SNP’s Ian Blackford: Liz Truss made worst first impression in history

Scots can never again be told independence would create economic instability after recent chaotic weeks at Westminster, the SNP conference heard yesterday.

The party’s deputy leader, Keith Brown, said it would be “absurd” to make the claim after Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng’s tax-­cutting financial statement collapsed the pound and panicked pension funds and mortgage providers.

Brown urged delegates to “never forget, never forgive” the warning from Labour before the 2014 referendum that Scots would take a massive risk with their economic future if they voted for independence.

In the opening speech at the SNP conference in Aberdeen, Brown told delegates: “It is an incontrovertible fact that the SNP has a cast-iron mandate to hold an independence referendum.

“But Labour always side with the Tories to protect Westminster control – no matter how high a price the people of Scotland pay.

“Never forget, never forgive that in 2014 it was Labour who championed the Better Together message that only a No vote would deliver economic stability. It seems absurd now, but that’s what Labour promised.”

Brown also announced plans for the party to enter into the “broadcasting arena”. “We will soon launch a new broadcast platform, with the first episode of this new show covering the debate over Scotland’s future,” he said.

The new show appears to be named Scotland’s Voices, posted on podcast streaming platforms.

Meanwhile, SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said Kwarteng and new Prime Minister, Liz Truss made “the worst first impression in the history of British politics”. He told delegates: “The inequality and incompetence of that Budget will go down as one of the worst financial interventions in modern history.”

At a fringe event at the conference, the Scottish Police Federation, which represents rank and file officers, warned Scottish Government budget cuts would lead to fewer officers and more crime.

Finance Secretary Kate Forbes earlier this year announced a five-year provisional spending plan, which would keep funding for the Scottish Police Authority at £1.2 billion over the period of the review. The announcement was made before inflation rose to its current rate of 9.9%.

SPF general secretary Calum Steele described the financial situation as “dire”. He said: “The consequences will be a smaller police force, fewer police officers, fewer police stations, more crime and more victims of crime disgruntled with the police.”

Scottish Conservative justice spokesman Jamie Greene described his comments as a “chilling warning straight to the heart of the SNP Government”.

Keith Brown, who is also Justice Secretary, said there was “no vendetta” against the justice system. “There’s an awful lot being done,” he said. “But there’s no vendetta against any part of the justice system. Why would we want to do that?

“The simple point is, the way to overcome these structural limitations, mostly based on finance, are by achieving independence for Scotland.”

Meanwhile, members of the Royal College of Nursing held a protest outside the conference. The union is balloting its members for strike action for the first time in its 106-year history.

Today Deputy First Minister John Swinney will tell delegates ministers will reject any proposals to build new nuclear power stations in Scotland.

Truss has pledged to ramp up nuclear and renewable energy generation to tackle the current energy crisis.

But Swinney is expected to say: “Scotland is secure in energy. It is the UK that has failed to achieve energy security, with the National Grid warning of possible power cuts this winter. And Scotland is not going to put up with a new round of nuclear power stations to make up for the failure of energy policy in the United Kingdom.”