DAME Jackie Baillie has accused Humza Yousaf of “gallivanting around Scotland’s top tourist spots” – the day after he visited Rutherglen.
With the Scottish Parliament in recess until September, the First Minister has been visiting different sites across the country in recent days.
On Wednesday, Yousaf went to Cockenzie in East Lothian to visit the youth support project Heavy Sound, and on Thursday he was at the National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh to launch a new white paper on citizenship after independence.
On Saturday, the First Minister visited Rutherglen and Hamilton West to campaign ahead of what could be a Westminster by-election in the constituency – if a recall petition succeeds it reaching the number of signatures needed to remove the incumbent MP Margaret Ferrier.
In recent days he has also visited Inverness, Fochabers, and Oban.
Baillie attacking the campaigning, claiming it was “astonishing” that the SNP leader would be attending political events during a cost-of-living crisis.
The Scottish Labour MSP said: “It is astonishing that in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis and chaos in our public sector, the out-of-touch First Minister has elected to spend his time gallivanting around Scotland’s top tourist spots.
“The SNP could not be making it any clearer that no matter how desperately the country needs support, their first priority will always be independence.
“Scotland needs a First Minister who is capable of actually leading, not someone who has lost all control, both of the country and his own MSP group.”
Responding for the SNP, MSP Rona Mackay (below) said Scottish Labour “have been left with nothing positive to say”.
She said: “The new Scottish Government, under the leadership of Humza Yousaf, has made a fresh start, with a clear record of delivery.
“Just in the last few days, SNP ministers have announced record doctor recruitment levels; a record number of students from the most deprived areas going to university; approved plans for a new £500 million hydro plant to support Scotland on its journey to net zero; a new strategy for Scotland’s aquaculture industries; and a funding package to support our island communities cope with the cost-of-living crisis.
“Unlike south of the Border, Scottish ministers successfully negotiated to prevent a junior doctors’ strike, and Scotland is unique in the UK in having avoided strike action in our health service.
“This is all thanks to action from the First Minister and this Scottish Government, which is committed to listening to and delivering for the people of Scotland – in the difficult circumstances of the damage caused by Brexit and Westminster cuts.
“The fact is that Labour’s Scottish branch office has been posted missing this summer.
“Jackie Baillie and her colleagues have been left with nothing positive to say, after their boss Keir Starmer committed to keeping the Tories’ cruel and punitive two-child, benefit cap, which is plunging many thousands of families into poverty.”
