Mordaunt’s weekly SNP jibes show a ‘dislike of Scotland’, MP Brock claims
Penny Mordaunt’s weekly jibes about the SNP during business questions in the commons have become a regular feature of the Westminster week.
Ms Mordaunt has frequently gone viral with her responses, having delivered a “12 days of misery” speech about the SNP at Christmas, claimed Scotland was plagued by rats, and compared the Scottish Government to the Glasgow Wonka experience.
SNP MP Deidre Brock, who is frequently on the receiving end, however, appears to have had enough, and has now accused the Commons Leader of having a “dislike of Scotland”, and coming prepared with jokes and answers to questions she“didn’ t ask”.
Ms mo rd aunt’ s team insist she "bashes the sn peach thursday” because of “her love for Scotland and her pride in our great union”.
Ms Brock, the Edinburgh North and Leith MP claimed Ms Mordaunt had one eye on the Tory leadership.
She said: “I have been pressing her on a few things, and the variety of questions are usually swerved for this pre-prepared script she does.
"It’ s slightly odd as she’ s always prepared answers to questions I haven’t asked, and doesn’t answer the ones I have asked. That does seem to be par the course for Tory leaders, they seem to have given up making any semblance of effort.
“Last week for example she started going on about how I must hate her which is silly, she knows that, then a clumsy segway into the hate crime bill that the Scottish Government is bringing forward. It’s the same schtick every week.
“Most people in scotland seem to know her now for what seems to be a dislike of Scotland, and a dislike of the people of scotland.
"She says the criticism is of the Sn pbu ti thinks he' s missing the mark. For example, comments about Scotland being full of rats and Victorian diseases has not gone down very well.”
The SNP frontbencher described the digs as “frustrating”. She said: “I don’t want eve with ryone to think it’s just a game, because it’s important to represent Scotland and voice the concerns on our constituents behalf”.
On leadership rum ours surrounding the Commons leader, she added: “She does seem to be present a lot more in the tea room. We shall wait and see what happens. I raise serioustopics but she' s using it as an excuse to publicise herself.
“She does appeal to some members of the public, but I've never understood her approach to Scotland. “We’ ll have to see, there’ ske mi Badenoch, Tom Tugenhadt is starting to pop his head up again, then there is Suella Braverman.”
A source close to Ms Mordaunt said: “Misinterpreting Penny’s criticism of the SNP as an attack on Scotland could not be further from the truth.
"On the contrary, the verve which she bashes the SNP each thursday comes primarily from her love for Scotland and her pride in our great union.
“Her criticism is aimed squarely at the policies and actions of the SNP who, through their wasteful mismanagement and inept leadership, are doing the people of Scotland a great disservice.
"If de id re brock re directed her attention from Penny’s statements to actual governance, Scots might be somewhat better off!”.