Jack calls on Sturgeon to ‘congratulate’ PM over vaccine programme success

NICOLA Sturgeon should “congratulate” Boris Johnson on the vaccination programme in the UK, the Scottish Secretary has said.

Speaking during Scottish Questions in the Commons yesterday, Alister Jack dismissed claims that Scotland could have had an equally successful vaccination programme as an independent country within the EU as “rubbish”.

Scottish Conservative MP Douglas Ross asked whether Mr Jack agreed that “the outstanding efforts of our NHS staff, British armed forces, and vaccinator volunteers has only been possible in

Scotland because of the success of the UK vaccination programme, and Nicola Sturgeon’s claims that somehow an independent Scotland within the EU would have done it differently, are complete rubbish”.

Mr Jack replied: “I think just once, on something as important as life saving vaccines, it would be nice to see the First Minister congratulate the Prime Minister and the United Kingdom Government on our highly successful Uk-wide vaccine procurement programme.”

The Scottish Secretary was challenged by SNP and Labour MPS on Boris Johnson’s alleged remarks about letting the “bodies pile high” and about funding the renovation of his Downing Street flat.

Stuart Mcdonald, SNP MP for Cumbernauld, said: “Why is he stopping the Prime Minister from coming to Scotland to campaign for him?

“Have the dubious donations for renovations made that impossible, contracts for contacts or just the disgraceful comments about bodies piling high?

“Or is it simply the Prime Minister represents a fundamental problem for Scotland being in the union, year after year of Prime Ministers, parties and policies

Scotland wouldn’t vote for in a million years?”

Mr Jack replied that Mr Johnson’s “passion for the United Kingdom and for the strength of the United Kingdom burns brightly.”

Ian Murray, Labour’s shadow secretary of state for Scotland, asked what could be done to “inject much-needed honesty and integrity, into this debate” about independence, “if proponents of separation continue to refuse to answer critical questions that fundamentally impact people’s livelihoods, incomes and futures.”

He cited the recent example of Emma Harper, SNP candidate, saying a border between Scotland and England could create jobs, adding: “On Sunday, the First Minister admitted that there has been no analysis done on the impact of incomes from separation. .”

Mr Jack replied: “I absolutely agree that independence would have a whole series of possible negative consequences for the people of Scotland, not just on their pension benefits, but around currency or on borders issues, on services, the list is endless

“I would very much welcome his and other political parties willing to come together to work on how we can strengthen our Union.”