Nationalists’ record in power attacked by May at heated PMQs

Theresa May tore into the SNP’s record in government after a new Scottish Conservative MP said the party’s handling of farming subsidies was “utterly shameful”.

Earlier, the Prime Minister was challenged by the Nationalists’ leader in Westminster over workers seeing their pay packets shrink in real terms.

Asked by Tory MP Andrew Bowie if she agreed the SNP is “failing” rural Scotland, the Conservative leader said the party is not delivering for Scots with the powers they have.

“Yet again, Scottish schools are now outperformed in every category by schools in England, Northern Ireland, Estonia and Poland,” she told Prime Minister’s Questions.

“Powers are kept in Edinburgh rather than being devolved to local people and, as he (Mr Bowie) says, yet again we see farmers waiting months for their subsidy payments.

“The simple fact is that the SNP’s policies are not in the best interests of the people of Scotland.”

Ian Blackford, who leads the Nationalist MPs, called on the PM to give workers a pay rise, arguing they faced the worst period for pay in 70 years. He challenged Mrs May over whether she was “looking out for the just about managing”.

Mr Blackford, who took a similar line of attack at PMQs to Jeremy Corbyn, said: “The UK Government has not announced any measures to address rising inflation and slowing wage growth which the IFS (Institute for Fiscal Studies) has described as dreadful.”

Mrs May hit back, stating that the “best route out of poverty is for people to be in work” and what was important was ensuring “we have an economy which is increasing the number of jobs”. Cutting taxes for the lower paid and introducing the national living wage was, she added, “giving people real help”.

Mr Corbyn had accused the Government of “recklessly exploiting the goodwill” of public sector workers as he warned of a “low pay epidemic”.

The Labour leader insisted people “need a pay rise” given rising inflation.