – threatening the Scottish Government’s ability to plan for its own budget.
The SNP Shadow Chancellor, who has led calls for an extension to the furlough scheme, said the Tories had failed to deliver anywhere near the scale of investment needed to save jobs and are threatening Scotland’s economic recovery by refusing to devolve financial powers.
With the Tories also imposing an extreme Brexit at the end of the year, the SNP said the only way to protect Scotland’s economy was to become an independent country with full control over economic powers.
The latest ONS labour force survey revealed UK unemployment has risen to 4.1% and the number of workers in employment has fallen by almost 700,000 since March.
Separately, analysis from the Scottish Government shows extending the furlough scheme by eight months could save around 61,000 jobs in Scotland.
Commenting, SNP Shadow Chancellor Alison Thewliss MP said:
“The Tories are threatening Scotland’s economy, and risking a winter of mass redundancies, by withholding the investment and powers required to save jobs and secure a strong recovery.
“We will closely examine the detail of what has been announced today, but by scrapping the existing furlough scheme, the Tories are leaving millions of people without the financial support they need and risking thousands of unnecessary job losses in the middle of a pandemic – including up to 61,000 jobs in Scotland.
“The forgotten millions who have been excluded from financial support will continue to get no help – including many freelancers and self-employed people.
“Scotland has been treated with contempt.
“The Scottish Government’s calls for the devolution of financial powers needed to protect our economy have been completely ignored and, without consultation, Tory ministers have scrapped the UK Budget – putting Scottish budget plans at risk.
“By withholding the investment and powers required, scrapping the Budget, and threatening an extreme Brexit, the Tories are demonstrating the need for Scotland to have full control over economic powers as an independent country.
“With the threats from Westminster growing, it is clearer than ever that independence is now the only way to protect Scotland’s economy.”
