Don’t blame us, says the man in charge of money
‘Blames everyone but himself’ ‘An absolute shambles’
Deputy Scottish Political Editor SCOTLAND’S faltering economy is down to Brexit and the UK Government and nothing to do with the SNP’s independence campaign, according to Finance Secretary Derek Mackay.
We teeter on the verge of recession after fresh figures show the Scottish economy contracted by 0.2 per cent in the last three months of last year, when the UK economy grew by 0.7 per cent.
Critics rounded on Mr Mackay for refusing to accept the SNP’s endless bids to break up Britain would have a disastrous impact on the economy. He has argued there are a ‘number of complex issues’ which have hit the country’s economy – pinning much of the blame on the UK-wide decision to leave the EU.
But he was fiercely criticised last night for the comments, with opponents pointing to the UK’s economic growth in the past year as proof that Brexit is not to blame for Scotland’s poor financial performance.
However, Mr Mackay failed to accept this was the Scottish Government’s responsibility.
He said: ‘There are a number of complex issues here. I think there is a reaction to the Brexit vote, certainly over the short time since the vote last June. There does seem to be a difference, looking at the polling and the analysis on consumer confidence and sentiment, between Scotland and the rest of the UK since the Brexit.
‘There are a number of other issues as well such as the impact on the economy of the downturn of oil and gas which has clearly affected Scotland on the wider economy. There is also issues around construction as well.
‘These are some of the interactions in the economy and clearly we want to focus our efforts on growing the economy.’
Mr Mackay told BBC Radio Scotland that Chancellor Philip Hammond had ‘failed to act’ to help the oil and gas sector in his recent budget – which he said is one of the major problems impacting the Scottish economy.
The SNP minister was then asked if separation from the UK would create a ‘significant trade’ barrier like the one Nationalists have suggested will be in place after Brexit, and if independence would not create a worsening economic picture.
But he said: ‘Not at all. Why would the Prime Minister and the UK want to trade with the rest of the world on free trade but not Scotland if we happen to be independent? What we are trying to do is secure a place in the single market so we have got access to that substantial and much larger market as well as sustain our relationship with the rest of the UK.’
Mr Mackay said that he was ‘recognising that there are a range of factors at play here in the Scottish economy’, but added: ‘I will tell you what won’t help Scotland’s economy, that’s if we leave the single market. We know that it will be very damaging to Scotland’s economy and that’s why we need to try to sustain our place within Europe.’
Scottish Tory chief whip John Lamont said: ‘It sounds like Derek Mackay is blaming everyone but himself for the SNP’s woeful performance. Brexit can’t possibly be the reason Scotland sits on the edge of recession, as the economy across the rest of the UK is powering ahead.
‘The SNP should take responsibility for failing Scotland’s businesses and hard workers.’
Labour MSP James Kelly described Mr Mackay as an ‘absolute shambles’ and blamed the SNP for mismanaging the country’s economy.
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