Rishi Sunak speaks to staff at the Global Energy Group site at the Port of Nigg during the election campaign on Thursday. Photo: Henry Nicholls/Pool AFP
Rishi Sunak has accused John Swinney of trying to distract voters from the Scottish National Party's education record by complaining that the general election coincides with the Scottish school holidays.
The First Minister said Mr Sunak's decision to choose July 4 was the Tories' «final act of disrespect» towards Scotland as many families were on holiday at the time.
He said the decision showed the Conservatives' «contempt» for Scotland.
However, the Prime Minister said Mr Swinney was trying to “distract” voters from the SNP’s “failures” on education “and the fact that they have failed Scottish schoolchildren.”
p>Speaking during a visit to Scotland on the first day of the election campaign, he said Scotland's schools had «fallen» in international league tables while the Scottish National Party government focused instead on independence.
Prime Minister's intervention The minister's appointment came after Swinney launched the SNP campaign in Edinburgh, insisting he could lead the SNP to victory in the «independence day» election.
Even though polls predict the SNP will vandalized at the ballot box. , he said he had «no doubt» his party could «win» in Scotland.
Mr Swinney has previously said he would have a mandate to demand another independence referendum if the Scottish National Party wins a majority of the 57 seats. this will be contested after the border changes.
Rishi Sunak held talks with Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, during his visit to Port Nigg. Photo: Jeff J. Mitchell/Getty Images Europe
Sir Keir Starmer will travel north of the border on Friday to launch the Scottish Labor campaign.
A poll this week suggested the Scottish National Party could only have 11 MPs left after the election. a sharp drop from the 48 seats won in 2019.
Labour was predicted to grow from the one seat it won at the last election to 35, significantly boosting Sir Keir Starmer's hopes of winning the keys to number 10.
The Tories will retain their six Scottish seats. despite a decline in the UK vote, according to a poll.
Both Unionist parties rejected Mr Swinney's complaints about the timing, arguing turnout in Scotland would not be affected by warmer weather and the ability to apply for a postal vote.
Mr Sunak said: «If John Swinney and the SNP want to talk about Scottish schools, they should focus on the fact that they have been failing Scottish schoolchildren for years.»
'Scottish schools' It used to be the envy of not just the UK but the envy of the world, and under the leadership of the Scottish National Party, Scottish schools have plummeted in international rankings, failing an entire generation of schoolchildren.
“This is where we need to focus. But the SNP aren't focusing on that because they're focused on independence and it just shows they have their priorities completely wrong.»
The SNP's Kate Forbes (left) and John Swinney at Holyrood on Thursday. Their party complained about the timing of the July vote. Photo: Colin Fisher/Alamy Live News
The Prime Minister also mocked Stephen Flynn, leader of the Westminster SNP party, for calling for an election this week only for the SNP to «suddenly decide they don't believe it» the right thing, and focused on the process and took my mind off my failures.” and the fact that they have failed Scottish schoolchildren.»
Scottish pupils performed at record lows in reading, maths and science, falling further behind their peers in England, according to an authoritative international study published last year.
The Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) found a decline in math scores of 18 points since the tests were last administered in 2018, equivalent to almost an entire year of schooling.
Mr Sunak said the SNP «have been» so obsessed with independence and constitutional change that they are losing sight of the everyday things that matter to people here in Scotland.»
He added: «Every time I'm here, people talk to me about the cost of living, and while I'm busy trying to cut taxes for working people in Scotland, the SNP has made Scotland the highest taxed part of the UK. not just for high earners but for anyone earning just over £28,500 and it just shows that the priorities are in the wrong place.»
Speaking ahead of his visit to Glasgow, Sir Keir said: “The Labor Party humbly asks for the opportunity to change the country. To serve the whole country.
“To be clear, there can be no national renewal without a strong Scotland. Without Scotland there is no Labor Party. Britain will not change without Scotland.”
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