Humza Yousaf has been criticised for having “no bearing on reality” after the SNP leader took yet another swipe at Brexit.
He claimed that the “Brexit-based Westminster economic model” is letting Scots down.
But the SNP leader was slapped down by Scottish Tory MSP Stephen Kerr, saying the remarks have “absolutely no bearing on reality”.
Writing on X, Yousaf said: “The Brexit-based Westminster economic model is failing Scotland.
Humza Yousaf has been criticised for having “no bearing on reality” after the SNP leader took yet another swipe at Brexit
PA
“The Resolution Foundation say if the UK had the average income and inequality of similar countries, the typical UK household would be £8,300 better off.
“The prize of independence is raised productivity and living standards.”
Alongside it he posted a graphic which said: “It is through independence, and the powerful combination of EU membership, that we can raise living standards.”
But Kerr hit back: “At this point it’s just cramming ‘Brexit’, ‘Westminster’ and the latest wild claim into a tweet, pressing send, and sitting back thinking ‘job well done’.
“This has absolutely no bearing on reality, and any fact checkers willing to take on the job could dine on it for weeks.”
John Ferry, Scottish Lib Dem finance spokesman, added: “Looking forward to seeing the evidenced case for how a hard border with England (representing over 60 per cent of our trade), removing central bank support for Scotland’s banking system, and cutting state spending by billions of [pounds] will improve Scottish productivity and living standards.”
Last year, the SNP unveiled a plan to rejoin the EU as part of its Building a New Scotland report series.
The Scottish Government said it would use a “tried and tested” route to EU membership, relying on Article 49.
Speaking ahead of the report’s publication, the SNP’s Constitution secretary Angus Robertson dismissed Brexit as “disastrous”, calling instead for an “an alternative direction for Scotland which will detail our shared European values”.
The report will also suggested that the party will exploit Labour’s plans for Brexit, which are expected to bring the UK closer to the EU.
Robertson said: “Independent countries like Scotland are wealthier and fairer than the UK, so with all our resources and talents why not Scotland?
“Both Labour and the Tories are happy to impose a disastrous hard Brexit on Scotland which the UK Government’s own fiscal watchdog thinks will cut national income by 4 per cent compared with EU membership – wiping around £100bn from the UK economy and leaving people on average earnings £1,300 worse off.
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“Today the Scottish Government is setting out an alternative direction for Scotland which will detail our shared European values, how we will trade with the rest of the UK and the EU, the immense value to Scotland of being a European Union member state, and the contribution we would make to achieving the EU’s goals.
“There will of course be challenges and the tried and tested accession process to go through, but we can escape the costs of Brexit and build a new and better relationship with our friends on these islands: taking advantage of new opportunities as part of the EU and the world’s largest single market, which is seven times the size of the UK.”
