– But as shocking toll emerged, Nationalists were busy obsessing over...Saltires on food

A NATIONALIST attempt to ensure that the Saltire is displayed on more Scottish produce has been blasted as a waste of parliament’s time.

Glasgow Anniesland MSP Bill Kidd raised the issue in a question-and-answer session with ministers on the rural economy.

Critics accused Nationalists of using vital parliamentary time to ‘obsess’ about flags. It previously emerged one of Nicola Sturgeon’s advisers demanded action from civil servants after learning Marks & Spencer was using the Union flag on Scottish beef packaging.

Yesterday, Mr Kidd asked for a response to a recent survey ‘which found 5 per cent of those asked preferred to see the national flag of Scotland on their food’. But Tory rural affairs spokesman Rachael Hamilton said: ‘This sort of question reveals the strange priorities of an SNP MSP.

‘I’m incredibly proud of our fantastic Scottish produce but this was a total waste of parliamentary time when we could have been discussing the real issues facing our rural communities.’

She added: ‘It’s all too typical that SNP representatives use their time in parliament to obsess over flags.

‘Rural communities have been hugely impacted by Covid yet this MSP found the time to bring up such a trivial matter.’

In response to Mr Kidd, SNP Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: ‘The Scottish brand, whether it is the Saltire or a Scottish label, is a key provenance mark and a signal of quality. It is no surprise people in Scotland recognise that and are proudly enjoying our world-class produce.’

‘Strange priorities’