Anas Sarwar has called on SNP ministers to focus their attention on covid recovery and not trying to "pull the country apart".
The Scottish Labour leader spoke out today as he outlined his party's plan to "help Scotland live well with covid" as Omicron restrictions come to an end.
The MSP said the next phase of the pandemic should be about making sure people could return to normal and getting the country's economy moving again.
Sarwar met with hospitality business leaders in Glasgow to hear how they had been impacted by emergency restrictions brought in over the festive season.
And he called for an end to "ad-hoc" covid rules being introduced at sudden notice after little or no consultation with those being impacted.
The Scottish Labour leader also condemned comments from John Swinney earlier today after the Deputy First Minister insisted planning for an IndyRef2 could now proceed thanks to the "much improved" covid situation.
"Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP have a blind spot when it comes to the constitution," Sarwar said.
"All this collective trauma - and I don't use that word lightly, we as a country have gone through almost two years of collective trauma trying to get through this pandemic.
"We have a massive job of work to do to rebuild our economy and to inspire confidence in our economic outlook.
"There are 650,000 of our fellow Scots are on NHS waiting lists.
"Some people are waiting months, if not years, to get the most simplest of treatments in the best case scenario - and people not getting access to cancer treatment in the worst case scenario.
"An entire generation of young people have missed out on quality education
"Not to mention all the huge challenges we face as a country on the climate emergency.
"And what do the Scottish Government want do? They want to say to people - you've pulled your community together, but now that we are coming through it, let's go back to arguing again. Let's go back to dividing our country all over again.
"I think that perfectly demonstrates the blind spot for Nicola Sturgeon, for John Swinney and the SNP - pull the country together for a pandemic, but pull the country apart coming through a pandemic.
"I don't think it's the right thing for our country. I think it lets Scotland down."
Swinney had earlier told BBC Radio Scotland: "What we've said all along is that when we get out of the intensity of covid, we will start the preparations for the independence referendum."
Sarwar insisted the Scottish Government should be focusing on covd recovery and helping businesses.
He added: "We all hope the worst is behind us – but going forward any changes in these restrictions cannot be ad-hoc.
"That is why Scottish Labour are setting out the 10 actions that we believe must be central to our new approach to a national crisis.
"The pandemic tore apart people’s lives. Families across Scotland have faced grief, heartbreak, and mental exhaustion.
"That is why we need to get serious and present a full plan to stop us from repeating the same mistakes.
"We need a system that sets clear trigger points on what people can expect when cases rise – which lays out what financial support people will be entitled to and when.
"That will mean both of Scotland’s governments working together, and more honesty and transparency around data.
"After 2 years people can’t be expected to live like this any longer."
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