Water firm boss says SNP should ‘get on with day job’

Business leaders are “fed up” with Nicola Sturgeon’s quest for independence and want her to get back to her day job, according to the boss of one of Scotland’s bestknown brands.

Les Montgomery, chief executive of bottled water firm Highland Spring, said the Scottish Government should be helping the Conservatives to achieve the best possible Brexit outcome.

He said: “Businesses are fed up. The Scottish Government should be getting on with the job they are there to do. Focusing on employment, investment, those kinds of things.”

“Independence isn’t the job that the Scottish Government is supposed to be doing.”

His comments come as First Minister Nicola Sturgeon confirmed plans for a second referendum on Scottish independence are being put on hold.

However, she left the door open for another ballot before 2021.

She originally called for one between autumn 2018 and spring 2019.

But she made clear she wanted to give Scottish voters – who backed Remain in last year’s EU referendum – an alternative to Brexit when there is “clarity” at the end of the process.

An SNP spokesman said: “The SNP Government is putting its efforts into getting the best Brexit deal possible – but being dragged out of Europe is still likely to be disastrous for jobs, investment and livelihoods.

“And it is the Tories who are failing to get on with the day job of supporting the economy as they are totally consumed with Brexit – while Labour are split from top to bottom, with the party leadership backing the Tories’ plans for an extreme Brexit, dragging Scotland out of the world’s biggest single market against its will.”